Women of the Year : 1951-1960 Quiz

Answer: Gertrude Lawrence

Gertrude Lawrence was only in a small number of films, but she was well known for her stage performances too. She played a wide variety of characters, including Catherine The Great in "Great Catherine" (1948). The award tends to go mostly to actresses, but apparently takes stage work into account, as well as film and television.

Answer: Barbara Bel Geddes

Barbara Bel Geddes is probably most recognisable as Miss Ellie, her famous "Dallas" (1978) character. She also guest starred on a number of other television shows, including "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" (1959). She also had a number of film roles, including her turn as Midge in "Vertigo" (1958).

Answer: Mamie Eisenhower

Mamie Eisenhower, wife of US president Dwight Eisenhower, lived from 1896 to 1979, when she died from a stroke. Mamie was known for her trademark hair, and for her popularity among the male population in her youth. Although the award usually goes to actresses, in this occasion it went to Mamie for her outstanding contribution to entertainment.

Answer: Shirley Booth

Shirley Booth, real name Thelma Marjorie Ford, is one of an elite group of actors and actresses who won both a Tony and an Oscar for portraying the same character on the stage and the screen, putting her among the likes of Yul Brenner, Rex Harrison, and Anne Bancroft. Once again, she contributed much to theatre, film, and television over the span of her career, which is what led to her being chosen as 1954's "Woman of the Year".

Answer: Debbie Reynolds

Debbie Reynolds was taught to dance when she was selected by Gene Kelly to star in "Singin' In The Rain" (1952). Her first husband left her for Elizabeth Taylor, and her second husband was responsible for losing them a large amount of money. It was with her third husband, Eddie Fisher, that Debbie had her two children, one of whom was Carrie Fisher of "Star Wars" (1977) fame.

Answer: Peggy Ann Garner

Peggy was a very popular actress when she was young, but her career started to fizzle out as she got older, although she did keep working, with many guest appearances on television programmes. Peggy was a very beautiful woman, and sadly died at the relatively young age of 52, from cancer of the pancreas. She married and divorced three times, but only had one child, who died in 1995.

Answer: Carroll Baker

Carroll Baker was the 1957 recipient of the award, and continued to work well into her 70s. Her daughter, Blanche Baker, is also a popular actress in current television. She was married three times, and is currently still married to her third husband, Donald Burton - another popular television actor.

Answer: Katharine Hepburn

Katharine Hepburn (sometimes credited as KathErine) is one of the most well-known figures in cinema history. She is frequently awarded high positions in official polls of most famous/influential movie stars, and her efforts in the entertainment industry make it only fitting that she should have achieved the Hasty Pudding prize.

Answer: Joanne Woodward

Joanne Woodward is married to Paul Newman, whom she has three children with, including actress Melissa Newman. She was the first actress to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the year after she received her "Woman of the Year" award.

Answer: Carol Lawrence

Despite Carol's portrayal of Maria in "West Side Story" being met with such excitement on Broadway, she was beaten to the film role by Natalie Wood, even though Natalie had to have her voice dubbed. Carol is an accomplished singer, actress, and dancer, which shows that her contributions to the entertainment world were varied, and showing that she probably deserved the award.
Thanks must go to:
The Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com)
The Third Empire (Almost) Annual Movie Miscellany - from Empire Magazine
for the information in this quiz.