The Joy of Knowledge 9 Trivia Quiz

Answer: Devil's claw

The name, devil's claw, is derived from the thorny barbs on its unusual fruit. It appears to be covered with numerous small hooks. Herbalists believe it stimulates the stomach to increase production of acid, which improves digestion. Its storage roots contain the active ingredients. Millions of European people today, take devil's claw daily, one tablet with your morning meal, and one with your evening meal.

As it promotes acid, it shouldn't be used by sufferers of gastric or duodenal ulcers, nor be used during pregnancy.

Although devil's claw has pain-killing properties, it hasn't yet been fully recognised and accepted by the medical profession. It is therefore regarded as merely a herbal supplement.

Answer: Something's Got To Give

'Something's Got To Give' (1962) was a remake of 'My Favorite Wife' (1940) but was never completed. Marilyn Monroe and Dean Martin were to star in this movie but production was halted and Marilyn died shortly afterwards. The script was refurbished to allow Doris Day to appear in 'Move Over Darling'(1963). Jack Nicholson and Diana Keaton starred in a 2003 romantic comedy, with a similar movie title, called 'Something's Gotta Give'.

Answer: high

Highchair, high jump, high rise, high society and high wire.
A highchair is a long-legged chair for a child. It has a table-like tray for use at meal times.
A high-rise refers to a building, such as one used for offices or flats/apartments.
High society are the upper classes, or a 1956 movie starring Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly and Frank Sinatra, among its castlist.

Answer: Yorkshire Fog

Yorkshire Fog is a hardy pasture grass which is native to Europe. It prefers wetter ground such as drainage ditches and is a coloniser of disturbed ground. This tufted grass has white or pink flowerheads. Its velvety, gray-green coloured leaves, may resemble the fogs of the English area of Yorkshire, in northern England. London Pride is a garden plant with small pale pink flowers.

The plant symbolized the resilience of ordinary Londoners, during the Blitz, as it rapidly colonised bombed sites.

Answer: Harold Lloyd

This was the brilliant retort (quick answer) made by the American comedy actor, Harold Lloyd (1893-1971), when he was asked his age by 'The Times' London newspaper, on 23 September, 1970. Harold Lloyd appeared in many movies, mainly in Hollywood's Golden Age, during the 1920s.

His career lasted 34 years and a pair of horn-rimmed spectacles became his famous trademark. Who could possibly forget the scene when he clung from the side of that fourteen-storeyed building, dangling from the hands of a giant clock, in the 1923 movie, 'Safety Last'. Actress Mildred Davis co-starred with him in many of his movies.

After 'Safety Last', Mildred left the movies to become Mrs. Harold Lloyd. Alas, in 1971, this Nebraskan-born comedian, died from cancer.

Answer: The Owl and the Pussy Cat

Edward Lear (1812-88) wrote the poem 'The Owl and the Pussy Cat' (1871). He was born in London and was the youngest of 21 children. (No telly in those days)
Here is a relevant snipet of his poem which relates to the question.
"Pussy said to the Owl, "You elegant fowl!
How charmingly sweet you sing!
O let us be married, too long we have tarried
But what shall we do for a ring?"
(They sailed away for a year and a day,
To the land where the Bong-tree grows)
And there in a wood, a Piggy-wig stood
With a ring at the end of his nose,
His nose, His nose,
With a ring at the end of his nose."

Edward Lear was educated at home by his sister Ann who was twenty-one years his senior. He suffered from asthma, bronchitis, depression and epilepsy, so he decided to draw to earn a living. He became a highly acclaimed artist and was employed by the British Museum and the Zoological Society of London, where he made drawings of the parrots in their collection. He later worked at Knowsley Park, near Liverpool, where he drew more birds. In 1846, his famous 'A Book of Nonsense' was published. Since his death in 1888, his remarkable talent as an artist has risen steadily.

Answer: Larry Grayson

Larry Grayson was a former music hall drag performer, known as Billy Breen. The high spot of his career was when he presented 'The Generation Game', when Bruce Forsyth moved to ITV, in 1978. Larry managed to attract an audience of about 18 million viewers each week.

He was assisted by the lovely folk singer, Isla St Clair. His catchphrases of "Look at the muck in here", "Seems like a nice boy" and his famous "Shut that door" have stood the ravages of time. His final television appearance was in 1994, when he appeared in the Royal Variety Performance. Alas, he died the following year, in 1995.

