Trivia Quiz?

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4 Trivia Questions about Johnny Carson

On January 23rd, 2005, former Tonight Show host Johnny Carson passed away. So join us in celebrating his life and see how much you know about one of TV's most iconic stars with a few Carson trivia questions ...

In 1966, What Game Became Popular Nationwide After Carson Played It Against Eva Gabor?

According to Henry Bushkin's Book "Johnny Carson," Why Did NBC News Cover the Italian-American Civil Rights League Rally in 1970?

In 1991, What Performer's Team Leaked a Rumor That Carson Would Retire and That Performer Would Take Over as Host of The Tonight Show?

Where Does Carson Stand in the Rankings for "Most Times Hosting the Oscars?"

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What geometrical shape forms the hole that fits an Allen Wrench?

Pentagon Square Octagon Hexagon

A six sided thing!!

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On 1/23/2017 at 3:54 PM, phkrause said:

Which famous person did Oprah Winfrey date in the 1980s?

A. Gene Siskel
B. Roger Ebert
C. Woody Allen
D. Bill Cosby

Pretty sure it wasn't Bill Cosby or Woody Allen!

B. Roger Ebert

Though they just went on a few dates, Oprah's partnership with Roger Ebert blossomed into syndicating her show.

Source: various web sites.

[phkrause]

On 1/23/2017 at 4:31 PM, phkrause said:

There are plenty of fish in the sea, but what is the fastest fish in the ocean?

Blue shark Swordfish Sailfish Atlantic bluefin tuna

Don't really know, so I'm gonna guess: Sailfish!!

Answer: The sailfish is the world's fastest fish. It has been measured in excess of 68 mph over short periods. Notable characteristics of sailfish are an erectile dorsal fin known as a sail and the elongated bill. Sailfish can grow to about 10 feet long. These slim fish can weigh up to about 128 pounds. They have blue-gray backs and white undersides. One of their most noticeable features is their spear-like upper jaw, which is about twice the size of their lower jaw. They also have an enormous dorsal fin that fans out above the length of their body.

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On 1/23/2017 at 8:09 PM, phkrause said:

In 1966, What Game Became Popular Nationwide After Carson Played It Against Eva Gabor?

When you think of famous guests playing stupid games against a Tonight Show host, you think Jimmy Fallon. But Johnny Carson was doing it before Fallon was even born. One night he played a then-relatively-unknown game called Twister against Eva Gabor who, if you don't remember 1966, was exactly the kind of person a guy would want to end up entangled with. According to the game's inventor, Reyn Guyer, the game - whose sales had struggled up to that point- immediately took off. "People were lined up fifty deep at Abercrombie & Fitch the next day in New York," he explained "and Twister was born." The game sold a million units over the next year and, in 1967, was named Game of the Year. Now that's a Tonight Show bump.

 

On 1/23/2017 at 8:09 PM, phkrause said:

According to Henry Bushkin's Book "Johnny Carson," Why Did NBC News Cover the Italian-American Civil Rights League Rally in 1970?

In 2013, Henry Bushkin came out with a new book called "Johnny Carson," telling all sorts of behind-the-scenes stories about the famed host, including one about a girl he met in a bar at closing time. Of course, you don't need a tell-all book to know that Carson liked drinking and chasing women, but that night, Carson chased the wrong woman. He chased the mistress of a local Mafioso. He got roughed up and thrown down a flight of stairs, then the mob put out a hit on him. By the way, if you were wondering why Carson missed three straight shows in 1970, it's because he was hiding out in a hotel, scared for his life.

So how did the matter get resolved? His agent at William Morris brokered a deal with the head of the mob family who was really bummed that no TV station was covering the Italian-American Civil Rights League Rally he was hosting. They agreed that the hit would be dropped and NBC News would cover the rally. What exactly was the central theme of that rally? Fighting the purveying stereotype and convincing the public that not all Italian-Americans were mobsters.

 

On 1/23/2017 at 8:09 PM, phkrause said:

In 1991, What Performer's Team Leaked a Rumor That Carson Would Retire and That Performer Would Take Over as Host of The Tonight Show?

Remember that incredibly shaky and ultimately failed Jay Leno-Conan O'Brien Tonight Show transition? Well that wasn't Leno's only not-so-smooth Tonight Show transition. The first time around was in 1991 when Leno's management team leaked the rumor that Carson would retire the following year. Carson had been considering retirement, but he was angry at Leno for leaking word and felt the incident forced the issue. Carson did indeed retire in 1992 and Leno did indeed take over, but Carson never forgave Leno. When Carson finally returned to late night television as a guest, he did it on The Late Show with David Letterman instead of returning to the show he hosted for all those years.

