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My Guilty Pleasure: Ira Levin Trivia Quiz

I love the lesser-known works of Ira Levin. Most of his oeuvre has been adapted for the movies, so even if you haven't read all of these books and plays, give the quiz a try. (And then go READ THEM! You won't be sorry.)

A multiple-choice quiz by LilahDeDah. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
LilahDeDah

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
203,268

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
248

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. In 1953, the young (he was only twenty-three) Mr. Levin published his first novel. Like many that would follow, it was a finely crafted work of suspense. Also like many of his works, it was made into a fairly forgettable movie...twice. The first version, in 1956, starred Robert Wagner and Joanne Woodward. 1991's remake featured Sean Young and Matt Dillon. Which book got Mr. Levin's career started with a kiss? Hint

Kiss the Girls

Kiss Me Deadly

The Kiss

A Kiss Before Dying

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Question 2 of 10

2. One Ira Levin book most people have read is "Rosemary's Baby". Perhaps Mr. Levin was frustrated that so many people know him for that book only, but in 1997 he produced one of his few missteps...a sequel. What is the title of this unfortunate book? Hint

Rosemary's Family

Andrew Woodhouse's Coven

Son of Rosemary

Rosemary's Daughter

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Question 3 of 10

3. In "The Boys From Brazil", a significant event had to happen in the lives of each of the boys in order for each of them to grow up to be the person their creators intended. What was this event? Hint

They had to emigrate to Germany

They had to survive a near-death experience

They needed to study art

Their fathers had to die

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Question 4 of 10

4. Although his novels are more famous, Ira Levin is also both screenwriter and playwright. Which of the following is NOT an Ira Levin play? Hint

Break A Leg

Dr. Cook's Garden

Brighton Beach Memoirs

Critic's Choice

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Question 5 of 10

5. In 1956, Ira Levin wrote a play based on this novel by Mac Hyman. In 1958, he was the movie's screenwriter. The comedy is notable because it featured, for the first time, the immortal pairing of Andy Griffith and Don Knotts. Which "Sergeant" title is a play and film by Ira Levin? Hint

The Sergeant was a Lady

Sergeant York

No Time For Sergeants

Sergeant Preston of the Yukon

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Question 6 of 10

6. Which of the following is NOT a reason why Levin's "Veronica's Room" is a perennial favorite production of community theaters? Hint

It has only four parts

It's a well-written and interesting psychological thriller

It has only one set

The musical numbers are undemanding

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Question 7 of 10

7. Although not generally well-reviewed and probably not one of his best works, Ira Levin's "Sliver" is a fast and creepy read. To what does the title refer? Hint

The thin crack in her walls through which the book's heroine observes her neighbors

A haunted piece of wood that keeps recurring in odd places in the novel

The thin shape of the apartment building where the novel is set

The protagonist, Arthur "Sliver" Moriarty

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Question 8 of 10

8. Although Agatha Christie's "The Mousetrap" is London's longest-running thriller, Ira Levin's "Deathtrap" holds that distinction on Broadway.

True

False

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Question 9 of 10

9. With its 2004 film remake starring the ethereal Nicole Kidman, Ira Levin's "The Stepford Wives" was reprinted and discovered by a new generation of fans. The book has actually been on the large and small screen a number of times, in various forms. Which actress NEVER starred in a "Stepford" production? Hint

Katharine Ross

Donna Mills

Sharon Gless

Katharine Hepburn

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Question 10 of 10

10. One of the very few Ira Levin works that has never been filmed is my personal favorite. Although written in 1970, the novel remains fresh and undated, possibly because of its subject matter, which includes...scary computers. (I know I'm scared of mine.) Which adjective is often used to describe Levin's "This Perfect Day"? Hint

Picaresque

Dystopian

Epistolary

Naturalistic

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

Answer: A Kiss Before Dying

I can't claim to have seen either movie, but based on the cast, I think I'd go with 1956. I've made a pact with myself not to give away any spoilers because I am hoping for a huge reawakening of interest in these books from this quiz. *Grin* So suffice it to say that this suspense-filled book is wonderful even forty years later.

