Nat King Cole - An Unforgettable Talent Quiz

Answer: (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons

Nat scored three Top Ten hits that year, with "(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons" spending six weeks at the top of the charts. Charlie Spivak, Eddy Howard, Dinah Shore and Ella Fitzgerald also charted with this song... but only Nat reached Number One.

Answer: Capitol

Capitol Records was formed in 1943 and Nat was one of its first stars. Capitol's roster of performers over the years is impressive and includes Pink Floyd, Glen Campbell, Frank Sinatra, Linda Ronstadt, The Beach Boys, and The Beatles.

Answer: The Adventures of Hajji Baba

The song was "Hajji Baba (A Persian Lament)." It made it to Number 14 and was Nat's NINTH record on the charts that year. The film starred John Derek as a swashbuckling barber (yep) in ancient Persia. Nat sang the title song but was lucky enough not to be in the film.

Answer: He was attacked on stage by KKK members

During a concert in Birmingham, Alabama, three members of the local KKK ran on stage and beat up Nat. Luckily Nat wasn't seriously injured. Incredibly, a local reporter asked Nat if he thought the attack might have been a protest against rock and roll music. Nat thought not.

Answer: a lack of corporate sponsorship

Nat had a lot of friends in show business and his show hosted such luminaries as Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Frankie Laine, The Four Lads, Pearl Bailey and many others. NBC aired the program, without a national sponsor, figuring that they would flock to such a classy, talent laden show. Didn't happen. Companies were afraid of "offending" customers in the South and none came forth. NBC agreed to keep carrying the show, but Nat ended it.

Answer: Ballerina

Vaughn Monroe spent ten weeks in the Number One spot with his 1947 release. Nat's lighter, bouncier, take was the fifth version of the song to make the music charts. Buddy Clark, Bing Crosby, and Tommy Dorsey all had Top Ten hits with the song in 1948. Nat made it to Number 18.

Answer: Mona Lisa

In 1950 "Mona Lisa" was one of Nat's biggest hits and held the Number One spot for eight weeks. Conway's version reached Number 29. "It's Only Make Believe" was a Number One hit for Conway in 1958. He eventually switched from rock and roll and became a country music superstar with over three-dozen chart topping records.

Answer: Cole Espanol

In February 1958, the orchestra music for "Cole Espanol" was recorded in Havana, Cuba. Several months later, in a Los Angeles studio, Nat added the vocals. Nat sang these songs in Spanish... though he didn't speak the language.

Answer: Citizen Kane

He had an uncredited role as the pianist at "The El Rancho." It was the first film for Nat and he hadn't yet had any hit records. Nat was originally supposed to play Charles Foster Kane... but he kept saying "Ramblin' Rose" instead of "Rosebud"... so they replaced him with Orson Welles. That last line is a joke for Nat King Cole fans.

Answer: Stubby Kaye

Nat played "The Sunrise Kid." The song was nominated for an Academy Award as "Best Music, Original Song" but lost to "The Shadow of Your Smile" from "The Sandpiper." Lee Marvin won the Academy Award as "Best Actor in a Leading Role" for his duel role as Kid Shelleen and his twin brother, the evil Tim Strawn.