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The Many Names of Elizabeth Trivia Quiz
The name Elizabeth has many forms, from Liz and Betty to Eliza and Bessie. Here are ten remarkable women whose names are all variants of Elizabeth. Can you match each first name with its corresponding surname?
A matching quiz
by wellenbrecher.
Estimated time: 3 mins.
Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor (1932-2011) was an English-American actress. She was born in London during a temporary stay of her parents, Francis Taylor and Sara Sothern, who were both American. At the time, her father worked in the art department at Warner Bros. Studios, and her mother was an actress in repertory theatre. Elizabeth was the second daughter in the family. She was called "Liz" from an early age - a common diminutive of Elizabeth - which later became her professional name in Hollywood.
Taylor began acting as a child, making her film debut in "There's One Born Every Minute" (1942) at the age of ten. Over the course of several decades, she went on to become one of Hollywood's most prominent actresses, winning two Academy Awards for Best Actress. She was married eight times to seven different men and had four children. Later in life, she also supported HIV/AIDS research and awareness campaigns. She died on 23 March 2011 in Los Angeles, California.
2. Betty
Answer: White
Betty Marion White (1922-2021) was an American actress and comedian. Contrary to popular belief, her legal name was Betty, not a shortened version of Elizabeth, as she often clarified. She began her acting career in radio in the 1940s and soon appeared on television. Over the decades, she worked on a wide range of radio, television and film productions, including game shows, sitcoms, variety programmes and guest appearances. She won multiple Emmy Awards for her roles in "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and "The Golden Girls".
White was married twice, first to Dick Barker and later to Allen Ludden, and had no children. In addition to her entertainment career, she supported animal welfare and participated in numerous charities. Her career continued into her late 90s with the occasional television appearance, and she was recognised as one of the longest-working entertainers in American history. Betty White passed away on 31 December 2021 in Los Angeles, California.
3. Liza
Answer: Minnelli
Liza May Minnelli (born 12 March 1946) is an American actress and singer. She was born in Los Angeles to film director Vincente Minnelli and actress Judy Garland. Liza was their only child together. She began her performing career as a child, appearing in television specials and stage productions throughout the 1950s and 1960s. She made her film debut in "In the Night" (1961), after which she appeared in a wide range of films and television programmes throughout the 1960s and 1970s.
Minnelli won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in "Cabaret" (1972). In addition to her film work, she performed in musicals such as "Flora the Red Menace" and "The Act", and toured with concerts in the United States, Europe, and Asia. She released several studio and live albums during her career and appeared in numerous television specials and recorded performances. Beyond her entertainment work, Minnelli supported charitable causes, including programmes for children, health, and the arts. She was married four times and has one daughter.
4. Eliza
Answer: Dushku
Eliza Patricia Dushku (born 30 December 1980) is an American actress and producer. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, she was raised in the nearby town of Watertown. She began her performing career at a young age, appearing in local theatre productions, before being cast in film roles as a child. Her early appearances included "That Night" (1992) and "True Lies" (1994), the latter of which brought her wider recognition.
She became well known for her portrayal of Faith in the television series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and its spin-off "Angel". She later starred in the series "Tru Calling" (2003-2005) and "Dollhouse" (2009-2010). Her film work includes "Bring It On" (2000), "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" (2001) and "Wrong Turn" (2003). In addition to acting, Dushku has produced documentaries and television programmes, and has been involved in philanthropic projects related to education, mental health, and women's rights.
5. Lizzy
Answer: Caplan
Elizabeth Anne "Lizzy" Caplan (born 30 June 1982) is an American actress. Born in Los Angeles, California, she grew up in a suburb of the city. She started her career performing in local theatre productions and school shows before making her screen debut in the early 2000s.
She gained wider recognition for her role as Janis Ian in the 2004 film "Mean Girls". Since then, she has appeared in numerous television and film productions, including "Masters of Sex" (2013-2016), "Party Down" (2009-2010) and "Cloverfield" (2008). Her work spans comedy and drama, including guest appearances in numerous television series. As well as acting, she has participated in independent film productions and supported charitable initiatives, particularly those focused on education and the arts.
