Names and Pseudonyms Trivia Quiz

Answer: Laurence Kerr Olivier and Maurice Joseph Micklewhite Jr.

"Sleuth" was directed by Joseph Leo Mankiewicz (which was both his birth and his professional name), and starred Michael Caine (born Maurice Joseph Micklewhite Jr.) and Sir Laurence Olivier (whose birth name included the middle name Kerr). It is an intriguing film about a man who discovers that his wife has a lover and devises a diabolic game to enact his revenge. Both actors got a chance to show off their talents in this one, as they are in every scene together. It is a cat and mouse game at its finest.

These two fine actors also appeared together in the following theatrical releases: "Battle of Britain" (1969), "A Bridge Too Far" (1977) and "The Jigsaw Man" (1983). "Sleuth" is by far the best pairing of the two actors, because they share so much screen time together.

Answer: William Henry Pratt and Bela Blasco

All of the movies mentioned are early horror films that included the incomparable talents of Boris Karloff (born William Henry Pratt) and Bela Lugosi (born Bela Blasco), who were masters at the genre. Though Karloff was best known for playing the monster in several "Frankenstein" movies, and Lugosi will always be associated with the character of "Dracula", they both also appeared in many, many other horror movies.

"The Black Cat" (1934) was loosely based on an Edgar Allan Poe story. In this version, a couple on their honeymoon in Hungary run into problems when they are in an accident on the road and take refuge in the wrong house. Karloff and Lugosi are on hand as the owner of the house and a man who has just been released from prison after many years with a bone to pick with his former adversary.

"The Raven" (1935) takes the persona of Edgar Allan Poe, the author, as a motivating factor in its story line. A medical doctor obsessed with Poe tries to save a young woman's life with unexpected consequences. Once again, Karloff and Lugosi are a nefarious team in this one.

"The Invisible Ray" (1936) is an early horror-sci-fi film, in which two doctors try to overcome the negative effects of radiation from a meteorite while still harnessing its positive applications. The dynamic duo of Karloff and Lugosi complement each other in this one too.

"Son of Frankenstein" (1939) sees Karloff in his well-known role as the Frankenstein monster, while Lugosi takes on the persona of one of Dr. Frankenstein's sons. They are at odds with each other in this one, and it is a fun one to watch.

"Black Friday" (1940) is a great pairing of the two actors, with Karloff's doctor transplanting the brain of a criminal into the body of his friend, Lugosi, with nefarious consequences.

"The Body Snatcher" (1945) is a classic horror film where a doctor and university professor pays a cabbie (played by Karloff) to get dead bodies for him to dissect with his anatomy medical students. This is the last time Lugosi appeared with Karloff, and he plays a smaller role of one of the poor souls that becomes a medical cadaver at Karloff's hand.

Answer: Leslie Townes Hope, Harry Lillis Crosby and Mary Leta Dorothy Slaton

This is certainly my favorite trio from the golden age of movies, Bing Crosby (born Harry Lillis Crosby), Bob Hope (born Leslie Townes Hope), and Dorothy Lamour (born Mary Leta Dorothy Slaten). They appeared in all seven "Road" pictures (though Dottie played a smaller role in the last outing). The formula was very similar, with the boys playing a couple of shysters trying to make money through a variety of hair-brained schemes in different parts of the world, and the lovely girl being the object of their affections and a source of competition. The lovely Dorothy Lamour was the perfect foil for Crosby and Hope. The non-Road pictures that all three appeared in were "My Favorite Brunette", starring Bob and Dorothy, with a cameo appearance by Bing, as well as "Star Spangled Rhythm" (1943), and "Variety Girl" (1947), which were both all-star variety shows with different acts in which all three stars made short appearances.

Dorothy appeared in some of Bob's and Bing's feature films, and Hope and Crosby often did cameos in each others' movies. Dorothy Lamour was a frequent guest when Bob or Bing hosted TV shows and specials, and the boys were surprise additions to each others' TV shows as well.

Additional feature films with both Hope and Crosby (but without Dottie): "My Favorite Blonde" (1942), "They Got Me Covered" (1943), "The Princess and the Pirate" (1944), "The Greatest Show on Earth" (1952), "Son of Paleface" (1952), "Scared Stiff" (1953), "Alias Jesse James" (1959), "Cancel My Reservation" (1972).

There were plans to make "Road to the Fountain of Youth" with the three stars when Bing Crosby died in 1979, so that plan never came to fruition.

Answer: Doris Mary Ann Kappelhoff and Leroy Harold Scherer Jr.

Doris Day (born Doris Mary Ann Kapelhoff) and Rock Hudson (born Leroy Harold Scherer Jr.) made three exuberant romantic comedies, and they basically invented the genre.

"Pillow Talk" (1959) is about a man and a woman who are forced to share a party line and hate each other, even though they've never met. There is a mistaken identity plot line, and things turn out well for the pair in the end.

"Lover Come Back" (1961) is another mistaken identity comedy where Rock plays an ad exec impersonating the inventor of a product that doesn't yet exist while he romances rival ad exec Doris.

"Send Me No Flowers" (1964) is the only one where the two are married at the start. Rock is a hypochondriac who thinks he is dying, and all manner of hilarity ensues when Doris misunderstands something that Rock has written.