Answer: Fuerteventura

The Spanish island of Fuerteventura is located just off the western coast of Morocco. It is almost inhabited and has sands blown here from the Sahara desert. It is an ideal location for holidaymakers who want somewhere hot, but cannot stand too much heat. Its very welcome breeze prevents you melting around the pool. Its east coast is sheltered, and is often used by windsurfers.

Answer: 30 years

Michael Biggs challenged the judge's decision and appealled against his father's 30 year jail sentence. At the time, 72 year old Ronnie, had health problems and had suffered a number of strokes. Michael insisted his father had played a minor role in the armed robbery. Ronnie Biggs had escaped from Wandsworth prison in 1963, then led the life of a fugitive. Ronnie had returned to Britain after 35 years on the run in order to get his jail sentence reduced, on the grounds he was now, an ill man. Ronnie Biggs was part of an armed gang that stole sacks of banknotes, estimated at £2.6 million.

This was considered the largest robbery of its time. Jack Mills was the train driver who got hit over the head. His injuries were so serious that he never returned to work and died of cancer in 1970. Jack Slipper was the Scotland Yard detective, who tried for years, to get Biggs extradited from Brazil. Jack died aged 81, on 24 August, 2005. Buster Edwards, whom Phil Collins portrayed in the movie 'Buster'(1988), got a 15 year jail sentence for his part in the Great Train Robbery.

Answer: Guyana

All of the mentioned countries belong to the continent of Africa, with the exception of Guyana, which is located in South America. All of these African countries also end in the letters (ia).

Answer: Jack Nicholson

The quotation was said by Jack Nicholson about his trademark sunglasses.
John Joseph (Jack) Nicholson was born in Manhattan, New York, USA, on 22 April, 1937. He is one of America's best known actors and has won three Academy Awards (Oscars). He has won these Academy Awards for 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest (1975), 'Terms of Endearment' (1983) and for 'As Good As It Gets' (1997). He has achieved much recognition since his early career which featured him in teenage-rebel and horror roles.

Answer: 5

The name of the pub is 'The Wagon (and) Horses'. The word 'and' is bracketed to hopefully make the explanation easier. The landlord says to the sign-maker, "The distance between Wagon and (and) and (and) and Horses is different". Hence the sentence uses the word 'and' consecutively, five times.

Answer: George Melly

Apparently this conversation took place at a party one evening, when Mick Jagger was introduced to jazz singer, George Melly. Alan George Heywood Melly was born on 17 August, 1926 in Liverpool, England. He was a flamboyant English jazz and blues singer.

His musical career lasted until the 1960s when he suffered hearing loss, due to exposure to stage sound systems. During 1965-1977, he was a film critic for the daily newspaper, The Observer. Later in life he gave lectures on art history and was interested in Surrealism. George was bisexual and was married twice.

He had a child from both marriages. One autobiography of his was called 'Rum, Bum and Concertina', recalling his days in the Royal Navy, which he joined after the Second World War.

Answer: Spike Milligan

Terence Alan (Spike) Milligan (1918-2002) was born in Ahmednegar military hospital, in India. His father was an army captain serving in the British Army, based in western India. Spike was a singer and trumpeter, in local jazz bands. He made his radio debut on 'Opportunity Knocks' in 1949.

He co-wrote and performed on the famous Goon Show (1951-59) along with Michael Bentine, Peter Sellers and Harry Secombe. The show ran on BBC radio for nine years and Spike portrayed the idiot, Eccles. He wrote all the Goon scripts, which took its toll in the form of a mental breakdown, due to extreme pressure in compiling a vast number of comedy scripts.

He acquired a manic depressive disorder, where one minute he experienced extreme euphoria (happiness), followed by bouts of depression. Spike had a bizarre sense of humour.

He wrote and performed the song 'I'm Walking Backwards For Christmas' in June 1956. His zany humour was apparent in the mini-saga he wrote for 'The Two Ronnies' called 'The Phantom Raspberry-Blower of Old London Town'.

In 2001, his achievements were acknowledged when he was awarded an honorary knighthood.

Answer: vermin

cle(VER MIN)d games. Vermin can be rodents or insects which are troublesome to man. A rat is a long-tailed rodent. Hope you enjoyed the quiz.