Famous People Born in August Trivia Quiz

Answer: Cecil B. DeMille

This great American director is considered one of the pioneers of filmmaking. His first production, a shooting of the play "The Squaw Man", was begun in 1913 and was the first full-length film (six reels). Some of his more famous films include "Samson and Delilah", "Cleopatra", and "Union Pacific".

Answer: Literature

John Galsworthy (1867-1933) was a British author and dramatist who specialized in satire and tales of the English middle class. He is best known for the series of works known as "The Forsyte Saga", which chronicled the lives of three generations of a middle-class British family.

Answer: Willie Shoemaker

Willie Shoemaker was born in Texas in 1931. He weighed only two and a half pounds at birth and had to be placed in a shoebox in an oven to keep him alive! He went on to become history's most successful jockey, winning 8,833 races and becoming the first to win over $100 million. In 1991 he became a quadriplegic as the result of an auto accident.

Answer: Chile

Bernardo O'Higgins was born in Chile, the illegitimate son of a man who became the viceroy of Peru. He studied in England, where he met revolutionaries and was influenced by their ideas. He returned to Chile in 1801 to govern his estate upon his father's death, and became a member of the Chilean congress in 1811.

In 1817 O'Higgins was chosen as General-in-Chief in Chile's battle with Peru, and was later elected supreme director. He resigned this position in 1823 and spent the rest of his days in exile in Peru.

Answer: Illustrator

Aubrey Beardsley was a British illustrator known for his curvilinear, ornamental illustrations popularized by the Art Nouveau movement. He gained notoriety with his erotic illustrations of Oscar Wilde's "Salome". Sadly, he died of tuberculosis at age 25.

Answer: Valerie Harper

Valerie Harper was born in Suffern, New York, in 1941. Although she has played many roles both on television and on stage, she will always be remembered as Rhoda Morgenstern, first on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and later on the spinoff "Rhoda". Today the four-time Emmy winner is still acting and is an advocate for the homeless.

Answer: Polio

This is somewhat of a trick question. Jonas Salk is usually associated with the polio vaccine, as he was the first to develop it, in 1955. However, Sabin improved upon the vaccine in 1960 with the introduction of a vaccine made from live but weakened polio virus (Salk's had used killed virus).

Answer: Oliver Wendell Holmes

Oliver Wendell Holmes was a busy man. In addition to serving as the Dean of Harvard Medical School, he wrote many poems, and a novel, "Elsie Venner". His son, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr, served on the US Supreme Court for thirty years.

Answer: violin

Mr. Perlman began his extensive career in 1964. One of the achievements of which he is most proud is his collaboration with John Williams on the soundtrack of the film "Schindler's List", in which he performed violin solos.

Answer: Mayor of New York City

This was one busy guy! He retired in 1989 as New York City's Police Commissioner, but continued to teach law and criminal justice to college students.

Answer: American Revolution

Nathaniel Greene was born in Rhode Island to a Quaker family. He was elected four times to the Rhode Island assembly, but is best known as a Revolutionary War general. His best success was against the British in North and South Carolina in 1780 and 1782, near the end of the war.

Answer: Esther Williams

Esther Williams is best known as the bathing beauty of Hollywood. She joined the Aquacade synchronized swimmers and got her first role in 1942's "Andy Hardy's Double Life". She went on to star in several MGM swimming and music extravaganzas such as "Million-Dollar Mermaid". Her autobiography, "Million Dollar Mermaid", is a fun and interesting book.

Answer: Helen Thomas

Ms. Thomas was somewhat of a pioneer in her field, as women were not as well-respected in political journalism in the 1970s as they are today. Her memoir is called "Front Row at the White House: My Life and Times".

Answer: Ashcan

Sloan was noted for his realistic urban paintings, which gave rise to the lovely term "Ashcan School". His paintings, which include "McSorley's Bar" and "Backyards, Greenwich Village", are simple portrayals of working people in the city.

Answer: Astronomer

Maria's career as an astronomer began in 1847, when she discovered a comet that was named "Miss Mitchell's Comet". In 1848 she became the first female member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Along with her astronomical research, she also worked with many women's rights activists. In 1994, she was elected to the National Women's Hall of Fame.