What's the Buzz? 1949 Trivia Quiz

Answer: Newfoundland and Labrador

The official name was Newfoundland but Canadians referred to the island as Newfoundland and the land area as Labrador. Since Canadians still referred to them as separate entities, the name Newfoundland was changed to Newfoundland Labrador in 2001. Newfoundland is an island on the east of Canada. It is about 42,000 square miles and has a population of about 480,000 with St.Johns its largest city of about 106,000. Its jagged coast line is 6,000 miles. Terre Nova was the original name given by French explorers.

Labrador on the northeast coast of Canada is about 113,000 square miles with a population of only about 26,000. The largest town is Goose Bay 7572. Labrador is named for a Portuguese explorer and mapmaker Fernandes Lavrador.

Answer: Linda Lovelace

Linda Susan Boreman (stage-name Linda Lovelace) is probably the most recognizable name to come out of the porn industry. "Deep Throat" initiated what is sometimes referred to as "The Golden Age of Porn" when "Deep Throat" emerged as a media phenomenon and was playing in traditional movie theatres and to mixed audiences. She made just seven porn films in her career and the total screen time is about five hours. She also has had five biographies written about her life.

She later claimed that her husband kept control of her by the use of drugs and by pointing a rifle at her head during filming. Later she was to align herself with Gloria Steinem in an anti-pornography campaign. She died at 52 from infections following a car accident in 2002.
("Behind the Green Door", starring Marilyn Chambers, also came out in 1972).

Answer: Ecuador

The Ecuadorian earthquake measured 6.8 on the Richter Scale and cost the lives of about 5,050 people. The village of Libertad sank into 3,000 foot hole engulfing all 100 inhabitants. Four other villages near the town of Ambato were completely destroyed. The quake created landslides and disputed water supplies and communications over a broad area of Ecuador.

Answer: Hamlet

Laurence Olivier was in line for a trifecta as best actor, best film, and best director. However, he won only two as "Hamlet" was tagged best picture and he as best actor. The director award went to John Huston for "The Treasure of Sierra Madre". In total the film was nominated for seven awards, winning four.

Answer: Thomas Dewey

Thomas E. Dewey was a crime busting district attorney in New York and rose fast in Republican circles. After losing to popular wartime President Roosevelt in 1944, he was considered a shoo-in in 1948. But the much maligned Truman, waging a spirited campaign against what he termed as a 'no-nothing' congress, won in a surprise result.

A classic photo of the time showed Truman holding "The Chicago Tribune" headline proclaiming Dewey's win. The Tribune staff had not waited for the California result.

Answer: The Egyptian by Mika Waltari

"The Egyptian" was written in 1945 in Finnish and over time has been translated into over forty languages. The novel is rich in its picture of ancient Egyptan life which Waltari researched meticulously. The plot concerns the reign of Pharaoh Akhenaten and the court physician Sinuhe. The book also includes much detail about medicine at that time including brain surgery. Waltari combines historical texts although the takes some liberties for dramatic effect.

In 1954 "The Egyptian" was filmed with the screenplay by Philip Dunne. It got mostly negative reviews but since it was filmed in Cinemascope and had a lavish production it was epic in scope. Edmund Purdom, Jean Simmons, Peter Ustinov and Michael Wilding starred. Tommy Rettig of "Lassie" fame is seen in a minor role. An actress named Bella Darvi beat Marilyn Monroe for a supporting role.

Answer: James Forrestal

James Forrestal was a successful businessman who entered public service in the Roosevelt Administration in 1940 where he served until his death under President Truman. When the various cabinet posts were deleted, Forrestal was chosen as Secretary of Defense. When Truman found out that Forestal had had a secret meeting with Tom Dewey at which Dewey asked Forrestal to remain with his cabinet when elected, Truman felt this was not an act of loyalty and asked for Forrestal's resignation. Shortly after Forrestal was diagnosed with severe depression and entered a treatment program at Bethesda Naval Hospital where he was mainly treated with insulin shock therapy. On May 22, 1949 he fell from the sixteenth floor and died and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

He was clad only in pajama bottoms with a bathrobe cord around his neck. An investigation was conducted and the basic conclusion was that he had committed suicide. The full report was not released at the time but after fifty-five years in 2004 it was and it seemed to dash the many conspiracy theories that had followed his death. Space does not allow a review of them.

Answer: 45rpm

There was hardly a self-respecting teenager in the 1950s that did not have a treasured collection of 45s. In that era the 7 inch 45 was the ideal for single recordings. Cassette tapes came along in 1963, 8-track in 1964, and reel to reel in 1954.

Answer: Yankees

The Yankees won four games to one in the best of seven series. Yankee relief pitcher Joe Page was named most valuable player. It was mainly a pitcher's series as the Yankees batted only .226 and the Dodgers .210. Don Newcombe's lost game one 1-0 even though he threw a five-hitter but lost to Allie Reynolds' two-hit shutout. There were 13 Subway Series from 1921 to 1956.

Answer: William Faulkner

Faulkner was a respected writer and his career blossomed with the Nobel Prize. Frustrated by editors, he adopted a more experimental style. Much of his writings take place in the fictional Yoknapatawpha County in Mississippi based on the real LaFayette County. He produced novels, short stories, screenplays, plays, poetry, and essays.

His major works are "The Sound and the Fury"(1926), "As I Lay Dying" (1931), "Light in August" (1932), "Absalom, Absalom!" (1936),--all novels-- and a "A Rose for Emily" (1930) a short story. Faulkner also was accorded two Pulitzer Prizes for "A Fable" in 1955 and "The Reivers" in 1963. Although married to Estelle Oldham for 33 years, Faulkner was known to be a womanizer. He did not drink during a writing project but had a reputation as a binge drinker otherwise.