Less Than Famous First Names Trivia Quiz

Answer: James

Native to Britain, singer, songwriter, musician and actor, McCartney rocketed to fame in the 1960s being one of the Beatles. A recipient of many awards, even an Academy Award, he was knighted in 1997.

Answer: Henry

Beatty is an actor and director and had been nominated many times for an Academy Award, winning in 1981 as Best Director for "Reds". He married fellow actor Annette Bening in 1992 and has four children. He is also the sibling of actor Shirley MacLaine.

Answer: Troyal

Singer and songwriter, Brooks' forte is country music with rock and roll overtones. He was the first inductee into the Live Hall of Fame. A Grammy Award winner, some of his biggest hits are "More Than a Memory", "Friends in Low Places" and "If Tomorrow Never Comes" among many others.

Answer: Hiram

Grant was the two-term 18th President of the U.S. after serving as a general in the Civil War. His administration was marred by accusations of corruption, such as making appointments without Congressional approval and post-war reconstruction issues. He only lived 8 years after his last term, succumbing to throat cancer in 1885.

Answer: Thomas

Wilson, who started out as a scholar and lecturer, wrote several books on politics and was called to be governor of New Jersey from his presidency at Princeton University. This eventually led to his being nominated for the office of the 28th President of the U.S..

He had the difficulty of leading the country during World War 1 and unsuccessfully tried to keep a neutral position. After the war he avidly campaigned for the League of Nations. He didn't live to see a similar institution created - The United Nations.

He passed away three years after leaving the presidency from complications of a stroke he suffered while in office.

Answer: Joseph

A writer and poet, Kipling was born in India and his family moved to England when he 5 years old. Moving often, he shuttled between India and Britain, even the U.S. and South Africa. His experiences in India were the bases for his most beloved stories like "The Jungle Book" and "Just So Stories".

Some of his well-known poems are, "If" and "Gunga Din". He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1907.

Answer: John

A New Englander, Coolidge ascended to the U.S. Presidency in 1923 when President Harding died unexpectedly. He served out that term and was re-elected on his own in 1924, defeating is opponent, John W. Davis. Also known as "Silent Cal", he had the reputation of reticence, but was a shrewd politician having previously served in numerous political offices.

After the Presidency, he retired from politics and wrote his autobiography and passed away in 1933.

Answer: Alton

One of the most prominent leaders of the Big Band Era, Miller hailed from America's Mid-West, being born in Iowa, then his family moved to Nebraska and Missouri before settling in Colorado. A trombone player, he worked with several other popular dance bands before forming his own orchestra in 1937.

He wrote his own arrangements that focused on close harmony between clarinets and saxophones, a novel sound since most bands relied on brass leads. He also composed his theme song "Moonlight Serenade".

He volunteered for military duty in World War 2 where he fronted the Army Air Force Band. Unfortunately, while on European tour, his plane disappeared over the English Channel and was never found. His life was made into a movie in 1954 with James Stewart portraying Miller.

Answer: George

Welles was an entertainment Renaissance man, being a writer, actor, director and producer and working in theater, movies and television. He hosted "The Mercury Theatre of the Air" with his own repertory company where his mellifluous baritone voice served him well.

The show rocketed him to fame with its 1938 broadcast of H.G. Wells story "War of the Worlds" which panicked many listeners who hadn't heard the introduction and thought it was an actual alien invasion. He is also remembered for his movies "Citizen Kane" and "The Magnificent Ambersons".

In his later career, he even turned to doing commercials for Paul Masson winery for which he was often lampooned by comics. He died of a heart attack in 1985 at age 70 and his ashes are buried in Spain.

Answer: Eldred

Peck was a prolific and well-liked motion picture actor. Nominated five times for an Academy Award, he won for his lead role in "To Kill a Mockingbird" arguably his most memorable role where he played a widowed Southern small-town attorney called on to defend a black man accused of assault on a white woman while counseling his two children.

Some of his other movies include "Moby Dick", Gentleman's Agreement", On the Beach" and "Twelve O'Clock High". In 1969, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom which is the highest U.S.civilian award. Peck lived to be 87, passing in 2003.