Movie Stars and Their First Film Roles Quiz

Answer: Tall Story

Redford was unknown at the time but his first screen role was in the movie "Tall Story" from 1960. It was a comedy that was shot in black and white. In the movie Redford was uncredited and his role was as a basketball player. This film starred Anthony Perkins as well as Jane Fonda in her film debut. Ray Walston is also in the movie.
Anthony Perkins has a role as a basketball star at Custer College. Jane Fonda is husband-hunting and has her eye on Perkins. The rest of the story revolves around whether or not Perkins will accept a bribe to throw the basketball game against a visiting Russian team.
Redford was born August 18, 1936.

Answer: Mac and Me

This one may have been a bit tricky. "Mac and Me" from 1988 is a movie more geared towards children. MAC stood for "Mysterious Alien Creature". He escaped from NASA agents and was befriended by a paraplegic boy in a wheelchair. Jennifer Aniston appeared very briefly as an uncredited extra. You can view her brief appearance online. If you blink your eyes, you will miss the side view of her head and face so pay close attention. She appears during the McDonald's dance number scene in the movie. Aniston was born February 11, 1969.

Answer: The Devil's Rain

John's first professional acting role was in the musical comedy "Bye Bye Birdie" from 1970; his fist significant film role was as Billy Nolan in the movie "Carrie" from 1976. However, John's very first film role, a very minor role, was as Danny in "The Devil's Rain" from 1975.

It was one of those low budget horror films also known as a B Movie. Oddly enough the cast was quite excellent for a movie such as this. Other actors were William Shatner, Ernest Borgnine, Keenan Wynn, Ida Lupino, Tom Skerritt, and Eddie Albert.

Another cast member as well as the film's technical adviser, was none other than the renowned Satanist Anton LaVey. LaVey founded the Church of Satan and also authored a book titled "The Satanic Bible". LaVey also released several recordings. One was a vinyl LP titled "The Satanic Mass". "The Devil's Rain" received terrible reviews. Vincent Canby with the "New York Times" said "'The Devil's Rain' is ostensibly a horror film, but it barely manages to be a horror...It is as horrible as watching an egg fry". I have not seen this movie but read that it's about a group of Satanists with a 300-year-old warlock (Ernest Borgnine) as its leader.

He is searching for a book that has a list of all the people in it who sold their souls to the devil. One would think that "The Devil's Rain" was the rain that melted the Satanists. According to Wikipedia "The Devil's Rain" is actually a bottle that contains all of the souls that are already damned. Travolta was born February 18, 1954.

Answer: The Bad Sister

The first film role for Bette Davis was as Laura Madison in "The Bad Sister" from 1931. This film had a good cast with Conrad Nagel, Zazu Pitts, Humphrey Bogart, and a few others. The plot had to do with a con artist who charms his way into the good graces of the naive Marianne Madison and gets her to marry him.

Her father is wealthy and quite prominent. The con artist, Valentine, talks her into forging her father's name onto a letter of endorsement. He shows this letter to local merchants who all most willingly give him merchandise. Valentine winds up leaving her on their wedding night.

His next unknowing victim is Marianne's younger sister Laura, played by Bette Davis. Davis was born April 5, 1908.

Answer: Brown of Harvard

John Wayne's first film role was in the 1926 sports drama movie "Brown of Harvard". He played a Yale football player and it was an uncredited role. John can be seen playing football in the game sequence of the film.
John Wayne's final role was in a movie titled "The Shootist". He was born May 26, 1907.

Answer: Shout

Gwyneth's first role was with John Travolta in the movie "Shout" from 1991. The movie also included stars Heather Graham and Linda Fiorentino. Her mother is the famed actress Blythe Danner and her father Bruce Paltrow who was a director and producer.
The movie takes place in mid 1950s Texas on a Boys Farm. Travolta is a music teacher who eventually introduces them all to rock & roll.
Gwyneth was born September 27, 1972.

Answer: Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round

Harrison Ford's known first role was in the film "Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round" from 1966. He played a bellhop and his role went uncredited. The movie starred James Coburn and was about a robbery at an L.A. Airport bank.
Harrison may have worked prior to this film as an extra, in an uncredited role, or in a non speaking role. There's just no record of it to be found. Apparently Mr. Ford offended the director of "Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round" and wound up on the bottom of the list of available actors.
At one point in life Harrison taught himself carpentry just so he and his family could survive. While plying that trade he wound up becoming a stagehand for none other than The Doors. He had also done various carpentry work for directors George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola as well as actress Sally Kellerman. The work he did for the two directors furthered his career by getting him roles. Harrison was born July 13, 1942.

Answer: Hangmen

Bullock got her first movie role in a film titled "Hangmen" from 1987. It was just a small role but it got her rolling. Unfortunately I read that the movie was not very good at all. It had to do with a guy named Danny Greene who had a girlfriend named Lisa (Bullock). Bullock is kidnapped to get to Danny Greene whose father is a CIA agent.

His father is about to reveal the name of a rogue unit within the CIA and that's why they were after him. If the rogue agents get to Danny they will obviously be able to get to his father. Sandra bullock was born July 26, 1964.

She was 23 years old when she got the role in "Hangmen".

Answer: Endless Love

In 1981, Cruise had a bit part in the film "Endless Love". His role in the movie was as a guy named Billy. The movie was a romantic drama which starred Brooke Shields, Martin Hewitt, and James Spader. It took place in Chicago.
The theme song for the movie was "Endless Love" by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie. It later became a #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. Tom Cruise was born July 3, 1962.

Answer: There's One Born Every Minute

Elizabeth Taylor was only nine years old when she first appeared in a movie. From what I read, her first film "There's One Born Every Minute" had the working title of "Man or Mouse". The film was a comedy from 1942 and her role was as a young girl named Gloria Twine. She was the bratty sister of Junior Twine who was played by Carl Switzer. If you remember the 1940s comedy series "The Little Rascals", you may recall Carl. He played Alfalfa.
Gloria and Junior's father, in the movie, was a pudding manufacturer who wound up running for mayor. Evidently his pudding was said to contain the amazing Vitamin Z but when it was tested, there was no trace of the vitamin. There's a lot more to the story and he does end up getting elected as mayor.
Taylor was married eight times to seven husbands. Richard Burton was married to her twice. She had a career that spanned 62 years and was nominated for an Academy Award six times. She won for Best Actress twice and received more than 40 awards, nominations, and honors.
Elizabeth Taylor was born February 27, 1932.