They're Dead, Jim: 1930-1939 Trivia Quiz

Answer: D. H. Lawrence

The answer is D. H. Lawrence, the man who managed to scandalize polite society simply by suggesting that sex could be both meaningful and... well, enjoyable. "Lady Chatterley's Lover" was so controversial it was banned for decades, with governments beside themselves with worry that people might read about passion without shame.

Beyond the uproar, Lawrence was also a poet, essayist, and traveler who believed that industrial modernity was draining life of its vitality (I'm sure he'd have opinions about social media). Tuberculosis cut him down young, at only 44, but the bibliography he left behind was one of raw honesty, emotional intensity, and a reminder that sometimes literature needs to ruffle feathers and perhaps sometimes a few bed sheets.

Answer: Thomas Edison

Edison's resume reads like a Best Buy catalog: the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and, of course, that bright little bulb that turned night into day. While he didn't single-handedly invent everything he's credited with, Edison was a master of refining ideas, patenting them, and building the infrastructure that made them practical.

By the time he passed in 1931, Edison had secured over 1,000 patents and earned the nickname The Wizard of Menlo Park. At his death, many Americans actually dimmed their lights, on the suggestion of President Hoover, in a salute to the man who brought them the night life.

Answer: George Eastman

George Eastman revolutionized photography with the introduction of the Kodak camera in 1888, marketed with the catchy slogan, "You press the button, we do the rest." For the first time, photography was simple and accessible to everyday people, not just professionals with cumbersome equipment.

In his later years, Eastman struggled with health problems and concerns about his quality of life. He committed suicide in 1932, with a note explaining his actions, saying simply, "My work is done. Why wait?" He left behind the company he founded, which not only popularized personal photography but also played a role in motion pictures, medical imaging, and early space exploration.

Answer: Edward Grey

Edward Grey, 1st Viscount Grey of Fallodon, served as Foreign Secretary from 1905 to 1916, longer than anyone else in British history. A skilled diplomat, he sought alliances to balance German power, and in 1914 he tried without success to prevent Europe from sliding into war. His poignant and somber remark at the outbreak of World War I, "The lamps are going out all over Europe, we shall not see them lit again in our lifetime", became one of the most haunting lines of the era.

After his time in office, Grey focused on writing and bird watching at his Northumberland estate. Despite controversy over his policies, especially regarding the secretive Sykes-Picot Agreement dividing Ottoman lands, he remains a central figure in the story of Britain's entry into the Great War.

Answer: John Dillinger

John Dillinger was one of the most notorious outlaws of the Great Depression, leading a gang that robbed two dozen banks, and even staging a daring jailbreak or two. He became a folk anti-hero to some, taunting law enforcement while living a life straight out of a crime movie script.

His story ended outside the Biograph Theatre when federal agents, tipped off by Anna Sage (the so-called "Woman in Red", who reportedly actually wore orange), ambushed him after a showing of "Manhattan Melodrama". Dillinger's death marked one of the FBI's earliest high-profile victories, with similar fates dealt to Pretty Boy Floyd and Baby Face Nelson that year.

Answer: Will Rogers

"Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock."

-- Will Rogers

Will Rogers was one of the most beloved entertainers of the early 20th century. He started as a trick roper on the vaudeville circuit, but his quick wit and down-to-earth humor made him a natural on stage, in print, and later on radio and film. His wisecracks often poked fun at politicians, but always with a delightful charm that could even make his targets laugh.

Beyond entertainment, Rogers was considered a kind of national conscience during the Great Depression. His commentary reminded Americans to keep their spirits up, no matter how tough times got. His untimely death in 1935 shocked the nation, but his memory as a beloved entertainer (with many quotable quotes) remains today.

Answer: Ivan Pavlov

Ivan Pavlov became world-famous for his work on classical conditioning, demonstrating how animals (and, by extension, people) can learn to associate a neutral stimulus, like a bell, with something meaningful, like food. His dogs, who salivated at the sound of a bell even before dinner arrived, became the textbook example of how behavior can be shaped by learned associations.

Though best remembered for the bell-and-dog story, Pavlov's broader research focused on digestion, earning him the 1904 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. His work influenced psychology, neuroscience, and even advertising. Any time a jingle makes you hungry for fries, you can thank Pavlov.

Answer: Jean Harlow

Jean Harlow, nicknamed the "Blonde Bombshell," was one of Hollywood's brightest stars in the early 1930s. With her platinum hair and sharp wit, she broke through the sweet, innocent leading-lady trope and became famous for her roles as the saucy, tough-talking "bad girl" in films like "Red-Headed Woman" (1932) and "Dinner at Eight" (1933).

Harlow's influence went beyond the screen, her platinum-blonde style launched a national craze, inspiring women to bleach their hair and creating the "blonde bombshell" archetype that Marilyn Monroe and others later carried on.

Answer: Robert Johnson

Robert Johnson is one of the most influential figures in blues history, despite recording only 29 songs in his short life. His amazing voice, intricate guitar work, and poetic lyrics became the foundation for modern blues and, by extension, rock and roll. Songs like "Cross Road Blues" fed into the enduring legend that Johnson sold his soul to the devil at a Mississippi crossroads in exchange for his musical talent.

Johnson's death remains shrouded in mystery (reports range from poisoning to illness), but what's certain is that his legacy only grew after he was gone. Musicians from Eric Clapton to the Rolling Stones to Led Zeppelin cite him as a direct influence. The myth and music combined to make Johnson one of the original "27 Club" members and a towering figure in American music.

Answer: Amelia Earhart

Amelia Earhart was one of the most famous pilots of the early 20th century, celebrated for breaking records and shattering gender barriers in aviation. She was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean and used her fame to advocate for women in aviation and public service.

Her disappearance during an attempt to circumnavigate the globe in 1937 remains one of the 20th century's great mysteries. Despite extensive search efforts, neither Earhart nor her plane were ever conclusively found, making her a symbol of courage, adventure... and certain mystery.