"Kiss the Girls" is by James Patterson, Kathryn Harrison authored "The Kiss", and "Kiss Me Deadly" is by Mickey Spillane.

Answer: Son of Rosemary

"At long last, Levin's sequel to his best-selling 1967 horror novel."

Some novels (okay, MOST novels) should not have sequelae (or sequels, either). "Rosemary's Baby" is one of them. "Son of Rosemary" is the only clunker in this quiz. Now we've gotten it over with.

Answer: Their fathers had to die

Remember, no spoilers! Why were the ordinary fathers of ordinary-seeming boys killed? I leave you to wonder...Mr. Levin won't.

"The Boys From Brazil", published in 1976, was made into a movie in 1978. It starred Gregory Peck and Laurence Olivier, which is not too shabby. Its tagline was: "If they survive...will we?"
(Thanks to imdb.com for all movie info in this quiz.)

4. Although his novels are more famous, Ira Levin is also both screenwriter and playwright. Which of the following is NOT an Ira Levin play?

Answer: Brighton Beach Memoirs

Even more so than his novels (which tend toward the suspenseful, although the subjects are quite varied), the plays of Ira Levin showcase his versatility. "Critic's Choice" (1962) is a comedy, "Dr. Cook's Garden" (1968) is a melodrama, and "Break A Leg" (1981) returns to comedy.

"Brighton Beach Memoirs" is by Neil Simon.

Answer: No Time For Sergeants

Amazon.com's reviewers, some of whom are in the military, give "No Time For Sergeants" a general's five stars.

"Sergeant Preston of the Yukon" was a TV series from 1955-1958. "The Sergeant was a Lady" is a forgettable movie from 1961. 1941's "Sergeant York" (starring Gary Cooper and Walter Brennan) was a drama.

6. Which of the following is NOT a reason why Levin's "Veronica's Room" is a perennial favorite production of community theaters?

Answer: The musical numbers are undemanding

In this play, Man, Woman, Girl, and Young Man try to (picture this on a theater poster, please) "Unlock the Secret of...Veronica's Room!" They don't, however, sing or dance while doing so.

7. Although not generally well-reviewed and probably not one of his best works, Ira Levin's "Sliver" is a fast and creepy read. To what does the title refer?

Answer: The thin shape of the apartment building where the novel is set

The 1991 novel was made into a movie in 1993. It starred Sharon Stone and William Baldwin. Tagline: "You like to watch...don't you?"

(If forced to answer that question, we should all say "No thanks, I'd rather read the book.")

8. Although Agatha Christie's "The Mousetrap" is London's longest-running thriller, Ira Levin's "Deathtrap" holds that distinction on Broadway.

Answer: True

"Deathtrap", another purely Levin combination of suspense and comedy, ran for 1793 performances on Broadway from 1978-1982. It was nominated for four 1978 Tony� Awards.
(information from Internet Broadway Database, ibdb.com)

It should be mentioned here that Dame Christie's "The Mousetrap" is not only London's longest-running thriller, but the world's longest-running play of any kind. Fifty-plus years, and you KNOW you're going to end up seeing it eventually.

Answer: Katharine Hepburn

Katharine Ross played Joanna Eberhart in the 1975 movie version. Sharon Gless starred in "Revenge of the Stepford Wives" (1980) on TV, and Donna Mills was bad girl, not victim, in "The Stepford Husbands", a truly awful made-for-TV movie from 1996.

If Ms. Hepburn HAD done "Stepford Wives", I bet her character wouldn't have put up with any nonsense.

Answer: Dystopian

"This Perfect Day", again widely available after a time in print limbo, has been favorably compared to Huxley's "Brave New World" and Orwell's "1984". I personally think it's more entertaining and more readable than either.

I hope this quiz has been enjoyed by both present and future Levin fans...that should be just about everyone!

Source: Author LilahDeDah

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor agony before going online.
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