Here's Johnny! Trivia Quiz

Answer: Sands of Iwo Jima

John Wayne stars as Sergeant John M. Stryker, who leads a squad that intensely dislikes him in the "Sands of Iwo Jima". Towards the end of the film, Stryker's squad is involved in the battle for Iwo Jima and they witness the flag raising on Mount Suribachi made famous by the iconic photograph.

In fact, the surviving three of the six servicemen in that photograph (Rene Gagnon, Ira Hayes and another John, John Bradley) actually appear briefly in the film. The alternatives are three more John Wayne films in which he played service personnel: in "Reap the Wild Wind" (1942) he played Captain Jack Stuart; in "Back to Bataan" (1945) he played Colonel Joseph Madden; and in "The Longest Day" (1962) he played Lt.Col. Benjamin Vandervoort.

Answer: Spencer Tracy

Spencer Tracy was one of the stars of Hollywood's Golden Age. In his thirty-seven year career, he was nominated for nine Academy Awards and won two for Best Actor. In "Bad Day at Black Rock", the trains stops at Black Rock for the first time in four years and John Macreedy steps off and starts asking questions about a man named Komoko. All he gets is animosity, obstruction and threats, even from the local sheriff. Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine, Walter Brennan and Robert Ryan co-star.

Answer: Rambo

John Rambo returns from the Vietnam War with post traumatic stress disorder. The first movie of the series is more about his adjustment back to civilian life, while the others are more about using the talents he learned in war to help other people. Sylvester Stallone not only starred as the misunderstood veteran John Rambo, but also co-wrote the screenplays.

The first in the series, "First Blood" (1982), was not an immediate hit. Three years later, the second film in the series, "Rambo: First Blood Part II", was a gigantic box-office success. Co-written by Stallone and James Cameron ("Terminator 2", "Titanic", "Avatar", etc) it was nominated for one Oscar and seven Razzies (winning four including Worst Picture).

Answer: Anthony Michael Hall

Anthony Michael Hall made his name in high-profile teen comedies like "National Lampoon's Vacation", "The Breakfast Club" and "Weird Science". Here he plays high-school quarterback Johnny Walker, surrounded by an all-star cast that includes Robert Downey Jr., Jennifer Tilly and even Chicago Bears legend Jim McMahon. There is also a screen debut from Uma Thurman. If that's not enough, the film has an amazing soudtrack featuring the likes of Ted Nugent and Judas Priest.
The alternatives, like Hall, are actors who were all born in 1968.

Answer: The Sting

The year is 1936. The stars of the movie, Robert Redford and Paul Neuman (the cons) are two gifted confidence men who try to con a mob boss, played by Robert Shaw (the mark). The story was inspired by the cons perpetrated by two real-life brothers, Fred and Charley Gondorff.

Their exploits were documented by David Maurer in his book, "The Big Con: The Story of the Confidence Man". In a con play, "The Sting" is the moment the con has been successful at taking his mark's money without the mark knowing he has been cheated.

Answer: Dirty Dancing

"Dirty Dancing" is a coming of age movie about a young girl, Baby, on summer vacation with her family. Baby not only comes to certain realizations and insights about family members, she also develops a relationship with Johnny Castle, the sexy dance instructor at the resort. Eleanor Bergstein, the writer and producer of "Dirty Dancing", based the story on her own childhood. Like Baby in the movie, she was the daughter of a Jewish doctor.

Her inspiration for the character Johnny Castle, was a dancer named Michael Terrace who Bergstein knew. Patrick Swayze may not have been the first choice to play Johnny Castle (Billy Zane was), and he may have been too old (he was thirty-four while his character was twenty-four), but boy, could he dance! Now, have many of you will admit to having a "Crazy for Swayze" Girls' Night Out back in the 1980s?

Answer: Walk The Line

The movie, "Walk The Line", documents the early life and career of Johnny Cash. A look at his childhood and upbringing is given, as well as insight into how he became interested in music. The film mostly focuses, however, on the beginning of his relationship with June Carter Cash. Joaquin Phoenix stars as Johnny Cash, and Reese Witherspoon plays the role of June Carter Cash; both performed the songs in the movie themselves without being dubbed.

They were approved for the roles by Johhny and June; Johnny liked Joaquin's performance in the movie, "Gladiator". June passed away before the production of the movie began, and Johnny passed away soon after.

Answer: The Godfather

"The Godfather" chronicles the personal and business life of a New York crime family, led by Vito Corleone. In the movie, Johnny Fontane, a crooner and occasional film star, is the godson of Vito Corleone. This definitely helps to advance Johnny's career.

In fact, during the course of the entire saga, Corleone intervenes four times on Johnny's behalf. The first time he orders Luca Brasi to put a gun to a bandleader's head and tell him that in a minute either his signature or his brains would be on the contract that signs Johnny as the singer in the band. Next, of course, is the infamous "horse head" scene, which insures that Johnny will be chosen for a part in a movie. Corleone also used his influence to insure that Johnny won the Academy Award for Best Actor, and eventually loaned him money to start his own film studio.

Many people believe the character of Johnny Fontane was based on Frank Sinatra's career, however, the author, Mario Puzo, has denied any connection between the two.

Answer: Witness

When a young Amish boy, Samuel, is accidentally the witness to a murder, and recognizes a police narcotics officer as one of the killers, John Book becomes involved in a quest to protect him until the trial. Ambushed and badly wounded himself, John is nursed back to health by the Amish family after he realizes that going to a hospital will allow the corrupt police to find him. Keeping Samuel safe, even in Amish country is not so easy! The film was nominated for eight Academy Awards, and won two, Best Original Screenplay and Best Film Editing.

It was also nominated for seven British Academy Film Awards (Maurice Jarre won for his score)and six Golden Globes. William Kelly and Earl W. Wallace won the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay and the 1986 Edgar Award for Best Motion Picture Screenplay presented by the Mystery Writers of America.

Answer: The Shining

The movie is based on a book by Stephen King. Jack Torrance, played by Jack Nicholson, is a writer who, along with his wife and son, accepts a job as a caretaker in an isolated hotel which was built on a Native American burial site. Before leaving, the hotel manager tells them a story of a previous caretaker killing his family and himself. Jack's son, Danny, who possesses psychic powers, known as "The Shining", has a terrible premonition, but nevertheless, explores areas of the hotel he has been warned to avoid. Jack, frequently more frustrated as his writing is nonproductive, begins to see the ghosts who inhabit the place.

After a snowstorm hopelessly traps the family, Jack is apparently possessed by a supernatural presence, becomes mad, and tries to kill his family.

The film, directed by Stanley Kubrick, is considered to be one of the scariest horror movies of all time.