 

On 1/23/2017 at 8:09 PM, phkrause said:

Where Does Carson Stand in the Rankings for "Most Times Hosting the Oscars?"

Johnny Caron hosted the Oscar five times, good for third most ever behind Bob Hope (18) and Billy Crystal (9) and ahead of Whoopi Goldberg and Jack Lemmon (four times each). Perhaps Carson's biggest challenge came when he hosted the ceremony on March 31, 1981. According to his writers, they and Carson had focused heavily on President Ronald Reagan, devoting about half his jokes to lampooning the commander in chief. This was a problem because, as any good Trivia Today reader knows, March 30th, 1981 was the day Reagan was shot. The team was worried that all their material was now out the window, but when word got out that Reagan would be okay, Carson wasn't about to let all those jokes go to waste. "Reagan cut $85 million from the arts and humanities," Carson said. "This is his biggest assault on the arts since he signed with Warner Brothers." Then he said, "That should get him up and out of bed." Carson never was one to let a perfectly good joke go to waste.

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22 hours ago, phkrause said:

What geometrical shape forms the hole that fits an Allen Wrench?

Pentagon Square Octagon Hexagon

A six sided thing!!

Answer: An Allen Wrench is an L-shaped metal bar used to drive bolts and screws that have a hexagonal socket in the head. In 1909, William G. Allen patented a method of cold-forming screw heads around a hexagonal die. Published advertisements for the "Allen safety set screw" by the Allen Manufacturing Company of Hartford, Connecticut, exist from 1910. Although it is unlikely that Allen was the first person to think of a hex socket drive, his patent for a manufacturing method and his realized product appear to be the first.

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Who was the only U.S. president to head up a labor union?

A. Richard Nixon
B. Franklin D. Roosevelt
C. Ronald Reagan
D. Chester A. Arthur

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Who was the first actress to appear on a U.S. postage stamp?

Grace Kelly Bette Davis Katharine Hepburn Marilyn Monroe

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A Trivia Quiz about the Life and Death of Winston Churchill

On January 24, 1965, British statesman Winston Churchill died in his London home at Hyde Park Gate at the age of 90. We've put together some trivia questions about Churchill's life and accomplishments; try your luck with them to see how much you know about this historic figure.

Who Were Churchill's Parents?

What Was Churchill's Academic Track Record?

How Did Churchill Escape from a POW Camp?

What Was the High Point of Churchill's Political Career?

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Which American Indian guided Lewis and Clark on their expedition?

Sacajawea Sitting Bull Pocahontas Squanto

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20 hours ago, phkrause said:

Who was the only U.S. president to head up a labor union?

A. Richard Nixon
B. Franklin D. Roosevelt
C. Ronald Reagan
D. Chester A. Arthur

C. Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan was president of the Screen Actors' Guild before he took on the U.S. presidency.

I should've known!!

Source: various web sites.

[phkrause]

19 hours ago, phkrause said:

Who was the first actress to appear on a U.S. postage stamp?

Grace Kelly Bette Davis Katharine Hepburn Marilyn Monroe

Answer: According to the United States Postal Service, the first actress ever to appear on a U.S. postage stamp was Grace Kelly, on a stamp issued in 1993. A highly popular film actress in the 1950s, Grace Kelly starred in movies such as Dial M for Murder and To Catch a Thief. After marrying Prince Rainier on April 19, 1956, Kelly abandoned her acting career in order to become Princess Consort of Monaco. Princess Grace tragically died in 1982 when she suffered a stroke while driving and drove over a steep embankment.

Ha, she's my last pic!!

[phkrause]

19 hours ago, phkrause said:

Who Were Churchill's Parents?

Churchill was born into an aristocratic British family in Oxfordshire on November 30, 1874. His father was statesman Lord Randolph Churchill, and his mother was the American-born Jeanette "Jennie" Jerome -- who became Lady Randolph Churchill -- the daughter of U.S. millionaire Leonard Jerome. Known as the "king of Wall Street," Churchill's maternal grandfather was a financier who made and lost several fortunes during his lifetime. Between the ages of 2 and 6, young Churchill lived in Dublin, Ireland, where his paternal grandfather, John Spencer Churchill, 7th Duke of Marlborough, served as Viceroy. Winston's father served as a private secretary to his father.

