The Film History of Paul Newman Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. One of Paul Newman's earliest Hollywood film roles was as the young upstart Ben Quick in the Martin Ritt directed 'The Long, Hot Summer'. Who wrote the story called 'The Hamlet' upon which this 1958 film was based?

Answer: William Faulkner

Newman's acting in 'The Long, Hot Summer' won him a Best Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival. This marked the first collaboration between Newman and his lifelong partner and wife, Joanne Woodward. At this early stage in their careers (and their relationship) you can sense the electricity between the two.

2. In the 1958 film 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof', Paul Newman took a turn acting in the film adapatation of a Tennessee Williams play. Which actress played his leading lady, Maggie 'The Cat' Pollitt, here?

Answer: Elizabeth Taylor

With two good-looking and talented leads like Taylor and Newman, there's no way things could have gone wrong with this film. Oddly enough, Tennessee Williams despised this film adaptation despite the talent gathered to portray his characters. Clearly the Academy enjoyed the film, it received six Oscar nominations, including one each for Newman and Taylor. None of the nominations translated into actual Oscars, however.

This was Newman's first of many Academy Award nominations.

3. In the 1961 film 'The Hustler', Newman teams up with Jackie Gleason as a pair of pool players. What is the name of the character that Newman portrays in this entertaining drama?

Answer: Eddie Felson

Newman is 'Fast' Eddie Felson, a young pool shark who meets up with a legend, Gleason's Minnesota Fats. In this film, Newman and Gleason actually do all the pool shooting themselves. This must have made for a fun production! This film garnered Newman his second Academy Award nomination (but no Oscar), and also saw actor nominations for Gleason, George C. Scott (who refused the nomination) and Piper Laurie.

4. In 1963, Paul Newman plays a rash young cattle rancher named Hud Bannon in the film 'Hud'. This film marked Newman's fourth collaboration with which of the following directors?

Answer: Martin Ritt

Their joint ventures include: 'The Long, Hot Summer' (1958), 'Paris Blues' (1961), 'Hemingway's Adventures of a Young Man' (1962), 'Hud' (1963), 'The Outrage'(1964) and 'Hombre' (1967). The last three films were all westerns. Newman worked more with Martin Ritt than any other director during his career.

'Hud' marked Newman's third academy award nomination, but again no Oscar!

5. One of my favorite Paul Newman films was 'Cool Hand Luke'. This 1967 film, directed by Stuart Rosenberg, features Newman as, what else, a rash young wanderer. In this case, Newman's character Luke gets himself thrown in prison for which of the following unusual offenses?

Answer: Cutting off the heads of parking meters

Obviously, Luke is a non-conformist, and he certainly plans not to conform once he is thrown in prison. His resistance is tested by the cruel prison captain played by Strother Martin, with whom Luke 'fails to communicate'. Newman is again nominated but does not win an Oscar for 'Cool Hand Luke', but George Kennedy did bring home the prize for his supporting performance as Dragline, Luke's best friend in the prison.

6. In 1969, Paul Newman took a turn in the role of Butch Cassidy in the film 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid'. Newman finally took home an Oscar for this film, after many nominations.

Answer: False

Not even close, actually. In fact, Newman was not even nominated for his performance as Butch Cassidy alongside Robert Redford's Sundance. Redford also failed to receive a nomination. The film did receive seven nominations, and won four (Best Song, Best Score, Best Cinematography and Best Screenplay). If there was an Oscar for best on-screen chemistry, Redford and Newman would have won it hands down.

By the way, Newman did not win an acting Oscar until 1987 for his performance as Fast Eddie Felson in 'The Color of Money'. This was his eight nomination! The year before he won an honorary Oscar for his lifetime achievements. The Academy probably thought he was never going to win an Oscar for a specific performance.

7. Newman and Redford joined up once again for 1973's buddy caper flick 'The Sting'. The famous score of this film, including the song 'The Entertainer', was entirely derived from the works of which American composer?

Answer: Scott Joplin

Oddly enough, 'The Sting' was based in the 1930s, while Joplin's ragtime music was popular a several decades earlier. By the 1930s, ragtime music had been replaced by various other jazz styles. Marvin Hamlisch won an Oscar for his adaptation of Joplin's songs in the film.

As for Newman, his terrific on-screen chemistry with Robert Redford is once again exhibited here. As a result of their performances, the great music and the exciting story, 'The Sting' won a Best Picture Oscar in 1974.

8. In 1977, Paul Newman took an interesting role as a vulgar, washed-up hockey coach who suddenly helps to breathe new life into his team in the film 'Slap Shot'. What is the name of Newman's crude but likeable character in this movie?

Answer: Reggie Dunlop

'Slap Shot' follows the traditional formula of an underdog coach and sports team that somehow achieves success by coming together and finding an unusual chemistry. However, the film is atypical in that the characters aren't heroic or necessarily loveable. None of the rough edges are trimmed here. If you haven't seen the film, you should...but be warned, the dialogue is not G-rated!

9. In which of these Paul Newman films does the venerable actor team up with the always unique Coen brothers?

Answer: The Hudsucker Proxy

Paul Newman plays Sidney J. Mussburger, a corporate executive who concocts a crazy plan to make millions for himself and the other directors of a company whose owner has recently committed suicide. This 1994 film is one of the Coen Brothers' most inventive and quirky comedies, and Newman does an excellent job in his role as a crusty and corrupt corporate type.

10. Paul Newman's performances continued to entertain audiences even into the 21st century. With which of these well-esteemed actors did Newman team in the 2002 film 'Road to Perdition'?

Answer: Tom Hanks

Paul Newman plays a Chicago crime boss for whom the Tom Hanks character works. The film is directed by Sam Mendes and is based on a graphic novel created by Max Collins and Richard Rayner. Another fine performance by Newman, who hasn't lost any of his acting power even into his 70s.

Thank you for playing this quiz, I hope you enjoyed it and will be tempted to try some of my other quizzes.

Source: Author thejazzkickazz

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor skunkee before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

One of Hollywood's most beloved actors, Paul Newman has combined good looks, machismo and a penchant for invoking the common man ethos into a decades long career. For his fans, this quiz should be a cinch...good luck!

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