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Playing the President Part 2 Trivia Quiz

This quiz tests your knowledge on actors who have played U.S. Presidents #23 - 32 (Benjamin Harrison to FDR). This is the second in my "Playing the President" series, which covers TV and movie portrayals of each of the first 42 presidents.

A multiple-choice quiz by evenlater. Estimated time: 7 mins.

Author
evenlater

Time
7 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
264,073

Updated
Jul 23 22

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Difficult

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
688

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. The 2001 World War II drama "Pearl Harbor" focused primarily on its fictional characters, caught in a love triangle when the "day that lives in infamy" crashes down upon them. However, real historical figures were also among the characters. Which of the following actors played President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in "Pearl Harbor"? Hint

Jason Robards

Christopher Plummer

Edward Herrmann

Jon Voight

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Question 2 of 10

2. In which film did Thomas Peacocke play President Herbert Hoover? Hint

The Day the Bubble Burst

The Cradle Will Rock

Freedom: A History of Us

The Angel of Pennsylvania Avenue

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Question 3 of 10

3. Otto Preminger's 1955 drama "The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell" told the true story of an American general called on the carpet for publicly complaining about governmental neglect of the Air Force. The cast included all four of the following actors. Which played President Calvin Coolidge? Hint

Rod Steiger

Gary Cooper

Ian Wolfe

Ralph Bellamy

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Question 4 of 10

4. "Backstairs at the White House" was a 1979 mini-series about White House life through the eyes of the servants and menial employees. It spanned eight administrations, from Taft to Eisenhower. In the series, President Warren G. Harding was portrayed by an actor who won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1968. What was the actor's name? Hint

Paul Scofield

Rod Steiger

George Kennedy

Walter Matthau

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Question 5 of 10

5. The 1944 biopic "Wilson" told the story of Woodrow Wilson from his days as President of Princeton University to his battle to found the League of Nations and finally his incapacitating stroke. The film was nominated for ten Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Who was Oscar-nominated for playing the title character, President Woodrow Wilson? Hint

Charles Boyer

Alexander Knox

Barry Fitzgerald

Cary Grant

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Question 6 of 10

6. Ross Durfee appeared as President William Howard Taft in what movie? Hint

Wilson

Backstairs at the White House

The Winds of Kitty Hawk

Fat Man: The William Howard Taft Story

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Question 7 of 10

7. Which of these actors played President Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt in seven different movies? Hint

Sidney Blackmer

Wallis Clark

Ed Cassidy

Robin Williams

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Question 8 of 10

8. In the 2004 children's adventure, "The Adventures of Ociee Nash", a young girl sets out on a locomotive journey to her aunt's home and in the process runs into many notable historic figures including the President of the United States, William McKinley (played by Daniel Burnley). What assistance does Ociee give to President McKinley? Hint

She warns him about his would-be assassin, Leon Czolgosz

She gives him fashion advice

She inspires a campaign slogan

She convinces him to wage the Spanish-American War

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Question 9 of 10

9. Which of the following actors did not play President Grover Cleveland in the cited movie? Hint

Pat McCormick, "Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson"

Wilford Brimley, "The Wild, Wild West Revisited"

Ronald Reagan, "The Winning Team"

Stuart Holmes, "The Oklahoma Kid"

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Question 10 of 10

10. The 1952 film "Stars and Stripes Forever" was about John Philip Sousa's journey from leader of the Marine Corps Band to famous composer during the tumultuous days of the Spanish-American War. The film featured an uncredited performance by Roy Gordon as President Benjamin Harrison. Who played the lead role of John Philip Sousa? Hint

Robert Wagner

Jimmy Stewart

Charles Coburn

Clifton Webb

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

Answer: Jon Voight

Voight played Roosevelt in "Pearl Harbor". The other three were all FDR in TV movies: Robards in "F.D.R.: The Last Year" (1980), Herrmann in "Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years" (1977), and Plummer in "Winchell" (1998).

