Who's Who of "Best Years" Trivia Quiz

Answer: Teresa Wright

Teresa Wright plays Peggy Stephenson, the adult daughter of Al and Milly, who falls in love with her father's friend Fred Derry. The problem that faces them is that Fred is already married, to a woman he only knew for a short time before being sent overseas during World War II. The final scene of the movie leads us to believe that things will work out between Peggy and Fred.

Teresa Wright (1918-2005) began her movie career in 1941's "The Little Foxes", with her last film being "The Rainmaker" (1997). In between came her Oscar-winning (Supporting Actress) performance in "Mrs Miniver" (1942) and other roles in movies like "Shadow of a Doubt" (1943) and "Pride of the Yankees" (1942). Much of her later work was in television series or made for TV movies.

Answer: Myrna Loy

Myrna Loy plays Milly Stephenson, mother of Peggy and high school student Rob (Michael Hall) and wife of returning soldier Al. She is supportive of both her children, and tolerant of Al's need to party with his new chums Fred and Homer after they return home to Boone City on the same flight. She worries about Al's drinking, and tries to keep him on track.

Myrna Loy (1905-1993) may be best remembered as Nora Charles, wife of Nick (William Powell) in the "Thin Man" series of movies, beginning in 1934. One of her later movies was "Airport 1975" (1974). She was awarded an Honorary Academy Award recognizing "a lifetime's worth of indelible performances" in 1991.

Answer: Dana Andrews

Fred Derry (Andrews) tells his friends that he was a "fountain attendant" (soda jerk) before becoming a decorated bombardier flying missions over Europe, about which he suffers nightmares. His rank in the Air Corps is captain, so it is a come down to have to return to his old job, taking orders from someone who used to be his junior. His re-entry into civilian life is further complicated by his unfaithful wife and his growing feelings for Peggy Stephenson.

Dana Andrews (1909-1992) made four movies in 1940, including a role in "The Westerner" and last appeared in 1984's "Prince Jack". Some of his notable roles included the detective in "Laura" (1944) and an airline pilot in danger in "The Crowded Sky" (1960). Like Loy, he appeared in "Airport 1975", and like Wright he appeared in a number of TV series and movies later in his career.

Answer: Erskine Sanford

Mr Bullard is the pharmacist for whom Fred Derry worked before the war, but who now is an employee himself of the chain of drug stores who have bought him out. He is delighted to have Fred home safely, but can do little to help when Fred balks against the new situation.

Erskine Sanford (1885-1969) had a career spanning the years 1938-1952, often playing a doctor or storekeeper or, as in "Citizen Kane" (1941), a reporter. Orson Welles was frequently his director, as Sanford appeared in five of Welles' movies, including "The Magnificent Ambersons" (1942) and "Citizen Kane".

Answer: Hoagy Carmichael

Butch Engle (Carmichael) is sailor Homer Parrish's uncle, and he owns a bar/nightclub for which he also provides the entertainment by playing piano. Butch is very supportive of his wounded nephew, and does all that he can to encourage the young man as Homer struggles with his emotions, especially regarding his girlfriend. Butch even teaches the young man to play a duet with him on the piano, quite a feat considering the nature of Homer's injuries.

Hoagy Carmichael (1899-1981) is probably better known as a songwriter and composer (and piano player) than as an actor, though he did appear in several movies, including "Young Man with a Horn" (1950) and "Belles on Their Toes" (1952). He shared an Oscar for Best Original Song with lyricist Johnny Mercer for the song "In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening" from "Here Comes the Groom" (1951).

Answer: Cathy O'Donnell

Wilma Cameron (O'Donnell) and Homer Parrish have known each other forever, being next door neighbours as well as sweethearts. Homer worries that his war wounds will make life too difficult for Wilma if they marry and tries to push her away, but she perseveres in her quest to make him understand that she loves him and there's nothing more to be said.

Cathy O'Donnell (1923-1970) had only appeared in one film before "The Best Years of Our Lives", in an uncredited role. She went on to appear in such films as "Detective Story" (1951), "The Man from Laramie" (1955), and "Ben-Hur" (1959).

Answer: Fredric March

Sgt Al Stephenson (March) is older than his companions on the airplane ride home, and takes something of a fatherly interest in them both. He returns to the bank where he worked before the war, and is promoted but takes some time to settle back into the routine, drinking rather more than he should at first. He is chastised for giving a loan to a returning serviceman who has no collateral, but his boss Mr Milton (Ray Collins) does allow the loan to go through. His daughter Peggy's relationship with Fred also causes Al some concern.

Fredric March (1897-1975) won his second Best Actor Oscar for this role, the first having been for the title role(s) of "Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde" (1931). He was nominated in the same category on three other occasions, including for "Death of a Salesman" (1951).

Answer: Virginia Mayo

Good-time girl Marie (Mayo) is not amused that her glamourous, well-paid, flyboy groom has come home to a low paying job in a pharmacy. Fred convinces her to quit her job in a nightclub, but can't manage to get her to live the quiet life that his new salary demands. She wants to dine out every night and go dancing, and eventually tells Fred she wants a divorce. She has at least one gentleman friend calling on her, and one wonders how many there were whilst Fred was overseas.

Virginia Mayo (1920-2005) had a career in movies and television spanning 1939-1997, including roles in "The Kid from Brooklyn" (1946), "Captain Horatio Hornblower" (1951) and "White Heat" (1949). Though she appeared in a number of musicals, her own singing voice was not used, though the dancing was all Mayo.

Answer: Steve Cochran

Cochran plays Marie's "friend", Cliff, who is rather a slimy character who encourages her to ignore Fred's wishes, and to go out on the town night after night. When Fred comes home early and finds Cliff in his own apartment (though only waiting for Marie to get ready) things come to a boil, and the marriage is all but over. Cliff wears a returned serviceman's pin, but has no empathy with fellow veteran, Fred.

Steve Cochran (1917-1965) was one of those actors that you could love to hate. Darkly handsome, he often played the bad guy, or the slimy boyfriend as he did in "Best Years". One of his more likable roles was in "Come Next Spring" (1956), and even that character started out as a hard drinking man who deserted his family for several years.

Answer: Harold Russell

Homer Parrish (Russell) has lost both of his hands as a result of burns suffered when his ship, an aircraft carrier, was sunk near the Philippines. He has become adept at using the hooks provided for him by the Navy, and can do almost everything without help. Problems arise at night, after he has removed his prosthetics, when he needs help to button his pajamas, open a door or have a drink of water. His father (Walter Baldwin) is seen to help him, and later Homer shows Wilma what will be expected of her if they marry. To her credit, the young woman is happy to marry him, with all that that involves.

Harold Russell (1914-2002) was a trained paratrooper, and was training others in North Carolina, when an explosion damaged both of his hands so badly that amputation was necessary. For his role as Homer Parrish he received the Best Supporting Actor Oscar, and a special Oscar for "bringing hope and courage" to fellow veterans. A documentary short, "Diary of a Sergeant" (1945), in which he described his rehabilitation was what caught the eye of "Best Years" director William Wyler. Russell acted in only a very few movies and TV series after "Best Years".