The Award-Winning Al Pacino Trivia Quiz

Answer: Murph

Israel Horovitz's one-act play about an Indian arriving in New York to visit his son, whose lack of English makes him the subject of harassment from two young men, earned Al Pacino an Obie (the off-Broadway equivalent of a Tony) for Best Actor in 1968.

He played one of the youngsters; the Indian, Gupta, was played by John Cazale, who also won an Obie, for Best Supporting Actor. Both actors were reprising the roles they had in the original production two years earlier at the O'Neil Theatre Center in Waterford, Connecticut.

Answer: Bickham

Pacino's Broadway debut was as a teenaged drug addict in a rehabilitation centre - already, it is clear that he was not being seen as just a pretty face! Although the play had a relatively short run (February 25 - March 29, 1969), it earned him a Tony Award for Best Dramatic Actor in a Supporting Role.

He also received a Drama Desk Award and a Theatre World Award. After years of bit parts, he had made it to a position of notice in the theatre world.

Answer: Michael Corleone

The first movie in Francis Ford Coppola's epic trilogy about the Corleone family brought Al Pacino to the attention of audiences around the world in 1972. In this film, Michael is shown as wishing to escape from the family's criminal activities, but eventually finding that he is inextricably bound to them.

His intense, brooding persona was typical of a number of Pacino's roles to this time, and earned him a nomination for an Academy Award as Best Supporting Actor. He boycotted the ceremony, indignant that he did not get a Best Actor nomination, as he had more screen time than Marlon Brando (who won Best Actor). For the 1974 sequel, he was nominated in the Best Actor category, but lost out to Art Carney, in 'Harry and Tonto'.

He did win the BAFTA Award for Best Actor for 'The Godfather: Part II'.

Answer: Sonny Wortzik

This 1975 film directed by Sidney Lumet was based on an actual incident of a bank robbery gone terribly awry. The title refers to what are known as the dog days of summer, when everyone has had it up to here with the heat and humidity, and tempers are frayed. Sonny and his friend Sal (played by John Cazale) attempt to rob a bank, only to find that they arrived after the day's takings had been transported away.

They find themselves holding hostages in a confrontation with the police, and it is clear that we are not heading for a happy ending.

This role earned Al Pacino his first Academy Award for Best Actor. This was the third year in a row that he was nominated in that category - I skipped 1973's 'Serpico', since the title character would have been a bit of a giveaway for this quiz format.

Answer: Arthur Kirkland

In 1979 Al Pacino found himself portraying a defence attorney coerced into defending a judge with whom he has had many issues over the years against a charge of rape, a crime to which the judge admits under the shield of lawyer-client confidentiality. Arthur eventually expresses his disgust with the entire legal system (knowing it is going to spell the end of his career) with a famous tirade.

After he tells the court that his client is guilty, he is rebuked for being out of order, and shouts, "You're out of order! You're out of order! The whole trial is out of order! They're out of order!" Pacino was nominated, yet again, for a Best Actor Oscar, but lost to Dustin Hoffman in 'Kramer vs Kramer' (a role that Pacino had turned down).

Answer: Alphonse "Big Boy" Caprice

This 1990 film starring Warren Beatty and Madonna as Dick Tracy and Breathless Mahoney gave Pacino a chance to show his ability in handling comedic as well as dramatic roles. Big Boy is the crime lord behind most of the criminal activities going on in town.

In the original comic strip, he was only referred to as Big Boy - the surname was added for the film. Although the movie received mixed reviews, it also garnered a number of award nominations, including Pacino for Best Supporting Oscar at the Academy Awards, BAFTAs and Golden Globes.

Answer: Lt Colonel Frank Slade

After four unsuccessful Best Actor nominations (as well as two for Best supporting Actor), this 1992 role finally saw Al Pacino win the Oscar (as well as a Golden Globe) portraying an aging blind alcoholic who is initially planning on suicide after spending the Thanksgiving long weekend with Charlie (Chris O'Donnell), a schoolboy who has been hired to look after his needs.

The events of the weekend give him a renewed interest in life.

Answer: Richard III

Al Pacino won a Directors Guild Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement - Documentary for this 1997 documentary exploring the complexities of portraying the Shakespearian character, and the relevance of Shakespeare's plays to contemporary audiences.

It included excerpts from the play (in which he played the title role) as well as discussions with other Shakespearian actors (including Kenneth Branagh, Vanessa Redgrave and John Gielgud) and various experts on the work of the Bard. This documentary offered a reminder that Pacino never devoted himself to the Hollywood celebrity whirl - he has regularly appeared in stage productions over the years.

Answer: Roy Cohn

Al Pacino won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Television Movie for his work in this 2003 HBO miniseries directed by Mike Nichols. Set in 1985, it deals with the emerging AIDS epidemic (most of the central characters being gay) and the politics of the Reagan administration. One of the central figures is Roy Cohn, a right-wing political power (whose name will be widely familiar from his role in the infamous McCarthy hearings in the 1950s), who has kept his homosexuality concealed in order to maintain his political status. Now he must come to terms with his past as he faces his imminent death from AIDS.

The series was wildly successful with critics, and won an amazing array of awards, including 11 Emmy Awards from 21 nominations - inevitably some of the multiple nominees in supporting roles had to lost to the winner! As well as wins in all four of the acting categories for which it was eligible, it won Outstanding Miniseries. This clean sweep of the major awards was repeated at the Golden Globes.

Answer: Jack Kevorkian

This 2010 made-for-television film is about the man who became widely known as Dr. Death because of his campaigning for the right to die, and his willingness to assist the terminally ill to arrange their own deaths. For most of the (reputedly) over a hundred deaths which he assisted, he maintained sufficient distance from the actual event to avoid conviction when tried; in 1998 he participated directly, leading to a murder conviction and jail sentence.

The film was nominated for 15 Primetime Emmy Awards, and won two. Adam Mazer was awarded Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie, or Dramatic Special and Al Pacino Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie. Pacino also won Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards for the role.