1951: A Review (All American) Trivia Quiz

Answer: Douglas MacArthur

General MacArthur had been successful in retaking Seoul from the North Koreans in 1950. He then wanted to expand the operations on the Korean peninsula to include an invasion of Manchuria. President Truman expressly forbade the action, fearing it would lead to escalation and draw Communist China and the Soviets into another World War.

Despite their differences MacArthur was treated to a ticker tape parade in New York when he returned from South Korea and retired. Admiral Chester Nimitz was in the Pacific theater of operations during WWII. Dwight Eisenhower was a WWII general who would win the presidential election replacing Truman. George Patton was killed in an auto accident shortly after WWII while still in Europe.

Answer: The Caine Mutiny

"The Caine Mutiny" is a 1951 Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Herman Wouk. It inspired a 1954 movie directed by Edward Dmytryk. The movie's cast featured Humphrey Bogart, José Ferrer, Fred MacMurray and Van Johnson. The plot involved a conspiracy to relieve a mentally unstable captain from command of the Caine. "From Here to Eternity" was also published in 1951, adding to the popular WWII themed books and movies of the post-war era. Ernest Hemingway's "The Old Man and the Sea" was released in 1952. Raymond Chandler's "The Long Goodbye" came out in 1953. "The Martian Chronicles" by Raymond Bradbury debuted in 1950.

Answer: All About Eve

"All About Eve" won the Academy Award for Best Picture of 1950. It took six Oscars of the 14 nominations it received. Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, the movie stars Bette Davis who takes in an ingenue played by Anne Baxter. The younger actress gradually tries to take over Bette Davis' character's life. "An American in Paris" was directed by Vincente Minnelli and stars Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron and Oscar Levant. "The African Queen" is a classic Bogart/Hepburn movie set in rural Africa. "A Streetcar Named Desire" was directed by Elia Kazan.

It features Vivien Leigh, Marlon Brando and Kim Hunter. The story revolves around a disturbed Blanche DuBois who moves in with her sister in New Orleans.

Answer: Search for Tomorrow

"Search for Tomorrow" started airing live on Monday, September 3, 1951, on CBS as a fifteen-minute serial. It remained a fifteen minute serial until 1968. The first sponsors were Joy and Spic and Span. As ratings increased more sponsors began buying commercial time. Both Joy and Spic and Span continued to be the primary sponsors of the show into the 1960s. "Search for Tomorrow" switched to a half hour format in 1968 and became one of the first soap operas to move from live broadcasting to taped episodes. "The Edge of Night" debuted on CBS on April 2, 1956. "The Guiding Light" began as an NBC radio serial on January 25, 1937, before moving to CBS television in 1952. "All My Children" didn't come along until 1970, even though the first manuscript was drafted in 1956.

Answer: Dennis the Menace

Originally created, written and illustrated by Hank Ketcham on March 12, 1951, "Dennis the Menace" made its debut in only 16 newspapers. Dennis eventually became so successful that he was made into a live-action television sitcom starring Jay North. A 1980's animated television series and a 1987 made-for-TV live-action movie followed.

The strip still runs a single panel on weekdays and a full strip in the Sunday papers. "Blondie" was started by Chic Young in 1930. "Family Circus" has been in continuous production since 1960. "The Phantom" began on February 17, 1936.

Answer: Espionage

The Rosenbergs were convicted on March 29, 1951 and sentenced to death on April 5. They were charged under Section 2 of the 1917 Espionage Act, 50 U.S. Code 32 which prohibits transmitting information "relating to the national defense" to a foreign government.

The conviction boosted Senator Joseph McCarthy's investigations into un-American activities by U.S. citizens. While their affiliation with the Communist cause was never disputed, the Rosenbergs staunchly denied the espionage charge right up until the sentence was carried out.

They were the only American civilians to be executed for espionage. In imposing the death penalty Judge Irving Kaufman noted that he held them accountable not only for espionage but also for deaths related to the Korean War.

Answer: The Sea Around Us

"The Sea Around Us" was a huge success. Rachel Carson's unique ability to combine scientific insight with poetic prose catapulted the book to first place on The New York Times bestseller list. It remained on top for thirty-one consecutive weeks and stayed on the list for more than a year and a half.

It sold over a million copies and has been translated into 28 languages, inspiring an Academy Award-winning documentary. Rachel Carson also published the landmark environmental book "Silent Spring" in 1962. "The Elements of Style" was written by William Strunk and E. B. White in 1959. "The Strange Career of Jim Crow" was by C. Vann Woodward in 1955. "The Liberal Imagination" was written by Lionel Trilling and published in 1950.

Answer: Presidential Two-Term Limits

Section 1 of the Amendment stipulates that "No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once".

The Twenty-Third Amendment permits the District of Columbia to choose Electors for President and Vice President. The amendment was ratified on March 29, 1961. The Twenty-Fourth Amendment ended the poll tax in 1964. Ratification of the Twenty-Sixth Amendment was completed on July 1, 1971, and allowed 18-year-olds to vote.

Answer: Dinah Shore

Dinah Shore (born Frances Rose Shore)started her career as a singer and actress before becoming a television personality. She was popular during the Big Band era. Dinah first appeared on television in 1951 when she began a twice weekly program on NBC.

The fifteen minute show was broadcast on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 7:30 P.M. In 1956 Dinah began a one hour program on NBC, "The Dinah Shore Chevy Show". The program was a popular success. Dinah's theme song was "See the USA in your Chevrolet". Dinah always ending with the shows with her famous farewell kiss to the television audience. "The Judy Garland Show" aired on CBS during the 1963-1964 television season. During 1949 Ethel Merman had her own network radio series but she did not host a TV variety show. Dinah Washington did not have a regular variety show either.

Answer: Red Skelton

"The Red Skelton Show" was not only one of the longest running variety shows on television but also one of the first shows to make a successful transition from radio to television. Although he was known as an entertainer in nightclubs, vaudeville, radio and starred in over twenty films, Red Skelton was wary of the potential success of television.

He continued his weekly radio broadcasts simultaneously during the first two seasons of his NBC television show. When NBC canceled the show it was immediately picked up by CBS and it became a Tuesday night favorite from 1954 to 1970.

The "Nat 'King' Cole Show" premiered on NBC as a fifteen-minute weekly variety show in November 1956. Also in 1956 Tony Bennett hosted "The Tony Bennett Show" as a summer replacement for "The Perry Como Show".

The "The Jack Benny Program" ran from October 28, 1950 through 1965.