Edward D. Wood Jr, Director Trivia Quiz

Answer: Poughkeepsie, New York

Edward Davis Wood Jr was born on October 10, 1924. As a young boy Ed loved pulp magazines, comic books, Westerns, and films dealing with the occult. Many a school day would be spent at the local movie theatre. However a dark secret lingered in the Wood's household. Ed's mother Lillian, would dress Ed up in little girls clothes. She always wanted a little girl, and this went on until he was twelve.

Answer: The Marines

Ed enlisted at the age of 17. He once boasted later in life that when he fought at the Battle of Guadalcanal, he was wearing a brassiere and panties under his uniform. Lillian's obsession had turned Ed into a lifelong non-sexually oriented transvestite.

Answer: "The Geek" and "Bearded Lady"

The "Freakshows" seemed a perfect fit with Ed's fascination for the exotic and bizarre. Missing several teeth and having a disfigured leg (wounds from the war) only enhanced his ability to shock. For the role of "The Bearded Lady" he created his own prosthetic breasts. He would later incorporate some of his experiences into his films and novels.

Answer: Glen or Glenda

When the sex change of Christine Jorgensen made the news in 1952, Hollywood producer George Weiss wanted a movie to exploit it. Ed pleaded to direct, and used his own lifestyle to gain confidence with Weiss. "Glen Or Glenda was released in 1953 starring Ed Wood, Delores Fuller, and a host of others that would be Ed's movie regulars in years to come.

The docudrama about Transvestism was semi-autobiographical and seemed a plea from Wood for tolerance. The film was a flop.

Answer: Orson Welles

Ed admired Orson Welles for his passion and ambition towards film making. He felt a kindred spirit in Orson who like Ed wrote, acted, and directed his own films. As poignant as the scene in Tim Burton's 1994 film "Ed Wood" where, Ed and Orson swap stories of directors woes in a Hollywood bar, while Ed's in drag. The real Wood never met his inspirational hero.

Answer: All of these

With the postwar decline of horror films, Bela Logosi was living in virtual poverty and had fallen into a world of alcoholism, drug addiction, and obscurity. Many people speculated on Wood's motives as exploitation. However insiders insist that the two had a genuine friendship.

Answer: Black Lace Drag

"Black Lace Drag"(1963) also called "Killer In Drag" (from 1965). By day he's mild-mannered ordinary guy "Glen Marker." But when the sun goes down, he dons angora and becomes his ruthless killer alter ego "Glenda Satin."

Answer: Vampira

Vampira was born Maila Nurmi in Petsamo, Finland in 1929. KABC-TV previewed, "Dig Me Later, Vampira" on April, 30 1954. The next night "The Vampira Show" premiered. For one year Vampira walked through fog and cobwebs with her pet spider "Rollo" introducing horror films. In 1959 she played the "Ghouls Wife" in Ed Wood's classic "Plan 9 From Outer Space."

Answer: Cheap Flying Saucers Models

With meager film budgets to work with, most props were either cheaply made or stolen. Most notably the octopus from "Bride Of The Monster" (1955). Ed and his cohorts broke into Republic Studios late one night and took an octopus prop. They managed to rip a leg off in the process. In many interviews Ed would brag about the Cadillac hubcap story as being true.

Answer: 1978

Edward D. Wood Jr passed into legend on December 10, 1978 of a heart attack. "For years after his death, Ed and his "spooks" have gone on to achieve cult figure status." I was lucky enough to meet Delores Fuller and Maila Nurmi "Vampira" at a Cult Film Convention at the famous Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood in 1998. Both were very sweet and gracious.