And The Winner Is ... Trivia Quiz

Answer: Ben Kingsley

Ben Kingsley won the award in 1982 for his portrayal of Gandhi, in the film of the same name. It was also his first major film role, a remarkable achievement.
He was born near Scarborough, Yorkshire in 1943, of mixed parentage. His mother was English/Russian (or German) and his father was an Indian Muslim.
Kingsley was awarded the CBE in 2000 and knighted the following year.

Answer: Vivien Leigh's

Vivien Leigh was an English actress born in November 1913. She appeared in many West End plays but is probably best remembered for her roles in 'Gone With The Wind' and 'A Streetcar Named Desire'. It was her Oscar for playing Scarlet O'Hara that was sold off.

She suffered from what is now called Bi-Polar Disorder, but this didn't seem to affect her performances. She was married to Laurence Olivier for 20 years and passed away, from TB, in 1967.

Answer: Rain Man

'Rain Man' starred Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise and is about a selfish yuppie and his savant brother getting to know each other, after years of separation. Raymond, Dustin Hoffman, is institutionalised but is left a fortune from their father's will. Charlie, Tom Cruise, is determined to get a large portion of it. His attitude changes during a road trip to the west coast of America with his autistic brother.

Answer: Mickey Rooney

Rooney was born Joseph Yule in September 1920. His acting career began at the age of 17 months when he appeared in his parent's vaudeville act. At the age of five he and his mother moved to Hollywood, where he began his film career playing Mickey McGuire in 78 films between 1927 and 1936.

He continued to make films during the 1930s and 40s, including several 'Andy Hardy' films with Judy Garland. Later on he returned to theatrical work.

Answer: False

The winner was 'Ghost'. Written by Bruce Joel Rubin. 'Ghost' also picked up the award for best supporting actress, awarded to Whoopie Goldberg. A murder victim, played by Patrick Swayze, tries to stay in contact with his fiancee, Demi Moore, by using a psychic called Oda Mae Brown, Whoopie Goldberg. Brown doesn't even realise that her powers are genuine.

Answer: Deborah Kerr

Kerr was born in Scotland in September 1921. Her film career began in 1940 with an appearance in the British film 'Contraband', but her scenes never made the final film. The role which brought her to the attention of Hollywood was as a nun in 'Black Narcissus' in 1947.

She is probably best remembered for her roles in 'The King and I' and 'From Here to Eternity'. Her career spanned over forty years and she was created CBE in 1998. She passed away, aged 86, in 2007.

Answer: Creature Comforts

'Creature Comforts' was a short animation which matched animals with human voices talking about how they felt to be living in a zoo. It was later developed into a series of television adverts for an energy company.
Park is best known for the 'Wallace and Grommit' series of films and the successful 'Chicken Run'.

Answer: False

Although nominated seven times he never actually won. It was the only major award he never received. Burton was born in 1925 in a small working class village near Port Talbot, South Wales. He was the twelfth of thirteen children and grew up speaking Welsh.

At the age of just two years old he was taken in by his sister and her husband, after the death of his mother. His acting career started at school and he was constantly juggling film and theatre work. At one point he was the highest paid actor in Hollywood.

Answer: Chariots of Fire

'Chariots of Fire' is about two British athletes, Harold Abrahams and Eric Liddell, competing in the 1924 Paris Olympics. Abrahams has to overcome veiled anti-Semitism to gain a place and compete in the 100 meters race. Liddell has to overcome his own problems, as his religious beliefs prevent him from running on a Sunday. A change of event solves his dilemma. Abrahams runs into further problems by employing a professional coach, Sam Mussabini, although he sees the objections as another form of anti-Semitism.
The film was nominated for seven awards and won four.

Answer: The Colour Purple

The film deals with the degradation suffered by African American women in the southern States, during the early to mid 20th century. It focuses on the treatment of one woman, Celie Harris, played by Whoopie Goldberg. She is raped at least twice by her step father and forced to marry a man who treats her no better than a slave, forcing her into submission. He is more interested in her younger and prettier sister.
Directed by Steven Spielberg it also starred Danny Glover and Oprah Winfrey, who was nominated for Best Supporting Actress.

The other three films all won at least one award that year.