The Debonair Mr Grant Trivia Quiz

Answer: All of these

As a young boy, Archie had to live with the fact that his mother continued to grieve for her first son, who died five years before he was born. Her depression eventually led to her being placed in a mental institution. Archie was not told why she went away.

His father did not endear himself to his young son. His heavy drinking and extramarital affairs made life in the Leach family home unbearable, and Archie finally left at 14. He apparently forged his father's signature and joined Bob Pender's theatrical troupe, where he acquired juggling, acrobatic and song and dance skills which would stand him in good stead in his as yet undetermined acting career.

Answer: Paramount

The name Archie Leach was clearly not going to be a box office winner, and so Paramount Studios decided to refashion the handsome English actor's image. Despite his first part being uncredited, the studio obviously felt he had potential and renamed him Cary Grant.

There has been some speculation that the name was chosen to emulate the success of Gary Cooper, as the names were not dissimilar. The newly annointed Grant then made his officially credited debut in "This is the Night" (1932).

Answer: Bachelor Hall

Despite frequent women guests, there were those who suggested that the studio had named the house Bachelor Hall to hose down the rumours of a relationship between the men. Later, one of Grant's wives, Betsy Drake gave a firm denial that rumours of the relationship held any water at all.

Answer: The Philadelphia Story

In "The Philadelphia Story" (1940), Grant played the extremely smooth C. K. Dexter Haven to Hepburn's Tracy Lord - his ex-wife, James Stewart's Macaulay Connor - a journalist and Ruth Hussey's Elizabeth Imbrie - a nosy reporter. All three of his co-stars collected Academy Awards for their roles while Grant was overlooked.

Despite two nominations, he remained Oscarless until 1970, when he received the Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Answer: The only actor I ever loved in my whole life

Hitchcock's admiration for Grant was evident in that they worked together successfully on four brilliantly suspenseful movies. He gave to the notoriously difficult director, four beautifully crafted characters. In "Suspicion" he was the handsome Johnny Aysgarth, the gambler whose wife suspected him of something more sinister when his business partner was killed.

His complex character in "Notorious" was T.R. Devlin, an agent who recruited a beautiful woman to spy for him. Perhaps his most famous Hitchcock role was that of the thoroughly likeable and utterly charming John Robie an ex-cat burglar trying to steer suspicion away from himself in "To Catch a Thief". Hitchcock, however, saved the best for last and sent Grant's character Roger O. Thornhill tearing desperately through a cornfield to escape a crop duster, and then more famously across the carved faces on Mt. Rushmore.

Answer: Arsenic and Old Lace

In "Arsenic and Old Lace" (1944), Grant's character Mortimer Brewster brought his new wife to visit his beloved aunts. He soon realised that they are not the sweet little old ladies he thought them to be. They were in fact murderers who provided what they considered a service to the world, by doing away with elderly gentlemen with religious leanings.

The ensuing mayhem, and Mortimer's desperate efforts to protect his aunts and his marriage, sealed Grant's reputation as a fine comedy actor.

Answer: An Affair to Remember

Grant and Kerr played two star crossed lovers who met and fell in love when they were both engaged to other people. They agreed to test the depth of their love and decided to wait six months, and then meet at the top of the Empire State Building. Naturally one of them failed to make the rendezvous. The ensuing twists and turns until they finally got together were certainly worthy of several boxes of tissues.

"An Affair to Remember" (1957) was one of the movies most often associated with Grant's career. 36 years later - the film itself became the unwitting star of the movie "Sleepless in Seattle" with Grant's unmistakable tones echoing in the background of the letter writing scene.

Answer: Barbara Harris

Cary Grant married Virginia Cherrill in 1933 and they divorced two years later.
His second marriage was to Barbara Hutton, heiress to the Woolworth millions, in 1942, and this time the union was for three years.
His most enduring espousal was to actress Betsy Drake. They managed ten years as man and wife - divorcing in 1959.
His marriage to Dyan Cannon in 1965 produced his only child - Jennifer. The couple parted ways after only a few years.
Grant's fifth wife was to be his widow. He and Barbara Harris married in 1981. The marriage lasted five years until Grant's death in 1986.

Answer: Father Goose

"Father Goose" (1964) was Grant's last film but one. He played a gruff, rough character - rather too fond of his whiskey - and altogether lacking in social graces. When teacher Catherine Freneau (Leslie Caron) and her young female charges arrived on the island, Eckland found himself in for quite a few changes.
Grant always felt that the character of Walter Eckland was the closest he ever came on film to his own personality.

Answer: He toured the US, discussing his films and career.

Cary Grant toured the United States with a one man presentation entitled "A Conversation with Cary Grant". He showed selections from his rather extensive film career and then the audience was able to ask questions of the actor. On November 29, 1986, Grant was preparing for a performance in Davenport, Iowa, when he suffered a massive stroke and died a few hours later.
With his charming good looks and his signature English accent, Grant enchanted generations of movie goers all over the world. Perhaps it's time to escape to Monte Carlo and the world of John Robie just one more time.