Do You Know Your Actors? 3 Trivia Quiz

Answer: Joel McCrea

You could not have got two more appropriate actors than Randolph Scott and Joel McCrea to play the roles of ageing cowboys in a story about the passing of the old west.

"Ride the High Country" (1962), is the story of ex-lawman Steve Judd (Joel McCrea) who asks an old friend, Gil Westrum (Randolph Scott), to help him transport gold through dangerous country. Westrum has plans of his own for the gold but after they get on the wrong side of the Hammond family he changes his mind. Their friendship wins out and they have a showdown with the Hammonds and the gold gets through. Unfortunately Judd gets wounded and dies from his wounds in the final shoot out. The movie also starred John Anderson, R. G. Armstrong, Edgar Buchanan, James Drury, Mariette Hartley, L. Q. Jones and Warren Oates. It was directed by Sam Peckinpah.

Joel McCrea was born Joel Albert McCrea in Pasadena, California, USA, in 1905. Maybe he was always destined to become an actor, on his paper round as a boy, he delivered the Los Angeles Times to director Cecil B. DeMille. He made over 90 movies between 1927 and 1976. He acted in dramas, comedies, westerns and social dramas, but his favourite was westerns. In 1934 he made the first of five movies with actress Miriam Hopkins and the first of six movies with actress Barbara Stanwyck. His golden age was in the early '40s and after making "The Virginian" in 1946 all but one of his movies were westerns. He died from pneumonia in Los Angles, California, USA, in 1990 aged 84.

Randolph Scott was born George Randolph Scott in Orange County, Virginia, USA, in 1898. He died from heart and lung ailments in Beverley Hills, California, USA, in 1987 aged 89.

Answer: Kirk Douglas

Kirk Douglas played Doc Holliday in the movie, which was one of seven he made with his long time friend Burt Lancaster.

The movie "Gunfight At The O. K. Corral" is of course about the famed gunfight at or near the OK corral, on the 26 October, 1881, in Tombstone, Arizona Territory, USA. It was between the Earps with Doc Holliday and some members of a loose knit gang known as The Cowboys which included the Clantons, Billy Claiborne and the Mclaurys. Also there in the movie, was Johnny Ringo (John Ireland) who was not present at the actual gunfight. This is one example of how the movie bears little resemblance to historical fact. Future "Star Trek" favourite DeForest Kelley (1920-1999) who played Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy, had an early role in the movie as Wyatt Earp's brother Morgan Earp. The movie was directed by John Sturges.

Kirk Douglas was born Issur Danielovitch in New York City, New York, USA, in 1916. He made his movie debut in "The Strange Love of Martha Ivers" (1946), starring Barbara Stanwyck and Van Heflin. Although he was nominated three times for the Academy Award for Best Actor in "Champion" (1949), "The Bad and the Beautiful" (1952) and "Lust for Life" (1956) he never won. In 1984 he was inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame which was stolen but has since been replaced. In 1996 he was awarded an Honorary Academy Award for 50 years as a moral and creative force in the motion picture community.

Burt Lancaster was born Burton Stephen Lancaster in Manhattan, New York, USA, in 1913. He died of a heart attack in Los Angeles, California, USA, in 1994 aged 80.
All of the alternative actors in this question have played Doctor John Henry Holliday in movies.

Answer: Jack Palance

After killing homesteader Stonewall Torrey (Elisha Cook Jr.) to lure Shane (Alan Ladd) into town, Jack Wilson, played by (Jack Palance), is gunned down by Shane in the saloon.

The movie "Shane" is based on the 1949 novel by Jack Schaefer. Shane (Alan Ladd) possibly a gun slinger, rides into the middle of a range war. It is between cattle baron Rufus Ryker (Emile Meyer) and a group of homesteaders which includes Joe Starrett (Van Heflin) and his wife Marian (Jean Arthur, in her last movie). Shane starts working for Starrett and gets drawn into the dispute which ends with a shoot out between Shane, cattle baron Rufus Ryker, his hired gun slinger Jack Wison and others in the local saloon. The movie was directed by George Stevens.

