Movies of the '50s - Part II Trivia Quiz

Answer: Rocky Graziano

Born Thomas Rocco Barbello (1919-1990), he changed his name to Rocky Graziano after going AWOL from the Army. He had a troublesome upbringing but boxing seemed to bring out the best in him. He became Middleweight Champion when he beat Tony Zale in 1948.
This movie was the first appearance in a feature film for Steve McQueen although it was a minor role. Before Paul Newman received the part of Rocky, James Dean was preferred but unfortunately he died prior to filming. Rod Taylor (Australian) was then considered before Newman got the part.
Robert di Niro portrayed Jake LaMotta in the 1980 film "Raging Bull". Rocky Marciano was a World Champion Heavyweight boxer.

Answer: Tom Ewell

Tom Ewell had played the same role for the three years prior (until 1955) on Broadway (750 performances), before being offered the part in the movie.
Ewell (1909-1994) appeared in a number of movies in the 50s and 60s but is best remembered for his role as the retired policeman (Bill Truman) in the 1970's Emmy Award winning TV series "Baretta".
Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon played opposite Marilyn Monroe in "Some Like it Hot" and Don Murray played opposite Marilyn in "Bus Stop".

Answer: Peggy Lee

Peggy Lee provided the singing and voice roles of Lady, Peg and the Siamese cats Si and Am throughout the movie. She also received an Academy Award as Best Supporting Actress for her role as the alcoholic jazz singer in the 1955 film "Pete Kelly's Blues". Peggy Lee is also remembered for her signature song "Fever".

Answer: Robert Cummings

Ray Milland is Tony Wendice and Grace Kelly plays his wealthy wife Margot Mary Wendice. Mark Halliday (Robert Cummings) is a crime-fiction writer who has an affair with Margot. When Tony becomes suspicious, he hires an old friend (G. A. Swann played by Anthony Dawson) to kill Margot so that he can get his hands on his wife's money. The plot to have Margot killed goes horribly wrong with Margot killing Swann and she is sentenced to be executed. There are many twists and turns is this typical Hitchcock thriller as Tony is eventually tricked into revealing his plot by Chief Inspector Hubbard (John Williams).
Robert Cummings (1910-1990) appeared in over 70 movies from 1933 - 1967 and appeared in numerous TV series in the 50s and 60s. He had his own TV series "The Bob Cummings Show" 1955-59 and "The New Bob Cummings Show" 1961-62.
Cary Grant originally wanted to play the role of Tony but the studio thought that the public would not be convinced that Grant would be the type of person to have his wife killed.

Answer: Jack Lemmon

Jack Lemmon won the award in 1955 for his portrayal as Ensign Pulver on the US Navy cargo ship "Reluctant" during WWII.
He won his second award as Harry Stoner in "Save the Tiger". Jack Lemmon (1925 - 2001) was nominated another five times for the Academy Award for Best Actor (1959, 1960, 1962, 1979, and 1982), however, he lost out to other actors in those years.
On the "Reluctant", James Cagney was the unpopular captain, Lt.Cmdr. Morton, Henry Fonda was the executive officer Lt. Douglas "Dougie" Roberts and William Powell was simply known as "Doc".

Answer: Spy

In the movie, "Spy" magazine have threatened the Lord family that they will publish Tracy's fathers playboy exploits. However, if they can send two reporters to cover the wedding for their magazine then all will be forgotten about Tracy's father and his exploits.

Therefore Connor and Imbrie are the two reporters sent by the magazine to cover the wedding. Bing Crosby played musician C. K. Dexter-Haven who re-marries Tracy Samantha Lord and Louis Armstrong played himself in the movie. This was Grace Kelly's last film before she became Princess of Monaco. "Spy" magazine was actually a satirical monthly publication that was founded in 1986 but ceased publication in 1988.

It had nothing to do with the 1955 movie.

Answer: Barbara Bel Geddes

Barbara Bel Geddes is probably best remembered as the matriarch Miss Ellie Ewing from 1978-1990 in the TV series "Dallas". Barbara (1922 - 2005) had a career that spanned six decades, appearing on Broadway, in movies and in a number of TV series.
Both Kim Novak (Madeleine Elster/Judy Barton) and Ellen Corby (Manager of the McKittrick Hotel) also appeared in this Hitchcock thriller.
Donna Reed did not appear in this movie, however, in 1953 she won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in "From Here to Eternity". In later years she also played the role of Miss Ellie Ewing in "Dallas".
The 1950s were probably the peak years for Hitchcock thrillers with many of them as Cinema Classics.

Answer: Lee J. Cobb

Johnny Friendly was the mob connected union leader. Lee J. Cobb (1911 - 1976) had a career spanning over 40 years on Broadway, movies and TV. He appeared for the first four seasons in the Western series "The Virginian" and his last movie role was that of the police detective in the 1973 movie "The Exorcist".
Marlon Brando played Terry Malloy a role for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor. Karl Malden was Father Barry and Rod Steiger was Charley Malloy (Terry's brother). Eva Marie Saint (Edie Doyle) won the Award for Best Supporting Actress. Ironically, Malden, Cobb and Steiger were all nominated for Best Supporting Actor but all three lost out that year to Edmond O'Brien in "The Barefoot Contessa".
The movie was nominated for 12 Awards but took home eight.

Answer: Martin Balsam

Surprisingly, no names were used in the movie, only jury numbers, boy, old man and the lady across the street.
The following were the actors' jury number and the number in which they finally voted "not guilty": Balsam (one/nine), Cobb (three/twelve), Marshall (four/eleven) and Fonda (eight/one).
Martin Balsam (1919 - 1996) appeared in many movies in an acting career that spanned nearly 50 years. He won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1965 in "A Thousand Crowns".

Answer: "Rock Around the Clock" (Bill Haley and His Comets)

"Rock Around the Clock" had been released the year before (1954) but it had limited success. The movie drew attention to the song and it soon topped the Billboard charts. Sidney Poitier and Vic Morrow (TV Series - "Combat") were two of the troublesome students in the class.