100 It's A Wonderful Life Trivia Questions & Answers

Answer: Mr. Gower

The first thing we see in the movie is a sign that says "You are now in Bedford Falls". We then hear several people praying for George Bailey. The first is the druggist, Mr. Gower: "I owe everything to George Bailey. Help him, dear Father." As a boy, George had stopped Mr. Gower from accidentally putting poison in a prescription when he was distracted over his son's death.

Mr. Gower was played by the veteran English character actor, H.B. Warner (1875 - 1958), who appeared in many famous movies, such as "Lost Horizon", "The Ten Commandments" and "Sunset Boulevard".

Answer: Jimmy Stewart

Stewart, born on May 20th, 1908 in Indiana, Pennsylvania was cast as an older George Bailey. George was a kind, giving man, who had a nice family and a steady job working for the family business, a building and loan company. One night, George realized that he could be arrested for a monetary issue related to the company and contemplated killing himself. To prevent George from doing this, his guardian angel, Clarence, jumped into the river which George planned to jump into in order to kill himself. George rescued Clarence and then took him to a place where they could both warm up, as the river was freezing. Clarence decided to take George on a personal journey, for him to see what life would have been like had he never been born. This was due to a comment made about how the world would have been better had he never existed. George indeed decided not to kill himself and he went back home to his family to celebrate Christmas with them.
Stewart starred in the films, "Vertigo", "Rear Window" and "Rope". In 1947, he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role for "It's a Wonderful Life" but lost to Fredric March for "The Best Years of our Lives". Other Oscar nominees for Best Actor in a Leading Role that year were Laurence Olivier for "The Chronicle History of King Henry the Fifth with his Battell Fought at Agincourt in France", Larry Parks for "The Jolson Story" and Gregory Peck for "The Yearling". In 2003, the American Film Institute ranked George Bailey from "It's a Wonderful Life" as the ninth best movie hero/heroine out of a list of fifty characters.

Answer: Potter

Mr. Potter, the stingy old miser that owns the largest bank in Bedford Falls, is played wonderfully by Lionel Barrymore. Lionel Barrymore appeared in one previous film with director Frank Capra and actor James Stewart, namely 'You Can't Take It with You' (1938).

Answer: Annie

Annie, the Baileys' housekeeper, said the quote above at the end of the movie when she contributes her cash to help George fill the deficit at the Building and Loan.

Answer: Left

There are several times in the movie where this is made obvious.

Answer: Bedford 247

When George leaves the house angry, Mary calls 'Bedford 247' and talks to Uncle Billy.

Answer: 'Hot dog!'

George makes his wish upon a cigar lighter. He fails to get his wish both times...but learns at the end that his family is much more important than a million dollars.

Answer: Jumps in the ice-water to save his brother

The druggist later slaps his bad ear and it bleeds.

Answer: Clockmaker

The second scene in the movie is a shot of the heavens. We see stars and hear two voices - the stars brighten when we hear the voices, so we can assume they represent angels. The two angels are Joseph and Franklin (Franklin's name is never mentioned in the movie, but that's his name in the script).

Franklin: George Bailey. Yes, tonight's his crucial night. You're right, we'll have to send someone down immediately. Whose turn is it?

Joseph: That's why I came to see you, sir. It's that clock-maker's turn again.

Joseph and Franklin's voices were supplied by actors Joseph Granby and Moroni Olsen. Olsen also did the voice of the Magic Mirror in "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs".

Answer: Donna Reed

Reed, a native of Denison, Iowa played Mary Hatch. Mary and George were friends and got reacquainted at a party one evening, when they shared a dance. While they danced, two people pulled a lever to open up the bottom portion of the dance floor to reveal a pool. Mary and George slipped into the pool and then everyone else at the party jumped in and started to swim. Mary and George walked home all soaked and sang the song, "Buffalo Gal". Mary and George began a courtship which resulted in marriage and they had four children together. In Mary's final scene, she gathered with George and her children in front of their Christmas tree.
Reed guest starred on the TV shows, "The Love Boat" and "Suspicion". She is best known for her role of Donna Stone on the TV show, "The Donna Reed Show". In 1954, she won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the film, "From Here to Eternity".

