Famous Quotes Trivia Quiz

Answer: Pablo Picasso

Pablo Picasso was born on 25 October 1881 in Malaga, Spain, and died on 8 April 1973. Pablo Picasso was a Spanish artist who made France his home for much of his adult life. He created paintings, sculptures, prints, ceramics, and theatrical designs. He is renowned for having contributed to the development and exploration of a vast range of styles, including co-founding the Cubist movement.

"Is this a genuine Picasso?" Picasso was asked to look at a painting that had been bought by a friend. Picasso examined it and said, "No, it's a fake." His pal looked distraught and said, "Oh, well, I have another genuine Picasso." Upon seeing the other picture, the artist said, "That's a fake, too." "But that's not possible", the bewildered companion retorted. "You painted it yourself; I saw you paint it." "So what?" Picasso shrugged. "I also paint fakes too," was the reply.

Ten years later, in 1967, Leonard Lyons, an American newspaper columnist and well renowned for his "The Lyons Den" column in the "New York Post", recalled the encounter, and identified Picasso's art dealer Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler as the owner of the painting.

Answer: Mark Twain

Samuel Langhorne Clemens was born on November 30, 1835, in Florida, Missouri. He passed away on April 21, 1910. He wrote under the pseudonym, Mark Twain. One of the most well-known writers in American history, Mark Twain wrote in a variety of genres. His books have been read by readers of all ages. His first publication was called "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County." The story was published in 1865 and had a huge effect on the rest of his writing career. It made him famous.

Mark Twain made this quip, which was often misstated as, "Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated", in response to an 1897 newspaper report that mistook him for dying. The newspaper in question was the "New York Journal". In reply to the newspaper report, Mark wrote a letter, and the phrase he used said, "The report of my death was an exaggeration".

There are several different accounts of what the quote said and what was actually said. It is true that late in May 1897, Frank Marshall White, the English correspondent for the "New York Journal", sought Twain in London to receive clarification. Some of the misquotes are "Reports of my death are grossly exaggerated", and "The news of my death has been greatly exaggerated".

Answer: Margaret Thatcher

Then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, the first female prime minister of the UK (1979-1990) said, "You turn if you want, but this lady's not for turning", during her speech at the Conservative Party Conference on October 10, 1980. As a result, the speech as a whole has been given the label. It is regarded as a pivotal speech in Thatcher's political career, and it even became a Thatcherite catchphrase.

Thatcher's reluctance to "U-turn" in response to commentators' and her predecessor Edward Heath's calls for her to reverse her economic liberalisation was alluded to in the phrase. The main causes of this were that the economy was in a recession, with almost 3 million unemployed individuals by the time the recession ended in 1982, and that the unemployment rate had risen to 2 million by the autumn of 1980 from 1.5 million the previous year.

The speech was not written by Thatcher, but by her speechwriter, Sir Ronald Millar, who was a known playwright. The entire speech was met with a five-minute standing ovation at the conference, and it was well received.

Answer: Hans Christian Andersen

Hans Christian Andersen was born on 2 April 1805 in Odense, Funen, Denmark-Norway, and died on 4 August 1875. Despite being a prolific author of plays, memoirs, novels, and poetry, his literary fairy tales are what people remember him for most. A few of his most famous fairy tales are "The Emperor's New Clothes," "The Little Mermaid," "The Nightingale," and "The Steadfast Tin Soldier."

The quote, "Life itself is the most wonderful fairy tale", was never said to anyone in particular. It was just a bit of banter from himself, saying his life story unfolds like a narrative from a fairy tale. He actually came up with this expression, which gives us a glimpse inside his mind.

My understanding is it means the purpose of life is to recognise our need for connection, value the relationships we already have, and actively look for new and meaningful ones. Basically, Andersen is comparing life to a fairy tale, implying that it is an engrossing narrative full of wonder, enchantment, and beauty.

Answer: F. Scott Fitzgerald

Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald was born on Sep 24, 1896, in St. Paul, Minnesota, and died on Dec 21, 1940. Fitzgerald was an American novelist who wrote the book, "The Great Gatsby". At the time of writing, the book was considered a flop, but today it sells many thousands of copies a year. He also wrote " The Beautiful and Damned", and "The Last Tycoon" (unfinished). Sadly, Fitzgerald died before his last book was finished.

