Not The Simpsons Trivia Quiz

Answer: Jean Valjean

Valjean is the protagonist in Victor Hugo's classic "Les Miserables." He is imprisoned for stealing a loaf of bread and the novel follows his life, in and out of prison, and his chase by Inspector Javert. Charles Darnay is an expatriate French nobleman captured during the French revolution in Dickens' "A Tale of Two Cities." Tom Robinson is the black man, accused of raping a white girl, defended by Atticus Finch in Harper Lee's "To Kill A Mockingbird." Winston Smith is incarcerated and brainwashed by The Party in George Orwell's "1984."

Answer: Bouvier

Before marrying John F. Kennedy (and later shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis), the former First Lady was Jacqueline Bouvier. Interestingly, this is the name of Marge's mother on The Simpsons. Rodham was Senator Hilary Clinton's last name before she married former President Bill Clinton. Spencer was Princess Diana's name before she married Prince Charles, while Norma Jean Baker achieved fame as Marilyn Monroe.

Answer: HMS Pinafore

"Pinafore" is one of Gilbert and Sullivan's best loved operas and it tells the story of a group of limeys on board Her Majesty's Ship Pinafore. In The Simpsons episode "Terror Lake", Bart has Sideshow Bob (who is trying to kill Bart) sing the entire score from "HMS Pinafore" to buy time before the police can apprehend Bob. "Ruddigore", subtitled "The Witch's Curse", is about the life and crimes of Robin Oakapple as he becomes the evil Baronet of Ruddigore. "Pirates of Penzance", or "The Slave of Duty", contains the famous "I Am the Very Model of A Modern Major General". "The Mikado", arguably history's best loved opera, is set in Japan and features the favourite "Three Little Maids from School Are We".

Answer: U2

"Pride" is probably the Irish legends' best known song, which was first released on the '84 album "The Unforgettable Fire". It is a tribute to Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. All the above bands have appeared on The Simpsons. When Homer runs for Sanitation Commissioner, he crashes a U2 concert while they are in the middle of "Pride" to connect with young voters. All four band members: Bono Vox (ne Paul Hewson), The Edge (ne Dave Evans), Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen, Jr., as well as manager Paul McGuinness lend their voices. R.E.M. (Mike Mills, Michael Stipe, and Peter Buck) have had major hits with such albums as "Automatic for the People" and "Monster" and are best known for the single "Losing My Religion".

The Ramones were the first major punk band and influenced countless bands, from the Clash and the Sex Pistols to the Strokes and White Stripes.

They starred in the cult-classic film "Rock and Roll High School" and played at Mr. Burns' birthday party. Often called America's Greatest Rock Band, Aerosmith burst on the scene in the mid-70's with "Dream On".

A string of great tunes like "Walk This Way" and "Sweet Emotion" followed, but the band did not hit #1 until 1999's "I Don't Want to Miss A Thing" from the soundtrack to the film "Armaggedon".

Answer: Dallas

The episode in question is the famous "Who Shot J.R.?" episode, which revealed J.R. Ewing's assailant. This was parodied by "The Simpsons" in the "Who Shot Mr. Burns?" series (it was Maggie). The Flintstones were the "modern stone-age family" created by television pioneers Joseph Hanna and William Barbara.

Their eponymous show was the first animated sitcom, which laid the groundwork for "The Simpsons" and others. "The Ed Sullivan Show"'s most famous episode is probably the February 9, 1964 edition when The Beatles appeared on the popular variety show for the first time. "I Love Lucy" starred Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz in a wildly popular sitcom from the 50's and 60's which retains widespread appeal to this day.

Answer: Paint Your Wagon

This Western musical was released in 1969 and directed by Joshua Logan. It stars Marvin as Ben Rumson and Eastwood as Pardner. In The Simpsons, Homer and Bart bring home a copy of the film anticipating a blood-bath, only to discover the film for what ot really is, a musical (though The Simpsons version is a spoof of the real thing). "Dirty Harry" is probably Clint Eastwood's most famous film in which he portrays "Dirty" Harry Callahan and utters the immortal line "Do you feel lucky, punk? Well, do you?" Lee Marvin starred in both "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" and "The Dirty Dozen", the latter costarring Ernest Borgnine, Charles Bronson, Donald Sutherland (all of whom have appeared on The Simpsons) and NFL Hall of Famer Jim Brown.

Answer: John Keats

Considered by many the greatest of the English poets, "Ode" is probably Keats' best known work. He lived in London between 1795 and 1821. When The Simpsons visit Rommelwood Military School, Lisa discovers a class of students studying the poem. Tennyson is another of the great English men of letters, most famous for his "The Charge of The Light Brigade" about the Crimean War. Thomas, a Welshman, is best known for "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" while Shelley, a very accomplished poet (among his achievements is "Ode to the West Wind") in his own right, was the husband of Mary Shelley, who wrote the novel "Frankenstein".

Answer: Vincent Price

Vincent Price is a legend of the horror and fantasy movie genres and is an inductee into the Horror Hall of Fame. He has played in such classic films as "The Fly" and "Edward Scissorhands". In The Simpsons, he endorses a craft kit known as "Vincent Price's Egg Magic", obviously an allusion to his days as Egghead. Marge and Lisa play with the kit while Homer and Bart travel to the Super Bowl, and Price later appears driving a bus which picks up John Madden and Pat Summerall. Cesar Romero portrayed the Joker in Batman and was in the original, Rat-Pack version of "Ocean's Eleven", recently remade with George Clooney and Brad Pitt. David Wayne played the Mad Hatter on "Batman" and Burgess Meredith, who played the role of Mickey in "Rocky", portrayed the Penguin.

Answer: Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin

Aldrin was the second crew member present when "The Eagle" landed on the moon on July 20, 1969. Michael Collins was the third astronaut on Apollo 11, but he stayed behind to guide the rocket around the moon. He appeared on The Simpsons in the episode "Deep Space Homer" as one of the astronauts who Homer accompanies into space. Alan Sheppard was the first American in space, when he achieved suborbital flight on board Freedom 7 on May 5, 1961. Grissom commanded both Mercury-Redstone 4 and Gemini 3.

He died on the launchpad on an Apollo mission January 27, 1967. John Glenn was the first American to orbit the Earth, which he did on Friendship 7. He later became a US Senator and recently became the oldest man in space.

Answer: Grover Cleveland

Cleveland served from 1881 to 1885 and again from 1889 to 1893, with Benjamin Harrison serving in the interim. This piece of presidential trivia is the source of one of my favourite Simpsons moments. When former President George H.W. Bush moves across the street from the Simpsons, he is repeatedly annoyed by Bart (in a Dennis the Menace spoof) and eventually spanks Bart. Bart complains to Homer, but is overheard by Grandpa who says, "That's nothing.

When I was a kid, we got spanked by Presidents 'til the cows came home. Grover Cleveland spanked me on two non-consecutive occasions." Buchanan directly preceeded Abraham Lincoln in office and is the only President never to have married. William Henry Harrison served the shortest term in office (30 days), was the first OIC to die in office and also gave the longest inauguration address. Polk was the 11th President and campaigned for American control of the entire Oregon Territory under the famous slogan "54-40 or Fight!"