California Famous People Trivia

1. Remember Jack Benny's valet/butler Rochester from his radio and television shows? His photo is on display at Preston Castle. What was his name?

From Quiz Ex Preston School of Industry (CA)

Answer: Eddie Anderson

Of those listed, only Eddie Anderson is the real Rochester. His full birth name was Edmund Lincoln Anderson. I made up the others ...

From Quiz San Francisco's Famous People

Answer: Virginia Rose Best

Adams' famous crooked nose was caused by an aftershock of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, when he was four; he was thrown into a garden wall, and the break was never corrected. He received many awards both during life and after his death, including Doctor of Arts in both Harvard and Yale Universities, and a place in the California Hall of Fame (at The California Museum of History, Women, and the Arts).

From Quiz Ex Preston School of Industry (CA)

Answer: Merle Haggard

Merle Haggard's school file notes that he "likes to sing and play the guitar". He is said to also sport a tattoo saying "PSoI". He spent his time at the age of 16 in 1953. After his release from Preston, Merle attended a Lefty Frizzell concert, singing along. Frizzell heard him, was impressed, and gave him his first break. The rest, as they say, is history. Johnny Cash did spend time in detention, but not at Preston, nor, even as the song implies, at Folsom Prison. Willie Nelson did not spend time in detention, but did run afoul of the IRS. Waylon Jennings also did not spend time in detention, but with the others was part of the outlaw style of country music.

From Quiz Ex Preston School of Industry (CA)

Answer: Tony Cornero

After teenage years spent at Preston, Tony Cornero became a successful bootlegger during the Prohibition years, and used his talents to develop a roadside casino, "The Meadows" in Las Vegas, switched to floating casinos when the mob torched "The Meadows" following attempts to extort money from him, and ultimately returned to Las Vegas to build the Stardust Resort and Casino. He died under questionable circumstances before the casino was completed, although it went on to become one of the premier spots on The Strip. Al Capone was a Chicago mobster, and Frank Nitti was his right hand man. For a time, Frank Sinatra held an interest in the Sands Casino in Las Vegas, and was on the FBI's watch list because of his friendship with several purported members of the Mafia.

From Quiz San Francisco's Famous People

Answer: 4 & four

Frost's life was unfortunately very tragic: both of his parents had died by the time he turned sixteen. He had six children, but outlived four of them - including a daughter who died three days after birth, and a son who died at eight. His wife suffered from heart problems, and had breast cancer - she died of heart failure. Mental illness ran in his family - as well as both he and his mother suffering from depression, both his younger sister, Jeanie, and one of his daughters, Irma, had to be committed to mental institutions; Jeanie had to be committed by Frost himself.

From Quiz Ex Preston School of Industry (CA)

Answer: Don Jordan

Don Jordan took down Virgil Akins to win the welterweight championship, and later defended it in a rematch. After hitting rock bottom, he left the boxing world, going from job to job, finally finding steady work with Douglas Aircraft. Attacked and beaten senseless by unknown assailants bent on robbery in broad daylight, he went into a coma and passed away five months later. He was 62. Carmen Basilio and Tony DeMarco were also welterweight boxers.

From Quiz Ex Preston School of Industry (CA)

Answer: Tennis

Arrested for burglary at age 15, he spent a year at Preston, honing his skills on the tennis court. After release, he spent two years in the US Navy. He then re-entered the tennis world, establishing himself in the professional category.

From Quiz Hotel California

Answer: Marilyn Monroe

Norma Jean Baker is Marilyn Monroe...yes, that's right. And what a bombshell she was. But she was no dumbbell like some people liked to think. Just watch her film "Bus Stop", and you'll see she was no idiot. Sometimes she played one, but no one is who they pretend to be.

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