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Quiz about Tom Dick or Harry
Quiz about Tom Dick or Harry

Tom, Dick or Harry? Trivia Quiz


All the questions in this quiz will pertain to people whose first name is some variation of Tom, Dick or Harry. They come from a wide variety of fields and places, so they're not just any Tom, Dick or Harry. Have fun:-)

A multiple-choice quiz by paulmallon. Estimated time: 6 mins.
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Author
paulmallon
Time
6 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
347,393
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
7 / 10
Plays
804
Last 3 plays: Upstart3 (6/10), Linda_Arizona (8/10), horadada (2/10).
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Question 1 of 10
1. Thomas Harris is a best-selling American suspense author. He is best known for "The Silence of the Lambs" (1988), which featured Dr. Hannibal Lecter. Before that mega-hit, he published his first novel, "Black Sunday" (1975), which was about a terrorist plot to bomb the Super Bowl. We know about his writing skills, but he is a multi-talented man.
Which of the following statements about him is true?
Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. British born Colin Lionel Em is better known as actor, comedian, game show host and panelist, Richard Dawson. As a comic, he played the famed London Palladium. He has been married twice, first in 1959 to the British bombshell, Diana Dors, and in 1991 to Gretchen Johnson. How did he come to know Ms. Johnson? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. Harry James was one of the most popular American trumpet players and bandleaders in the heyday of the "Big Band Era" of the 1930's and '40's. He even played briefly in the great Benny Goodman Orchestra before going out on his own in 1939. Harry liked the ladies too, and in fact he got hitched three times. Which lovely lady became the second Mrs. James in 1943? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. Tom Seaver was one of baseball's greatest pitchers. Over a 20 year career, with four teams, he compiled a record of 311-205 with an E.R.A. of 2.86.
Known as "The Franchise", he was Rookie of the Year in 1967, for the N.Y. Mets. Several times he took a no-hitter into the 9th inning only to lose it, but eventually he got one. Which team was he pitching for when he twirled his no-hitter?
Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. Richard Dreyfus is an American actor best known for his movie career, which includes blockbusters like "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" (1977), and perhaps the biggest of them all, "Jaws" (1975). He first began acting at the age of 16. He fell off the straight and narrow in 1982 when he was arrested. With what crime was he charged? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. Harry Belafonte has entertained fans with his magical Caribbean/ Island style of music for over 50 years. His first big hit was the single, "Matilda" (1956). In that same year he recorded one of his more than his 50 albums, "Calypso". On that original album was a song called "Day-O", which later was re-named "The Banana Boat Song". Do you know where "The King of Calypso" was born? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. Thomas Jefferson was born April 13, 1743. He served as the third U.S. president, from March 4, 1801 to March 4, 1809. Earlier he had served in a number of political positions including U.S. Minister to France (1785-1789). On January 1, 1772 he married Martha Wayles Skelton, who at age 23 was already a widow. What was somewhat unusual about their marriage? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. Dick Clark, also know as "America's Oldest Teenager" is best remembered for his 30 year stint as host of "American Bandstand" (1957-1987). On its national debut broadcast, August 5, 1957, he got started with a bang, interviewing "The King", Elvis Presley. In addition to "Bandstand", what daily, daytime TV game game show did he also host? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. Harry Chapin was an American singer-songwriter who specialized in the folk-rock genre. His debut album, "Heads and Tales" released in 1972, featured "Taxi". He is best remembered for a song which came out of his fourth album, "Verities and Balderdash", titled "Cats in the Cradle".
What was the cause of his death at the age of just 38?
Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. Tom Smothers is an American comedian, best know for being in partnership with his sibling. It's not surprising that they were professionally known as "The Smothers Brothers".
Initially, Tom had hopes of making it as a folk musician, but fortunately for the millions he (and his bro) have entertained since, changed to comedy.
Tom is the older of the two. What is the name of his younger brother?
Hint



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quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Thomas Harris is a best-selling American suspense author. He is best known for "The Silence of the Lambs" (1988), which featured Dr. Hannibal Lecter. Before that mega-hit, he published his first novel, "Black Sunday" (1975), which was about a terrorist plot to bomb the Super Bowl. We know about his writing skills, but he is a multi-talented man. Which of the following statements about him is true?

Answer: He is a master chef.

He has in fact attend Le Cordon Bleu ("The Blue Ribbon") classes in culinary arts. Harris is a graduate of Baylor University in Waco, TX. He got his first writing job covering the crime desk for the Waco Herald Journal. He later moved to NY and wrote "Black Sunday" while working for the Associated Press as a reporter and assissant editor.
Among his other "keep the lights on while you're reading them" books are "Red Dragon" (1981) and "Hannibal" (1999).

