Celebrity School Daze Trivia Quiz

Answer: Will Ferrell

Although Will Ferrell popularized the cheerleader sketches on 'Saturday Night Live' he was not a cheerleader in high school or college. He began doing broadcasting in high school using different voices. He went from University High School in Irvine, California to the University of Southern California, where he majored in sports broadcasting, his real dream. Steve Martin allegedly did his famous King Tut act during his cheerleading stint at Garden Grove High School, in Garden Grove, California. Though born in Waco, Texas, he grew up in Southern California. Yes, George W. Bush was a cheerleader at Phillips Andover Academy and there are pictures of him in the outfit with his bullhorn. No, he did not wear a pleated skirt. Meryl Streep was very popular in school and amongst other activities, cheered at Bernardsville High school in New Jersey.

She went on to attend Vassar College (one of the legendary 'Seven Sister' women's colleges to the Ivy League and Yale). Other famous cheerleaders were Madonna, Paula Abdul, Jamie Lee Curtis, Halle Berry, Michael and Kirk Douglas, Sally Field, Cybill Shepherd and Jimmy Stewart.

Answer: John Cleese

Some of the Monty Pythonians were Oxonians, but Cleese was one of the Cambridge men. Margaret Thatcher studied chemistry and specifically crystallography. Hugh Grant did a degree in English Literature.
Former Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi studied there at Somerville College as did Dame Thatcher.

Answer: Kris Kristofferson

Actor, writer, singer and songwriter Kris Kristofferson was born in Texas to an air force family, but went to high school in San Mateo California. Although athletically inclined, he also was gifted in English and received the Rhodes scholarship to study in Oxford after his B.A. from Pomona College. He once said that between Clinton and himself, they'd settled any 'lingering myths' about Rhodes Scholars! This may be in reference to the old, 'I smoked pot but didn't inhale it' story on the part of Clinton!

Robert Allen Zimmerman or Bob Dylan went to high school in Minnesota and listed his ambition in the 1959 yearbook as 'to join Little Richard'. He participated in a few bands in those high school days. He went on to the University of Minnesota but dropped out after a year or two.

Allen Stewart Konigsberg or Woody Allen as we know him went to high school in Brooklyn where he was known as 'Red' for his hair color. He was writing comedy at sixteen for noted television stars like Syd Caesar. He went to college for a brief time but was ousted from New York University for not bothering to show up to class. He also went to the City College of New York for a time. He studied communication and film.

Art Garfunkel (or Arthur Ira) grew up in Queens, New York and met his future partner Paul Simon when he was twelve. He went to Columbia University and earned a B.A. in Art History and then later an M.A. in Mathematics.

Answer: Electrical engineering

Our funny guy majored in electrical engineering but got involved in theatre groups in the process. Another famous graduate of Newcastle University is singer Brian Ferry of Roxy Music fame.

Answer: Dr. Seuss

Sometimes Dr. may be heard for Bill Cosby as he earned a Doctoral degree in education. His thesis was on his work in television for children. He went to Temple University in Philadelphia. The late Graham Chapman of "Monty Python" fame earned his medical doctor degree from Cambridge but rarely, if ever, practiced medicine. Condoleeza Rice first attended the University of Colorado with a B.A. in Political Science, then an M.A. from the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana.

She earned her Ph.D. from the Graduate School of International Studies in Denver, Colorado.

She held a top level position at Stanford University in California before her political career took off. She speaks several languages including Russian. By the way, the famous Dr. Phil holds a Ph.D in psychology so he is entitled to his title, at least in American usage. Dr. Ruth (Westheimer) is a fascinating person who does hold an Ed.D. from the Columbia University in New York City. According to most sources, she also served Israel as a sniper despite her 4' 7" height and taught at the Sorbonne in Paris. Dr Benjamin Spock was actually a pediatrician who helped generations of parents with their children. Dr Robert Atkins was also a doctor and cardiologist whose death has raised lots of controversy about his 'healthy' diet.

Answer: David Hyde Pierce

David Hyde Pierce, Niles on the 'Frasier' television program was voted, 'most likely to succeed'. Nicholson was voted his high school class's clown in Manasquan High School in Neptune New Jersey in 1953. Aniston was a class clown at the prestigious New York High School for the Performing Arts. George Carlin was a self-proclaimed class clown and named his comedy album for it.

Another class clown vote went to writer Dave Barry in high school. His column later won a Pulitzer Prize so you see where clowning around gets you? Actress Sally Field was also voted Class clown in school.

Answer: Jean-Claude Van Damme

Belgian-born Jean-Claude Van Damme studied ballet along with martial arts when he was a teen. In French, he is known for his off-the-wall statements switching between French and English and inserting English words into French, particularly the word 'aware' pronounced the French way.

He goes on about how one must eat apples because they have pectin in them and it is good for you. Van Damme once said that ballet was one of the hardest sports of all and that if you could survive it, you could survive martial arts.

