Who's Who: Holiday Movie Stars Quiz

Answer: Macaulay Culkin

Who doesn't just love the young Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister in "Home Alone" (1990) and "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York" (1992)? In both he played a young boy who was mistakenly separated from his family during the holiday season. He successfully took care of himself, which was no small task, battled the bad guys, known as the Wet Bandits, and taught his family (and us) about the true meaning of Christmas. Until 2018 "Home Alone" (1990) was the highest grossing holiday movie of all time.

Answer: Burl Ives

Burl Ives was a television, radio, and movie star back in the day. In 1958 he won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in "The Big Country". But we remember him annually and welcome him into our home because in 1964 he starred in "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" as both the Narrator and Sam the Snowman.

The story told us how Rudolph managed to go from a red-nosed laughing stock to saving Christmas when Santa thought the weather was too bad and he would have to cancel his annual deliveries.

By the way, Ives also recorded two songs in the movie that may sound familiar, "A Holly Jolly Christmas" and "Silver and Gold".

Answer: Jim Carrey

Believe it or not, Jim Carrey was not the only actor considered for the role of Grinch in "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (2000) - Jack Nicholson and Eddie Murphy were also considered. Making a full length movie from the Dr. Seuss book meant that additional story line about the Grinch's past needed to be added. We learned that the Grinch hated Christmas because of the treatment he received from school children as a young, well, Grinch, (they can be really brutal, right?), and tried to do everything possible to ruin Christmas after that.

In the end, however, even the nasty Grinch had a change of heart and joined in the holiday festivities. The movie was nominated for several awards, and won an Academy Award for Best Makeup (it took 2-1/2 hours each time to make Carrey the Grinch, and he spent 92 days in the makeup); Carrey won Favorite Movie Actor at the Kid's Choice Awards.

Answer: James Stewart

Actually Jimmy Stewart starred in two Christmas movies. In 1980 he starred in a Christmas special called "Krueger's Christmas", but, of course, his "It's a Wonderful Life" (1946) is by far his most famous. And - like many of the beloved holiday movies - its message is still relevant today. George Bailey was a good man.

He saved his brother from drowning. He prevented his employer from unknowingly poisoning a patient. He put aside his future plans to take over the family business, Bailey Brothers' Building and Loan, when his father died.

After his Uncle Billy misplaced an $8,000 deposit, George believed that he had no choice but to commit suicide. His life insurance policy would allow the family to recoup the money and avoid possible scandal. Enter Clarence, the guardian angel, who convinced him that he had led a worthwhile life and that his family and community would be different - in a negative way - without him. Yes, we all can make a positive difference!

Answer: Natalie Wood

Natalie Wood began acting at the age of four and continued with a successful career as an adult, receiving three Oscar nominations by the time she was twenty-five. She was just eight years old when she played the role of Susan Walker in "Miracle on 34th Street"(1947), the daughter of a Macy's store event director named Doris, who was a single mom. Susan believed that a department store Santa, who was known as Kris Kringle, was, in fact, the real Santa Claus, but the adults feared that such an openly kind man was really insane.

They put Santa on trial (!), and Susan's next door neighbor, Fred, convinced a court of law that Kris was really Santa. In addition, Fred, Doris, and Susan appeared to be well on their way to forming a family together by the end of the movie. If we have just a bit of faith....there's no telling what can happen!

Answer: Tim Allen

Tim Allen has starred in two very successful Disney films; who could ever forget his Buzz Lightyear in all the "Toy Story" movies (1995, 1999, 2010, 2019)? During the holidays, however, he played Santa Claus in three movies, Disney's "The Santa Clause" (1994, 2002, 2006). Each of the movies further develops his character, Scott Calvin.

In the first he actually became Santa after accidentally causing the death of a man in a Santa suit. In "The Santa Clause 2" we find that Scott had been serving as Santa for eight years, but it was time for him to find Mrs. Clause. Scott had served as Santa for twelve years by the time of "The Santa Clause 3", and seemed to lead an idyllic life. Jack Frost, however, had other plans.

