Celebrities Born in the Great State of N. Carolina Quiz

Answer:

FYI - All incorrect answers are people born in Kansas.

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- Howard Cosell (Winston-Salem) was an American sports journalist, broadcaster, and author. He provided antagonistic, almost heel-like commentary, notably criticizing Terry Bradshaw by suggesting he did not have the intelligence to win in the league.

- Roberta Flack (Black Mountain) is a retired American singer. She was the first artist to win the Grammy Award for Record of the Year in two consecutive years: "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" won in 1973 and "Killing Me Softly with His Song" won in 1974.

- Ava Gardner (Grabtown) was an American actress. A professional photographer (Larry Tarr), took her portrait and was so pleased with the results that he displayed the finished product in the front window of his Tarr Photography Studio on Fifth Avenue. A talent scout spied it which led to an interview at MGM's New York office by Al Altman, head of MGM's New York talent department.

- Andy Griffith (Mount Airy) was an American actor, comedian, television producer, singer, and writer whose career spanned seven decades in music and television. The concept for The Andy Griffith Show actually stemmed from a 1960 episode on The Danny Thomas Show, called "Danny Meets Andy Griffith." In the episode, Andy played Sheriff Andy Taylor who arrests Danny for running a stop sign.

- O Henry (Greensboro) was an American writer known primarily for his short stories, though he also wrote poetry and non-fiction. His real name was William Sydney Porter. Porter lived from 1862-1910, but 'O. Henry' - his pen name - only existed for the last eight of those years. He began publishing as O. Henry in New York in 1902.

- Floyd Patterson (Waco) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1952 to 1972 and twice reigned as the world heavyweight champion between 1956 and 1962. He became the youngest boxer in history to win the title (at the age of 21) and was also the first heavyweight to regain the title after losing it.

- Richard Petty (Level Cross) nicknamed "the King", is an American former stock car racing driver who competed from 1958 to 1992 in the former NASCAR Grand National and Winston Cup Series. His legendary career includes seven Daytona 500 wins and a lasting impact on NASCAR and American culture.

- Thelonious Monk (Rocky Mount) was an American jazz pianist and composer. He often hit lots of notes on the piano with his elbow or forearm! At other times he would get up from the piano and start dancing around in circles!

- Charles Kuralt (Wilmington) was an American television, newspaper and radio journalist and author. When he was 14 years old, he became one of the youngest radio announcers in the country, covering minor-league baseball games and hosting a music show.

- Randy Travis (Marshville) is an American country music and gospel music singer and songwriter, as well as a film and television actor. He was arrested for auto theft and burglary as a troubled young man, but since has sold over 25 million records and has won seven Grammy Awards.

- Earl Scruggs (Cleveland County) was an American musician noted for popularizing a three-finger banjo picking style, now called "Scruggs style", which is a defining characteristic of bluegrass music. He received four Grammy awards, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and a National Medal of Arts.

- Billy Graham (Montreat) was an American evangelist, ordained Southern Baptist minister, and civil rights advocate. Shortly after President Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn into office in 1963, he invited Billy Graham to the White House. The pair didn't have bathing suits and reportedly went skinny dipping in the pool.

- David Brinkley (Wilmington) was an American newscaster for NBC and ABC in a career lasting from 1943 to 1997. He had been a journalist for over fifty years and anchor or host of a daily or weekly national television program for over forty years.

- Soupy Sales (Franklinton) was an American comedian, actor, radio-television personality, and jazz aficionado. He perfected the art of slapstick comedy and received thousands of pies to the face during his career. Born Milton Supman, he was nicknamed "Soupy" as a child when neighbors mispronounced his last name as "Soupman" and then later shortened it.

- James K Polk (Pineville) was the 11th president of the United States, serving from 1845 to 1849. Before the election of 1844, the Democratic Party could not agree on a candidate. At the last minute, party leaders proposed James K Polk. He was the first president in office to have his photo taken in 1849.