trivia

August 29, 2009

Take a Harry Houdini Trivia Quiz


In 1839 a young Harry Houdini amazed a small crowd performing as a magician. His mysterious acts were his life. He lived and breathed magic. Where would America be today without Harry Houdini? Harry Houdini trivia games show the remarkable man in a fresh new light.

 

He was born with the name Ehrich Weiss on March 24th, 1874. He lived his life as a magician, escapologist, actor, stunt performer and even a film producer. His wife Bess Rahner performed as his assistant till the day he died. They both loved to live on the wild side and amaze people. Their stunts were personal challenges and Harry never backed down from a challenge. He put the same drive he had for stunt performances into his movie career, piloting, and even his spiritual views. Any Harry Houdini quiz, quizzes and trivia you are playing will tell you that he was an avid spiritual debunker.

 

Becoming an American Legacy was not easy for Houdini and it did not happen overnight. It took years of stunts and performances, but he managed it. The acts he was noted for was Buried Alive, The Over Board Box Escape, The Mirror Handcuff Challenge, The Suspended Straitjacket Escape, and The Chinese Water Torture Cell.  Harry Houdini quiz games show the most famous act of all, The Chinese Water Torture Cell.

 

Hollywood has showed Houdini in a different light.  He was one of the first to push his limits. He was not afraid of taking his performances over the edge, and that’s what the audience liked to see. Houdini knew how to give a great show and make people going home wonder, “How did he do it?”

 

The book Handcuff Secrets, published in 1909, gave the public to read and find out how Houdini performed some of his secrets. Around that same year, Houdini took up his love for aviation. He flew several times but stopped shortly after.

 

Today he is remembered by many around the world. Every magician after him has looked up to him for inspiration and guidance. I think the magicians today would not have “magic” in their shows without Harry Houdini.

 

Houdini died on October 31, 1926. As a desperate act to get in touch with him on the other side, Bess Houdini held séances on Halloween. She finally gave up after ten years of trying, but the tradition stuck. Still to this day there are séances held in his honor.

 

 

 

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August 28, 2009

Star Trek's Mr. Spock: Leonard Nimoy

 

            To anyone who is interested in Leonard Nimoy trivia, there is another name which is almost as commonly associated with the face of this man as his own – that name is of course Mr. Spock, the character that Nimoy portrayed in the popular 1960’s television show, Star Trek. Even though Star Trek was only on the air for a few years, a much shorter time than many of today’s more popular television shows, the characters that were created in that short time have gone on to become among the most popular in American today. That original show spawned several other television programs including The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise, and of course nine feature films, including several in which Nimoy would reprise his character of Spock.

 

            Any Leonard Nimoy quiz is going to be mostly filled with questions about his portrayal of the half vulcan half human Spock, and so we will be sure to give that its due regard here. Did you know that the original show only ran for 80 episodes? While this was the origination of the character of Mr. Spock, Nimoy would continue to play the character several other times over the years, right up until today. He played the character in the Star Trek films I-VI, as well as also reprising the role again in the most recent film “Star Trek” released in 2009.

 

            Did you know that in addition to playing Mr. Spock on so many different occasions, Nimoy was also the director of a few of the Star Trek films? This is a little piece of Leonard Nimoy trivia that many who can only identify with him as his character are totally unaware of. He directed both Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home – which was, until the release of the new movie the most successful of any of the movies in the Star Trek franchise. His only other significant hit as a director was “Three Men and  Baby” which was actually the highest grossing film the year of its release.

 

            Did you know that Leonard Nimoy has also enjoyed considerable success in several other artistic arenas? He has released several recording albums, has published books of his photography, is a writer, including two autobiographies offering viewpoints of his reconciliation between himself and the character he is so famous for portraying, as well as being a published poet.

           

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Brush Up on Your History and Take The Christopher Colombus Quiz

With the political rise and fall of power, a country relies on trade in many aspects. So, when Christopher Columbus told Queen Isabella of Spain about a shorter route to Asia, she took the opportunity. But did she take a chance on a man with a bright idea and no skills or a class “A” navigator from Genoese? Christopher Columbus trivia questions can answer many of these questions.

