Picturing Leading Ladies Trivia Quiz

The writing desk and vintage typewriter depicted in the photo should be a clear clue to the character of Jessica Fletcher, the mystery writer and amateur sleuth portrayed by Angela Lansbury in the popular series "Murder, She Wrote". The veteran British-American actress, whose career spanned 80 years, was contacted by the show producers after their original choice, Jean Stapleton, turned down the lead role. Lansbury read the script and readily accepted. The show, which premiered on 30 September 1984 on CBS, ran for 12 seasons (until 19 May 1996), also spawning four TV films, two video games, and a spin-off book series.

Based in the fictional Maine town of Cabot Cove, Jessica MacGill Fletcher is a widowed former English teacher who has become a mystery writer after her retirement. Aided by her experience in creating plots for her successful detective stories, Jessica helps the local police solve murder cases and find the real culprit. For her interpretation, Lansbury received 12 Emmy Award nominations (one for each season) for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, and 10 Golden Globe nominations for Best Performance by an Actress in a TV Series (winning four times).

Dame Angela Lansbury passed away in 2022, at the age of 96.

The pills and thermometer in the photo hint at the title of Western drama series "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman", starring British actress Jane Seymour in the role of Boston-born physician Dr. Michaela Quinn. Seymour was a last-minute choice for the series' main character: she read the script only the day before production of the pilot episode was due to begin, and committed to the five-year series because of serious financial issues caused by her former husband and manager. The show originally aired on CBS from 1 January 1993 to 16 May 1998, for a total of six seasons and 150 episodes. The series makes references to a number of real historical people and facts, though the character of Michaela Quinn is a creation of show creator and producer Beth Sullivan.

The story begins in 1867, when Michaela ("Dr. Mike") heads west to set up her own practice. She settles in the small town of Colorado Springs, where she meets handsome backwoodsman Byron Sully (Joe Lando) and midwife Charlotte Cooper - whose three children she adopts after Charlotte dies of a rattlesnake bite. Michaela and Sully were married at the end of Season 3; in Season 4, Seymour was pregnant with her twin sons, and her pregnancy was included in the show. For her portrayal of Dr. Quinn, Seymour was nominated four times for a Golden Globe for Best Actress In a TV Series - Drama (winning one). and twice for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.

The picture of spaceships hovering in the sky suggests one of the main themes of "The X-Files", a sci-fi drama series aired for nine seasons (10 September 1993 - 19 May 2002) on Fox. American actress Gillian Anderson stars in the role of FBI Special Agent Dana Scully, who - along with her colleague Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) - investigate unsolved cases that involve paranormal phenomena, labeled "X-Files". Created by Chris Carter, the series was inspired by earlier shows that had elements of speculative fiction, such as "The Twilight Zone" and "Twin Peaks".

While criminal profiler Mulder is a firm believer in the paranormal and supernatural, Scully is a skeptic who, in her capacity as a medical doctor, is tasked with analyzing Mulder's findings. Her skepticism and over-reliance on scientific explanation, however, are increasingly challenged by the events detailed in the series - such as Mulder's abduction by aliens at the end of Season 8. The close friendship between these two different but complementary characters eventually develops into a romantic relationship.

Gillian Anderson's performance in "The X-Files" received a vast number of accolades. She was nominated for four Golden Globe Awards for Best Actress in a TV Series Drama (winning one) and four Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series (also winning one).

The beautiful moonlight scene in the photo hints at the comedy-drama series "Moonlighting", which aired on ABC between 3 March 1985 and 14 May 1989. The series, starring Bruce Willis as detective David Addison and Cybill Shepherd as former model Maddie Hayes, focuses on the cases investigated by the Blue Moon Detective Agency, run as a partnership by the two main characters. In its five-year run, the series - created by Glenn Gordon Caron - was a great success, introducing the new TV style called "dramedy", in which serious content and humour are featured in nearly equal proportions. It also made Willis a star, and rebooted Shepherd's languishing career.

