Saint David's Day -- March 1 Trivia Quiz

Answer: On the Buses

Doris Hare was awarded an MBE in 1941 for her stage and television work, but it was not until late in her career that she came to the attention of the wider British public. 'On the Buses' starred Reg Varney as a Luxton and District Traction Company bus driver, Stan Butler, who lived at home with his overbearing mother, Mabel. Stan's mother was played by Dame Cicely Courtneidge in the first series, but Doris Hare took over the remaining six series and she also appeared in the three spin-off films. The alternatives were also 1970s British sitcoms: '...And Mother Makes Three' starred Wendy Craig, 'Bless this House' featured Sid James and Diana Coupland, while Nerys Hughes and Polly James were the main protagonists in 'The Liver Birds'.

Answer: Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Balkan region now known as Bosnia and Herzegovina first became an independent state on 29th August 1189. In 1377, it became a Kingdom with Stefan Tvrtko I as the first monarch, but less than a century later, in 1463, it was swallowed by the Ottoman Empire. Ceded to Austria-Hungary in 1878, at the end of WWI it became part of Yugoslavia, where it remained until the fall of Communism in the early 1990s. Bosnia and Herzegovina declared independence on 1st March 1992.

It is about the same size as neighboring Croatia -- half the size of Iceland.

Its population is around the 4 million mark -- comparable to New Zealand and one tenth that of Argentina. Of the alternatives, Greece celebrates its 1821 independence from the Ottoman Empire on 25th March, Estonia celebrates its 1991 secession from the Soviet Union on 20th August, and Iceland commemorates its 1944 independence from Denmark on 17th June.

Answer: The Who (Roger Daltrey)

Roger Harry Daltrey was born in Hammersmith and grew up in the same Acton neighborhood as his future band-mates Pete Townshend and John Entwistle. Of the alternatives, Jon Anderson was also born in 1944, but in October in Lancashire, Ian Gillan was also a Londoner, born in Hounslow in 1945, and Eric Burdon was born in Newcastle in 1941.

Answer: Ohio

The Buckeye state is the 34th largest but ranks 7th in population, and is the most densely populated of all U.S. states outside the East Coast. The largest city is technically the capital, Columbus (population around 750,000), although both Cleveland and Cincinnati are larger if you include the population of the surrounding metropolitan areas and their suburbs. With 20 electoral college votes, Ohio is often a key state in determining the outcome of Presidential elections. Of the alternatives, Rhode Island was the last of the 'Original 13' states to join the Union, in 1790; Indiana was the 19th state, joining in 1816, and Colorado was the 38th, nicknamed the Centennial State as it joined in the year of the 100th anniversary of US independence, in 1876.

Answer: Ron Howard

Ronald William Howard was born on 1st March 1954 in Duncan, Oklahoma. He made his first TV appearance as the 6-year old Opie Taylor on the pilot episode for 'The Andy Griffith Show' in 1960, and he appeared in more than 200 episodes of the sitcom over the next eight years.

He resurfaced in 1972 as Richie Cunningham, son of Howard and friend to Fonzie in the pilot episode of 'Happy Days'. In the 12 years of the series, Richie graduated college, joined the Army and served in Greenland, and eventually married and produced a child. As a Director, Ron Howard has produced such classics as 'Cocoon' (1985), 'Backdraft' (1991), 'Apollo 13' (1995) and 'A Beautiful Mind' (2001), for which he won the Best Director Oscar.

Answer: Peter Osgood

Peter Leslie Osgood, born in Windsor in 1947, made 380 appearances for Chelsea, scoring 150 goals, which at the time of his retirement tied him for second place with Roy Bentley on the club's all-time leading goalscorers behind Bobby Tambling. He also played four times for England and was a member of the 1970 World Cup squad. After leaving Chelsea in 1974, Osgood played 157 times for Southampton and will be forever immortalized on the South Coast as a member of the 1976 FA Cup winning team.

He then had brief spells with Norwich City and the Philadelphia Fury of the NASL before returning to Stamford Bridge for the last two seasons of his career, at the close of the 1970s.

His autobiography, 'Ossie - King of Stamford Bridge' was released in 2003.

His ashes were buried under the penalty spot at 'The Shed' end at Stamford Bridge.

Answer: 1872

Yellowstone National Park is located mostly in Wyoming, although it does also extend into both Idaho and Montana. The park covers an area of approximately 9,000 sq km -- about the size of Cyprus.

Answer: David Niven

James David Graham Niven is probably best remembered for his performance as Phileas Fogg in the 1956 film "Around the World in 80 Days", but it was as a member of an all-star cast that included Deborah Kerr, Rita Hayworth, Burt Lancaster, Rod Taylor and Dame Wendy Hiller that he won the 1958 Best Actor Oscar for his performance as Major Angus Pollock in the film "Separate Tables". (Hiller also won her only Oscar, for Best Supporting Actress).
Niven died of Lou Gehrig's Disease on 29th July 1983, the same day as Raymond Massey, his co-star in "A Matter of Life and Death" and "The prisoner of Zenda".
Of the alternatives, Donat was born in Manchester in 1905, Olivier was born in Dorking, Surrey in 1907, and Cary Grant was born in Bristol in 1906.

Answer: Lancaster

Lincoln is both the capital of Nebraska and the country seat of Lancaster Country. At the time of statehood, most of the population of Nebraska Territory lived south of the River Platte, and there was a movement for that part of the territory to break away and join Kansas.

In a successful attempt stop the breakaway, it was decided to move the capital of the new state from Omaha to the south and west, and the town of Lancaster was chosen and renamed for the recently assassinated former President. The alternatives are all county seats in Nebraska.

Answer: Wycombe Wanderers

Martin High Michael O'Neill OBE was born on 1st March 1952 in Kilrea, Northern Ireland. As a player, O'Neill was an integral member of the Nottingham Forest team during their 'Golden Era' that included the League title in 1978 and two European Cup victories. He was also captain of the Northern Ireland national team during their most successful period, which included a trip to the 1982 World Cup Finals in Spain.
O'Neill became manager of non-league Wycombe Wanderers in 1990 and took them into the Football League as Conference champions in 1993 having just missed out the previous year. After a brief spell at Norwich City, he joined Leicester City. In his five seasons at Filbert Street, Leicester reached three League Cup finals, winning twice, and finished in the top half of the Premiership every year. Two years after O'Neill's departure, they were relegated.
Meanwhile, O'Neill was working his magic in Scotland. In five years in charge at Glasgow Celtic, he won the three League titles and took his team to the final of the UEFA Cup. In 2006, O'Neill took over at Aston Villa and, guess what, they quickly became serious contenders for a European place. He is surely 'Martin the Magnificent', as Celtic fans dubbed him.