 

Columbus began his apprenticeship in 1473. He decided to become a personal agent for a very important man from Genoese. From there, he grew his reputation. He didn’t have many hours at sea but his skills were still good. Christopher Columbus quizzes can highlight his strong points and his weaknesses.

 

Columbus started his journey out with his knowledge of navigation and sailing. He set his course with the idea that earth’s diameter was smaller than it really was and he read his map wrong. He believed that Asia was closer than it really was. A Christopher Columbus quiz will show you that he read the map in Italian miles.

 

The journey was extremely important for Spain to get better access to the spice trade. He used three boats to make his journey. The names of those boats were as follows: The Santa Maria, The Santa Clara, which most of us know as the Nina, and The Pinta. So, when Columbus landed near the Bahamas in 1492, he thought he reached East-Asia. After his new discovery, he came back four more times. During his last journey around the area, he traveled to Jamaica. His ships ended up becoming badly damaged from a storm and they became stranded on Jamaica.

 

Columbus was rescued off of Jamaica only to be sent back to Spain in chains. He was sent to trial and later released. Finally, in May 1506, Columbus died a wealthy man.

 

Columbus’s journey to the West Indies and North America might have marked an important time in history but it came with a price. Many native people of that area died of sickness and disease. They were not immune to the European sicknesses and had never been exposed to them. So, over time, there were many casualties. Due to this, a big part of their culture was lost in time.

 

Today, Columbus Day is celebrated for the journey he made. Spain celebrates this day on October 12th every year but the United States has a different tradition. They also celebrate it in the month of October, but it is always on the second Monday of the month every single year.

                                                                                            

 

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How Much Do You Know About Alfred Hitchcock?

 

        

Alfred Hitchcock trivia is something that is surely of interest to anyone with an interest in the history of the cinema, as he is one of those iconic filmmakers whose work has helped shape the entire direction of the industry since his time. Did you know that his full name was Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, or that he was born on the 13th of August 1899? He made over fifty films throughout his career, many of which are considered to be among the masterpieces of cinema which all film students study and debate even to this day.

 

            Did you know that Alfred Hitchcock was a dual citizen of both England and the United States? Any Alfred Hitchcock quiz might contain a question about this subject, as it was his passion for moviemaking and for Hollywood which would lead him away from England where he started his careers to the United States and Hollywood, even then the center of the movie making world.

 

            Did you know that Hitchcock had connection to Germany as well? He made a film with Graham Cutts in 1924 which they produced in Babelsberg Studios in Berlin. He also was influenced by early German filmmakers such as Fritz Lang. His first directing credit would be for Gainsborough Pictures, the film was “The Pleasure Garden” and it was made in UFA studios in Germany. His first thriller, something he would of course become very well known for, came out in 1927 and was a large success back at home in the UK. That film would be called “The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog”.

 

            Did you know that one of films most famous terms comes from something done by Alfred Hitchcock? This is an important piece of Alfred Hitchcock trivia sure to come up in any film class. The term is “Macguffin” and it is a device used by many filmmakers. Essentially, the Macguffin is the item which drives the story, but ultimately has very little to do with the ultimate point of the movie. Hitchcock’s first use of this, and the one that would most commonly be modeled was in the movie “39 Steps”.

 

            Some of his other most famous films include “Dial M for Murder”, “Vertigo”, and “Rear Window” and perhaps his most well known film “Psycho.” Many of the elements in that film have been copied by horror films in the decade since its release, and it is often considered one of the most perfect examples of the genre.

           

 

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August 26, 2009

How Well Do You Know William Shatner?

William Shatner was Captain James T. Kirk on Star Trek and Denny Crane on Boston Legal. What else do we know about the actor? A night of trivia complete with a William Shatner quiz is a great way to have an evening filled with inexpensive entertainment. Little things such as where he worked as a teenager could be included. The answer is as a pre-teen at the Canadian Broadcasting Company or (CBC).