Jack Palance was born Volodymir Ivanovich Palahniuk in Hazel Township, Pennsylvania, USA, in 1919. He was a professional heavyweight boxer in the early 1940s and fought under the name of Jack Brazzo. He won his first 15 fights, 12 by knockout before losing a 4th round decision to future heavyweight contender Joe Baksi in 1940. He was discharged from the armed forces in 1944 after being injured when bailing out of a burning B-24 on a training flight. Jack Palance made his movie debut in "Panic in the Streets" (1950) which starred Richard Widmark. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor three times, "Sudden Fear" (1952) starring Joan Crawford, "Shane" (1953) starring Alan Ladd and "City Slickers" (1991) starring Billy Crystal for which he finally won the Oscar. He died from natural causes in Montecito, California, USA, in 2006 aged 87.

Alan Ladd was born Alan Walbridge Ladd in Hot Springs, Arkansas, USA, in 1913. He died from an overdose of alcohol and various drugs in Palm Springs, California, USA, in 1964 aged 50.

Van Heflin was born Emmett Evan Heflin Jr. in Walters, Oklahoma, USA, in 1910. He died from a heart attack in Hollywood, California, USA, in 1971 aged 60.

Jean Arthur was born Gladys Georgianna Greene in Plattsburgh, New York, USA, in 1900. She died from heart failure in Carmel, California, USA, in 1991 aged 90.

Answer: Stephen McNally

In "Winchester '73" Stephen McNally plays the brother of James Stewart, who is pursuing him because he had murdered their own father.

The themes running through this movie are many; the hatred between the two brothers and the pursuit of one by the other and the fate of a Winchester rifle and that of the people who come into contact with it. The Winchester'73 rifle is one of a thousand perfect rifles and is the prize in a shooting contest held in Dodge City on the 4th July. The numerous people that come into contact with the rifle are Wyatt Earp (Will Geer), Lin McAdam (James Stewart) who wins the shooting contest, 'High Spade' Frankie Wilson (Millard Mitchell), 'Dutch Henry' Brown (Stephen McNally) who lost the shooting contest but stole the rifle, Joe Lamont (John McIntire), Young Bull (Rock Hudson in an early role), Trooper Doan (Tony Curtis in an early role) Sgt. Wilkes (Jay C. Flippen), Steve Miller (Charles Drake), Lola Manners (Shelly Winters), and Waco Johnnie Dean (Dan Duryea). The movie was directed by Anthony Mann.

Stephen McNally was born Horace Vincent McNally in New York City, New York, USA, in 1913. He was an attorney in the the '30s before turning to acting under his real name but changed it to Stephen in 1946. He did play some good guys but was at his best as a bad guy with no redeeming qualities as in "Winchester '73". Some of his other villainous portrayals were as Locky McCormick in "Johnny Belinda" (1948) starring Jane Wyman, Sam Hurley in "Split Second" (1953) starring Alexis Smith and Harper in "Violent Saturday" (1955) starring Victor Mature. Stephen McNally died from a heart attack in Beverly Hills, California, USA, in 1994 aged 80.

James Stewart was born James Maitland Stewart in Indiana, Pennsylvania, USA, in 1908. He died in Beverly Hills, California from a blood clot on the lung in 1997 aged 89.

Answer: Paul Newman

Paul Newman played John 'Hombre' Russell, a white man raised by Apache Indians in the 1967 movie "Hombre".

John Russell returns to civilization to claim his inheritance. While travelling by stage coach, fellow passenger and Indian agent Professor Alexander Favor (Fredric March) is robbed of the money that he himself has stolen from the Indians by Cicero Grimes (Richard Boone) and his gang. Russell shoots two of the gang during the robbery and recovers the money. During the rest of the movie Grimes tries to get the money back. Russell tries to save the stage coach passengers' lives and get the stolen money back to the Indians. The movie was directed by Martin Ritt.

