Their First Films Trivia Quiz

Answer: Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise's film career began modestly with a bit part in the Brooke Shields vehicle 'Endless Love'. Shields was already a well-established veteran of acting by 1981, having begun her feature film career in the 1976 horror film 'Communion' (She was 16 years old at the time that 'Endless Love' was made.) Other neophyte actors of lesser stature involved in this project: Ian Ziering (of 'Beverly Hills 90210') in his film debut; James Spader in only his second film; Jamie Gertz, also in her second film.

Answer: Sally Field

Sally Field was a popular television actress during the 1960s, starring as both 'Gidget' and 'The Flying Nun'. She made her first step into feature films with the 1967 western 'The Way West', but her big splash didn't come until 1979 when she won a Best Actress Oscar for her performance in 'Norma Rae'.

In 1985 she won another Best Actress Oscar for her role in 1984's 'Places in the Heart', proving that audiences and her peers like her...they really do!

Answer: To Kill a Mockingbird

Robert Duvall made a big splash in his film debut, portraying the mystery-shrouded character Boo Radley, from the film-adaptation of Harper Lee's beloved novel 'To Kill a Mockingbird'. He has gone on to great things, starring in some of Hollywood's best-known films, such as 'True Grit', 'MASH', 'The Godfather' (and its sequels), 'Apocalypse Now' and 'Sling Blade'. Duvall won a Best Actor Oscar for his role in the 1983 film 'Tender Mercies'.

Answer: No

Indeed, not. Holly Hunter first appeared in the 1981 horror film (notice how many Hollywood debuts come in horror films?) called 'The Burning'. She went on to appear in several films, including the 1984 Goldie Hawn/Kurt Russell drama 'Swing Shift' and the Coen brothers 1984 thriller 'Blood Simple' (as an uncredited voiceover). For more on that film, see below!

Answer: Blood Simple

'Blood Simple' was the fascinating crime drama that first put the Coen brothers on the Hollywood map. Not only was this their film debut, it also featured the first movie appearance by Oscar-winner Frances McDormand, another of my favorite actresses. Is it any surprise that she married Joel Coen in 1984?

Answer: Spike Lee

This 1986 film also featured the debut of the Mars Blackmun character that Lee would make famous in a series of Nike commercials in the late 1980s, early 1990s. Spike Lee helped introduce Hollywood to a number of significant actors, including Rosie Perez, Samuel L. Jackson and Martin Lawrence.

Answer: Wynona Rider

Charlie Sheen and Corey Haim also appeared in the film, but it was the debut for neither of the two (Haim first appeared in the 1984 movie 'Firstborn', while Sheen was first featured in the 1984 movie
Red Dawn'). Molly Ringwald did not appear in the film.

Wynona Rider was a tender 15-years old when 'Lucas' arrived at theaters in 1986. She soon went on to appear in films such as 'Beetle Juice', 'Heathers' and 'Dracula', among others.

Answer: Wildcats

The first credited feature film appearance for both of these actors came in the 1986 Goldie Hawn vehicle 'Wildcats'. Snipes and Harrelson would go on to co-star in a couple other films mentioned as wrong choices in this question ('White Men Can't Jump' and 'Money Train'). 'Silver Streak' also featured a popular, multi-racial comedy duo, this time Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder.

Answer: Gene Wilder

'Bonnie and Clyde' was the third film released in 1967 to feature the fresh face of new Hollywood actress Faye Dunaway (after 'The Happening' and 'Hurry Sundown'). Gene Hackman first appeared in the 1964 film 'Lilith', while Warren Beatty was the veteran, making his film debut in 'Splendor in the Grass' in 1961.

'Bonnie and Clyde' did feature Gene Wilder's first big screen appearance as Eugene Grizzard. He would go on to bigger fame with 'The Producers' in the following year, and continued with great 1970's films such as 'Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory', 'Blazing Saddles' and 'Young Frankenstein'.

Answer: True

Jessica Lange, who won a Best Actress in a Supporting Role Oscar for her performance in 1982's 'Tootsie', and won the Best Actress Oscar in 1995 for her performance in 'Blue Sky', made the interesting choice of starring in Fay Wray's role as King Kong's lady interest in the 1976 version of 'King Kong'. Prior to this, Lange was working as a model (/actress?)

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