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Books That Became Movies Trivia Quiz

Many authors see their works go from print to screen. This quiz tests your knowledge about some famous feature films and made-for-TV films that were based on popular books.

A multiple-choice quiz by cag1970. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
cag1970

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
95,148

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Difficult

Avg Score
8 / 15

Plays
8954

Last 3 plays: Guest 24 (10/15), Guest 35 (7/15), Guest 104 (7/15).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 15

1. Which of the following Tom Clancy books was NOT turned into a movie during the 1990s? Hint

"The Hunt for Red October"

"Patriot Games"

"Clear and Present Danger"

"The Cardinal of the Kremlin"

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Question 2 of 15

2. "The Fifth Missile", a 1986 made-for-TV thriller starring Robert Conrad and Sam Waterson, was based on a novel by which writing team? Hint

Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle

Arthur C Clarke and Gregory Benford

William Barton and Michael Capobianco

Thomas Scortia and Frank Robinson

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Question 3 of 15

3. True or False: The 1974 blockbuster "The Towering Inferno" was based on two novels.

True

False

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Question 4 of 15

4. Which of the following authors wrote the 1972 novel "The Blue Knight"? Hint

Ed McBain

Lawrence Sanders

Jeffrey Deaver

Joseph Wambaugh

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Question 5 of 15

5. Which Michael Crichton novel was the basis for a 1994 sexual thriller starring Demi Moore and Michael Douglas? Hint

"Rising Sun"

"Disclosure"

"Airframe"

"The Andromeda Strain"

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Question 6 of 15

6. Who wrote the novel "The Poseidon Adventure"? Hint

Robert Heinlein

Poul Anderson

Paul Gallico

Ben Bova

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Question 7 of 15

7. Who played sportswriter George Plimpton in the 1968 motion picture "Paper Lion"? Hint

Alan Alda

George C. Scott

Robert Reed

Dustin Hoffman

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Question 8 of 15

8. In what city were the novel and the 1967 movie "Hotel" set? Hint

New Orleans

New York

San Francisco

Los Angeles

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Question 9 of 15

9. Which actor played the title role in the 1997 post-apocalypse movie "The Postman"? Hint

Jeff Bridges

Alec Baldwin

Kevin Costner

Harrison Ford

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Question 10 of 15

10. Which technothriller author is responsible for the novel "Flight of the Intruder"? Hint

Stephen Coonts

Joe Weber

Dale Brown

Harold Coyle

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Question 11 of 15

11. True or False: Medical doctor and author Robin Cook directed the 1978 movie based on his novel "Coma".

True

False

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Question 12 of 15

12. Which of John Grisham's novels, also the basis of a feature film, was the first to become a TV series? Hint

"The Firm"

"The Pelican Brief"

"The Rainmaker"

"The Client"

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Question 13 of 15

13. The 1973 made-for-TV drama "The President's Plane is Missing" was based on a novel by which author? Hint

Gregory Benford

Irving Wallace

Robert Serling

Peter George

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Question 14 of 15

14. "Apollo 13", the 1995 blockbuster space survival feature, was based on what non-fiction work? Hint

"Houston, We Have A Problem..."

"Lost Moon"

"Good Ship Aquarius"

"Apollo: Expeditions to the Moon"

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Question 15 of 15

15. Which well-known lawyer wrote the non-fiction work "Helter Skelter"? Hint

F. Lee Bailey

William Brennan

Gerry Spence

Vincent Bugliosi

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Most Recent Scores

Oct 30 2024 : Guest 24: 10/15
Oct 20 2024 : Guest 35: 7/15
Oct 15 2024 : Guest 104: 7/15
Oct 03 2024 : Guest 172: 8/15
Sep 12 2024 : Guest 68: 2/15

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Which of the following Tom Clancy books was NOT turned into a movie during the 1990s?

Answer: "The Cardinal of the Kremlin"

A former insurance salesman who convinced the Naval Academy Press to print his debut novel "The Hunt for Red October", Clancy has seen four of his novels turned into feature films. A fifth book, "Tom Clancy's Op Center", became a made-for-TV feature.

2. "The Fifth Missile", a 1986 made-for-TV thriller starring Robert Conrad and Sam Waterson, was based on a novel by which writing team?

Answer: Thomas Scortia and Frank Robinson

"The Fifth Missile" was based on Scortia and Robinson's 1980 novel, "The Gold Crew". In that book, toxic fumes from a fresh paint job cause the crew of a nuclear-missile submarine to believe they've been instructed to attack the Soviet Union.