Paul Newman was born Paul Leonard Newman in Shaker Heights, Ohio, USA, in 1925. After serving as a radioman-gunner in WWII he gained a Bachelor of Arts degree in drama and economics at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, in 1949. Later he attended the Yale School of Drama and studied under Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio. In 1954 he made a screen test with James Dean for the part of Aron Trask in the movie "East Of Eden". He did not get the part. In 1958 he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Brick Pollitt in the movie "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" but had to wait until 1986 to win an Oscar for his role as Fast Eddie Felson in "The Colour of Money". Paul Newman was also a professional racing car driver and had his first professional drive in 1972 at the Thompson International Speedway in Connecticut. He was a competitor in Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) events and came second in the 1979, 24 Hours of Le Mans race. In 1982 he founded his own company Newman's Own which produces a line of food products that started with salad dressing. He died in Westport, Connecticut, USA, from lung cancer in 2008, aged 83.

Fredric March was born Ernest Frederick McIntyre Bickel in Racine, Wisconsin, USA, in 1897. He died from cancer in Los Angeles, California, USA, in 1975 aged 77.

Richard Boone was born Richard Allen Boone in Los Angeles, California, USA, in 1917. He died from pneumonia while suffering from throat cancer in St. Augustine, Florida, USA, in 1981 aged 63.

Answer: Burl Ives

Burl Ives played Rufus Hannassey, head of the white trash Hannassey family. He is in a conflict with his neighbour Maj. Henry Terrill over water rights.

The movie, set in the west, revolves around the Terrill-Hannassey feud and the romance between Patricia Terrill (Carroll Baker) and ex-sea captain James McKay (Gregory Peck). Both Henry Terrill and Rufus Hannassey want to buy the Big Muddy ranch owned by Julie Maragon (Jean Simmons). This is to guarantee themselves and deny the other a water supply. There are also rivals for the hand of Patricia Terrill in the form of Terrill's ranch foreman, Steve Leech (Charlton Heston), and Buck Hannassey (Chuck Connors). McKay manoeuvres through the trouble, handing out a few beatings on the way and ends up with the water and the girl. However it is not the girl he started out with. The movie was directed by William Wyler.

Burl Ives was born Burl Icle Ivanhoe Ives in Jasper County, Illinois, USA, in 1909. In 1927 he attended Eastern Illinois State Teachers College (now Eastern Illinois University) in Charleston, Illinois but walked out during an English class and never went back. He became an itinerant singer in the '30s, paying his way by doing odd jobs and playing the banjo. While travelling around the U.S.A. he was jailed in Mona, Utah, for vagrancy. In 1941 he had his own radio show named after one of his songs "The Wayfaring Stranger". He was drafted in 1942 but discharged on medical grounds in 1943 and lived for a while in California with actor Harry Morgan ("Dragnet" & "M.A.S.H."). Burl Ives made his film debut in the movie "Smoky" in 1946. He went on to make major contributions to many movies including "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" (1958), starring Elizabeth Taylor, "The Big Country" (1958), starring Gregory Peck and "Day of the Outlaw", starring Robert Ryan. He died from complications of oral cancer in Anacortes, Washington, USA, in 1995 aged 85.

Charlton Heston was born John Charles Carter in Wilmette, Illinois, USA, in 1923. He died from pneumonia in Beverly Hills, California, USA, in 2008 aged 84.

Gregory Peck was born Eldred Gregory Peck in La Jolla, California, USA, in 1916. He died from bronchopneumonia in Los Angeles, California, USA, in 2003 aged 87.

Charles Bickford was born Charles Ambrose Bickford in Cambridge, Massachusetts,
USA, in 1891. He died from a blood infection in Los Angeles, California, USA, in 1967 aged 76.

All four alternative actor/singers in this question had chart hits. Burl Ives, Robert Mitchum and Dean Martin all had hits on the Billboard Hot 100. Burl Ives, Lee Marvin and Dean Martin all had hits on the UK singles chart.

Answer: James Coburn

James Coburn played the cowboy Britt, in "The Magnificent Seven" which was based on the 1954 Japanese movie "Seven Samurai".

