The Right Stuff Trivia Quiz

Answer: Chuck Yeager

Flying the Bell X-1, Captain Chuck Yeager was, in 1947, the first person to break the sound barrier. He did this despite having broken ribs from a horse riding accident a few days earlier. In the film he is shown using a broken-off broom handle to close the hatch on the plane, as his damaged ribs would not allow him to do it otherwise.

In real life Chuck Yeager was a fighter pilot in World War 2 and he later commanded squadrons during the Vietnam war. He broke many air speed records during his career as a test pilot at Edwards Air Force Base. He was not selected for the first space programme due to his lack of a college degree. He was however the first commandant of the USAF Aerospace Research School. His flying career spanned 60 years. He also had a small part in the film, playing Fred, the bartender at Pancho's.

Sam Shepherd, who played him in the film, moved into acting after being playwright in residence at Magic Theatre in San Francisco. His first film was "Days of Heaven" (1978) with Richard Gere. He received an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Chuck Yeager.

Answer: Alan Shepard

In 1961 Alan Shepard became the first American, and the second man, to go into space when Freedom 7 was launched. The Russians had the first ever man in space with Yuri Gagarin, who became an international hero and celebrity. Shepard splashed down successfully in the Atlantic Ocean. The launch was shown live on national television and, like Gagarin, Shepard became an instant hero and celebrity.

Scott Glen, who plays him in the film, has had a long career. Some of his other films include "The Hunt for Red October" (1990), "Silence of the Lambs" (1991) and "The Bourne Ultimatum" (2007).

Answer: Mercury

The first space programme was named Mercury. With 20 unmanned flights, two sub orbital flights and four orbital flights, it laid the groundwork for the Gemini programme that followed it. This in turn led to Apollo and the eventual moon landings. Although it failed in the objective to get a man into space before the Soviets, it did succeed in getting the first American into space.

Answer: Deke Slayton

Seven people were selected for the first space programme. They all came from branches of the armed forces and, on the insistence of President Eisenhower, all were test pilots, which excluded women from the selection process. Because of the limited space inside the space capsule they all had to be under five feet eleven inches tall, and weigh less than 180 pounds. The programme attracted five hundred applicants, and various medical and psychological tests whittled it down to the final seven. Despite this Deke Slayton was grounded when a heart murmur was discovered. He did go into space eventually, but not until 1975 as part of the Apollo programme.

Scott Paulin who portrayed him in the film has made appearances in various television programmes including "House", "E.R.", "24" and "Cold Case". His film work includes "The Accused" (1988) and "Captain America" (1990).

Jack Ridley and Pancho Barnes were not astronauts. Jack Ridley worked at NASA and Pancho Barnes was a bar tender.

Answer: John Glenn

Where Alan Shepard just went up, reached a certain height, and then came down again, John Glenn orbited the Earth. He did this in February 1962. He circled the Earth three times in his almost five hour flight before safely splashing down. During his flight the city of Perth, Australia, became known as the City of Light when all the residents turned on their house lights, car headlights and all street lights as he went overhead. On his return he was hailed as a national hero and given a ticker tape parade.

Ed Harris, who played Glenn in the film, has a long list of film credits including "Pollock" (2000), for which he received an Oscar nomination for Best Actor, "Nixon" (1995) and "The Rock" (1996). He also directs theatre productions, and is the voice of Jason Hudson in the video game "Call of Duty: Black Ops".

Answer: Gus Grissom

Like Alan Shepard, Gus Grissom did a sub-orbital flight. On splashdown there was a problem with the hatch on his space capsule which jettisoned during the recovery mission, allowing the capsule to fill with water and sink. Grissom escaped unharmed, but there were suggestions he panicked and opened the hatch too soon. Grissom died, along with Ed White and Roger Chaffee, in a pre-launch test for Apollo 1 when the Command Module burst into flames.

He is played by Fred Ward, who started his career in the Clint Eastwood film "Escape from Alcatraz" (1979). He also had roles in "Silkwood" (1983) and "Swing Shift" (1984).

Answer: Tom Wolfe

Philip Kaufman not only directed "The Right Stuff", he also wrote the screen play, which he adapted from Tom Wolfe's novel. It was by far his most successful film, getting eight Oscar nominations and winning four of them. His other directorial credits include "Invasion of The Body Snatchers" (1978) and "Twisted" (2004).

Tom Wolfe is also known for "The Bonfire Of The Vanities" (1987).

Answer: Bill Conti

As well as "The Right Stuff", Bill Conti has also composed for the "Rocky" series of films. The 1976 film "Rocky" was his first big break in film music. He wrote the score for the "James Bond" film "For Your Eyes Only" when John Barry was unable to do so.

Other credits include "The Thomas Crown Affair" (1999) and the television series "Dynasty". He is a graduate of the Julliard music school, and has often conducted the orchestra at the Academy Awards ceremony.

Answer: Lyndon B. Johnson

Donald Moffat plays Lyndon B. Johnson in the film. Johnson was very much in favour of the space programme and this is shown in the film. At the time of the film he is the Senator for Texas. He went on to be Vice President to John F. Kennedy, taking over as President when Kennedy was assassinated. He completed that term and then, in 1964, defeated Barry Goldwater to become the elected President. Although his domestic policies were popular, his escalation of the Vietnam war was so unpopular he did not seek re-election in 1968.

Donald Moffat started his career as a stage actor at the Old Vic in London. He is better known as a television actor than for films, having appeared in such series as "Logan's Run", "The West Wing" and "Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman". His best known film role is probably in "Clear and Present Danger" (1994), in which he plays the corrupt President.

Answer: A stammer

Annie Glenn suffered from a very bad stammer and, as a result of this, she disliked public appearances. However her husband's fame meant she was often required to be in the public eye. In 1973 she underwent an intensive course at Hollins University, which does mean she can now speak freely in public.

Mary Jo Deschanel, who portrayed her in the film, also played Eileen in the television series "Twin Peaks". She also appeared in an episode of "House".