6. Bette
Answer: Davis
Ruth Elizabeth Davis (1908-1989) was an American actress. Born in Lowell, Massachusetts, she grew up in New York State. She began performing on stage in the 1920s and made her film debut in "Bad Sister" (1931). Over the following decades, she became one of the most prominent figures of Hollywood's Golden Age.
Davis appeared in over one hundred films, including "Of Human Bondage" (1934), "Jezebel" (1938), "Dark Victory" (1939), "Now, Voyager" (1942) and "All About Eve" (1950). Renowned for her portrayal of strong and complex female characters, she was the first actress to receive ten Academy Award nominations, winning twice for Best Actress.
In 1977, she became the first film actress to receive the American Film Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award. In an AFI survey conducted in 1999, she was ranked as the second greatest American female film star of all time. Davis was the first female president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and was married four times, having three children. She remained active in film and television until the 1980s and died in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, in 1989.
7. Bessie
Answer: Smith
Bessie Smith (1894-1937) was an American blues singer. Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, she began performing on the streets as a child to support her family. As a teenager, she joined traveling shows and vaudeville troupes, where she developed her distinctive vocal style.
Smith made her first recordings in 1923 and quickly became one of the most successful recording artists of the 1920s. Known as the "Empress of the Blues", she recorded over 150 songs, including "Downhearted Blues", "St. Louis Blues", and "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out". Her recordings influenced generations of jazz and blues musicians. She also appeared in the 1929 film "St. Louis Blues".
Her career declined during the Great Depression, but she continued to perform until her death in 1937 following a car accident near Clarksdale, Mississippi. Smith was posthumously inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Grammy Hall of Fame. She is regarded as one of the most important and influential voices in American music history.
8. Beth
Answer: Gibbons
Beth Gibbons (born 4 January 1965) is an English singer and songwriter. She was born in Exeter, Devon, and began performing in local venues in her early twenties. In the early 1990s, she formed the group Portishead with Geoff Barrow and Adrian Utley. Their debut album "Dummy" (1994) became a key work in the trip hop genre and received the Mercury Prize.
Gibbons' vocal style combines elements of jazz, soul and electronic music. With Portishead, she released two more studio albums: "Portishead" (1997) and "Third" (2008). In addition to her work with the band, she recorded the album "Out of Season" (2002) with Paul Webb, known professionally as Rustin Man. She has also performed classical works, including a recording of Henryk Górecki's "Symphony No. 3" with the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra.
9. Betsy
Answer: Ross
Elizabeth Griscom Ross (1752-1836) was an American upholsterer and flag maker. She was born in Philadelphia and grew up in a Quaker family. Ross ran an upholstery business in Philadelphia, producing furniture, flags and other textiles for local clients, including government contracts during the Revolutionary War. According to a family tradition passed down by her descendants, she is credited with making the first American flag, although historians continue to debate its precise origins.
In 1773, she married John Ross, who died in 1776 while serving in the Continental Army. She subsequently married twice more and had a total of seven children. Ross remained in Philadelphia for most of her life and continued her business until her later years. She died in 1836 and was buried in the Arch Street Friends Meeting Cemetery.
10. Libby
Answer: Trickett
Lisbeth Constance Trickett (born 28 January 1985) is a retired Australian swimmer. Born in Townsville, Queensland, she began swimming at a young age. She gained international recognition at the 2004 Athens Olympics, where she won gold in the 4×100 metre freestyle relay and a bronze medal in the 50 metre freestyle.
She went on to compete in several other major events, including the 2005 and 2007 World Championships, where she set multiple world records in freestyle relays and individual sprint events. Trickett retired from competitive swimming in 2009, but made a brief comeback before retiring permanently. Throughout her career, she received numerous awards for her achievements in swimming, including the Order of Australia Medal.
This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ponycargirl before going online.
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