The series' title is a pun on the name of the detective agency, which in turn is named after a shampoo company whose spokesmodel Maddie had been before being robbed of all her assets by her unscrupulous accountant. Caron wrote the role expressly for Shepherd, who immediately expressed interest after reading the script - finding it reminiscent of classic screwball comedies such as "Bringing Up Baby" or "His Girl Friday". In spite of the sexual tension implied in the plot, the two leads did not get along with each other at all, which was one of the contributing factors to the show's cancellation.

Shepherd's performance in "Moonlighting" was nominated for one Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, and won two Golden Globe Awards for Best Actress in a TV Series, Comedy/Musical.

The two thrones in the photo (found in the former royal palace at Honolulu) are an obvious reference to HBO's blockbusting show "Game of Thrones", based on George R.R. Martin's epic fantasy saga "A Song of Ice and Fire". Created by David Benioff and Dan Weiss, the show - both extremely successful and rather controversial for its emphasis on sex and violence - ran for eight seasons, from 17 April 2011 to 19 May 2019. Martin himself was on board as a co-executive producer and writer.

Though the plot - revolving around the bloody struggle for the Iron Throne of Westeros - comprises a number of different story arcs, the one concerning Daenerys Targaryen, the youngest daughter of mad King Aerys II, has particular prominence owing to the presence of traditional fantasy elements such as dragons. English actress Emilia Clarke was a nearly unknown quantity when, in 2009, she was chosen to replace Tamzin Merchant in the role of Daenerys, who quickly became a fan favourite. The conclusion of her story arc in the series finale, however, was deemed highly unsatisfactory by a large part of the show's viewers.

Emilia Clarke was nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, and one for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. In 2019, she was recognized by "Time" magazine as one of the world's 100 most influential people in the Artist category.

The photo of an oil pump evokes the main source of the wealth of the Ewing family in the iconic soap opera "Dallas", which aired on CBS for 14 seasons, starting on 2 April 1978 and ending on 3 May 1991. Created by David Jacobs, and believed to have been inspired by 1956 movie "Giant", the series focused on the feuds within the family itself, as well as those with their business rivals. It proved enormously influential, spawning a number of other series of similar content, such as ABC's "Dynasty". Though the series was initially conceived for an ensemble cast, villainous J.R. (portrayed by Larry Hagman) - the oldest son of patriarch Jock Ewing - soon became its main focus, and the only character to appear in every episode.

American actress Linda Gray was cast in the role of J.R.'s wife, Sue Ellen Shepard, a former beauty queen whose unhappiness in her marriage leads her to alcoholism, depression, and a series of extramarital affairs. Although Sue Ellen was initially supposed to be merely a background character, she grew increasingly important in the economy of the story, both for her tempestuous relationship with her husband and her interactions with other characters. Gray described Sue Ellen as one of the most interesting characters of '80s TV, and the original "Desperate Housewife".

For her portrayal of Sue Ellen Ewing, Gray was nominated for the 1981 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, and for two Golden Globe Awards for Best Actress - TV Series Drama.

The photo of the White House hints at the political thriller series "House of Cards", aired on Netflix for six seasons from 6 February 2013 to 2 November 2018. Created by Beau Willimon, the show (the first TV series produced for Netflix) was an adaptation of the British TV series of the same name, in turn based on a book by British author Andrew Davies. Set in Washington DC, "House of Cards" revolves around an ambitious, unscrupulous couple - politician Frank Underwood (portrayed by Kevin Spacey for the first five seasons) and his wife Claire (Robin Wright). The series details their ruthless quest for power, which leads them both to become President of the United States.

In June 2011, American actress Robin Wright was approached by director David Fincher, one of the show's executive producers, and cast in the role of Claire Hale Underwood. At the beginning of the series, Claire is a lobbyist and runs an environmental non-profit organization; in Season 6, she finally reaches the position of 47th President of the US. Initially very close to her husband, Claire gradually begins to feel constrained by what she perceives as a subordinate role, and eventually a rift grows between the two.