The movie told the tale of Mexican villagers who were periodically attacked and robbed by a gang of bandits. They sent some of the villagers to the United States to find help, where they found Chis Adams. He then recruited six other men, some of whom he already knew. They travelled to Mexico to help the villagers get rid of the bandit gang led by Calvera (Eli Wallach). They succeed but in the end only three of the seven survived. The movie was directed by John Sturges.

James Coburn (Britt), was born James Harrison Coburn III in Laurel, Nebraska, USA, in 1928. He made his film debut as Whit in "Ride Lonesome" (1959) starring Randolph Scott. He made many TV appearances in such shows as "Bonanza", "Perry Mason" and "Tales of Wells Fargo". After "The Magnificent Seven" he appeared in many movies including "The Great Escape", "Charade", "The Americanization of Emily" and "Major Dundee".

His career went up a notch when he starred in the "James Bond" parody "Our Man Flint" (1966) and its sequel "In Like Flint" (1967). In 1973 he played Pat Garrett in the movie "Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid" and in 1977 he played Sergeant Rolf Steiner in the acclaimed movie "Iron Cross". He kept working right up until his death but suffered from severe rheumatoid arthritis, although he claimed to have healed himself with pills containing Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM). Yet another claim to fame is that he appeared on the cover of the album "Band On The Run" by Paul McCartney and Wings in 1973. He died from a heart attack in Beverly Hills, California, USA, in 2002 aged 74.

Answer: Stephen Boyd

Stephen Boyd played Bill Zachary, the leader of a band of low life desperadoes which included Alfonso Parral (Lee Van Cleef), Ed Taylor (Albert Salmi) and Lujan (Henry Silva).

"The Bravados" is the story of rancher Jim Douglas (Gregory Peck) who hunts down the gang of men he mistakenly believes raped and killed his wife. When he catches up with them they are already in jail awaiting execution but they escape and he has to hunt them down again. Douglas catches up with Alfonso Parral first and kills him, next is Ed Taylor, he kills him and hangs him from a tree by his feet. He just misses the last two members of the gang after they rob and kill John Butler, a prospecting neighbour of his. He follows them into Mexico where he finds Zachary and kills him in a gunfight. He trails the last man, named Lujan, and finds him at home with his wife and son. He is about to kill him but finds out it was the prospector neighbour of his, John Butler, who was responsible for the death of his wife. He then realizes that he has killed three innocent men in cold blood. The movie was directed by Henry King.

Stephen Boyd was born William Millar in Ballyrobert, Ballyclare, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, in 1931. After a forgettable British comedy "An Alligator Named Daisy" (1955) he played an Irishman (Patrick O'Reilly) spying for the Nazis in the WWII movie "The Man Who Never Was" (1956), starring Clifton Webb. His best remembered role was that of Massala opposite Charlton Heston as Judah Ben-Hur in the 1959 epic movie "Ben-Hur". He starred as Livius in another epic movie "The Fall of the Roman Empire" (1964) with Alec Guinness, Sophia Loren, James Mason and Christopher Plummer. He missed out on appearing as Mark Anthony opposite Elizabeth Taylor in "Cleopatra" in 1963. He had to withdraw from the problem-plagued and over-running movie to make "The Fall of the Roman Empire" and the part went to Richard Burton. Stephen Boyd died from a heart attack in Northridge, California, USA, in 1977 aged 45.

Gregory Peck was born Eldred Gregory Peck in La Jolla, California, USA, in 1916. He died from bronchopneumonia in Los Angeles, California, USA, in 2003 aged 87.

Answer: Richard Harris

Irish actor Richard Harris played the assassin English Bob in the 1992 movie "Unforgiven".

"Unforgiven" is the story of ageing outlaw and killer William Munny (Clint Eastwood) who, with the help of old friend and accomplice Ned Logan (Morgan Freeman), takes on one last job. They head for a town called Big Whisky but run into Sheriff Little Bill (Gene Hackman), where they try to collect the bounty on two cowboys, offered by a group of prostitutes. The prostitutes offer the bounty because of the lack of action by the sheriff against two cowboys who cut up and disfigured one of their own. The movie was directed by Clint Eastwood.