2. In which film did Thomas Peacocke play President Herbert Hoover?

Answer: The Angel of Pennsylvania Avenue

"The Angel of Pennsylvania Avenue" was a 1996 independent feature film about three children who go on an improbable journey to enlist President Hoover's help in getting their father out of prison.

Franklin Cover played Hoover in the 1982 TV movie "The Day the Bubble Burst". "Freedom: A History of Us" was a 2003 TV documentary that featured Kevin Spacey as the voice of Hoover. The President did not appear as a character in "The Cradle Will Rock", Tim Robbin's 1999 film about the staging of the Depression era classic musical.

Answer: Ian Wolfe

Wolfe played the 30th President of the United States. Cooper played the title character, Billy Mitchell. Bellamy played a Congressman and Steiger portrayed Major Allan Guillion. The movie received an Oscar nomination for its screenplay.

Answer: George Kennedy

George Kennedy, who did indeed play the man considered by many to be the worst president in U.S. history, won the Supporting Actor Oscar for "Cool Hand Luke" in 1968. That year the leading actor Oscar went to Rod Steiger for "In the Heat of the Night". Scofield (Best Actor, "A Man for All Seasons") and Matthau (Best Supporting Actor, "The Fortune Cookie") won their Oscars in the 1967 ceremony.

Answer: Alexander Knox

All four of these actors were nominated for Best Actor in the 1945 ceremony, and all four lost to Bing Crosby ("Going My Way"). Barry Fitzgerald was Crosby's co-star in "Going My Way". Boyer was nominated for playing Gregory Anton in "Gaslight". Cary Grant was Ernie Mott in "None But the Lonely Heart". Knox was the one nominated for "Wilson".

6. Ross Durfee appeared as President William Howard Taft in what movie?

Answer: The Winds of Kitty Hawk

Durfee played Taft in the 1978 TV movie "The Winds of Kitty Hawk". Victor Buono was Taft in the mini-series "Backstairs at the White House". Taft did not appear as a character in the 1944 biopic "Wilson". I made "Fat Man" up, though Taft was genuinely our most portly president. According to legend, he had a new bathtub added to the White House because he was too big to fit in the existing tub.

7. Which of these actors played President Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt in seven different movies?

Answer: Sidney Blackmer

Blackmer, played the first President Roosevelt in an astonishing seven movies: "This Is My Affair" (1937), "The Monroe Doctrine" (1939), "Teddy the Rough Rider" (1940), "March On, America!" (1942), and "Buffalo Bill" (1944).

Ed Cassidy played Theodore Roosevelt three times: "Sun Valley Cyclone" (1946), "The First Travelling Saleslady" (1956), and the television program "Circus Boy" (1956).

Wallis Clark portrayed the 26th U.S. President in two movies in the '40s: "Yankee Doodle Dandy" (1942) and "Jack London" (1943).

Robin Williams played a museum exhibit of Theodore Roosevelt come to life in the 2006 comedy, "Night at the Museum".

Answer: She inspires a campaign slogan

Ociee does indeed inspire a campaign slogan for the 25th U.S. President. McKinley did oversee the Spanish-American War and was shot and killed by the anarchist, Leon Czolgosz.

9. Which of the following actors did not play President Grover Cleveland in the cited movie?

Answer: Ronald Reagan, "The Winning Team"

If you thought you remembered the 40th President playing his 24th predecessor, you might be making the same mistake once made by Reagan himself. In 1981, shortly after he became President, Ronald Reagan visited Speaker of the House Tip O'Neill's office.

When Reagan admired the Speaker's desk, O'Neill informed him that it had once belonged to President Grover Cleveland. Reagan said "That's very interesting. You know, I once played Grover Cleveland in the movies." A surprised Tip replied, "No, Mr. President. You're thinking of Grover Cleveland Alexander, the ball player." As it turns out, Tip's memory was sharper than Reagan's.

Answer: Clifton Webb

Clifton Webb played Sousa. Robert Wagner played the supporting role of Willie Little. The cast also featured Helen Van Tuyl as First Lady Caroline Harrison.

Source: Author evenlater

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