 

William Shatner trivia will obviously include questions about Star Trek but what else would it include? Where is William Shatner from? Montreal; this little realized fact could easily stump someone when included as trivia. What were the date and reason for his return? The date was the 21st of July in 2007 and the reason was to host the William Shatner Gala during the 25th Annual Just for Laughs festival.

 

William Shatner trivia would also include a question about the SAG Award he and the rest of the cast for Boston Legal was nominated for. The year was 2008 and the category was Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series. While this may be an easy question for fans of the show, how many of you know what nomination Shatner received in December of 2007? The answer is a Golden Globe Award nomination, if asked what it was for the answer would be “Actor in a supporting role-series, mini-series or Television Movie. The nomination was due to his work on Boston Legal.

 

Another question in William Shatner trivia is sure to cover the numerous commercials that he has done. Such as, what online role playing game did he star in an ad for beginning in November of 2007? World of Warcraft is the answer to this tiny bit of trivia. What video game did he do the voice over for in 2006? Star Trek: Legacy as the voice of Captain Kirk. The game was released on both the Xbox 360 and the PC.

 

There are more questions about commercials possible when it comes to trivia about William Shatner. For instance who does he star as in a commercial for DIRECTV satellite? Once again he is seen as the unforgettable Captain Kirk of the Star Trek Enterprise. The commercial has him on the bridge of the ship addressing the audience as the rest of the scene shows the way it was originally scene in the episode.

 

Taking a quiz about William Shatner will show you just how much you know about the actor and the roles that he played.

 

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August 25, 2009

Part of America's History: Thomas Edison

Everyone knows Thomas Edison as an inventor best known for the light bulb but there are few people that know too much else about him. Testing and increasing knowledge about the inventor can be done with a simple quiz. There are several bits of Thomas Edison trivia that could be included in a quiz about him.

 

One question that might appear is what his full name is. The answer is Thomas Alva Edison. What were the dates of his birth and death? The answers are February 11, 1847 and October 18, 1931. Where these events took place might also be questions asked as part of a Thomas Edison quiz. Milan, Ohio and Fort Myers, Florida are the answers to these two questions.

 

Thomas Edison trivia will also include the fact that he was only 21 when he got his first patent. The invention was the electric vote recorder. A bit of not so well know trivia is that his parents were Samuel Ogden Edison Jr. and Nancy Matthews Elliot, he was the seventh child of the couple. The reason he began school late could also be a question included in a quiz about Edison. It was because of a childhood illness. The fact that he was only in school three months prior to being kicked out is something else that might come up as a question about Thomas Edison.

 

How did Thomas Edison receive his education after being kicked out of school? His mother had previously been employed as a teacher so she home schooled him. It was during this time that she encouraged him to experiment and even taught him to experiment in addition to teaching him reading. Where did the lessons that Edison was taught during his home school years mainly come from? R.G. Parker’s School of natural philosophy is the answer to this part of the quiz.

 

Another interesting fact that might be included in Thomas Edison trivia is that he married Mary Stilwell on the 25ht of December in 1871. What were the names of the couple’s three children? Marion Estelle Edison was the oldest and only daughter of the couple, the other two children were sons Thomas Alva Edison Jr. and William Leslie Edison are the answer to this and something that few people actually know.  

 

Another question included in Thomas Edison trivia could include that in 1884 his first wife died. Edison would remarry on the 24th of February in 1886. The age of his bride Mina Miller might also be included as a question in a quiz about Edison’s life. She was only nineteen years old at the time. The couple had three children together. Take a quiz about Thomas Edison today and see just how much you really know about the inventor.

 

 

 

 

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How Much Do You Know About Elvis Presley?

Elvis Presley is well known as the King of Rock and Roll. The story of Elvis Presley’s rise to fame and his untimely death but how much do people actually know about the man himself and not the legend that surrounds his lifetime? Elvis Presley trivia will surely include questions about his music and movies but what else would it include?

