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Sunset Boulevard Quizzes, Trivia and Puzzles
Sunset Boulevard Quizzes, Trivia

Sunset Boulevard Trivia

Sunset Boulevard Movie Trivia Quizzes

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aka 'Sunset Blvd.'
3 Sunset Boulevard quizzes and 35 Sunset Boulevard trivia questions.
1.
  Sunset Boulevard   top quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This famous movie from 1950 is still engaging today. See if you can answer these general questions about the film.
Easier, 10 Qns, mike32768, Jun 23 10
Easier
mike32768
524 plays
2.
  "Sunset Boulevard" Behind the Scenes    
Multiple Choice
 15 Qns
"She was the greatest star of them all," says Max to Joe Gillis. Test your knowledge of behind-the-scenes trivia about the production of this all-time Hollywood classic.
Tough, 15 Qns, robertogee, Oct 13 05
Tough
robertogee
567 plays
3.
  Quotes of 'Sunset Boulevard'    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Quote questions from 'Sunset Boulevard', the movie from 1950.
Average, 10 Qns, BetteDavis4eva, May 02 05
Average
BetteDavis4eva
911 plays
Related Topics
  Sunset Boulevard [Humanities] (3 quizzes)


Sunset Boulevard Trivia Questions
1. Joe Gillis was the main character in "Sunset Boulevard". Perhaps most famous for his cynical, anti-hero roles, who played Gillis?

From Quiz Sunset Boulevard

Answer: William Holden

Born in Illinois as William Beedle, Holden played Joe Gillis. He was well known for his roles in "Bridge on the River Kwai", "Stalag 17" and more recently, as step-father of the devil in "Damien: Omen II".

2. Who said, "Turn around darling, let me dry you!"?

From Quiz Quotes of 'Sunset Boulevard'

Answer: Norma

This happened right after the phone call from "the pound" arrives and Joe jumps out of the pool.

3. Joe Gillis worked in Hollywood, or at least tried. What was Gillis' profession?

From Quiz Sunset Boulevard

Answer: screenwriter

Gillis was down on his luck and hadn't had one of his scripts bought in a long time. So, he was behind on his bills which was why he found himself with Norma.

4. Filming began on April 11, 1949. How long did shooting continue, through to completion?

From Quiz "Sunset Boulevard" Behind the Scenes

Answer: Nine weeks

Filming was completed on June 18th, 1949. Production went remarkably smoothly.

5. How did Joe Gillis end up at Norma Desmond's house?

From Quiz Sunset Boulevard

Answer: his car had a flat tire

Gillis was trying to outrun some men who wanted to repossess his car. His car blew a tire and Gillis pulled into the driveway of what appeared to be an abandoned house. It turned out to be the rather rundown home of former silent-movie star, Norma Desmond.

6. Norma says, "I did it because _ ____ ___!"

From Quiz Quotes of 'Sunset Boulevard'

Answer: I need you

After Joe comes in while Norma is calling Betty. He confronts her after hearing part of the conversation about lying to Betty and her reply is that she did it because she needs him.

7. Who else lived in the house with Norma Desmond?

From Quiz Sunset Boulevard

Answer: Max, the butler

Max, played by Erich von Stroheim, turned out to have been one of Norma's ex-husbands. He took good care of her, despite her eccentricities, and was even a bit sympathetic toward Gillis.

8. Two weeks before shooting began, William Holden replaced what other actor, originally signed to play Joe Gillis?

From Quiz "Sunset Boulevard" Behind the Scenes

Answer: Montgomery Clift

Montgomery Clift had won a Best Actor nomination for his first role, in the previous year's "The Search". Two weeks before the first day of scheduled shoot, Clift backed out saying, "I don't think I can be convincing making love to a woman twice my age." Wilder was outraged. He said, "If he's any kind of actor, he could be convincing making love to any woman!"

9. Who says, "Hello Hog-eye"?

From Quiz Quotes of 'Sunset Boulevard'

Answer: Norma

While visiting Cecil B. Demille on the set of 'Sampson and Delilah'. The electrician (nicknamed Hog-eye) sees Norma calls down to her, moves the kleig light so that is gives her a heavenly look, and she replies "Hello Hog-eye".

10. Norma Desmond wanted Gillis to help her with what project?

From Quiz Sunset Boulevard

Answer: Her screenplay for a "comeback" movie

Joe was a down-on-his-luck screenwriter - the perfect match for Norma's desire for a "comeback" (she preferred the term, "return") movie role. Norma had written a tediously long screenplay for a movie about "Salome" and hoped Joe could clean it up for her. She was not very happy with most of his efforts to streamline it, however.

11. Max says, "Madam has been married _ times."

From Quiz Quotes of 'Sunset Boulevard'

Answer: Three

Right after Joe is moved into the house from over the garage because of the rain coming throught toe roof. Gloria Swanson was actually married seven times!

12. What kind of money trouble did Gillis have at the beginning of the film?

From Quiz Sunset Boulevard

Answer: He was behind on his car payments.