For her riveting turn as this modern-day Lady Macbeth, Robin Wright was nominated for three Golden Globe Awards for Best Actress - TV Series Drama (winning one), and six Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.

The cattle skeleton in the photo is a rather obvious clue to the police procedural comedy-drama series "Bones", premiered on Fox on 13 September 2005, and concluded on 28 March 2017 - for a total of 12 seasons. Created by Hart Hanson, the show is loosely based on the novels written by Kathy Reichs (who was also one of the producers), as well as her own experience as a forensic anthropologist. The title refers to the nickname of the series' main character, Dr. Temperance "Bones" Brennan (also the name of the heroine of Reichs' books), portrayed by Emily Deschanel. Brennan is a forensic anthropologist who is contracted by the FBI to investigate difficult cases alongside Special Agent Seeley Booth (played by David Boreanaz).

Emily Deschanel (the older sister of fellow actress Zooey) was cast as Temperance Brennan in 2005, just before the beginning of production. Hart Hanson was particularly impressed by her assertive behaviour during the audition, when she held her ground as Boreanaz stepped close to her. In the series, Dr. Brennan is a woman in her early 30s with very limited social skills and a somewhat troubled past: her parents were bank robbers who disappeared when she was 15. She is, however, an extremely well-qualified professional, whose initially rigid, dogmatic mindset softens considerably (also thanks to her romance with Booth) over the course of the series.

Fans of British historical drama series "Downton Abbey" will have recognized Highclere Castle, the 17th-century mansion in Hampshire (largely renovated in the Victorian era) that served as the main location. Created and co-written by Julian Fellowes, the show was originally aired in the UK by ITV from 26 September 2010 to 25 December 2015, for a total of six series and 52 episodes. Set in the eponymous Yorkshire country estate, "Downton Abbey" chronicles the lives of the aristocratic Crawley family and their servants in the early decades of the 20th century, against the backdrop of some of the momentous events of that time - such as the sinking of the "Titanic" and the outbreak of WWI.

In the show's large ensemble cast, veteran English actress (and Academy Award winner) Maggie Smith stands out in the role of Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham, mother of Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham (played by Hugh Bonneville), the story's main character. Her portrayal of the sharp-tongued, strong-willed family matriarch - who appears in each of the six series and in both its film spin-offs - became a particular favourite with the show's fans. Violet embodies the glorious past of English aristocracy, contrasted with the fast-paced societal changes occurring in the early 20th century.

Smith's iconic turn as Violet Crawley earned her three Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, as well as a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Series, Miniseries or TV Film, and various other accolades.

The badge of the Los Angeles Police Department depicted in the photo is very similar to the one carried by Angie Dickinson in the four seasons of the series "Police Woman", aired on NBC from 13 September 1974 to 29 March 1978. Created by Robert L. Collins, the series focuses on police officer "Pepper" Anderson, whose undercover investigations bring her into close contact with the suspects of various crimes in order to gain valuable information. The show's 91 episodes also featured a large number of high-profile guest stars - such as Larry Hagman (of "Dallas" fame), Joan Collins, and Danny De Vito. One of earliest TV shows starring women as main characters, "Police Woman" was also a major influence on popular crime drama series "Charlie's Angels".

American actress Angie Dickinson was cast for her looks as much as her acting ability: her famous legs (insured for $1,000,000) were used to great effect in the series' opening sequence. However, though Dickinson was well aware of her status as a sex symbol, towards the end of the series she grew weary of having to appear in scenes "where the phone rings while I'm taking a bath". On the other hand, her performance proved inspirational to many women all over the US, who applied to join the police force while the series was running.

For her turn as Pepper Anderson, Dickinson was nominated for four Golden Globe Awards for Best Actress in a TV Series - Drama (winning one), and three Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.