3. True or False: The 1974 blockbuster "The Towering Inferno" was based on two novels.

Answer: True

When Irwin Allen, who was working for 20th-Century Fox, heard that Warner Bros. was working a movie based on the novel "The Tower", he quickly sought to join forces and make one movie. Much of the movie is derived from the book Allen was going to base his movie on, "The Glass Inferno".

4. Which of the following authors wrote the 1972 novel "The Blue Knight"?

Answer: Joseph Wambaugh

The son of a Pittsburgh police officer, Wambaugh himself served for many years as a police officer in Los Angeles. While on the force, he wrote his most famous work, which ultimately became a TV mini-series in 1973. William Holden played officer Bumper Morgan in the mini-series, but when "The Blue Knight" became a regular series on CBS in 1975, George Kennedy starred in that role.

5. Which Michael Crichton novel was the basis for a 1994 sexual thriller starring Demi Moore and Michael Douglas?

Answer: "Disclosure"

Crichton, better known for novels like "The Andromeda Strain" and "Jurassic Park", went down a different path with "Disclosure". The story focuses on an unusual case of sexual harassment in a Seattle workplace.

6. Who wrote the novel "The Poseidon Adventure"?

Answer: Paul Gallico

Though he made his mark as a sportswriter for the New York Daily News, Paul Gallico's burning desire was to write fiction. His 1969 novel about a capsized luxury liner became a movie in 1971, and is one of Hollywood's best-known disaster epics. He also helped to create the 1978 made-for-TV cosmic disaster drama, "A Fire In The Sky".

7. Who played sportswriter George Plimpton in the 1968 motion picture "Paper Lion"?

Answer: Alan Alda

Plimpton's book of the same name gives a first-hand account of the life of an NFL quarterback. Plimpton was writing for "Sports Illustrated" at the time, and had been turned down by several teams before the Detroit Lions agreed to let him play.

8. In what city were the novel and the 1967 movie "Hotel" set?

Answer: New Orleans

Based on the novel by Arthur Hailey, the 1967 Warner Bros. movie "Hotel" starred Rod Taylor, Karl Malden and Melvyn Douglas and focused on the daily business of a French Quarter hotel. "Hotel" would resurface in 1983 on ABC as a weekly series, set in San Francisco. James Brolin and Connie Selleca starred, and Aaron Spelling produced the series.

9. Which actor played the title role in the 1997 post-apocalypse movie "The Postman"?

Answer: Kevin Costner

Based on the novel by David Brin, "The Postman" focuses on a man who brings hope to a ravaged countryside by restoring basic mail service. Unfortunately for Costner, this was one of a string of commercial flops after his Oscar-winning triumph with "Dances With Wolves".

10. Which technothriller author is responsible for the novel "Flight of the Intruder"?

Answer: Stephen Coonts

The first of the long-running series of novels about Vietnam-era carrier pilot Jake Grafton, "Flight of the Intruder" was adapted by Paramount as a motion picture in 1990. Danny Glover, Brad Johnson and Willem Dafoe starred.

11. True or False: Medical doctor and author Robin Cook directed the 1978 movie based on his novel "Coma".

Answer: False

Fellow medical doctor and author Michael Crichton directed "Coma", which starred Michael Douglas and Genevieve Bujold.

12. Which of John Grisham's novels, also the basis of a feature film, was the first to become a TV series?

Answer: "The Client"

Joel Schumacher directed the 1994 feature film, starring Susan Sarandon and Tommy Lee Jones. In 1995, CBS picked up "The Client" as a regular series. JoBeth Williams and John Heard starred.

13. The 1973 made-for-TV drama "The President's Plane is Missing" was based on a novel by which author?

Answer: Robert Serling

Air Force One disappears from the radar screens during a cross-country flight, and an ineffective vice-president (Buddy Ebsen) is forced to hold the government and the country together until the aircraft is found. Robert Serling, a noted aviation writer in his own right, is the brother of the late Rod Serling, creator of "The Twilight Zone".

14. "Apollo 13", the 1995 blockbuster space survival feature, was based on what non-fiction work?

Answer: "Lost Moon"

Co-authored by Apollo 13 commander Jim Lovell and journalist Jeffrey Kluger, "Lost Moon" told the harrowing story of what was supposed to be a routine lunar landing. In the movie, Lovell makes a cameo appearance as the captain of Apollo 13's recovery ship, the USS Iwo Jima.

15. Which well-known lawyer wrote the non-fiction work "Helter Skelter"?

Answer: Vincent Bugliosi

Bugliosi prosecuted the notorious Charles Manson case. His book on the subject was the basis of a popular 1976 TV mini-series.

Source: Author cag1970

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor magpie8 before going online.
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