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Quiz about Movies of the 50s  Part III
Quiz about Movies of the 50s  Part III

Movies of the '50s - Part III Trivia Quiz


More movies from the 1950s to bring back memories of some great actors and actresses of that time.

A multiple-choice quiz by zambesi. Estimated time: 4 mins.
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Author
zambesi
Time
4 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
372,566
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
7 / 10
Plays
1199
Last 3 plays: Guest 146 (9/10), Zirkon (8/10), pughmv (10/10).
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Question 1 of 10
1. The 1950 musical comedy "Annie Get Your Gun" is loosely based on the life of Annie Oakley, the Western sharpshooter. Who played the role of Annie Oakley?
Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. In 1951 an Alfred Hitchcock thriller was based on two strangers casually meeting, each wishing to do away with someone, so that each would perform the other's murder, therefore coming up with a fool-proof murder scheme. What was the name of this Hitchcock thriller?
Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. "Singing In The Rain" (1952) is probably best remembered for Gene Kelly performing the song of the same name. What was Kelly's name in the movie?
Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. In the 1953 movie "How To Marry A Millionaire", Betty Grable, Marilyn Monroe and Lauren Bacall star as three young ladies out to catch and marry a millionaire. In the movie Marilyn Monroe wears something that you would rarely see her wear when starring in a movie. What is the unusual item?
Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. James Stewart portrayed the American band-leader Glenn Miller in the 1954 movie "The Glenn Miller Story". Who played the role of his wife, Helen Burger Miller?
Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. James Dean made three movies in 1955, the first being "East of Eden", then, "Rebel Without a Cause" and finally "Giant". What was the name of his character in "East of Eden"?
Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. Phileas Fogg (David Niven) has a wager with four fellow members of his club that he could fly "Around the World in 80 Days" (1956). Who played the role of Fogg's resourceful valet, Passepartout?
Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. The 1957 movie starring James Cagney, "Man of a Thousand Faces", details the true story of the life and loves of a former silent screen actor.
Who was this silent screen actor?
Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. Marlon Brando plays Christian Diestl in the 1958 WWII drama "The Young Lions", also starring Dean Martin, Montgomery Clift and Barbara Rush.
What was Christian's occupation before joining the Nazi army?
Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. The 1959 movie "On the Beach" takes place in 1964 only months after a nuclear WWIII devastates the northern hemisphere. The movie takes place in a country in the southern hemisphere starring Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner and Fred Astaire. What is the name of the country that the story revolves around?
Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Mar 24 2024 : Guest 146: 9/10
Mar 20 2024 : Zirkon: 8/10
Mar 15 2024 : pughmv: 10/10
Mar 15 2024 : Guest 86: 9/10
Mar 12 2024 : Guest 12: 9/10
Mar 12 2024 : Guest 67: 4/10
Mar 12 2024 : Guest 86: 7/10
Mar 08 2024 : Guest 199: 8/10
Mar 04 2024 : Guest 207: 6/10

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. The 1950 musical comedy "Annie Get Your Gun" is loosely based on the life of Annie Oakley, the Western sharpshooter. Who played the role of Annie Oakley?

Answer: Betty Hutton

Betty Hutton (1921 - 2007) was a singer, comedienne and stage, film and TV actress. Her acting career spanned from 1938 - 1980. Howard Keel played the male leading role in the movie. Judy Garland originally had the leading role but was fired shortly after filming began because of her continual arguing with the director and arriving late for scenes. Doris Day played the lead role in "Calamity Jane" also a musical about a frontierswoman with Howard Keel also playing the leading male actor in this movie. Debbie Reynolds was also an actress, singer and dancer.
2. In 1951 an Alfred Hitchcock thriller was based on two strangers casually meeting, each wishing to do away with someone, so that each would perform the other's murder, therefore coming up with a fool-proof murder scheme. What was the name of this Hitchcock thriller?

Answer: Strangers On A Train

In "Strangers On A Train" the two would-be killers meeting on a train were played by Farley Granger and Robert Walker. Granger plays the role of an amateur tennis player (Guy) and Walker a charming psychopath (Bruno). Bruno is to kill Guy's unfaithful wife and Guy is to kill Bruno's father. Like all Hitchcock thrillers there are twists and turns before the final scene. "I Confess" (1953) starred Montgomery Clift and "Dial M For Murder" (1954) starred Ray Milland and Grace Kelly. "The Wrong Man" (1957) starred Henry Fonda which was his only appearance in a Hitchcock movie. All of these movies were Hitchcock thrillers.
3. "Singing In The Rain" (1952) is probably best remembered for Gene Kelly performing the song of the same name. What was Kelly's name in the movie?

Answer: Don Lockwood

Don Lockwood was a popular silent film star who had trouble with the new concept of talking pictures. To overcome this challenge he came up with the idea of a musical. Howard Keel was the original choice of the character Don Lockwood but the studio finally settled on Gene Kelly for the role by adjusting the script. All of the above were characters in the movie. Donald O'Connor (Cosmo Brown), Millard Mitchell (R. F. Simpson) and Douglas Fowley (Roscoe Dexter). Debbie Reynolds also starred in the movie.

The story evolved around a silent film production company making the difficult transition to sound.
4. In the 1953 movie "How To Marry A Millionaire", Betty Grable, Marilyn Monroe and Lauren Bacall star as three young ladies out to catch and marry a millionaire. In the movie Marilyn Monroe wears something that you would rarely see her wear when starring in a movie. What is the unusual item?

Answer: Glasses

Marilyn plays the role of Pola Debevoise who is extremely near-sighted and hates to wear her glasses where any man might see her. As she states in the movie "Men aren't attentive to girls who wear glasses". Through her near-sightedness she meets the man whom she marries. Although looking for millionaires to marry, the three girls find true love in the process.
5. James Stewart portrayed the American band-leader Glenn Miller in the 1954 movie "The Glenn Miller Story". Who played the role of his wife, Helen Burger Miller?