Richard Harris was born Richard St. John Harris in Limerick, Ireland, in 1930. He was an actor, singer, producer, director and writer. He came to the fore in his first starring role as rugby league player Frank Machin in the 1962 movie "This Sporting Life". The movie was set in Wakefield, Yorkshire, England, it also starred Rachel Roberts and William Hartnel (the first Doctor Who). Starring roles such as King Arthur in "Camelot" (1967), John Morgan in "A Man Called Horse" (1970) and Oliver Cromwell in "Cromwell" (1970) followed. He continued acting throughout the '70s, '80s and '90s and then played Emperor Marcus Aurelius in "Gladiator" (2000) starring Russell Crowe. He played Albus Dumbledore in the first two "Harry Potter" movies, "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" (2001) and "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" (2002). He died from Hodgkin's disease in London, England, in August 2002 aged 72.

Clint Eastwood was born Clinton Eastwood Jr. in San Francisco, California, USA, in 1930.

Morgan Freeman was born in Memphis, Tennessee, USA, in 1937.

Gene Hackman was born Eugene Allen Hackman in San Bernardino, California, USA, in 1930.

All four of the actors as alternative answers to this question have appeared in the "Harry Potter" series of movies.

Answer: Gene Tierney

Although other movies have been made about Belle Starr, Gene Tierney starred in the 1941 movie "Belle Starr".

The movie is the entirely fictitious story of Belle Shirley. Her family home is burned down by northern troops during the American Civil War for hiding local confederate guerilla leader Sam Starr (Randolph Scott). Belle Shirley joins his group and later marries him and fights against the northern forces by robbing banks and attacking railroads, carpetbaggers and enemy troops. This becomes a lost cause but continues after the Civil War comes to an end. A trap is set for Sam Starr by northern officer Maj. Thomas Crail (Dana Andrews) but Belle Starr is shot and killed when on her way to warn her husband Sam Starr of the trap being set for him.

The real Belle Starr was born Myra Maybelle Shirley near Carthage, Missouri, USA, in 1848. She would have only been 17 when the civil war ended in 1865. Her first husband was James Reed, who was an outlaw. He was shot and killed by a member of his own gang for the reward money offered for him. She later married Sam Starr, a Cherokee Indian who was killed in a gunfight in 1886. Belle Starr was shot and killed when on her way home from a neighbour's house in 1889, two days before her 41st birthday. Suspects included her then husband Jim July Starr (a relative of Sam Starr) and her two children Pearl and Eddie but no one was ever convicted of her murder, which has remained unsolved.

Gene Tierney was born Gene Eliza Tierney in Brooklyn, New York, USA, in 1920. She attended St. Margaret's School in Waterbury, Connecticut, and the Unquowa School in Fairfield, Connecticut. While in Europe and attending Brillantmont International School in Lausanne, Switzerland, she learned to speak fluent French. On return to the U.S.A. in 1938 she attended Miss Porter's School in Farmington, Connecticut. As a débutante she was presented to polite society in September 1938. In her Broadway debut in 1938 she carried a bucket of water across the stage in the play "What a Life!". In her movie debut in 1940 she played Eleanor Stone opposite Henry Fonda in "The Return of Frank James". In 1943 she received top billing in "Heaven Can Wait" with Don Ameche. In 1944 she played Laura Hunt in "Laura" with Dana Andrews, Clifton Web and Vincent Price.

She gained her only Academy nomination for Best Actress when starring as Ellen Brent Harland in "Leave Her to Heaven" (1945) with Cornel Wilde, Jeanne Crain and Vincent Price. In the mid-fifties she suffered a nervous breakdown was hospitalized and received several shock treatments for depression. In 1957 she had to be rescued from a ledge 13 stories high and was admitted to the Menninger Clinic in Topeka, Kansas, USA. She made a comeback in the '60s and appeared in four movies and appeared on TV in the '60s, '70s and '80s. Her final appearance was as Harriet Toppington in the TV miniseries "Scruples" in 1980. She died of emphysema in Houston, Texas, USA, in 1991 aged 70.