Useless Trivia About Writers Trivia Quiz

Answer: Shirley Temple

Whilst literary editor of the "Night and Day" magazine, Greene wrote a review of one of Shirley's films accusing the 9 year old of purposely being suggestive and coquettish. Shirley and her studio (20th Century Fox) sued him for libel and won, resulting in a fine of £3,500 - of which £500 had to be paid by Greene personally.

Answer: He shot and killed her

After drinking heavily with some friends in Mexico City one night in 1951, Burroughs allegedly wanted to show off his marksmanship skills and shoot a glass off his second wife's head (Joan Vollmer's head). This is referred to as a William Tell stunt because in the associated legend, William Tell, was forced to shoot an apple off the head of his son. Tell was successful but Burroughs, in his drunken state, missed and shot Vollmer in the head killing her. Mexican authorities found that Vollmer's death was a culpable homicide and Burroughs was convicted in absentia since he'd left Mexico before the trial commenced.

Answer: Black Eye

"Why Are We In Vietnam?" is a 1967 novel about a son's hunting trip in Alaska with his father. Interestingly, Vietnam is not mentioned until the last page of the book! It's unknown why Mailer chose a photo of a black eye for the dust cover - perhaps he thought it represented hyper masculinity which is a key theme within the book?

Answer: Gone With The Wind

The phrase comes in the third stanza and is:
'I have forgot much, Cynara! gone with the wind
Flung roses, roses riotously with the throng,'

The full title of Dowson's poem is in Latin and is, 'Non sum qualis eram bonae sub regno Cynarae' which translates to 'I am not as I was in the reign of good Cynara'. In it, the speaker addresses Cynara, a former love, and despite all of their partying, drinking, and sleeping around, concludes that they aren't able to forget the 'old passion' they shared with Cynara.

Answer: Thomas Pynchon

Pynchon's publisher, Thomas Guinzburg, knew that the reclusive author Pynchon was unlikely to appear at the US National Book Awards ceremony so he arranged for the comedian Professor Irwin Corey to attend and accept Pynchon's award should he win. When 'Gravity's Rainbow' was announced as a winner for Best Fiction (sharing the prize with 'A Crown of Feathers' by Isaac Bashevis Singer), the comedian dutifully took to the stage and gave a rambling, baffling speech which included misnaming Thomas Pynchon, making numerous jokes about author Studs Terkel's name, and thanking Soviet politician Leonid Brezhnev, US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger (referring to him as the acting President of the USA), Truman Capote, and the streaker who'd just run through the auditorium.

A memorable night indeed!

Answer: Marilyn Monroe

Gloria Jones worked as Marilyn Monroe's stand-in for one of her most famous films: 'The Seven Year Itch'. She also worked as a double for Eva Marie Saint during the filming of Oscar-winning film, 'On The Waterfront'.

Answer: Rita Hayworth

Armando Lee Ellroy worked for Rita Hayworth from 1948-1952 and claimed to have had an intimate relationship with her. Since he was a well-known braggart, take this claim with a grain of salt. James Ellroy has said that neither of his parents were really cut out for the job of raising him as they were each more interested in other pursuits.

After they divorced, James moved with his mother to another city but after she was murdered in June 1958, once again lived with his father full time.

Answer: Tennessee Williams

The Medical Examiner, Dr Elliot Gross reported that the 71 year old Williams died of "asphyxia due to the obstruction of the glottis (the opening to the larynx or upper airway)". Although asphyxia was the cause of death, five months later an amendment was made to the official report to include "acute toxicity to Seconal" (a barbituate).

One further interesting tidbit relating to his death is that he detailed in his will that he wanted his body to be "sewn up in a clean white sack and dropped overboard 12 hours north of Havana." His brother did not oblige and instead buried the playwright in a Missouri cemetery.

Answer: They all died in taxicabs

All three had fatal heart attacks whilst in a taxicab. Shemp was returning home after attending a boxing match, Robert was travelling from the airport into Manhattan to see his ex-wife, and James was on his way to his doctor's office.

Answer: 'Goodbye, everybody'

Having been awarded a Guggenheim fellowship in 1931, Crane travelled to Mexico intending to work on a poem relating to the Aztec civilisation. Whilst there he drank heavily and although he did produce some works, he made little progress on his main project.

In 1932 once the fellowship was over, Crane boarded a steamship that would take him back to New York City. On the morning of April 27 1932, he leapt from the ship into the Gulf of Mexico and his body was not recovered.