61 The Music Man Trivia Questions & Answers

Answer: River City, Iowa

River City is modeled after Mason City, Iowa, the hometown of the original creator of "The Music Man". The movie was filmed on an elaborate Hollywood set that painstakingly recreated Mason City in all of its turn-of-the-century charm. The film even premiered in Mason City in 1962.

Answer: Robert Preston

He was the original Harold Hill when the stage show opened. He also played a leading role in the stage version of 'Mack and Mabel'.

Answer: Charlie

Charlie is being chased out of town and onto the train by the people of Brighton.

Answer: 2212

The conductor of the train mentions it in the beginning of the film.

Answer: Harold

Spoken to Winthrop.

Answer: River City, Iowa

'You've got trouble right here in River City. With a capital T that rhymes with P and that stands for pool'

Answer: Meredith Willson

Meredith Willson originally wrote "The Music Man" as a Broadway Musical, but was very involved in the production of the movie version. Producers of the film wanted Frank Sinatra or Cary Grant to star as Harold Hill, but Willson insisted that Broadway star Robert Preston reprise his role as Harold Hill for the movie.

Answer: Ron Howard

Ron Howard is the Oscar-winning director of 'A Beautiful Mind' starring Russell Crowe. He has also directed movies such as 'The Da Vinci Code' starring Tom Hanks, and 'The Grinch' starring Jim Carrey.

Answer: green

It's a lovely shade of green.

Answer: grecian urns

Eulalie and the other ladies pose to make Grecian urns.

Answer: Charlie

Spoken to Marian.

Answer: Ron Howard

Ron Howard plays the role of Winthrop Paroo, Marian's younger brother. Winthrop is a quiet child due to his father's death and his own lisp. He bonds with Professor Hill, however, and gradually comes out of his shell. Ron Howard went on to star in "The Andy Griffith Show" and "Happy Days".

Answer: Laurie and Julie

Shirley Jones played Laurie in the movie version of 'Oklahoma' and Julie in the movie version of 'Carousel'. Both were Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals, and the romantic leading male in both of these movies was Gordon MacRae.

Answer: cornet

'My cornet, gee thankth profethor!' 'Ithn't thith the motht thcrumputouth tholid gold thing you ever thaw? I never thought I'd ever thee anything tho thcrumptuouth ath a tholid gold thing! Oh thithter!'

Answer: Buster Brown

"I came up through the ranks on this skirmish and I'm not going to resign without my commission."

Answer: Mayor Shinn

Spoken numerous times throughout the film.

Answer: Whittle and spit

He gave Wintrop a super duper knife and told him he had the spittin' down good.

Answer: Piano

Marian gives piano lessons to Amaryllis, a young girl who has a crush on Marian's brother Winthrop. When Winthrop doesn't respond to Amaryllis' crush, Marian teaches her to sing to the night sky.

Answer: grocery store

He is standing outside of the grocery store when Harold Hill begins to sing the song 'trouble'.

Answer: three

When they were making the film, Shirley Jones was pregnant, and during one take of the bridge scene, her baby kicked Robert Preston in the stomach.

Answer: Zaneeta

Spoken to Mayor Shinn.

Answer: Gary Conservatory of Music

"Gary Conservatory of Music, Class of '05" specifically, according to Hill. Mayor Shinn orders the school board to check up on Hill's credentials, but it is Marian who orders the Indiana State Educational Journal and realizes that Hill is lying. She hides this information though, after she realizes she is falling in love with the Professor.

Answer: Swell

He warns the mothers of River City that their children might learn the word 'swell' if a pool table was introduced to the community. It wasn't a word that was used back then. At least, not by 'refined' society.