Three Into Two Goes Trivia Quiz

Answer: Ben Kingsley

Born in the UK in 1943, Kingsley got into acting through amateur dramatics when at college in Manchester. Turning down the opportunity of a pop career, he joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1967 and made his film debut in 1972. He subsequently changed his name.

Answer: Alan Alda

An American actor, he was born in New York in 1936 and started off as an improvisational actor during the 1950s as a member of the Compass Players. The television series "M.A.S.H." is probably his best known work. His stage name 'Alda' borrows the first two letters of his first birth-name and surname.

Answer: Larry King

American television and radio host Larry King was born in New York in 1933 of Lithuanian and Ukrainian parents. He started off in radio as a disc jockey and, after prompting from the general manager, selected a new surname from an advert in "The Miami Herald" newspaper.

Answer: Hulk Hogan

Retired American pro wrestler Hulk Hogan was born in 1953 in Augusta, Georgia. The wrestling career started relatively slowly and it was also a while before he adopted the Hulk Hogan moniker. At one time he was The Super Destroyer, later calling himself Terry Boulder (one of the Boulder Brothers), then Terry 'The Hulk' Boulder and then he was given the Irish name Hogan by his then manager to become Hulk Hogan.

Answer: Rock Hudson

Rock Hudson was an American actor best known for his roles in the 1950s and 1960s. His stage name was created by a talent scout from a combination of the Rock of Gibraltar and the Hudson River. He is reported as not liking the stage name.

Answer: Elvis Costello

Born in 1954, British musician and song-writer Elvis Costello initially adopted the stage name of D.P. Costello in honour of his father who performed as Day Costello. The Elvis
(from Elvis Presley) came later at the suggestion of his manager at Stiff Records.

Answer: Kirk Douglas

He was born in 1916 in New York and changed his name to Kirk Douglas before signing up for the Navy during the Second World War. The film career started after the war. His birth-name is sometimes reported as Issur Danielovitch and sometimes with Demsky added, the surname adopted by his parents on immigration to the US in 1912.

Answer: Courtney Love

The controversial American actress and musician Courtney Love was born in 1964. She is said to have adopted the surname 'Love' in part to conceal her identity when working as a stripper during her teens.

In the film world perhaps her best known role was as Althea Leasure in the 1996 film "The People vs. Larry Flynt". Musically, she came to prominence as frontwoman in the band Hole. She was also married to Kurt Cobain of the band Nirvana.

Answer: Shania Twain

Born in 1965 in Ontario, Canada, Shania's surname was changed to Twain after her mother remarried and she was formally adopted by her step-father, along with her sisters.

Initially trying to become a rock singer, country music provided her breakthrough. Around this time she changed her first name to Shania, said to be an Ojibwe word meaning 'on my way', although this has been questioned.

Answer: Cary Grant

Born in the UK in 1904, Cary Grant became a Hollywood star appearing in numerous films from the 1930s through to the 1960s.

Starting off with a troupe of acrobatic dancers, he came to the US and became part of the vaudeville circuit, eventually signing a contract with Paramount Pictures. A name change to something more American was required by Paramount and they agreed on Cary Grant.