The Stars of Classic Horror Trivia Quiz

Answer: Colin Clive

In his short life, Colin Clive starred in major horror films as well as in more relaxed productions such as 'Jane Eyre' (1934). In 'Jane Eyre', Colin Clive played Mr. Rochester though it was for his excellent portrayal of Dr. Frankenstein that he is more vividly remembered. One of the most dramatic scenes in 'Frankenstein' centres around the creation of the monster and is artfully punctuated by Clive's outburst: "Look! It's moving. It's alive. It's alive... It's alive, IT'S ALIVE!".

'Frankenstein' (1931) depicts the monster's rejection by society, culminating in him being hunted down by the townsfolk. 'Bride of Frankenstein' (1935) sees Colin Clive return as Dr. Frankenstein, this time attempting to create a companion for the lonely, misunderstood monster. This companion, the titular Bride, was played by British actress, Elsa Lanchester.

Answer: 'The Mummy' (1932)

Dwight Frye had an incredibly successful year in 1931, starring in two of the most iconic films of the horror genre: 'Dracula' and 'Frankenstein'. It was precisely the success of the films, and Frye's brilliant acting in them, that led to Dwight Frye being typecast. He portrayed madness in such a way that he became inextricably linked with that characteristic, indeed he was its cinematic manifestation. By the time 'Bride of Frankenstein' was released in 1935, Frye was struggling to get any other type of acting role.

Dwight Frye did not feature in 'The Mummy', a 1932 film starring Boris Karloff in which the mummified Imhotep is disturbed by archaeologists and subsequently reanimated through the magic of a sacred scroll.

Answer: Tod Browning

Tod Browning, born in Kentucky, was a director who was in his comfort zone when making silent films. However, the rise of the "talkies" meant that he had to move on and step into the world of speech. Compared to his contemporary, James Whale, Browning didn't quite manage to master the new art form, this being evident in films such as 'Dracula' (1931) where the "silent style" was still used in parts.

Despite his shortcomings, Tod Browning's films are still memorable even if not always for the right reasons. Modern viewers of the 1932 film 'Freaks' are very unlikely to experience feelings of revulsion, but for the audience of the 1930s this is precisely the emotion the film elicited. Tod Browning was, in some respects, ahead of his time and as a result he failed to predict that a candid exploration of disability would not be well received. Even after the censors altered and deleted much of Browning's 'Freaks', the supposedly more palatable version of the film still outraged its audience.

'Freaks' depicts the goings on at a circus and the intertwined lives of the titular "freaks" that work there. The main storyline follows Cleopatra, an outwardly beautiful trapeze artist, and her manipulation of Hans, the sideshow dwarf; Cleopatra attempts to get Hans to marry her so that she could gain access to his sizeable financial inheritance.

Answer: 'Dracula' (1931)

The majority of actors in the early years of "talkies" had much the same accent, one that was inoffensive and refined. Others made a name for themselves by deviating from this standard and Edward Van Sloan, and more notably Bela Lugosi, typified this. Rather than the eloquence of Colin Clive, Van Sloan perfected a more deliberate accentuation complete with adventurous rolled "r" sounds (rhotacism). His drawn-out manner of speech particularly suited the type of character he often played - characters that were learned, even professorial.

Edward Van Sloan played such a character, Abraham Van Helsing, in 'Dracula'. An important part of the film's plot relates to his character discovering the Count's true nature through the use of a mirror. The mirror scene is a turning point in the film as the characters begin to realise that Dracula is far from benign. The rest of the film concentrates on eliminating the threat of the malevolent being that chillingly utters: "Listen to them. Children of the night. What music they make."

Answer: Mae Clarke

Actress Mae Clarke, born in Pennsylvania in 1910, was particularly prolific in the period 1931-1933. In 1931 alone, Clarke made credited appearances in five films including 'Frankenstein' and 'Waterloo Bridge'. Both of these films were directed by English-born James Whale, who also directed 'Bride of Frankenstein' in 1935.

In 'Frankenstein', Mae Clarke plays Elizabeth, a character that doesn't have any great part to play in the plot of the film itself but as Dr. Frankenstein's love interest, the role was important in demonstrating the human impact of the Doctor's inhuman creation. In 'Waterloo Bridge', Clarke's character, Myra Deauville, was initially a chorus girl but due to wartime poverty falls into prostitution whilst her love interest was fighting in WWI.