He tricked Scott into going back in time, and when the man fell off the roof, he grabbed the Santa coat before Scott could. Don't worry, though! There was plenty of magic in the air and Scott was able to retain his position as Santa Claus without anyone learning of the alternative Christmas created by Frost.

Answer: Will Ferrell

Did you know that Will Ferrell won back to back ESPYs for "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby" (2007) and "Semi-Pro" (2008)? But the movie to watch for the holidays is "Elf". Buddy was an orphan who crawled into Santa's bag and was taken to the North Pole, where he was raised by Santa's elves. Buddy believed he was an elf, even though he was much bigger than the others and not able to perform elf jobs with the necessary dexterity. Buddy eventually found out he was a human; his mother gave him up for adoption and died soon after, and his father did not know. Imagine Buddy's horror when he found out that his father was on Santa's naughty list because he just wasn't a very nice person. Thinking he could help redeem his dad, Buddy left the North Pole and headed to New York City, where he did not really fit in the best and makes a lot of mistakes dealing with situations he really didn't understand very well. With all these problems, can Buddy help save his dad? You will have to watch to find out!

Answer: Judy Garland

The first movie I ever remember watching is "Wizard of Oz" (1939). Back in the day it was shown on television sometime in the Spring. It's hard to beat, but for the holidays Judy Garland as Esther Smith in "Meet Me In St. Louis" (1944) is a must see! Although the main theme of the movie is attending the St. Louis World's Fair, which was held in the spring of 1904, the movie does involve a Christmas scene. Esther's family, who lives in St. Louis, was excited about the prospect of going to the World's Fair in 1904 and had been making plans for months, but their lives were thrown into an uproar when Esther's father announced that he and his family are being transferred after Christmas to New York City. Don't worry, though. Everything turned out as the family had hoped, and you even get to hear a Garland favorite, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas".

Answer: Tom Hanks

Tom Hanks has got to be one of the most beloved actors of all time! In "The Polar Express", (2004) Tom Hanks starred in seven different roles, including The Narrator and Hero Boy. A young boy (Hero Boy) doubted the existence of Santa Claus after his friends told him there is no such thing as Santa, but went to bed on Christmas Eve night hoping to hear the bells on Santa's sleigh.

He was intrigued when an old steam locomotive appeared outside his home, and was invited to board the Polar Express, where he met other children in the passenger car who are headed for the North Pole. Upon the arrival at the North Pole the passengers on the train were told that one of them will receive something special - Santa's first gift.

Hero Boy was elated that he was chosen and decided to ask for one of the bells on Santa's sleigh.

He discovered that he could not hear the bell ring - at least not until he believed. He put the bell in his pocket, but lost it on the way home. Imagine his surprise when he found it in one of his Christmas packages! The only other person in his family, however, who could hear it was Hero Boy's younger sister.

Answer: Rosemary Clooney

Although she is perhaps better known as a recording artist - "Come On-a My House" (1951) and "This Ole House" (1954), Rosemary Clooney starred as Betty Haynes in "White Christmas" (1954). It was Christmas 1944 in Europe. Two soldiers, Bob and Phil were entertaining the 151st Division when there was an air raid.

After Bob, a former Broadway entertainer, was saved by Phil, who wanted to break into show business, he wanted to return the favor and felt obligated to look at Phil's newly written song.

As it turned out, the two made it big in show business when they returned from the war and they received a request from their former mess sergeant to look at an act that involved his two sisters, Betty and Judy. Both men fell for a different sister, although the relationship between Bob and Betty was a bit rocky at first.

After the group decided to take a gig at the Pine Tree, Bob and Phil discovered that their former commanding officer was the owner of the inn, and he was in big trouble because it was Christmas, and there was no snow and consequently, no guests. Bob and Phil decided to reunite their old army unit at the hotel and arranged for it to be the site of a televised variety show.

By the end, the two couples were together, the general's business was saved, and it began to snow. The final song, "White Christmas" has been a staple at Christmas ever since.