 

An easy question for a true fan taking an Elvis Presley quiz would be where he was born. The answer is Tupelo, Mississippi. He was born on the eight of January in 1935. What did Elvis say when he first entered Sun studios? “I don’t sing like nobody.” The name of the first song Elvis ever recorded is also a question that will probably come up on a quiz about Elvis Presley. The answers are “That’s When Your Heartaches Begin” and “My Happiness,” Elvis paid a four dollar fee to record himself singing them and playing the guitar as his accompaniment.

 

Facts about Elvis’s early days have to put in a quiz about him. A question that is easy for most to answer is what the name of Elvis Presley’s mother was. The answer is Gladys Love Presley he also had a brother that died at birth which is something few people realize, his name was Jesse Garon. Elvis was raised in Tupelo until the age of thirteen when the family made the move to Memphis, Tennessee. The reason for the move is something that could be included in Elvis Presley trivia. The answer is to avoid the law because Vernon Presley (his father) was involved in bootleg liquor.

 

Female fans of Elvis Presley know too well that his wife was named Priscilla. How old was Priscilla when she met Elvis Presley and where did they meet? Elvis first met future wife Priscilla during the time he was stationed in Germany, she was only fourteen years old. Priscilla Ann Beaulieu Presley (born Pricilla Ann Wagner) was born on the 24th of May, 1945. This will be useful if someone asks you when the birthday of Elvis Presley’s ex-wife is.

 

Another question that might come up in trivia about Elvis Presley is where he is currently buried. The answer is Graceland; the body was moved from the Forest Hills Cemetery in Midtown Memphis, Tennessee during November of 1977 at his father’s request. What Lisa Marie had put in her father’s casket is another question that might come up. The answer is a thin metal bracelet. With all we think we know about Elvis Presley taking a quiz about him could reveal that we don’t know as much as we think we do.

 

 

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How Much Do You Know About Aretha Franklin?

It is a well known fact that Aretha Franklin is the Queen of Soul. We have all heard her sing at least a dozen times while singing along most of us know very little about her beyond that despite our curiosity. So just how do you find out how much you know about this living legend? Simple you take an Aretha Franklin quiz.

 

Prior to taking the quiz you might want to brush up on your knowledge of Aretha Franklin by learning a few trivia facts. Aretha Franklin trivia would have to include her date of birth and full name. These answers are March 25, 1942 and Aretha Louise Franklin. She was born in Memphis, Tennessee the daughter of a Baptist preacher, which is something that people tend to forget sometimes.

 

Aretha Franklin trivia would surely include questions about when she first began recording. The answer would be at the young age of fourteen in her father’s church. Another question included in a quiz about Aretha Franklin regarding this time in her life might be what traveling revival she performed in. The answer to this would be C.L.’s traveling revival show during which time she made friends with several gospel legends.

 

An Aretha Franklin quiz question might ask who these people were. The answers would be Clara Ward, Sam Cooke and Mahalia Jackson. How old Aretha was when her first child was born is a little known fact as well. She was only fifteen. Two years later she had another child.

 

In 1960 Aretha Franklin went to New York with her father’s blessing. What other questions might come up when answering trivia questions pertaining to Aretha Franklin? What was the record label that gave Aretha Franklin her first recording contract? Columbia Records and “The Great Aretha Franklin” album was released by the label the same year.

 

The fact that she moved to Atlantic during 1967 is another thing that could come up in an Aretha Franklin quiz. Did you know that Aretha Franklin won her first two Grammy awards for the same song? That song was a cover song of Otis Redding’s that is well known today. Give up? It was “Respect.” How many people realize that Aretha Franklin sang at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s funeral? Naming the song that she sang could be a part of the trivia. The answer is “Precious Lord.”

 

Aretha Franklin’s long career is still continuing today. Aretha Franklin trivia can take hours if you want to cover the majority of significant areas in her life.