Answer: Dianne Hall and Allan Stewart Konigsberg

The team of Woody Allen (born Allan Stewart Kingsberg) and Diane Keaton (born Diane Hall) certainly made some fine films. The movies listed here were written and directed by Allen and (unless otherwise noted) starred both Allen and Keaton.

"Play It Again, Sam" (1972) is about an insecure man (Allen) whose wife has left him. He regains his confidence and starts to date again (with one of his new interests played by Keaton) with the help of his idol, Humphrey Bogart (played by Jerry Lacy, birth name Gerald LeRoy Lacy), who he imagines is giving him advice. The film is clever and is a must-see for any fan of "Casablanca".

"Sleeper" (1973) is a sci-fi comedy in which a man is woken from a cryogenic state after 200 years to save the world. Of course the bumbling man is played by Allen, and Keaton plays one of the revolutionaries who wakes him up.

"Love and Death" (1975) is a historic comedy based in czarist Russia, with Allen and Keaton playing kissing cousins who are trying to kill Napoleon.

"Annie Hall" (1977) is probably the best pairing of Allen and Keaton (and it plays on Keaton's birthname with its title. It covers the favorite setting for Allen's films (New York City) and deals with his favorite topic (how difficult relationships are). It won Best Picture, Best Director, Best Writing and Best Actress. The only Oscar Nomination that it didn't win was Best Actor for Woody Allen.

"Interiors" (1978) is a dark film shot in black and white and meant to be an homage to Ingmar Bergman's films. Diane Keaton stars as one of three sisters examining the difficulties of their lives. Woody Allen does not appear in this film, but he did write and direct it.

"Manhattan" (1979) is another New York romantic comedy starring Woody Allen. The film centers on a May-December romance between Allen and a teenager, played by Mariel Hemingway (birth name Mariel Hadley Hemingway). The plot thickens when Allen's ex-wife (played by Meryl Streep) decides to write a tell-all book about their marriage and he falls for his best friend's lover, played by Keaton.

"Radio Days" (1987) is a sentimental film that recalls the early days of radio. Woody Allen is the un-credited narrator of the film and does not appear on camera. Diane Keaton appears as a singer on New Years' Eve.

Answer: Patrick Wayne Swayze, Demetria Gene Guynes, and Caryn Elaine Johnson

"Ghost" (1990) was a surprise hit for Patrick Swayze (whose birth name includes the middle name Wayne), Demi Moore (born Demetria Gene Guynes, though some sources say her real first name was always Demi) and Whoopi Goldberg (born Caryn Elaine Johnson).

The movie struck a chord with audiences, who loved the story of a man who has been killed and is trying to help his girlfriend escape the same fate with the help of a hack medium. Goldberg won the Best Supporting Actress for her role in this film.

Answer: Frances Ethel Gumm, Johnnie Lucille Ann Collier and Frederick Austerlitz

The only movie that Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz) and Judy Garland (born Frances Ethel Gumm) ever starred in together was "Easter Parade" (1948). The plot has Fred as a Broadway star hiring Judy to be his new partner with the goal of making her a star and making his former partner (played by Ann Miller, birth name Johnnie Lucille Ann Collier) jealous.

The music and dancing is great, but the stars don't really display much chemistry. Stay for the dancing and the music, and the chance to see Judy and Fred doing their wonderful number as a couple of hobos, "A Couple of Swells".

Answer: Andrew Russell Garfield, Emily Jean Stone, and Eric Marlon Bishop

"The Amazing Spider-Man 2" (2104) is yet another reboot of the Spider-Man story. The superhero is played once again by Andrew Garfield (whose birth name includes the middle name Russell), who took over the franchise in the 2010s. His girlfriend, Gwenn Stacy, is played by Emma Stone (birth name Emily Jean Stone), and the pair make a good couple.

The villain for this storyline is Electro, played with panache by Jamie Foxx (birth name Eric Marlon Bishop). It is a good addition to the canon, but for a real eye-opener, see the animated version that came out in 2018, "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse".

Answer: Margaret Mary Emily Hyra and Kelly Kamalelehua Smith

"Addicted to Love" (1997) is a funny romantic comedy, like many of the movies that Meg Ryan (born Margaret Mary Emily Hyra) became best known for. Along with Meg, it stars Matthew Broderick (also his birth name) and Kelly Preston (born Kelly Kamalelehua Smith). Meg's and Matthew's characters are seeking revenge on their former lovers (one of whom is Kelly's character), who have since fallen in love with each other.

In the process, everything becomes jumbled for Meg and Matthew, and neither knows what they really want.

Answer: Bernard Schwartz and Norma Jean Mortensen

"Some Like It Hot" (1959) is one of the funniest movies of all time. The performances of Tony Curtis (birth name Bernard Schwartz) and Jack Lemmon (which is his birth and stage name) as female musicians is unmatched. In their attempts to avoid mafia hitmen who are trying to kill them, the two male musicians decide to join a female band on a road tour. Marilyn Monroe (born Norma Jean Mortensen) is one of the musicians. And the rest is history! Shot in black-and-white with much of the action taking place at the Hotel del Coronado near San Diego, it is a visually stunning film. If you haven't seen this one, you really should!