Mae Clarke also made an uncredited appearance in another 1931 film, 'The Public Enemy'. This film is remembered for its "grapefruit scene" in which the characters portrayed by James Cagney and Mae Clarke are arguing at the breakfast table. In frustration Cagney's character, Tom Powers, rubs a grapefruit in the face of Clarke's character, Kitty. To think that Mae Clarke didn't even get a credit for her performance! Isn't that a slap in the face..?

Answer: Jack Pierce

Jack Pierce was born in Laconia, Greece in 1889 and he was the man behind the hair and makeup of some of the greatest Universal horror characters from the 1930s. One of his signatures was the use of the widow's peak; this hairline was sported by Bela Lugosi's characters in 'Dracula' (1931) and 'White Zombie' (1932) and Boris Karloff's Hjalmar Poelzig in 'The Black Cat' (1934).

Makeup artist and actor Rick Baker was involved in the creation of character aesthetics in a seemingly endless list of films throughout the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and into the 2000s. Baker has won the Academy Award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling on numerous occasions including for his behind the scenes artistry in 'Men in Black' (1997) and 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas' (2000).

Answer: M

Peter Lorre was born in 1904 in the town of Rózsahegy, a settlement that was a part of Austria-Hungary at the time but is now in the modern state of Slovakia. His distinctive facial features and accent, alongside great acting, contributed to Lorre being considered a go-to performer, particular in the 1930s and 1940s.

In 1931, Lorre starred as Hans Beckert in 'M', the genuinely chilling German-language film directed by Fritz Lang. Beckert is a serial killer who whistles Grieg's 'In the Hall of the Mountain King' whenever he has the urge to kill. After Beckert strikes, the locals become extra-vigilant and when a blind balloon seller recognises the whistling, Beckert finds himself branded as M (for murderer or Mördor, in German).

Answer: False

Fay Wray is one of the great stars of classic horror, so much so that she is associated with an epithet - the original "scream queen". This reflects not only her impact on the genre - with 'King Kong' a highlight - but also how prolific she was. In 1933 alone she made credited appearances in over ten films!

In 'King Kong', Fay Wray plays Ann Darrow who takes on a mysterious acting job offered by a director named Carl Denham (Robert Armstrong). The job takes her to Skull Island where a dramatic relationship forms with King Kong, "The Eighth Wonder of the World!". The film reaches a famous crescendo at the Empire State Building in New York City.

Given the success of 'King Kong', a rushed sequel called 'Son of Kong' was released later in 1933 which featured Robert Armstrong but not Fay Wray (she had many other films on the go, after all). Armstrong reprises the role of Carl Denham, who ventures off to the Dutch East Indies and meets Little Kong; man and beast strike up a relationship in the midst of an earthquake.

Answer: The Black Cat

'The Black Cat' is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe that had its first publication in 1843. The plot of the 1934 film with exactly the same title, directed by Edgar G. Ulmer, has little to nothing to with Poe's work but in order to capitalise on the writer's popularity, the film was advertised as "suggested by" Edgar Allan Poe (naughty!).

All that being said, 'The Black Cat' - where a honeymooning couple find themselves stranded in a strange house and one of the couple, Joan, becomes the target of bizarre rituals - was Universal's biggest hit of 1934. It was the first time Lugosi and Karloff starred in the same film, later acting together in films such as 'The Raven' (1935) - yes, another film "suggested by" Poe - and 'Son of Frankenstein' (1939).

Answer: Claude Rains

'The Invisible Man' is a 1933 film directed by James Whale that is a blend of horror and science fiction; it is based - to a limited extent - on the 1897 novel of the same name by H. G. Wells. Claude Rains - a theatre performer prior to his big on-screen break in this film - plays Dr. Jack Griffin, the titular "invisible man" whose physical body can no longer be seen after the conclusion of a scientific experiment involving a drug called monocaine.

His invisible frame still seems to retain volume and structure however as he is covered in bandages and wears a pair of sunglasses which renders him indirectly visible whilst he dons this apparel. The film focuses on a community searching for this runaway invisible character.