Answer: June Allyson

June Allyson (1917 - 2006) began her career as a dancer in the late 1930s and with her "girl next door" image was paired with Van Johnson in five movies in the 1940s.
Lauren Bacall (1924-2014), Barbara Stanwyck (1907-1990) both appeared in many movies throughout their careers. Stanwyck was nominated four times for the Academy Award for Best Actress in a leading role. Grace Kelly (1929-1982) became Princess consort of Monaco from 1956 to 1982 after her marriage to Prince Rainier of Monaco.
6. James Dean made three movies in 1955, the first being "East of Eden", then, "Rebel Without a Cause" and finally "Giant". What was the name of his character in "East of Eden"?

Answer: Cal Trask

Cal Trask is one of two sons to Adam Trask (Raymond Massey). Cal believes his father favours his brother Aron (Richard Davolos) and the two brothers fight for the affection of Abro (Julie Harris). Of the three films in which James Dean was the leading male this is the only film which was released during his lifetime and which he was able to see. James Dean (1931-1955) played Jim Stark in "Rebel Without a Cause" and Jett Rink in "Giant". Rock Hudson played Jordan "Bick" Benedict Jr. in "Giant". "Giant" was released in 1956 after Dean's death and Nick Adams recorded some of Jett Rink's dialogue after Dean's death. James Dean remains the only actor to receive two posthumous Nominations for the Academy award for Best Actor.
7. Phileas Fogg (David Niven) has a wager with four fellow members of his club that he could fly "Around the World in 80 Days" (1956). Who played the role of Fogg's resourceful valet, Passepartout?

Answer: Cantinflas

Cantinflas (1911-1993) from Mexico was, at the time, the most famous Latin-American comedian in show business. He was referred to as the Charlie Chaplin of Mexico. His character eventually becomes a focus of the film. Passepartout has an eye for the ladies plus being a jack of all trades.

His character has great humour which is in complete contrast to his master who is strictly formal, like the classic Victorian gentleman. Jose Greco plays the part of a flamenco dancer, Fernandel is a Paris coachman and Jack Oakie is the captain of the vessel SS Henrietta.

In the movie there was a star studded cast of actors and actresses who played cameo roles (Frank Sinatra, Red Skelton, Marlene Dietrich, Noel Coward, Trevor Howard, George Raft, John Mills, Buster Keaton too name just a few).

It was claimed to be a film in which most of Hollywood's Who's Who were extras.
8. The 1957 movie starring James Cagney, "Man of a Thousand Faces", details the true story of the life and loves of a former silent screen actor. Who was this silent screen actor?

Answer: Lon Chaney

Lon Chaney (1883-1930) was one of the most versatile and powerful actors of the silent film era. He was known for his artistry of makeup and being able to
transform his roles into grotesque characters. He is best known for his roles in the silent horror movies of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" (1923) and
"The Phantom of the Opera" (1925). Through his makeup techniques he became known as The Man of a Thousand Faces.
The other three actors were all stars of the silent screen era. Chaplin (1899-1977), Valentino (1895-1926) and Fairbanks Snr. (1883-1939).
9. Marlon Brando plays Christian Diestl in the 1958 WWII drama "The Young Lions", also starring Dean Martin, Montgomery Clift and Barbara Rush. What was Christian's occupation before joining the Nazi army?

Answer: Ski Instructor

German ski instructor Christian Diestl believes that Adolf Hitler will bring back respectability to Germany so he joins the army. Eventually he becomes disillusioned by what the war does to his fellow Germans. After witnessing the horrors of a concentration camp he throws away his weapons and, while wandering through a forest, he is shot in one of the final scenes by GI Michael Whiteacre (Dean Martin). In the movie Barbara Rush (Margaret Freemantle) had an affair with both Brando and Martin. She had the affair with Brando while on a skiing holiday in 1938 in the Bavarian Alps and later with Martin in London.
10. The 1959 movie "On the Beach" takes place in 1964 only months after a nuclear WWIII devastates the northern hemisphere. The movie takes place in a country in the southern hemisphere starring Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner and Fred Astaire. What is the name of the country that the story revolves around?

Answer: Australia

The opening and closing music of the film is the non-official Australian anthem "Waltzing Matilda". Australia is one of the last places on Earth that has not been effected by the nuclear war, however, radiation will eventually get to the southern hemisphere and kill all inhabitants.

As the air currents slowly carry the nuclear fallout to the southern hemisphere, Australia prepares for the worst in the event of radiation sickness. Gregory Peck (Cmdr. Dwight L. Towers) is the captain of the nuclear submarine USS Sawfish, under Royal Australian Navy command.

In the opening credit thanks is given to the Royal Australian Navy and to the officers and crew of the H.M.A.S. Melbourne. The movie was mostly filmed in and around Melbourne. Ava Gardner is reputed to have said during filming is that Melbourne "is the perfect place to make a film about the end of the world".
Source: Author zambesi

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor skunkee before going online.
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Related Quizzes
This quiz is part of series Movies of the 40s, 50s & 60s.:

Here are a number of quizzes about memorable movies from the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. Hope they bring back fond memories.

  1. Classic Movies of the 1940s - Part I Average
  2. Classic Movies of the 1940s - Part II Average
  3. Classic Movies of the 1940s - Part III Average
  4. Movies of the '50s - Part I Average
  5. Movies of the '50s - Part II Average
  6. Movies of the '50s - Part III Average
  7. Movies of the '60s - Part I Average
  8. Movies of the '60s - Part II Average
  9. Movies of the '60s - Part III Average

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