Interesting fact: "Red Dragon" was the book which introduced the unsuspecting reading public to "Hannibal the Cannibal" Lecter.
2. British born Colin Lionel Em is better known as actor, comedian, game show host and panelist, Richard Dawson. As a comic, he played the famed London Palladium. He has been married twice, first in 1959 to the British bombshell, Diana Dors, and in 1991 to Gretchen Johnson. How did he come to know Ms. Johnson?

Answer: She was a contestant on a game show he hosted.

As luck and fate would have it, the Johnson family appeared on "Family Feud" in 1981, and they married ten years later. He hosted "The Feud" from 1976-1985, and again in 1994-95. He is also known for his role of Corporal Dunkirk on the popular sitcom "Hogan's Heroes", which ran from 1965-1971.
He has also made a few movies including "The Running Man" (1987) with Arnold Schwarzenegger.
He was born November 20, 1932 in Hampshire, England. He became a citizen of the United States in 1984.

Interesting fact: During the first run of "The Feud", the rakish Richard made a habit of kissing all of the female contestants, earning himself the moniker, "The Kissing Bandit". Because of a promise he made after his marriage to Gretchen, he scrapped the smooching when the show came back in 1994.
3. Harry James was one of the most popular American trumpet players and bandleaders in the heyday of the "Big Band Era" of the 1930's and '40's. He even played briefly in the great Benny Goodman Orchestra before going out on his own in 1939. Harry liked the ladies too, and in fact he got hitched three times. Which lovely lady became the second Mrs. James in 1943?

Answer: Actress Betty Grable

He took his first mate, Louise Tobin in 1935, and Joan Boyd became his third wife in 1968.
His dad was a bandleader in a traveling circus, so there was music in Harry's blood. He started the "Harry James Orchestra" in 1939. It became the first well known band to sign on a skinny crooner from Bayone N.J. named Francis Albert Sinatra. He also appeared in over a dozen films, the first of which was "Hollywood Hotel" (1937), and then he brought the Hollywood curtain down with ""The Sting II" (1983).

Interesting fact: After he died on July 5, 1983, just nine days after playing the last gig in a 46-year career, his eulogy was given by Frank Sinatra.
4. Tom Seaver was one of baseball's greatest pitchers. Over a 20 year career, with four teams, he compiled a record of 311-205 with an E.R.A. of 2.86. Known as "The Franchise", he was Rookie of the Year in 1967, for the N.Y. Mets. Several times he took a no-hitter into the 9th inning only to lose it, but eventually he got one. Which team was he pitching for when he twirled his no-hitter?

Answer: Cincinnati Reds

He and the Reds blanked the St. Louis Cardinals June 16, 1978.
Seaver won the Cy Young Award three times (1969, 1973, 1975). He recorded his 300th victory as a member of the White Sox.
He was the first pitcher ever to strike out 10 men in a row, and the first pitcher to strike out 200 or more batters in nine consecutive seasons. He was a 12-time All Star, a five-time 20-game winner, pitched 61 shutouts, and threw 231 complete games.
He was the first player to have his number (41) retired for his achievements, as a player, for the N.Y. Mets. When Seaver retired in 1986, he was third on the list for all-time strikeouts behind only Nolan Ryan and Steve Carlton.

Interesting fact: When he was elected to Baseball's Hall of Fame (1992), he went in with the highest percentage of the vote of any player in history (98.4%). It's no wonder he was also known as "Tom Terrific".
5. Richard Dreyfus is an American actor best known for his movie career, which includes blockbusters like "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" (1977), and perhaps the biggest of them all, "Jaws" (1975). He first began acting at the age of 16. He fell off the straight and narrow in 1982 when he was arrested. With what crime was he charged?

Answer: drug possession

Ironically, his first film after getting out of a rehab center for his cocaine habit was "Down and Out in Beverly Hills" (1986).
He won an Oscar for Best Actor for his role in "The Goodbye Girl" (1977), and received a similar nomination for "Mr. Holland's Opus" (1995).
He has also been honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Interesting fact: His film debut was a most forgettable role in a very memorable movie, when he spoke one line of dialog in "The Graduate" (1967).
6. Harry Belafonte has entertained fans with his magical Caribbean/ Island style of music for over 50 years. His first big hit was the single, "Matilda" (1956). In that same year he recorded one of his more than his 50 albums, "Calypso". On that original album was a song called "Day-O", which later was re-named "The Banana Boat Song". Do you know where "The King of Calypso" was born?

