Life of Charles Laughton Trivia Quiz

Answer: Scarborough, England

Laughton was the eldest of three sons born to Robert and Eliza Laughton. He was born in the Victoria Hotel, in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England, which was owned and operated by his parents. Laughton also had a half brother, his father's illegiimate son, born in 1916. After his father's death in 1924, Laughton helped raise his half brother and sent him to boarding school.

Answer: Owned and operated a hotel in Yorkshire

When Charles was about nine years old, his father sold the Victoria Hotel and bought the posher Pavilion Hotel across the street.

Answer: True

Laughton always wanted to act. While at the public school at Stoneyhurst College, he made his acting debut in the school play "The Private Secretary" when he was 14.

Answer: His parents encouraged him to pursue a career in acting.

His mother wanted Charles to take over the family hotel, and she forced him to quit Stoneyhurst and train at the Claridge Hotel in London. At the onset of WWI, Laughton was called-up for military service. After his father died in 1924, Laughton moved to London and attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts.

He was awarded the Academy's Bancroft Medal for being the finest acting student in the Academy for the year 1926. Laughton appeared in 1923 in "Hobson's Choice" in Scarborough, England, but he made his professional stage debut in London in 1927 in the play "Mr. Prohack".

This is where met his future wife, Elsa Lanchester, who also was appearing in the play.

Answer: Hercule Poirot

When Laughton took the London stage in 1928 in "Alibi", he became the first "live" Hercule Poirot. "Alibi" was based on the best-selling mystery novel by Agatha Christie "The Murder Of Roger Ackroyd" (1926) and is considered one of her best Hercule Poirot mysteries. Dame Agatha is said to have thought Laughton was too large to play her little Belgian detective.

Answer: It was the day he married Elsa Lanchester.

He and Elsa Lanchester were married on Feb. 10, 1929 at the Reigistry Office in London. Laughton and Lanchester first came to New York City in September, 1931, when Laughton appeared on Broadway in "Payment Deferred" reprising the role of Henry Marble. It was a role he had first played on the London stage. Laughton starred in the MGM film version of the play released in 1932.

Answer: Island of Lost Souls

"What is the law?" Do you remember this horrifying film from 1932 that starred Laughton as the mad scientist, Dr. Moreau, who was trying to convert animals into humans by means of nefarious surgeries? It also starred Charles Arlen as Edward Parker, Leila Hyaman as Ruth Thomas, and Kathellen Burke as Lota the Panther Woman. It was based on "Island of Dr. Moreau" by H. G. Wells.

Answer: Private Life of Henry VIII

In 1934 Laughton received his one and only Oscar for "Private Life of Henry VIII" (1933), when he won for Best Actor for his fine performance as King Henry VIII. Elsa Lanchester starred as Anne of Cleves. Laughton also portrayed King Henry VIII in the film "Young Bess" (1953).

He was nominated for Best Actor Academy Awards in 1936 for his portrayal of Captain Bligh in "Moutiny On The Bounty" (1935), and 1958 for "Witness or The Prosecution" (1957) for his fine portrayal of Sir Wilfrid Roberts.

Answer: False

Although Laughton did receive the 1934 Academy Award for Best Actor for "Private Life of Henry VIII", he was not the first British actor to do so. The first British actor to win an Academy Award was George Arliss for Best Actor for "Disraeli" (1929), which was the sound remake of his silent 1921 film "Disraeli".

After Laughton became a US Citizen, he was nominated twice for BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) awards as Best Foreign Actor. The first was for "Witness For The Prosecution" in 1959, and the second was for "Advise and Consent" in 1962. "Advise and Consent" was Laughton's final film.

Answer: One

Laughton was married to Elsa Lanchester from Feb. 10, 1929 until his death on Dec. 15, 1962. The couple made several films together, but Lanchester said the two were "not part of an acting team" and strove to keep her own identity as an actor.

Answer: He read to wounded soldiers at a veteran's hospital.