Answer: Ernie

Ernie Bishop is played by actor Frank Faylen. Along with Bert, the policeman, he makes up part of a pair of characters whose names were famously adopted for the 'Sesame Street' characters Bert and Ernie.

Answer: Mary

When George visited Mary shortly after she returned home from college, Mary thought George had romantic intentions. However, George was depressed because he knew his brother Harry would not be able to take over the Building and Loan and allow George to attend college. Mary, frustrated at George, shouted the quote above to her mother upstairs to make George mad.

Answer: Mr. Gower

Mr. Gower purchased the large suitcase that George was going to use to travel the world.

Answer: Mary Hatch

The role of the adult Mary Hatch was played by Donna Reed.

Answer: Abraham Lincoln

It can be seen in the background when George throws his tantrum after he loses the money.

Answer: Mr. Gower

Mr. Gower said this to George as a child when George was working and whistling happily at Gower's drugstore. Gower was drunk because he had just found out his son had died of influenza during the great outbreak of 1918. George later saves Gower from poisoning one of the patrons of his pharmacy.

Answer: I wish I had a million dollars

He would always say 'hot dog' after.

Answer: Henry

Mr. Potter is brilliantly played by Lionel Barrymore. Mr. Potter is always shown sitting or in a wheelchair because Barrymore was unable to stand for more than brief periods due to complications from a broken hip and severe arthritis.

We learn Potter's first name early in the film when he is riding down the street in his carriage.

Clarence: Who's that? A king?

Joseph: That's Henry F. Potter, the richest and meanest man in the county.

Answer: Lionel Barrymore

Barrymore, born in 1878 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania played Mr. Potter. Mr. Potter was an old man who lived in Bedford Falls, New York and was described as the richest person in town. At the beginning of the movie, Mr. Potter insulted George's father and George heard this so he blasted Mr. Potter for being mean to his father. In one scene, Mr. Potter mentioned, at a meeting at the Bailey Savings & Loan, that it was the only business which he was unable to own outright. However, he did have an investment in the business. Midway through the movie, George went to Mr. Potter for financial aid, since Billy misplaced $8,000 of his company's money (George was taking responsibility for it) and Mr. Potter called the police to have George arrested. Mr. Potter did this since he was a stockholder in the building and loan company. Meanwhile, Mr. Potter located the $8,000 himself but refused to tell George this. In Mr. Potter's final scene, he told George he would have a merry Christmas in jail but George managed to come up with the $8,000 and was not arrested.
Barrymore was in the movies, "You Can't Take it With You", "Key Largo" and "Grand Hotel". In 1931, he won an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for "A Free Soul". Other Oscar nominees for Best Actor in a Leading Role that year were Jackie Cooper for "Skippy", Richard Dix for "Cimarron", Fredric March for "The Royal Family of Broadway" and Adolphe Menjou for "The Front Page". In 2003, the American Film Institute ranked Mr. Potter as the sixth greatest film villain/villainess out of fifty characters.

Answer: Violet Bick

Violet Bick is portrayed in this film by the gorgeous Gloria Grahame. Violet Bick is depicted as the rival to Mary Hatch for the love of George Bailey. Despite George's attraction for Violet, he eventually settles down with 'the girl next door', Mary.

Answer: Tommy

When George comes home from work after Uncle Billy lost $8,000, the youngest Bailey child, Tommy, tugs on his coat and repeats "excuse me" until someone acknowledges him.

Answer: Bishop

Ernie's last name is only mentioned one time in the movie: when George asks Ernie to drive him home. Ernie asks George where his home is. George tries to prove that Ernie knows him by saying, "You're Ernie Bishop."

Answer: Violet Bick

Violet Bick liked all the boys, including George Bailey.

Answer: Bill

He picks up the phone and says 'Bill,' then tells George there is nowhere he can hide in a little town like Bedford Falls.