Vera Hruba Ralston Trivia Quiz

Answer: Czechoslovakia

Skating for Czechoslovakia, she competed in the 1936 Winter Olympics and the 1936 and 1937 European Championships. For the most part she was talented but was generally an also-ran. Seventh was her highest rank in limited international competition.

Answer: Sonia Henie

Henie, also an ice skater, was a blonde from Norway and came with an adoring international fame from her three Olympics Championships and her ten
World Championships. Ralston finished 15th at the 1936 Olympics but never competed in the World Championships.

Henie appeared in romantic musicals with Henie having ample opportunities to show her skating skills. Ralston was cast mostly in westerns and little advantage of the grace of figure skating are evident in her films.

Answer: From a box of cereal

She was born Vera Helena Hruba, and later in her career she dropped the Hruba. Ralston-Purina makes a host of cereals.

Answer: She was married to Herbert Yates, head of Republic Studios.

Yates left his wife and children to be with Ralston who was forty years his junior, although they did not marry until his wife died in 1952. Shareholders of Republic Pictures sued Yates for allegedly squandering studio money to promote his paramour. Yates' insistence on starring Vera in expensive flop movies contributed to the bankruptcy of Republic Pictures in 1958.

Answer: Clark Gable

John Wayne starred with Ralston twice, "The Fighting Kentuckian"(1949) and "Dakota" (1944). Forrest Tucker shared the screen with Ralston in "Jubilee Trail" (1955). "Fair Wind to Java" (1953) paired Ralston with Fred McMurray. In the latter she was beaten by former heavyweight champion Max Baer.

Answer: Sterling Hayden

Hayden had reservations about Vera as an actress in the film "Timberjack" (1953). John Russell made the most appearances as leading man in Ralston's films. Both Brent and Donleavy co-starred with her,

Answer: An immigrant in western movies

Republic Pictures made a lot of Westerns. As she was never able to fully conquer her accent, she frequently played the role of a woman who had just arrived in the country.

Answer: False

She appeared in "Ice Capades" (1941) and "Ice Capades Revue" (1942) as a skater. These were performance films, not relying on narrative and plot.

Answer: Smart, cooperative, hard-working, professional

Given her difficulty with English, Ralston worked hard on the set. Although fellow actors felt she could not carry a film, as an individual she was accepted. Actors who had the most reservations were those who signed for a percentage of the gate as she had little or no box office draw. After two poorly received films with John Wayne, he refused to work with her.

When bogus awards are given from time to time as the worst actress of all time, Vera's name is often on the list.

Answer: I would rather skate on the Swastika.

It is reported that Hitler got quite angry at the response and stormed away, terminating the discussion. The reply showed a determination and single-mindedness that enabled her to build a career in spite of critics.