 

19 hours ago, phkrause said:

What Was Churchill's Academic Track Record?

As a young boy, Churchill looked forward to attending the Royal Military College at Sandhurst, but he had a hard time getting in because of poor grades. Apart from his strong interest in and apparent aptitude for history and English composition, Churchill did not do well in school, showing no particular desire to learn foreign languages or invest time in subjects that didn't interest him. He fared poorly overall at his first two schools, St. George's in Ascot and Brunswick in Hove. Things began to change somewhat for the better when he transferred to Harrow in April 1888. There he joined the Harrow Rifle Corps, which helped to satisfy his interest in military matters. However, because of his spotty academic record, Churchill twice failed the entrance examination for Sandhurst and only managed to pass the test on his third try with the help of a private tutor.

 

19 hours ago, phkrause said:

How Did Churchill Escape from a POW Camp?

During the Boer War in southern Africa, Churchill served as a war correspondent for The Morning Post. The conflict, which began October 11, 1899, and lasted until May 31, 1902, pitted British and Boer (white South Africans of Dutch ancestry) forces against each other in a struggle for control of the South African Republic and the Orange Free State. Traveling on an armored train that was ambushed by the Boers, Churchill was captured and transferred to a POW camp near Pretoria. Not long thereafter Churchill managed to escape imprisonment by scaling the walls of the prison at night and making his way to the home of a British mining engineer, who hid him in a mine shaft for three days. He was then hidden aboard a rail car filled with wool that traveled to Mozambique.

 

19 hours ago, phkrause said:

What Was the High Point of Churchill's Political Career?

Rallying British troops and citizens against Germany is considered his major achievement. Churchill's first term as prime minister extended from May 1940 until July 1945, a period dominated by World War II. Churchill became his nation's -- and the British Commonwealth's -- symbol of unyielding resistance to the Nazi threat throughout those troubled years. Not long after taking over as British prime minister, he told his countrymen and the world that "we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills. We shall never surrender."

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19 hours ago, phkrause said:

Which American Indian guided Lewis and Clark on their expedition?

Sacajawea Sitting Bull Pocahontas Squanto

Answer: Sacagawea was a Shoshone interpreter best known for being the only woman on the Lewis and Clark expedition into the American West. Often called the Corps of Discovery, the expedition planned to explore newly acquired western lands and find a route to the Pacific Ocean. Lewis and Clark believed that her knowledge of the Shoshone language would help them later in their journey. After leaving the expedition, she died at Fort Manuel in what is now Kenel, South Dakota, circa 1812. Her face now appears in the dollar coin.

[phkrause]

Whom did Adolf Hitler contact in 1937 to build the Volkswagen, or "People's Car"?

A. Gottlieb Daimler
B. Karl Benz
C. Henry Ford
D. Ferdinand Porsche

D. Porsche

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What were the famous first words spoken by Alexander Graham Bell over the telephone?

"What Hath God Wrought" "Mary Had a Little Lamb" "Can you hear me now?" "Mr. Watson, come here. I want to see you."

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Go Live With These Trivia Questions

January 25, 1961: On this date, President John F. Kennedy gave the first live televised news conference by a sitting president. See if you can answer trivia questions about this history-changing event.

What Was Different About Kennedy's News Conference Compared to Earlier Presidents?

What Announcements Did Kennedy Make at the News Conference?

What Was Kennedy's Role in Using the Media of Television?

Was Kennedy Featured in TV Guide Magazine the Week of His Speech?

[phkrause]

95% of the world's bourbon is made in which U.S. state?

Alabama Kentucky Tennessee West Virginia

Not sure, but my guess is Kentucky!

[phkrause]

16 hours ago, phkrause said:

Whom did Adolf Hitler contact in 1937 to build the Volkswagen, or "People's Car"?

A. Gottlieb Daimler
B. Karl Benz
C. Henry Ford
D. Ferdinand Porsche

D. Porsche

D. Ferdinand Porsche

It may be a popular rumor that Hitler designed the VW Beetle, but he actually commissioned Ferdinand Porsche to create affordable cars, a la Henry Ford in the U.S.

Source: various web sites

[phkrause]

16 hours ago, phkrause said:

What were the famous first words spoken by Alexander Graham Bell over the telephone?

