Reaching the Big 5-0 in 2015 Quiz | Celebrity Birthdays

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1. This actress, model and former child star made her screen debut at nine and, at the age of 12, controversially played a teenage prostitute. She later graduated from Princeton with a degree in French literature. Which of these celebrities turns 50 in 2015?

Answer: Brooke Shields

Brooke Christa Shields was born in Manhattan NY in 1965. She made her screen debut in a 1974 TV movie. In 1978, aged just 12, she played a teen prostitute named Violet in Louis Malle's controversial "Pretty Baby", co-starring with Keith Carradine and Susan Sarandon.
Shields had well-publicized relationships with George Michael, John Travolta and Dodi Fayed before she married tennis star Andre Agassi in 1997. Divorced in 1999, she married TV writer Chris Henchy in 2001.
Of the alternatives, Jodie Foster reached the Big 5-0 in 2012. Helena Bonham Carter was born in 1966 and Julia Roberts in 1967.

2. This actress was not born in Canada but she attended drama school at the University of Windsor in Ontario. She played the TV role for which she is well known for more than ten years starting in 1997. Which of these hit TV actresses receives her special birthday cake in 2015?

Answer: Amanda Tapping

Amanda Tapping was born in 1965 in the town of Rochford in southern Essex in England but her family moved to Canada when she was three, so she grew up Canadian.
Tapping is best known for the role of Samantha Carter, a USAF officer with a Ph.D. in theoretical astrophysics in the hit sci-fi series "Stargate: SG-1" between 1997 and 2007. She continued the role in the spinoff series, "Stargate Atlantis" and "Stargate Universe". Tapping's latest role is English medical and scientific researcher Doctor Helen Magnus in the Canadian TV sci-fi series "Sanctuary", which began in 2007.
Of the alternatives, Kate Walsh, Dr. Addison Montgomery in "Grey's Anatomy" has a couple of years on Amanda Tapping, having been born in 1967, whilst Charlotte Ross, Eve Donovan in daytime soap "Days of Our Lives" (1987-91) and Detective Connie McDowell in police drama series "NYPD Blue" (2001-04) must wait a year longer than that. Jane Horrocks, Bubble in the UK TV sitcom "Absolutely Fabulous", reached 50 in 2014.

3. Born Eilleen Regina Edwards, this country music singer's second studio album, in 1995, sold more than 20 million copies. Known as the Queen of Country Pop, she collected her fifth Grammy award in 2000. Which of our four singing celebs reaches that special milestone in 2015?

Answer: Shania Twain

Born in the city of Timmins in northeastern Ontario, Canada in 1965, Shania Twain's breakthrough album was "The Woman in Me" in 1995. That album produced four singles that all topped both the US and the Canadian Country music charts, "Any Man of Mine", "(If You're Not in It for Love) I'm Outta Here!" in 1995 and "You Win My Love" and "No One Needs to Know" in 1996.

In 1998, Twain reached number 2 in the Billboard 100 chart and number ten in the UK singles chart with "You're Still the One". Twain is the best-selling female country artist of all time with more than 75 million albums sold worldwide. Of the alternatives, Canadian country star Sarah McLachlan was born in 1968. Wynonna Judd (real name Christina Claire Ciminella), who was part of The Judds with her mother Naomi before going solo, hit the Big 5-0 in 2014 and American country star Sheryl Crow, winner of nine Grammy awards, got there in 2012.

4. This actress made her Broadway debut at the age of 11 before starring in the musical "Annie" when she was just 14. Known today as a comedy actress, she starred in a hit US TV sitcom from 1998 until 2004. Which of these TV stars turns 50 in 2015?

