In the Family Way Trivia Quiz

Answer: Jackie Coogan

Jackie Coogan was a famous American actor who started his career as a child star in the silent film era. He played Uncle Fester in 'The Addams Family', which was a comedy series based on Charles Addams' cartoon characters. It follows a kooky, gothic family who delight in the macabre but are portrayed as warm, loyal, and loving toward each other. The show became a pop culture classic.

Uncle Fester often wears a long, heavy coat. He's bald, round-faced and eccentric, with a childlike personality and a mischievous streak. One of the most iconic characters, he often experiments with bizarre inventions. One of his quirks is his ability to conduct electricity, famously putting a light bulb in his mouth and making it glow.

Answer: The Marmalade

'Cousin Norman' is a single by the Scottish band The Marmalade, originally formed in 1961 in Baillieston, a suburb in the east end of Glasgow. They started out under the name The Gaylords, founded by Pat Fairley and Billy Johnston, and later evolved into Dean Ford and the Gaylords before adopting the name The Marmalade in 1966.

When the song was released in August 1971, it reached number six on the UK Singles Chart. Other chart hits of theirs were 'Rainbow', 'Falling Apart at the Seams', 'Reflections of My Life' and 'Radancer'. Their other single, 'Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da' topped the charts, making them the first Scottish band to achieve a number one hit.

Answer: Shirley Crabtree

'Big Daddy', whose real name was Shirley Crabtree, was one of Britain's most famous professional wrestlers, especially popular during the 1970s and 1980s. Standing over 6 feet tall and weighing more than 20 stone (280+ lbs), he became a household name thanks to his larger-than-life personality and appearances on ITV's 'World of Sport'. Originally wrestling as a villain, he later reinvented himself as a beloved 'people's champion', often billed as a heroic giant who battled notorious heels like Giant Haystacks.

Outside the ring, Big Daddy was seen as a family-friendly entertainer as much as an athlete, often wearing flashy sequined jackets and his trademark top hat. His popularity made him a national icon in the UK, though critics sometimes said his style was more spectacle than technical wrestling. He retired in the early 1990s and remains one of the most recognisable figures in British wrestling history.

Answer: Maggie Smith

Dame Maggie Smith plays the stern but dignified Mother Superior in 'Sister Act' (1992), the head of the convent where Whoopi Goldberg's character, Deloris Van Cartier, is placed in hiding. Mother Superior is deeply committed to tradition, discipline, and spiritual order, and she's initially horrified by Deloris's flamboyant personality and disruptive influence.

However, beneath her rigid exterior lies a woman of quiet strength and deep care. As Deloris transforms the convent's struggling choir into a joyful, soulful sensation, Mother Superior wrestles with her own beliefs, eventually recognising the power of change, community, and music to uplift even the most sacred spaces.

Answer: Barack Obama

'Dreams from My Father' is Barack Obama's first memoir, written before he entered national politics. It's a reflective, intimate journey through his early life, growing up in Hawaii and Indonesia, working as a community organiser in Chicago, and travelling to Kenya to learn more about his father's legacy. The book dives deep into themes of race, identity, and belonging, as Obama tries to make sense of his biracial heritage and the complex family history that shaped him.

Obama was born in 1961 and became the 44th President of the United States, serving from 2009 to 2017. His presidency focused on healthcare reform, economic recovery, climate action, and diplomacy. Obama's life story reflects the interplay of personal identity, global heritage, and public service.

Answer: Mary Cassatt

Mary Cassatt (1844-1926) was an American painter and printmaker who spent much of her career in France, where she became closely associated with the Impressionists. She is best known for her sensitive and intimate depictions of women and children, particularly the bond between mothers and their young ones.

Her 'Mother and Child' series, created in various paintings and prints throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, highlights everyday moments of tenderness, such as a mother bathing, holding, or gazing at her child. Her approach was innovative for the time, as she portrayed motherhood not in a formal or idealised way, but as a natural, affectionate relationship full of quiet gestures and emotional depth. By doing so, she elevated scenes of domestic life into fine art.

Answer: Randy Brooks

Written by Randy Brooks, the song 'Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer' tells a humorous and chaotic story about a family Christmas. Grandma, after enjoying too much eggnog, gets accidentally run over by a reindeer on her way home. The family reacts with a mix of shock and dark humour, debating whether she'll be okay and blaming the reindeer. The song mixes holiday cheer with silly, over-the-top mishaps, making it a funny, Christmas classic.

Brooks is an American musician and songwriter, best known for his humorous and novelty Christmas songs and other comical songs. He gained widespread recognition in the late 20th century for creating festive tunes that mix holiday cheer with comedy and playful storytelling. Brooks' work often features catchy melodies, whimsical lyrics, and a lighthearted approach to traditional holiday themes, making his songs memorable favourites during the Christmas season.

Answer: Brother Andrew

Brother Andrew, born Andrew van der Bijl in the Netherlands, became a legendary missionary known for secretly bringing Bibles into Communist countries during the Cold War. After a transformative period in the Dutch army, he felt a strong calling to support Christians living under persecution, where even owning a Bible could be extremely dangerous.

Using nothing more than faith, prayer, and his old blue Volkswagen Beetle-later nicknamed the 'miracle car', he crossed borders into places like Poland, Czechoslovakia, and the Soviet Union, often hiding Bibles in plain sight. Miraculously, border guards frequently overlooked the contraband, a fact Andrew credited to divine protection. His autobiography, 'God's Smuggler', tells the gripping story of these daring journeys, narrow escapes, and the joy of delivering Scripture to believers who had never held it before.

Answer: Aunt May

Aunt May, often called May Parker, is Peter Parker's beloved aunt and one of the most important figures in his life. She raised Peter with love and care after the death of her husband, Uncle Ben, whose passing had a profound impact on Peter and his journey as Spider-Man. For much of his life, she was unaware of his secret identity, but she consistently provided guidance, emotional support, and a moral anchor.

Over time, May has evolved from a frail and overprotective caregiver into a strong, independent, and resilient woman. In some storylines, she eventually learns about Peter's role as Spider-Man and supports him fully. Across comics, films, and TV adaptations, she has been portrayed both as a gentle, elderly matriarch and as a younger, modern figure, but her central role remains the same: the heart of Peter's family life and a steady source of wisdom in his chaotic world.

Answer: Anton Chekhov

Anton Chekhov's 'Uncle Vanya' unfolds on a rural Russian estate, where the arrival of a retired professor and his glamorous young wife, Yelena, disrupts the quiet lives of those who have long managed the land. Vanya, the professor's brother-in-law, has devoted years to running the estate and feels bitter, believing he wasted his life serving a man he now views as a fraud. Compounding his frustration is his unrequited love for Yelena, who remains emotionally distant.

Meanwhile, Sonya, the professor's daughter, quietly harbours feelings for Astrov, a disillusioned doctor more captivated by his forestry work than by romance. The tension escalates when the professor announces plans to sell the estate, threatening the only home Vanya and Sonya have ever known. Vanya's frustration culminates in a dramatic, yet ultimately failed, act of violence.

The play concludes without resolution, emphasising resignation over triumph. Sonya and Vanya return to their monotonous routines, clinging to the fragile hope that their endurance and suffering might one day be rewarded.