Leading Ladies of Hollywood's Golden Age Quiz

Answer: Doris Day

Doris Day was a major star of Hollywood in its prime. She starred in many popular films like "Pillow Talk" (1959), her most successful, with Rock Hudson. She started off as a dancer until she shattered her leg in a car accident, and during recovery discovered her ability to sing.

She became a vegetarian whom friends nicknamed Clara Bixby. Interesting note: Her son, Terry, was actually the intended victim of Charles Manson's cult killings. His old home was sold and belonged to Sharon Tate.

Answer: Irene Dunne

Irene Dunne was a big star in the '30s and '40s. She was often cast in roles that allowed her to sing, but she also starred in screwball comedies. Some of her movies included "The Awful Truth" (1937) and "Show Boat" (1936). She died in 1990 of heart failure.

Answer: Bette Davis

Bette never thought she'd ever become famous, mostly because she thought she was unattractive and not star material. She went on to become arguably one of the world's most famous actors. You might have heard of the quote, "Fasten your seat belts- it's going to be a bumpy night!", before, but did you know it was Bette who said it in her role as Margo Channing in "All About Eve" (1950)?

Answer: True

She started out in silent films as a flapper, but eventually changed her style as the times changed. Probably one of her most famous films was "Mildred Pierce" (1946). Interesting note: She had a rivalry with fellow star Bette Davis and they didn't exactly like working together, which they never did until 1962's "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?" In one scene, Bette kicked Joan in the head so hard that later she needed stitches.

In another scene, Bette had to drag Joan across a room. As revenge, Joan loaded her pockets with weight, which caused an injury to Bette's back that lasted for days.

Answer: Prince Rainier of Monaco

Grace Kelly married Prince Rainier of Monaco and became a member of the prestigious Grimaldi family. Note: While Grand Duke Jean was a real person and previously the ruler of Luxembourg, I made up Prince Philip and Duke Robert. Some of Grace's movies were "Dial M for Murder" (1954) and "High Society" (1956).

Answer: Lauren Bacall and Marilyn Monroe

The film was a success and was a perfect example of the actresses' different styles of acting, but it's probably not their most well known. Arguably, Marilyn's most successful and most famous before her untimely death was either "Some Like It Hot" (1959) or "The Seven Year Itch" (1955). Some of Lauren's were "To Have and Have Not" (1944), her first film, and "The Big Sleep" (1946).

Answer: Norma Shearer

While the Jazz Age - during which all of the women mentioned in the answers worked - claimed to be quite liberated and open, in reality, it wasn't. While flappers were seen as interesting and exciting, women who actually personified this image like Clara Bow and Norma Shearer, actually weren't very welcome after their saucy films were banned by the Code. If you picked Marion Davies or especially Lillian Gish, I'll inform you that Marion Davies mostly played light-hearted girls in comedies and Lillian Gish played innocent young girls in tragedies and dramas. Neither was exactly the flapper of the '20s.

Answer: Myrna Loy

I was honestly surprised that Myrna Loy was picked instead of an actress most people have actually heard of today, but I guess she was pretty big back then. In addition to being crowned Queen of Hollywood in the 1930s, Loy starred in huge hits like "The Best Years of Our Lives" (1936). On another note, Carole Lombard was Gable's ACTUAL wife, until her death in the early '40s.

Answer: Gloria Swanson

Many other fellow silent film stars came to see a showing of the film and were rather shocked because Norma Desmond was more similar to themselves than many of them had thought. Although probably best known as Norma Desmond in "Sunset Boulevard", Swanson also made movies like "Sadie Thompson" (1928) and her unfinished film, "Queen Kelly" (1928).

Answer: Greta Garbo

Yes, I ended it with the incomparable Greta Garbo, whose beauty was only matched by her mysterious personality and talent. The famous line actually came out sounding more like "I vant to be alone", because of Greta's Swedish accent. She said this in the movie "Grand Hotel" (1932). She said the line while in character as an apparently temperamental ballerina.