What's New Pussycat? Trivia Quiz

Answer: Warren Beatty

"What's New Pussycat?" was originally titled "Lot's Wife", but the title was changed to Warren Beatty's phrase since he was to star in the film. The main character was loosely based on Beatty, but he wasn't happy with the way that the script evolved, so he left the project and was replaced by Peter O'Toole.

Answer: Woody Allen

"What's New Pussycat?" began life as "Lot's Wife", a comedy written by Ladislaus Bus-Fekete. It was reworked by veteran screenwriter I.A.L. Diamond before being turned over to Woody Allen. Allen rewrote the script but was repeatedly asked to make edits by the production company. With each edit, he increased his role in the film until it was bigger and funnier than that of the intended lead, Warren Beatty. Beatty then quit the project, resulting in a long-lived feud between the two.

Answer: His girlfriend wanted to get married.

"Women have always been a big problem to me", confessed Michael James, before recounting the details of his early experiences, including his affair with his 34 year old teacher when he was 12. He had a hard time saying "no" to them and, as an editor for a fashion magazine, he was surrounded by beautiful women all day.

But his girlfriend wanted to get married, and he wanted to be faithful, so he needed Dr. Fassbender's help.

Answer: Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

After leaving his appointment with Dr. Fassbender, Michael drove to an outdoor café where he arrived at the same time as Toulouse-Lautrec. He passed the artists' table as he went to meet Victor who was seated at the next table, playing a game of chess with Tempest O'Brien.

In case you were wondering, these were actors playing the cameo roles, not the real artists who were all long-dead by the time the film was made.

Answer: Richard Burton

The scene was at a strip club where Victor was working as a dresser ("I help the girls dress and undress"). Michael was standing at the bar when Richard Burton walked by. Burton had appeared with Peter O'Toole in the film "Becket" in the year prior to "What's New Pussycat?", which explained why Burton asked O'Toole's character, "Don't you know me from somewhere?"

Answer: Dr. Fassbender

Dr. Fassbender was wrapped in a Norwegian flag and getting ready to sail to his death when he noticed Victor eating dinner on the side of the river. Victor informed him that he ate there once a year on his birthday. After finding out that Fassbender was a doctor, Victor asked him to help him which, as Fassbender pointed out, was an unusual thing to ask in the middle of a suicide.

Incidentally, the role of Dr. Fassbender was originally much smaller and was intended for Groucho Marx, but it was given to Peter Sellers who expanded the role during the filming of the movie.

Answer: Opera

Dr. Fassbender's wife (Eddra Gale) was rehearsing for a woman's auxiliary recital and was in full Viking regalia when she followed him to the Chateau Chantelle. Victor had brought a girl there and was trying to seduce her while lip-syncing to a record. Incidentally, Eddra Gale truly was an opera singer who had embarked on a film career after being cast by Federico Fellini in "8 1/2".

Answer: Ursula Andress

Ursula Andress made a memorable entrance, parachuting into Peter O'Toole's car as he was driving to the Chateau Chantelle. Andress was the first of the "Bond" girls, appearing in 1962's "Dr. No", and she later was the first Vesper Lynd in the original "Casino Royale".

The ad-lib occurred during the mob scene in the hotel room when Dr. Fassbender's wife confronted him while he was holding Andress; Fassbender told his wife that Andress was "a personal friend of James Bond", which made Andress laugh.

Answer: Go-carts

After police arrived to break up the party at the Chateau Chantelle, the guests escaped and picked up go-carts at a nearby track. Naturally, the police had to use the same mode of transportation and slapstick comedy ensued, as the vehicles drove into a farmyard and through a village. As one reviewer put it, "Benny Hill must have been proud".

Answer: Song

The song "What's New Pussycat?" was written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David and was performed by Tom Jones. An instrumental version was also heard throughout the film. The song didn't win the Oscar; it lost to "The Shadow of Your Smile" from the film "The Sandpiper".