Answer: Sarah Jessica Parker

Sarah Jessica Parker was born in 1965 in the city of Nelsonville in southern Ohio. A child prodigy on Broadway, she starred in films such as "Footloose" and "First Wives Club" before taking on the role of narrator Carrie Bradshaw in the hit sitcom "Sex and the City" in 1998. That role brought her four Best Actress Golden Globe awards. Of the alternatives, Judy Reyes, Carla Espinosa in NBC sitcom "Scrubs" was born in 1967, whilst Vanessa Marcil (real name Sally Vanessa Ortiz), star of "General Hospital", "Beverly Hills, 90210" and "Las Vegas" is a year younger than Reyes. Courteney Cox, Monica Geller in the hit sitcom "Friends", passed 50 in 2014.

5. Remarkably, this model and actress did not get her first modeling job until she was almost 30. She is almost as famous for the men she dates as for her acting, although she has co-starred on the big screen opposite the likes of Mike Myers and Brendan Fraser. Which of our modeling celebs racks up her half century in 2015?

Answer: Elizabeth Hurley

Elizabeth Jane Hurley was born in 1965 in Basingstoke in Hampshire. She first hit the headlines as Hugh Grant's girlfriend and for the dress she wore to the Los Angeles premiere of "Four Weddings and a Funeral" in 1994. Later that same year, she got her first modeling contract, with Est�e Lauder.

Her film roles include "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery" opposite Mike Myers in 1997 and playing the Devil in "Bedazzled" with Brendan Fraser in 2000. Hurley was also involved in a high-profile relationship with Australian cricketer Shane Warne. Of the alternatives, Samantha Fox, who first appeared on Page Three of "The Sun" when she was just 16 and quickly became Britain's favorite pin-up, was born in 1966, whearas Traci Lords (real name Nora Louise Kuzma), who began nude modeling at 15, is two years younger than Fox. Former model and actress Kelly Preston (real name Kelly Kamalelehua Smith), who has been Mrs John Travolta since 1991, passed the big day in 2012.

6. A graduate of New York University, this actress was a cast member in the 1990 Tony Award winning Best Play "Grapes of Wrath". She began playing the TV role for which she is well known in 2001. Indeed, she has played both sides of the street on TV, both detective and death row inmate. Who is this TV actress who reaches 50 in 2015?

Answer: Kathryn Erbe

Kathryn Elsbeth Erbe was born in 1965 in the Boston suburb of Newton, Massachusetts. She made her film debut in 1989 and landed her first major TV role as death row inmate Shirley Bellinger in the HBO series "Oz" (1998-2003). She began her 10-year stint playing Detective Alexandra Eames in "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" in 2001. Of the alternatives, both Mariska Hargitay, Detective Olivia Benson in "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" and Lisa Gay Hamilton, Rebecca Washington in "The Practice", celebrated their Big 5-0s in 2014. Catherine Bell, Lt. Col. Sarah MacKenzie in "JAG" and Denise Sherwood in "Army Wives", was not born until 1968.

7. An Olympic champion and multiple World champion, she is considered one of the all-time best in her sport. In 1996, she had a cameo role in the Tom Cruise film "Jerry Maguire". When in her early 30s, she posed nude in "Playboy". Who is this champion athlete who gets that extra-special birthday card in 2015?

Answer: Katarina Witt

Katarina Witt was born in 1965 in the district of Staaken, part of the Spandau borough of Berlin on the East German side of The Wall. A double Olympic ice-skating champion, winning the Singles title in Sarajevo in 1984 and in Calgary in 1988, Witt also won four gold and two silver World championship medals.

She also collected six consecutive European titles between 1983 and 1988. Of the alternatives, South African Zola Budd, a former World record holder at 5000m who competed controversially for Great Britain at the 1984 Olympics and for South Africa at the 1992 Games, was born in 1966. Mary Lou Retton, America's sweetheart of the 1984 Olympics where she won the all-around Gymnastics gold as well as collecting two silver and two bronze medals, is two years younger than Budd. Tracy Austin, a former world number one ranked tennis player whose record as the youngest winner of a female grand slam singles title (the 1979 US Open) at the age of just 16 still stood more than 45 years later, turned 50 in December 2012.