 

 

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Take The Alsace Lorraine Quiz

Alsace Lorraine is an area in northeast France that is located to the west of the River Rhine. How much do you know about the area and how much do you have left to learn about it? Taking an Alsace Lorraine quiz will show you just how much you don’t know about the area or it could surprise you to the amount of knowledge that you possess.

 

A question that might appear during the quiz is when Alsace Lorraine was created. The answer to this bit of Alsace Lorraine trivia is in 1871 after the end of the Franco-Prussian War by the creation of the Treaty of Frankfurt. What two languages are spoken in the area might also come up. These are French and German.

 

It is a little known trivia fact that Alsace Lorraine was conquered by Germany with the Treaty of Frankfurt mainly for the iron ores there from 1870 to 1871. It was this conquest that caused German power to grow afterward. What year France regained the area might also come up in Alsace Lorraine trivia. The answer would be 1919, to go further in debt with this bit of trivia about Alsace Lorraine you could include that the area was re-annexed by Germany for the time period of 1940 to 1944 at which time it became liberated by the Allies. The fact that it was the Treaty of Versailles that returned the area of Alsace Lorraine to France in 1919 might also come up in a quiz about the area.

 

What about the fact that Alsace Lorraine’s occupation by French troops began on November 18, 1918? It is also not well known the allies did not seriously challenge this occupancy of the area.

 

Another piece of Alsace Lorraine trivia might include the fact that from 1945 until present day it has been under the rule of France. What name did the area of Alsace Lorraine become known as between the years of 1871 and 1914 in schools and in political circles? The answer is the “twin sisters’ or the “lost providence” it is believe the nation would not be complete without them. What else might come up in a trivia quiz about the Alsace Lorraine area?

 

Anything could come up in a quiz about the area and taking one could develop your knowledge of history. What are you waiting for get out a history book and brush up on the area so that you can stump your friends with your knowledge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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August 24, 2009

What Do You Know About Robert Mitchum?

While the name Robert Mitchum is one that you might have heard often chances are that you probably don’t know much about him at all. Curious of how much you actually know about him? Try taking a Robert Mitchum quiz to find out exactly what you know. There are dozens of questions that could be included as trivia about Robert Mitchum.

A question that could easily be included in Robert Mitchum trivia is when and where he was born. The answer is August 6, 1917, where is Bridgeport Connecticut. An interesting trivia question might be what his full name given name is. The answer to this one would be Robert Charles Duran Mitchum. A little know fact that might be included about him is that he began his career in the film industry in 1943 as an extra.

When taking a quiz about Robert Mitchum the films he stared in are sure to be included as questions. What year was “Out of the Past” released? The answer would be 1947. Questions about the years his other films came out might also be included in Robert Mitchum trivia. For instance the fact that the 1945 film “The Story of GI Joe” is what leads to his breakthrough with the role of Lt. Walker.

Another question that could come up during a quiz about Robert Mitchum is when he went to be treated at the Betty Ford Centre for alcoholism. The answer would be the early 1990’s. Questions about who Robert Mitchum married and when would be answered with Dorothy Spence in 1940. What other little known facts could come up in a Robert Mitchum quiz?

What supporting role in 1943 resulted in Robert Mitchum receiving a contract with RKO? The answer to this bit of trivia would the “The Human Comedy,” how many of your friends know that? How many know that his only Oscar nomination came two years later for “The Story of G.I. Joe?” Another interesting fact that most people fail to realize about Robert Mitchum is that he was drafted in 1945 and was in the military for eight months.

When it comes to Robert Mitchum trivia few people know that during August of 1948 he was arrested for the supposed possession of Marijuana and that the arrest resulted in his spending two months in jail. Do you know what role increased the amount of attention he received and aided in building his reputation for being able to play predatory characters? The answer would be the 1962 Cape Fear in which he played a southern rapist named Max Cady. Take a Robert Mitchum quiz today and find out how much you really know about the actor.

 

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