"The Time Machine" (1960) Trivia Quiz

Answer: George Pal

George Pal was not only a director, but also a producer, writer, and cinematographer. He first received acclaim for his "Puppetoons," but soon became the force behind some of the most successful fantasy films of the 1950s. In 1953, he produced another film based on an H.G. Wells novel, "The War of the Worlds."

Answer: David Duncan

David Duncan also was part of the team of writers that conceived the 1966 movie, "Fantastic Voyage." The other choices listed for this question were the other writers who are credited for contributing to "Fantastic Voyage."

Answer: "Excuse me, Mr. Filby!"

The first line was from an unidentified man on a bicycle, who almost hit David Filby as he crossed the street in front of George's house.

Answer: January 5, 1900

We know it is January 5, 1900, for that is when George made the appointment on his calendar for the group to meet for dinner. The story begins when he comes back from the future on January 5th, then he starts to tell the story of what happened five days earlier, beginning on December 31, 1899 - that's the evening he made the appointment, and we watch him do it. Make sense? Alright, let's start again.

The movie opens on January 5, 1900, when George comes back from the future. He then tells the story of what happened on December 31, 1899, beginning with the last time they all met, he revealed his time machine, and he started his first journey. So the whole movie is a flashback narrated by George ending once again on January 5th.

Answer: "I'm all right. Some food, a drink."

George is played by Rod Taylor, who went on in 1963 to star in the Alfred Hitchcock film "The Birds" as Mitch Brenner.

Answer: Sebastian Cabot

Sebastian Cabot went on to greater fame playing Giles French, the butler on "Family Affair," and the voice of the narrator of Walt Disney's "Winnie the Pooh." Whit Bissell who played Walter Kemp, had other brushes with time travel on television, first, in 1966, he was a regular on Irwin Allen's "The Time Tunnel." Then he appeared on an updated TV version of "The Time Machine" in 1978. Tom Helmore, who played Anthony Bridewell, was Gavin Elster in Alfred Hitchcock's "Vertigo" a few years prior to this.

Answer: Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

Alan Young is well remembered for his role as Wilber Post on "Mister Ed" (1961). He was also in "The Cat From Outer Space" (1978) as Dr. Wenger, and he has done voice work for animated shows. One of the oddest ones had to be Haggis McHaggis, The Scotsman in an episode of "Ren and Stimpy." He also appeared in the 2002 version of "The Time Machine" as a flower shop proprietor. That film was directed by Simon Wells, great-grandson to H.G. Wells.

Answer: Rod somehow cut his left index finger, and he smears blood on the time machine.

On the DVD it can be seen clearly. Rod Taylor was bleeding all over the time machine when he lovingly caresses it, just before he unscrews the lever. You might say he gave it a proper christening, without hitting it with a bottle.

Answer: False

The disc spins in only one direction, counter-clockwise, although George Pal originally wanted to have it spin in both directions depending on which direction in time it was travelling, to the future or into the past. The reason it was not built that way was simple, too small a budget, so they went with the simpler and cheaper design. According to Gene Warren, who worked on the film, the entire budget for the movie was only $750,000!

Answer: 6:31 PM

George, in his voice-over narration, mentions that it was 6:31 when he started, and 8:09 on the clock in his laboratory when he first stops.

Answer: September 13, 1917

George stops, walks across the street, and sees David Filby's son, James, and, at first, mistakes him for David Filby.

Answer: H. George Wells

Although no one in the film ever refers to Rod Taylor as anything but 'George,' the plate is a tribute to the original author, H.G. Wells. In the original book, H.G. Wells, did not name the character, the narrator just referred to him as 'the time traveller.'

Answer: August 18, 1966

George, after arriving in 1966, finds the citizens of London running for their lives to an air raid shelter to get away from the coming nuclear attack. In 1960, this was a rather harsh view of the future to come just six years later, but who was to know there wouldn't be a nuclear war in 1966?

Answer: October 12, 802,701

This is the same year that the time traveller in H.G. Wells' book arrives. One can only wonder if humans will still be walking the Earth in 802,701! If so, what will they look like?

Answer: The lever

He unscrewed the lever to insure nobody would take the time machine on a trip.

Answer: "...he has all the time in the world."

Mrs. Watchett was played by Doris Lloyd, who started acting in silent films in 1920. She later appeared in "Mary Poppins" (1964), and "The Sound of Music" (1965).

Answer: 2

The spinning rings tell of a lengthy war which divided the human race between those who survived on the surface (Eloi), and those who stayed underground. Those who stayed underground were unable to return to survive on the surface, hence the Morlocks.

Answer: Three books

Mrs. Watchett didn't know which books George took with him to Weena, just that there were three empty spaces on his book shelf. What would YOU take with you on a trip into the future?

Answer: Russell Garcia

Some of Russell Garcia's other film scores include "Atlantis, the Lost Continent" (1961), "The Pad and How to Use It" (1966), and "Three Guns for Texas" (1968).

Answer: True

It was a part of a 1993 documentary produced by Bob Burns entitled "The Time Machine: The Journey Back," which was mostly about the story behind the original prop used as the time machine, which was lovingly restored by Mr. Burns, and others. At the end of the documentary is a short scene which shows what might have happened if George came back from the future to save his friend Filby. Rod Taylor, Alan Young and Whit Bissell reprised their roles 32 years after the original.

The full documentary and short scene can be seen on the DVD release of "The Time Machine."