Answer: Harlem, New York

He was born Harold Bellanfanti, Jr. on March 1, 1927. For a period of eight years (1932-1940) he lived on the island of Jamaica, at the home of his grandma. He is a World War II Navy veteran, and was quite active in the Civil Rights movement alongside Martin Luther King Jr. (whom he supported financially and even bailed out of jail once in LA).
Among his many honors are; a Tony Award for the play "John Murray Anderson's Almanac" (1953); the National Medal of Arts (1994); a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (2000). He was also the first African-American to win an Emmy (1959).

Interesting fact: His "Calypso" was the first album ever to exceed sales of over one million copies.
7. Thomas Jefferson was born April 13, 1743. He served as the third U.S. president, from March 4, 1801 to March 4, 1809. Earlier he had served in a number of political positions including U.S. Minister to France (1785-1789). On January 1, 1772 he married Martha Wayles Skelton, who at age 23 was already a widow. What was somewhat unusual about their marriage?

Answer: She was his cousin.

Martha was his third cousin, and they were married for ten years and had six children before her death in in 1782. A heartbroken Jefferson never remarried.
After he left the presidency, he was one of the most instrumental people in the founding of the University of Virginia.
He designed his famous estate, "Monticello", on the sight of a 5,000-acre plantation. He went out with a bang, dying on the fourth of July, 1826.

Interesting fact: He was the the first American Secretary of State, serving from March 22, 1790-December 31, 1793, under President George Washington.
8. Dick Clark, also know as "America's Oldest Teenager" is best remembered for his 30 year stint as host of "American Bandstand" (1957-1987). On its national debut broadcast, August 5, 1957, he got started with a bang, interviewing "The King", Elvis Presley. In addition to "Bandstand", what daily, daytime TV game game show did he also host?

Answer: The $10,000 Pyramid

The first episode of "Pyramid" hit the airways March 26, 1973. "American Bandstand" was aired from Philadelphia (1957-1963) and later from Los Angeles (1964-1987). It served to showcase the talents of many early rock and roll stars, including such guests as Fats Domino, Sam Cooke, Buddy Holly and Chubby Checker. Clark was rewarded with four Emmy Awards (1979-1983-1985-1986), and also won The Peabody Award (1999). He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and became a member of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993. He died April 18, 2012, at the age of 82.

Interesting fact: At the end of its three decade run, "American Bandstand" had made TV history, becomming the longest running variety program in history.
9. Harry Chapin was an American singer-songwriter who specialized in the folk-rock genre. His debut album, "Heads and Tales" released in 1972, featured "Taxi". He is best remembered for a song which came out of his fourth album, "Verities and Balderdash", titled "Cats in the Cradle". What was the cause of his death at the age of just 38?

Answer: an automobile accident

He died July 16, 1981, while driving on the Long Island Expressway in Jericho, N.Y. He was on the way to a gig he was to play that same day.

The single of "Cats in the Cradle" would rise to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in December 1974. He recorded 10 singles and over 25 albums. He was instrumental in helping to create the Presidential Commission on World Hunger in 1977. As recognition for his humanitarian work, he was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, on what would have been his 45th birthday, in 1987.

Interesting fact: He was inspired to write "Cats in the Cradle" by a poem written by his wife Sandy. They had met in 1966, when she called, asking him to give her music lessons. Who knew?
10. Tom Smothers is an American comedian, best know for being in partnership with his sibling. It's not surprising that they were professionally known as "The Smothers Brothers". Initially, Tom had hopes of making it as a folk musician, but fortunately for the millions he (and his bro) have entertained since, changed to comedy. Tom is the older of the two. What is the name of his younger brother?

Answer: Dick

He appeared fairly regularly on "The Steve Allen Show" in the early 1960s, and in 1965-66 he and Dick starred in a sitcom, inventively titled "The Smothers Brothers". The following year brought about a variety program, "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Show". Tom was never one who was shy to express an opinion on matters of the day. In 2011, a chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union recognized his work against censorship in the media, by giving him the Jack Green Civil Liberties Award. He was also a very gifted musician.

Interesting fact: When John Lennon recorded his single "Give Love a Chance" (1969), Tom played guitar.
Source: Author paulmallon

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Snowman before going online.
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Related Quizzes
This quiz is part of series Every Tom, Dick, and/or Harry:

First, match the people with the first name of Tom, Dick, or Harry with the brief descriptions in my three quizzes. Next, answer questions about Tom, Dick, and Harry in the next three quizzes.

  1. Every Tom, Dick, and Harry: Tom Edition Easier
  2. Every Tom, Dick, and Harry: Dick Edition Easier
  3. Every Tom, Dick, and Harry: Harry Edition Average
  4. Every Tom, Dick, and Harry Easier
  5. Tom, Dick or Harry ? Average
  6. Tom, Dick or Harry? Average

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