Joe hadn't sold a script or story in so long that he was three months behind on his car payments. Some "collectors" wanted the keys to it, but Joe convinced them that he had lent the car to a friend and it wasn't around. Of course, that was a lie.

13. "Sunset Boulevard" originally had another title, to conceal the nature of the story from Hollywood brass who, Billy Wilder knew, would severely censor the plot. What was the working title?

From Quiz "Sunset Boulevard" Behind the Scenes

Answer: A Can of Beans

Billy Wilder and Charles Brackett actually began filming "Sunset Boulevard" without a final shooting script. Wilder wanted to conceal the nature of the story, which was an exposé of Hollywood's dark side, from the studios, and chose the innocuous shooting title.

14. The film played out as a flashback. Who was dead at the beginning of the film, before the flashback began?

From Quiz Sunset Boulevard

Answer: Joe Gillis

The movie started off with Joe's body, face down in a pool, having been shot by Norma. Of course at that time we, the viewing audience, were unaware of just who was dead.

15. Norma says, "What a wonderful year it's going to be, what ___ we'll have!"

From Quiz Quotes of 'Sunset Boulevard'

Answer: fun

The New Year's party, while sitting on the couch. Norma is drunk and starts talking about their (her and Joe's) future.

16. Why did the movie studio call Norma Desmond's home several times?

From Quiz Sunset Boulevard

Answer: To rent her unique car

Norma owned a very unique automobile, an Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8 that the studio was interested in using for a movie. Having missed them, Ms Desmond believed the calls must have been about her getting a role in a new movie.

17. What kind of coat does Norma want to buy Joe?

From Quiz Quotes of 'Sunset Boulevard'

Answer: camel hair

He is told by the clerk that he should take the vicuna but Norma requested camel hair.

18. With a small role in the film as Artie Green, this soon-to-be television star would go on to play a cop known for saying, "Just the facts, Ma'am" - a famous, though often misquoted, line. Who was this actor?

From Quiz Sunset Boulevard

Answer: Jack Webb

Jack Webb, most famous for his role as Sergeant Friday in television's "Dragnet", played Artie, the boyfriend of Betty Schaefer, the young woman with whom Gillis became involved. Artie was much more of an affable character than the rather stiff Joe Friday.

19. Where was the mansion used in "Sunset Boulevard" actually located?

From Quiz "Sunset Boulevard" Behind the Scenes

Answer: 3810 Wilshire Boulevard

The mansion was built in 1924 for William Jenkins. It was part of a divorce settlement for the second Mrs. J. Paul Getty. It was also used for the climax of "Rebel Without a Cause" in 1955, and demolished in 1957.

20. Norma says, "Stars are _________, aren't they?"

From Quiz Quotes of 'Sunset Boulevard'

Answer: ageless

Right after Joe is shot. She is kind of crazy at this point.

21. "'Times' city desk? This is _____ ______ speaking."

From Quiz Quotes of 'Sunset Boulevard'

Answer: Hedda Hopper

This is actually Hedda Hopper in a small cameo! She is calling the paper to report on the Norma Desmond case.

22. "Sunset Boulevard" was nominated for Academy Awards in how many categories?

From Quiz "Sunset Boulevard" Behind the Scenes

Answer: 11

Best Picture, Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Director, Best Story and Screenplay, Best Art Direction/Best Set Decoration (Black and White), Best Cinematography (Black and White), Best Film Editing, Best Musical Score.

23. How many Academy Awards did "Sunset Boulevard" win?

From Quiz "Sunset Boulevard" Behind the Scenes

Answer: 3

It won for Best Story and Screenplay, Best Art Direction/Best Set Decoration (Black and White) and Best Musical Score.

24. What famous film composer scored "Sunset Boulevard"?

From Quiz "Sunset Boulevard" Behind the Scenes

Answer: Franz Waxman

He also scored "Rebecca", "Peyton Place", "Love in the Afternoon", "Rear Window", "Elephant Walk", "A Place in the Sun", "Bride of Frankenstein", "Mr. Skeffington" and many others. He is credited with almost 300 film scores in his long and distinguished career.

25. Where is Joe Gillis from?

From Quiz "Sunset Boulevard" Behind the Scenes

Answer: Dayton, Ohio

Joe concludes it's time to "wrap up the whole Hollywood deal and go home" on a bus back to Dayton, Ohio - to a $35 a week job behind the copy desk of the "Dayton Evening Post", if it was still open - "back to the smirking delight of the whole office."

26. How did Gloria Swanson play Norma Desmond's final mad descent down the staircase?

From Quiz "Sunset Boulevard" Behind the Scenes

Answer: barefoot

Swanson recalled, "The final mad scene raised problems. I had to descend a grand staircase crowded with extras and a few people like Hedda Hopper in a state of derangement, and Billy Wilder wanted me to come down on the side of the stairway where the steps were narrowest. On high heels I would have tripped for sure. I played the scene barefoot. I imagined a steel ramrod in me from head to toe holding me together and descended as if in a trance." Swanson, a thorough professional, submitted to costuming and makeup to "age" her throughout filming. A health advocate, she rarely consumed alcohol, and never on set.

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