Laughton read to wounded Allied soldiers at a hospital in Birmingham, California, during the War. These readings were so very successful that it led to a prolific career as a public reader. Laughton's one-man reading tours included readings from subjects as diverse as the Bible to Jack Kerouac.

Answer: They became United States Citizens.

Laughton and Lanchester had been dividing their time between California, England, and New York City since 1931. On April 28, 1950, they both officially became United States Citizens. The couple remained childless throughout their long marriage. Elsa Lanchester wrote two books: "Charles Laughton and I" (1938), and "Elsa Lanchester: Herself" (1983).

Answer: Night of the Hunter

The only film that Charles Laughton directed was "Night of the Hunter" (1955). It starred Robert Mitchum (Preacher or Rev. Harry Powell) and Shelley Winters (Willa Harper), but because it was not a commercial success, Laughton was not offered another film to direct. Mitchum was quoted as saying that Laughton was the finest director he had ever worked with. "Night of the Hunter" is now considered a classic.

It is the story of a ao-called Preacher who marries and murders women for their money. When two children upset his plans, after he marries and kills their mother, he tracks them in a nerve-racking, rentless hunt.

This is a very scary film. It also starred Lillian Gish as Rachael. Robert Mitchum's film about a moonshine runner, "Thunder Road" (1958) is a still a late show favorite around here, as it was filmed in the mountains of NC. "Cape Fear" (1962) starred Mitchum as Max Cady, and was a very scary thriller, too, and one of Mitchum's best. Mitchum also appeared as Lt. Egart in the 1991 remake of "Cape Fear". "Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison" was released in 1957.

Answer: Abbott & Costello Meet Captain Kidd

Laughton starred as Captain Kidd in "Bud Abbott & Lou Costello Meet Captain Kidd" (1952). Abbott starred as Rocky Stonebridge and Costello played Oliver Johnson. On May 4, 1952, Charles Laughton appeared on the "Colgate Comedy Hour", hosted by Abbott and Costello from 1951-1954, to publize the film. Laughton recited the "Gettysburg Address" on the show. I have never seen this film, although I do love Abbott and Costello. "The Time of Their Lives" (1946), "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein" (1948) and "Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man" (1951) are all wonderful films. Laughton, of course, played Captain William Kidd in the film "Captain Kidd" (1945).

Answer: Yes

Bela Lugosi and Charles Laughton appeared in the eerie classic "Island of Lost Souls" (1932). With the exception of Lugosi's portrayal of Count Dracula in the Universal classic "Dracula", I think this had to be Lugosi's best role. Anyone ever seeing Lugosi as the wonderfully creepy man beast "Sayer of the Law" in "Island of Lost Souls" will never forget the Lugosi's famous "What is the Law" and "Are we not men?" lines.

Answer: Elvis Presley

Elvis sang "Love Me Tender, "Hound Dog", and "Don't Be Cruel". Charles Laughton's debut on American television had been in 1952 on Ed Sullivan's "Toast Of The Town".

Answer: "I have a face like the behind of an elephant."

My thanks to my younger brother, a Charles Laughton fan, who summed up Laughton's career as "Not bad for a spotty fat boy from Scarborough". The rest of the quotes I made up with my own active imagination, and were never said by Laughton (to my knowledge).

Answer: He took a trip to Japan and Hong Kong.

Charles Laughton loved Japanese art, and in January, 1961, he went to Japan and Hong Kong. He got to tour the gardens in Kyoto, meet some of the Shinto priests and was shown through the temples.

Answer: Wagon Train

Laughton guest starred on "Wagon Train" in the episode "Albert Farnsworth Story" as Col. Farnsworth.

Answer: 1962

Charles Laughton died on Dec. 15, 1962 after a year long battle with cancer. During his career, which spanned 40 years, Charles Laughton made 55 films and appeared on stage in 41 plays. He brought to life such diverse characters as King Henry VIII, Captain Bligh, Dr. Moreau. Quasimodo, and Hercule Poirot. I hope you enjoyed my quiz on the life and times of acting great Charles Laughton.