The quote, "To the victor belong the spoils", is from the book, "The Beautiful and Damned" (1922). In the book, Fitzgerald based Gloria Gilbert's persona on his recently wed wife, Zelda Fitzgerald, and Anthony Patch on himself. Fitzgerald's turbulent marriage in the early years after the surprising success of his debut book, "This Side of Paradise," served as a backdrop for most of the novel. Fitzgerald stated that neither he nor Zelda loved the other at the time of their 1920 wedding, and their marriage over the first few years was more like a friendship. In the quote, he is talking about himself.

Answer: John F. Kennedy

John F. Kennedy was born on May 29, 1917, in Brookline, Massachusetts, and died on November 22, 1963. Dallas, Texas. Kennedy served as the 35th President of the United States from 1961 until his death. He was assassinated in Dallas by Lee Harvey Oswald.

John F. Kennedy was one of the key players in the creation of the contemporary world. He was a social justice activist, an ardent environmentalist, and a supporter of civil rights. He devoted a lot of his time to averting nuclear war, and his dedication to world peace is still honoured today.

President John F. Kennedy delivered the quote to the trustees and advisory committee of the National Cultural Center on November 14, 1961. The quote was made while Kennedy was speaking to the Advisory Committee of the National Cultural Center in the movie room on the west wing at The White House. Kennedy was addressing Mr. Roger Stevens, who served as Chairman of the Kennedy Center's Board of Trustees from 1961 to 1988. Kennedy was talking about the cultural performances, concerts, theatre, dance, and musicals.

Answer: Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, in Sinking Spring Farm, Kentucky, and died on April 15, 1865 in Washington, D.C. Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. He was also an American lawyer and politician.

This quote was stated by Abraham Lincoln in his Gettysburg Address, which was given on November 19, 1863, at the National Cemetery dedicated at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where a decisive battle in the American Civil War had been fought.

Lincoln led the country through the American Civil War, protecting the Union as established by the Constitution, vanquishing the rebel Confederacy, contributing significantly to the eradication of slavery, enhancing the authority of the federal government, and modernising the American economy.

Answer: Isaac Newton

Famous English scientist Isaac Newton (1643-1727), who formulated the laws of motion and gravity, wrote this line in a letter to scientist Robert Hooke in 1675. Newton had agreed to correspond privately with Hooke and engage in a kind of cooperation. The quote appears about two-thirds of the way down on the first page of the letter.

The phrase is commonly understood to mean that if Newton had been able to discover so much about the universe and its laws, it's because he was able to build on the work of other eminent scientists. But Newton didn't invent this metaphor. It was already popular when he wrote his letter as a way to acknowledge that the achievements of the present wouldn't be possible without those of the past.

Answer: Mary Schmich

Journalist Mary Theresa Schmich is from the United States and was born on November 29, 1953, in Savannah, Georgia. From 1992 until 2021, she wrote columns for the "Chicago Tribune", where she was honoured with a Pulitzer Prize in 2012.

In a 2012 "Chicago Tribune" article, Mary Schmich addressed the widespread misunderstanding that her quote was attributed to First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. She explained that she first used the quote in a graduation speech that she wrote to young students, but Eleanor Roosevelt is commonly credited with saying it. Schmich said she hasn't seen any proof of Roosevelt saying it, and she didn't think she ever did. "Quote Investigator" believes that Mary Schmich should be credited with the precise quotation that she wrote in one of her columns.

This brief but insightful remark encapsulates a mindset that pushes us to confront our concerns and step beyond our comfort zones. Every day the proverb, "Do one thing that scares you", serves as a helpful reminder that comfort and growth don't always go hand in hand. It encourages us to take the initiative to push ourselves to the limit, not just our own lives, but also the lives of those who are around us.

Answer: Louis Armstrong

Louis Armstrong, also known as "Satchmo", was born on August 4, 1901, in New Orleans, Louisiana, and passed away on July 6, 1971. He was an American trumpeter and singer who had a huge hit song with "Hello, Dolly!" in 1965. Another one of his best-known songs is his classic tune, "What a Wonderful World." This song was launched in 1967, and because of its enormous success, listeners of all ages still love it. In April 1968, the track reached the number one position on the UK Singles Chart.

Raised by his grandmother, Louis Armstrong was the grandson of slaves and was born into poverty. After his mother opted to leave him and his siblings in her care, he moved in with his grandma.

The quote was reported to have been said while he was being interviewed by a reporter in 1958. When asked about the quote, Louis said, "Yeah, Daddy. That's accurate. You understand that jazz is something you experience; you have to live it". The quote was said to Max Jones, and a reference to the quote is in the book, "Salute to Satchmo" (1970).