Interesting Facts and Coincidences Quiz

Answer: John Adams and Thomas Jefferson

Whoa, two former Presidents died on the same day and on the fiftieth anniversary of the "Declaration of Independence"! And James Monroe also died on the fourth of July, in 1831.

Answer: They had both married the same man

Jean Arthur was known for such movies as "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" and "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town". Joan Caulfield starred in "Blue Skies" and "Monsieur Beaucaire". Joan died on June 18, 1991 and Jean died the next day. Jean was married to producer Frank Ross from 1932 to 1949. Joan was married to Ross from 1950-1960. (From the IMDB)

Answer: Their parents starred in a movie together

Oscar winning actress Liza Minnelli is the daughter of Judy Garland, who played Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz". Jack Haley is the son of Jack Haley who starred as the Tinman in "The Wizard of Oz". However, the marriage did not last and the couple were divorced in 1979.

Answer: They both starred in a movie together

Robert Mitchum starred as Harry Kilmer in the 1975 Sidney Pollack film, "The Yakazu", which was set in Japan. Brian Keith co-starred as George Tanner, in a film which co-starred mostly Asian actors.

Answer: They both played the same role

McLean Stevenson starred in the classic TV series "M*A*S*H" from 1972-1975 as Colonel Henry Blake. Roger Bowen starred in the 1970 movie "M*A*S*H" as Colonel Henry Blake. (from the IMDB)

Answer: Roger Ebert

Paul McCartney and Roger Ebert were both born on June 18, 1942.

Answer: Cervantes

William Shakespeare and Spanish novelist and playwright, Miguel Cervantes both died on or about April 22, 1616. Cervantes was best known for writing "Don Quixote".

Answer: Isaac Newton

Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei was born in Pisa in 1564, where he also studied and later held the chair in mathematics from 1589 - 1592. Among his inventions was the microscope and a telescope and he established the laws of falling bodies as they are still formulated.

He likewise demonstrated the laws of projectiles, and largely anticipated the laws of motion as finally established by Newton. Galileo died on 8 January 1642. English physicist and mathematician Sir Issac Newton was born January 4, 1643.

He built the first reflecting telescope in 1668 and became a professor of mathematics at Cambridge in 1669. He worked out the fundamentals of calculus, and described the laws of motion, orbital dynamics, tidal theory, and the theory of universal gravitation. Newton died in 1727.

Answer: Katharine Hepburn

Actress Katharine Hepburn won four Oscars, but one of her best known parts was for her Oscar nominated role in the 1940 movie, "The Philadelphia Story". The name of her character in that movie was Tracy Lord. In 1956, the movie was remade as "High Society" starring Grace Kelly as Tracy Lord.

Answer: Both of their assassins were from the north

Both of the assassins, John Wilkes Booth and Lee Harvey Oswald, were from the south. Other coincidental facts from Lincoln and Kennedy include the fact that Abraham Lincoln was elected President in 1860 and John F. Kennedy was elected President in 1960.

The names Lincoln and Kennedy each contain seven letters. Lincoln's secretary was named Kennedy. Kennedy's secretary was named Lincoln. Andrew Johnson, who succeeded Lincoln, was born in 1808. Lyndon Johnson, who succeeded Kennedy, was born in 1908. Both assassins were known by their three names. Both names comprise fifteen letters. Booth ran from a theater and was caught in a warehouse. Oswald ran from a warehouse and was caught in a theater. Booth and Oswald were assassinated before their trials. If you want to learn more you visit http://www.laughatjokes.com/politicaljokes/strangecoincidence.html

Answer: Green Berry Hill

Sir Edmund Berry Godfrey was the Magistrate who was to hear evidence from Titus Oates in 'The Popish Plot'. He disappeared on October 12, 1678, and his body was found near Primrose Hill on October 17. Three men were hanged for the crime. Their names were Robert Green, Henry Berry and Laurence Hill.

The coincidence refers to the fact that Primrose Hill was said to have once been called Greenberry Hill. The case was also written about by John Dickinson Carr in the 1936 historical murder mystery, "The Murder of Sir Edmund Godfrey".

Answer: Goldie Hawn

Goldie Hawn was born in Washington D.C. She won an Oscar as Best Supporting actress for the 1969 film "Cactus Flower" and starred in such films as "Private Benjamin" and "Foul Play". She also appeared the classic TV show "Laugh-In". Robert Benchley (1889-1945) appeared in such movies as Alfred Hitchcock's "Foreign Correspondant" and Bob Hope and Bing Crosby's "The Road to Utopia". Benchley was noted for writing his own lines and his dry wit.

He also made many amusing Shorts consisting of lectures, of which one, "How to Sleep", won an Oscar. (From the IMDB and "The Book of Lists 90's Edition" by David Wallechinsky and Amy Wallace.)

Answer: author Umberto Eco

Author Umberto Eco, best known for "Name of the Rose", was born January 5, 1932. (From the Book of Lists 90s Edition" by David Wallechinsky and Amy Wallace)

Answer: Edwin Booth

Robert Todd Lincoln, Abraham and Mary Todd's first child, was born August 1, 1843. In 1863 or 1864, Robert Lincoln's life was saved by actor Edwin Booth, the brother of John Wilkes Booth, the assassin of President Lincoln. (From "The Book of Lists 90's Edition" by David Wallechinsky and Amy Wallace) More info can also be found at http://members.aol.com/RVSNorton1/Lincoln59.html

Answer: Woody Allen

Lou Rawls was born December 1, 1933 in Chicago. Woody Allen was born Allen Stewart Konigsberg on December 1, 1935 in Brooklyn New York.