The rather quirky, enigmatic Seagal doesn't reveal much of his background, which enhances his mystique. Watching his action movies, with the supposed Buddhist, peaceful hero totally kicking the attacker to bits, is funny. Chuck Norris has spawned a whole group of jokes and stories about his legendary stoic looks and actions. Arnold hasn't studied ballet as far as anyone knows, but he probably would have if he had found it useful for his career. Male ballet dancers must be as graceful as they are strong and it's very hard to find the proper body for it. Arnold has two degrees, including a Masters though! The M.A. is in business and deals with the sporting world.

Another little ballet action hero is Macauley Calkins who studied and even performed in the "Nutcracker".

Answer: Shirley Maclaine

Although Shirley Maclaine's books on spirituality were acclaimed, she never studied philosophy formally. Her father was a teacher of psychology and philosophy however.
Bruce Lee was born in San Francisco in a Chinese hospital. He later lived in Hong Kong where he attended Catholic schools and St Francis Xavier's College. After he was involved in a gang fight, his parents sent him to the States where he finished his high school diploma and enrolled at the University of Washington as a philosophy major.
Steve Martin was first a philosophy major at California State University Long Beach and thought of becoming a professor. He then transferred to the University of California Los Angeles and a theatre major. Martin is very cultivated and has a major art collection. Katherine Hepburn studied at one of the 'Seven Sisters' on the US East Coast near Philadelphia, Bryn Mawr College. She studied history and philosophy.

Answer: Barbra Streisand

Streisand and Diamond were in the school choir together. Later in their careers, they sang together. The enigmatic Bobby Fischer was there at the same time.

Answer: Paris Hilton

Paris Hilton unfortunately dropped out but later passed the GED or high school diploma equivalent. The "Home Alone" screamer attended the Children's Professional School without graduating either. Jodie Foster had an illustrious school career considering her show business upbringing. She attended the French Lycee in Southern California and then, Yale University.
Drew Barrymore did not finish high school either unfortunately.

Answer: Hedy Lamarr

Hedy Lamarr, Austrian-born classic movie star, held this patent along with another person named Antheil. She was also known for appearing in a sex scene that was so steamy that it scandalized many. The device she and a composer created was called the 'secret communication device'. Fellow author CellarDoor informs me that the patent had expired before it was actually used, in the sixties. Just thank her when you hear someone's cell phone go off in the supermarket. Valentino, born in Italy, was kicked out of several schools for his behavior, but eventually got a diploma from an agricultural academy in the science of farming! His father had been a circus performer turned veterinarian.
Chaplin had a traumatic Dickension upbringing in many ways, attending a school for paupers at one point, but became a survivor.
Garbo had to leave school in Sweden early when her father died and work in a barber shop as a lather girl! She later studied dramatic arts at the Royal Academy in Stockholm.

Answer: Robin Williams

Robin is an example of, 'I'm not a teacher, but I've played one in the movies' ("Dead Poets' Society"). He attended Juillard with Christopher Reeve.

Gene Simmons, whose tongue and makeup have graced many a KISS poster in teenagers' rooms, was born in Israel, but immigrated to the States. He attended a teachers' college and taught for a while before devoting himself to his musical art. Imagine him coming into the room in the morning made up! Sting, aka Gordon Sumner, went to a teacher's training college and taught for a year or two before becoming a musical artist.
Stephen King, after studying English in Maine where he grew up, taught English in an academy there.

Answer: Eric Clapton

Eric Clapton had a very hard childhood as he, along with Jack Nicholson, was raised as if he were his grandmother's son and didn't find out till much later that his 'sister' was his mother! He wasn't a choirboy though.

Yes, Keith was a choirboy and even performed for the Queen before he became the indestructible rock star. He was also a Boy Scout! Rowan Atkinson and British PM Tony Blair both attended the Durham chorister school.
A list of other famous choirboys might include Sting, Paul McCartney and Dudley Moore.

Answer: Chevy Chase

"Saturday Night Live" and film actor Chevy Chase was cited for bringing a goat into his New York high school, that did not want to leave and Chase was expelled for leading a cow into Haverford College in Pennsylvania.

Jerry Lewis was cited for punching his high school principal in the gut but he claimed that he'd made anti-semitic remarks.

Cary Grant was kicked out of school for checking out the ladies' room. Not the suave gentlemanly behavior we've come to expect from him!

Jim Carrey attended Catholic schools in Canada and the States where he was brought up. Apparently his one school gave in the inevitable and cashed in on the free entertainment and let him do sketches! He wasn't kicked out for any livestock incidents, unless I've missed one.

Answer: Mick Jagger

As most fans know, Jagger studied for a time at the prestigious London School of Economics. David Bowie studied art, worked as a commercial artist and allegedly had an art class with Peter Frampton's father for a time. He has remained active in the art world over the years. Robert Redford studied art at the Pratt Institute in New York and went to Europe to paint for a time.

He later switched to theatre studies. "Keef" as his fans like to call him studied art at the Sidcup Art College.