"What Hath God Wrought" "Mary Had a Little Lamb" "Can you hear me now?" "Mr. Watson, come here. I want to see you."

Answer: On March 10, 1876, Alexander Graham Bell invented the first practical, working telephone. His first words on the telephone was to his assistant in the next room, "Mr. Watson, come here. I want to see you." There is some dispute about the actual words used, as Thomas Watson, in his own voice, remembered it as "Mr. Watson - Come here - I want you." In any case, Watson heard Bell’s voice through the wire and thus, he received the first telephone call.

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15 hours ago, phkrause said:

What Was Different About Kennedy's News Conference Compared to Earlier Presidents?

This was the first time a presidential news conference was not only broadcast over radio but televised to the American people live. President Kennedy read a prepared statement and followed up by answering questions posed by reporters. This was a big change from previous press conferences because only a few major newspapers printed the complete transcripts. By televising the press conference, citizens could hear the entire statement, along with the questions posed by and answers made to the press.

 

15 hours ago, phkrause said:

What Announcements Did Kennedy Make at the News Conference?

Kennedy began the first of his regular press conferences with an announcement about the Geneva negotiations on an atomic test ban. He announced that the United States needed more time to consult with other countries and had asked for a delay in the negotiations. He also announced that Captains John McKone and Freeman Olmstead, who had been held by Soviet authorities since July 1, 1960, had been freed. Captain Olmstead had been co-pilot on an RB-47H, while Captain McKone had been the navigator, when their plane was shot down by the Soviets over the Arctic. Both had faced execution as spies but were never tried and had been held at the infamous Lubyanka prison.

Other statements focused on supplying food, medical supplies and seeds to combat the ongoing famine in the Congo. In response to reporters' questions, he stressed that his administration would ensure the protection of voting rights for all American citizens. Expressing concern about the diet of those who were unemployed, the president stated that, while distributing government food supplies to the unemployed helped, the money available to help them had been stretched to the maximum.

 

15 hours ago, phkrause said:

What Was Kennedy's Role in Using the Media of Television?

The 35th president of the United States understood the role of television even before he won the election. In fact, many observers feel that Kennedy's persona during the debates, which were televised, helped him win. Richard Nixon, Kennedy's opponent, appeared nervous and pale, in large part due to a recent illness. Kennedy, by contrast, was tan and energetic with a witty and youthful appearance. Viewers overwhelmingly said Kennedy was the winner. However, those who listened to the debate over the radio, instead of watching it, credited Nixon with the win.

 

15 hours ago, phkrause said:

Was Kennedy Featured in TV Guide Magazine the Week of His Speech?

No, he wasn't. Actress Barbara Stanwyck graced the cover of TV Guide Magazine the week of January 21-27, 1961. However, a brief article about the president's speech was included on page A-48 and listed the six different channels on which it would appear. It was reportedly viewed by about 65 million people.

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15 hours ago, phkrause said:

95% of the world's bourbon is made in which U.S. state?

Alabama Kentucky Tennessee West Virginia

Not sure, but my guess is Kentucky!

Answer: Whiskey may be made everywhere from Brooklyn to Scotland but in 1964, Congress declared bourbon "America's Native Spirit." That means to be called bourbon, it must be made in the United States. 95 percent of the world's bourbon is made in Kentucky. Bourbon, by law, must be aged in a brand-new, charred white oak barrel to be called straight bourbon whiskey—that means, a barrel can only be used once for bourbon. In fact, there are more barrels of bourbon than people in Kentucky.

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Red Hot Chili Peppers frontman Anthony Kiedis appeared in which '90s film?

A. Point Break
B. Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey
C. Hook
D. The Fisher King

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Which TV show did Mary Tyler Moore appear on prior to getting her own show?

That Girl Leave It to Beaver The Dick Van Dyke Show Father Knows Best

My guess The Dick Van Dyke Show!!

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Go for the Gold With These Trivia Questions

On January 26, 1980, the U.S. Olympic Committee voted to boycott the Summer Olympic Games in Moscow after the Soviet Union invades Afghanistan. See if you know the answers to these trivia questions about what took place.

How Many Nations Participated in the Boycott of the Moscow Summer Olympics?

What Action Encouraged the U.S. Olympic Committee to Vote for the Boycott?

What Famous Athlete Was Sent by President Carter on a Tour of Africa?

With 65 Countries Out, Which Countries Won the Most Medals in the Moscow Olympics?