8. Our next birthday girl gained fame as a child actress. She made her screen debut at the age of 12 in "Little House on the Prairie". The following year, she played one of the most iconic 'little girl' characters in children's literature in a TV movie. As a teenager she appeared in "Dynasty". Who is this child star who hits the 50 mark in 2015?

Answer: Katy Kurtzman

Katy Kurtzman was born in Washington D.C. in 1965. From 1977-78, she played the stuttering Anna in "Little House on the Prairie". In 1978 she performed the title character in the made-for-TV "The New Adventures of Heidi" where she co-starred with Burl Ives as the story was transplanted from Switzerland to downtown Manhattan.

In 1981, Kurtzman appeared as the teenage daughter, Lindsay, of the Blaisdels in hot prime-time soap "Dynasty". Of the alternatives, both Melissa Gilbert, who starred as Laura Ingalis Wilder in "Little House on the Prairie" for ten years, and Bonnie Langford, the winner of "Opportunity Knocks" at the age of six and later Mel Bush, the companion to both Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy in the cult UK TV series "Dr. Who", celebrated their special birthday in 2014. Lara Jill Miller, Sam in the US TV sitcom "Gimme a Break!" for six years, was not born until 1967.

9. This singer released her debut album in 1977 when she was just twelve years old and, appropriately for this quiz, her band's biggest single, a hit in 1986 on indie stations on both sides of the Atlantic, was "Birthday". Her next album, though, did not arrive for another sixteen years. Multiple single releases have produced Top 10 UK chart hits, and number ones in the US Dance chart. Which of these singers hits makes it into the Top 50 in 2015?

Answer: Bj�rk

She was born Bj�rk Gu�mundsd�ttir in 1965 in the Icelandic capital of Reykjav�k. Known mononymously just as Bj�rk, her solo album at the age of 12 was followed by a period as lead singer with alternative rock band The Sugarcubes. Going solo again, she released her second album, "Debut", in 1993.

Her singles have charted just about everywhere in the world, although in the US it was mostly in the Dance chart that she had an impact, with number one hits there. Of the alternatives, Grammy award winner Tracy Chapman reached 50 in 2014. Country-pop star Faith Hill (real name Audrey Faith Perry, she became Mrs Tim McGraw in 1996) and American R&B singer-songwriter Toni Braxton were both born in 1967.

10. This actress made her TV debut on the daytime soap "Another World" at the age of 16. Her numerous film appearances include co-starring as John Travolta's love interest in 1996. From 2005 until 2012 she starred in a US TV police procedural series. Who is this actress who reaches the magic number in 2015?

Answer: Kyra Sedgwick

She was born Kyra Minturn Sedgwick in New York, NY in 1965. After making her screen debut in a TV soap in 1982, she earned a degree in theater from the University of Southern California and made appearances in numerous high-profile films. Amongst these were "Tai-Pan" in 1986 (playing Tess Brock, the daughter of the title character's arch enemy), "Mr & Mrs Bridge" in 1990 (as Ruth Bridge, daughter of Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward) and "Phenomenon" in 1996 (as John Travolta's love interest). From 2005 until 2012 she starred as Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson in TNT's police drama "The Closer". Of the alternatives, Julianna Margulies, Nurse Carol Hathaway in the hit series "ER", was born in 1966, whilst Lucy Liu, the ill-mannered Ling Woo from "Ally McBeal" and one of three stars of the 2000 film "Charlie's Angels", firt saw the light of day in 1968.

Helen Hunt, star of TV sitcom "Mad About You" and an Oscar winner for her role opposite Jack Nicholson in "As Good As It Gets" celebrated her Big 5-0 in 2013.

Source: Author EnglishJedi

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor skunkee before going online.
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Reaching the Big 5-0 in 2015 Trivia Quiz

Ladies are often coy about their age, so you may think that some of our female celebrities are younger than they are. Can you work out which of the celebs turn 50 in 2015 from the clues provided?

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