Classic Movies - U.S. and U.K. Quiz

Answer: Professor Van Helsing

Abraham Van Helsing (sharing his forename with the author of the book, Abraham 'Bram' Stoker), the eternal nemesis of Dracula, made his first appearance in this movie. He is called in by Dr. Seward (Herbert Bunston) to help analyse Renfield's (Dwight Frye) illness. Later, Van Helsing helps Harker (David Manners) in the fight against Dracula. The 1931 production of 'Dracula' was one of Universal's long (and lucrative) line of horror films. Previous films had introduced the cinema audience to such actors as Lon Chaney; later films would include Boris Karloff. Bela Lugosi became a star because of "Dracula"; it might be said that he was the ancestor of the vampire sagas which continue through TV series like "True Blood" and film series such as "The Twilight Saga".

Minnesota born Edward Van Sloan played the good doctor under the direction of Tod Browning. Van Sloan had earlier played in the 1927 Broadway production of "Dracula". He would appear in a number of early Hollywood chillers, including "Frankenstein" (1931), and "The Mummy", both of which starred another monstrous talent named Boris Karloff. Van Sloan reprised the role of the professor in "Dracula's Daughter" (1936). Edward Van Sloan's acting career which spanned five decades, came to an end when he retired in 1950, and he came to an end when he died March 6, 1964.

Answer: Alfred Hitchcock

Alfred Hitchcock (1899-1980) directed over 50 films, many of them classic thrillers. On the list of 100 years, 100 films by The American Film Institute (A.F.I) he has four movies, the most by any director: "Psycho" (1960), "North by Northwest" (1959), "Rear Window" (1954) and "Vertigo" (1958). "The 39 Steps" (1935) and "The Lady Vanishes" (1938) are on the British Film Institute's (B.F.I.) Top 100 British Films list.

Ralph Thomas (1915-2001) directed the 1956 version of "The 39 Steps" with Kenneth More as Hannay but achieved fame as the director of the "Doctor in the House" movies. Don Sharp (1921-2011) directed the 1978 remake of "The 39 Steps" with Robert Powell as Hannay. Ken Hannam (1929-2004) created the 1988 TV series "Hannay" with Robert Powell again playing the lead.

Answer: Shemp Howard

Shemp Howard (Samuel Horwitz) had left The Three Stooges in 1930 to be replaced by his brother, Curly. He rejoined them in 1946 after Curly suffered a stroke. In "The Bank Dick", Shemp played the town bartender, Joe Guelpe. Egbert Sousse' (Fields) is one of his best customers. Fields gets the credit for capturing a bank robber and thus becomes the Bank Dick of the title. One of my favourite lines spoken by Fields (and there are many) is when he meets his daughter's boyfriend, a teller in the bank.

The unfortunate lad has the name of Og Ogilby and when Sousse is introduced to him he mutters, "Og Ogilby, sounds like a bubble in a bathtub."

Answer: John Clements

John Clements (1910-1988) was an actor-manager who achieved success on film and on the stage. He was knighted in 1968. Ralph Richardson (1902-1983) was one of the great Shakespearean actors, with film, stage and TV success. He was knighted in 1947. C. Aubrey Smith (1863-1948) was a successful cricketer as well as an actor who was later noted for playing 'crusty' old men.

He was knighted in 1944. Donald Gray (1914-1978) later became known as 'the voice of the Mysterons' in the puppet series 'Captain Scarlet'.

Answer: Walter Huston

Walter Huston would go on to star in such films as "The Devil and Daniel Webster" (1941), "The Maltese Falcon" (1941) (alongside Humphrey Bogart), and "Yankee Doodle Dandy" (1942) with James Cagney. In 1948, he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre", a film directed by his son, John. Actress Angelica Huston is his granddaughter. Walter Huston, who played the American President, was born in Toronto, Canada.

Answer: "Goodbye Mr Chips" (1939)

Robert Donat (1905-1958) won his Oscar as the schoolmaster Mr Chipping/Chips. In "Goodbye Mr Chips", he starts out as a fairly unpopular Latin teacher but through various circumstances becomes the most popular teacher at the school. The film became one of the most fondly remembered depictions of school life.

He was also nominated in 1938 for "The Citadel" as Dr Andrew Manson. He was nominated for a BAFTA in 1954 for his role as The Reverend William Thorne in "Lease of Life" and for a Golden Globe in 1958 for his role as The Mandarin of Yang Cheng in "The Inn of the Sixth Happiness".

Answer: Give My Regards to Broadway

Come on along and listen to the great George M. Cohan's beautiful melody as it sets the scene for the top grossing film of 1929. In addition to the Oscar for Best Picture, one of the hoofers was played by Bessie Love, who received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress, but lost out to America's Sweetheart, Mary Pickford (who was born in Toronto, Canada!). George M. Cohan wrote hundreds of other songs, including "Over There", "You're a Grand Old Flag", and "The Yankee Doodle Boy". "You Were Meant For Me" has been recorded by many great performers, including Perry Como, Nat "King" Cole and Sting.

"Give My Regards to Broadway" has been popular in movies for years, and was featured in "Bring It On"(2000) and "Little Miss Sunshine" (2006). Most of the music and lyrics for "The Broadway Melody" were written by Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed. However, George M. Cohan's song is probably the most famous from the movie.

Answer: Leslie Howard

The plot of the film has great similarities with "The Scarlet Pimpernel", except the victims are rescued from the Nazis instead of the French Revolution Citizens Committees. Leslie Howard (1893-1943) was a highly popular leading English actor and anti-Nazi whose airliner was shot down by the Germans over the Bay of Biscay in 1943. Ronald Colman (1891-1958) was also a popular English leading man known for the occasional swashbuckler, e.g. "The Prisoner of Zenda" (1937). Stewart Granger (1913-1993), another English leading actor, appeared in the odd adventure film such as "Scaramouche" (1952). Errol Flynn (1909-1959) was an Australian leading man famed for his swashbuckling roles, e.g. "The Adventures of Robin Hood" (1938).

Answer: The Pequod

The Pequod is a Nantucket whaling ship, captained by Ahab, named after the Pequot people. The Pequots were an Algonquian speaking New England people. Aided and abetted by his first mate, Starbuck (Tom O'Brien) and Queequeg (Noble Johnson), his expert harpooner, the chase begins.

The Warner Brothers film is a remake of "The Sea Beast", a silent movie from 1926. Both are loosely based versions of Herman Melville's classic novel "Moby Dick" (1851). John Barrymore stars as the obsessive Ahab, and Joan Bennett is the daughter of the preacher man.

The changes made from the book to the film, which adds both a prequel and a sequel, probably would not have met with the approval of Herman Melville.

Answer: "Millions Like Us" (1943)

"Millions Like Us" shows an ordinary family coping with the Second World War. In "The Way Ahead", Holloway plays Private Ted Brewer. In "The Way to the Stars", he plays Mr Palmer. In "This Happy Breed", he plays Bob Mitchell. Stanley Holloway (1890-1982) was nominated for an Oscar for "My Fair Lady" (1964). He was conferred an O.B.E. in 1960.