Why Didn't I Do That? Trivia Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. In 1955 Marlon Brando was offered the part of Frankie in "The Man With a Golden Arm". He refused it and Frank Sinatra took over, extremely successfully. What was Frankie's character?

Answer: musician/junkie

Frank Sinatra's part was that of a recovering junkie, just released from jail. On the way to interview for a job as a musician he runs into an old acquaintance and soon finds himself back in his old life, dealing in an illegal card game. He made such a success of this part that he re-launched his career as a result Having been primarily a singer, he now went into acting very successfully.

2. The part of Professor Higgins "My Fair Lady" would have been quite different if played by the original choice of actor - Cary Grant. Instead, an English actor with a 'cut glass' accent took the part. Who was that?

Answer: Rex Harrison

"My Fair Lady" was a musical film based on the play "Pygmalion" by George Bernard Shaw in which the professor takes a bet that he can groom a cockney flower seller in her speech and general deportment so that she will become acceptable in London High Society.
Rex Harrison made his career by playing suave scoundrels on stage and screen. He won three TONY awards, for "Anne of a Thousand Days", "My Fair Lady" and the George Bernard Shaw play "Heartbread House". In his private life, he seems to have been universally disliked.

3. The part of the wizard Gandalf in "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy was originally offered to Sean Connery. It is believed that he did not wish to spend the time needed filming on the other side of the world. Where were these films made?

Answer: New Zealand

It was the spectacular scenery that made New Zealand the choice for these films. The scenery is so splendid that the tourist industry in New Zealand has increased greatly from its use in the films.
Ian McKellan took the part of Gandalf instead and made it his own.
Ian McKellan has won over 60 major international acting awards for his work on stage and screen, including a Tony for Amadeus, four Olivier awards, a Golden Globe for Rasputin and is a very successful Shakespearean actor, having played Macbeth, King Lear, Richard III and Othello.

4. The role of a drunken gunfighter in "Cat Ballou" was refused by Kirk Douglas. Who took over and won himself an Academy Award for the part?

Answer: Lee Marvin

This is a comedy western with music. Stubby Kaye and Nat King Cole providing much of the soundtrack. The female lead was played by Jane Fonda.
The film was named by the American Film Industry as one of the ten best of its kind. It is the story of a woman who returns to her father's ranch where there are plots afoot to steal the ranch and she hires a gun fighter (Lee Marvin) to protect him but still he is shot. This persuades her to become an outlaw, who, after many adventures is caught and sentenced to hang. What happens then? You will have to watch the film to find out!
At the Oscars in 1965 this film won Best Actor Award for Lee Marvin, British Academy Award for Best Actor, Lee Marvin, Golden Globe Award for Lee Marvin, also at the Oscars, Best film editing, Best music, and Best Screen Play.
Lee Marvin started his career by playing vicious characters, but soon moved on to being the star of action and drama on film and TV. He was known for "M Squad", "The Dirty Dozen", "Donovan's Reef" and the series "Bonanza" and "The Virginian" before financing films and various companies that support the film industry.

5. Judy Garland was second choice for a famous part which was first intended for Shirley Temple. In which film was this? It might almost have been called a road movie.

Answer: The Wizard of Oz

Judy Garland was 16 years old when she took this part and had to wear a girdle to make her look younger. After this she went on to star in many other Hollywood musicals, such as "Meet Me in St Louis" and "Strike Up the Band". She paired up with Mickey Rooney and also Gene Kelly. "The Wizard of Oz" with the song "Follow the Yellow Brick Road" was adapted from a book by L.Frank Baum. Judy Garland played Dorothy, the girl swept away by a tornado. Dorothy was blown to the Land of Oz and the story follows her efforts to return to her home in Kansas. Together with the friends she makes on the way, who each have problems of their own, they all go to ask help from the local ruler - the wizard.

6. "Kindergarten Cop" was a hit for Arnold Schwarzenegger. If it had been played by the actor to whom it was originally offered, it might have been very different. So who was that?

Answer: Jack Nicholson

This was one of a number of roles that Jack Nicholson refused. They included parts in "Rainman", "Equus", "Caligula" and even the part of God in "Bruce Almighty".
He was nominated for many awards for his acting. Although most were for best actor, it is interesting to note that in 1993 the Razzie awards nominated him as the Worst Actor for "Man Trouble". However, most of his awards and nominations were for Best Actor and he won Oscars for Best Actor in "As Good As It Gets" in 1998 and "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" in 1996 and several others.

7. All these people are said to have been offered the part of Dr Grant in "Jurassic Park". Three turned it down. Which one eventually played the part in the film?

Answer: Sam Neill

Harrison Ford is said to have admitted, at the after film talk on the 30th Anniversary Screening of Raiders of the Lost Ark, that this was a mistake, although he agreed that Sam Neill did an excellent job. "Jurassic Park" is the story of a theme park filled with dinosaurs grown from DNA extracted from fossils of the dinosaur period.

It was very popular and spawned several of sequels. The British actor James Mason was impressed with Neil's acting ability and pressed for him to get the lead role in "The Omen". He has worked on several TV programmes, including the mini series "Reilly, Ace of Spies".

8. Which film role went to Laurence Fishburne after being refused by Russell Crowe?

Answer: Morpheus in "The Matrix"

According to reports "The Matrix" was hard to cast, with several well known actors refusing the parts of Morpheus and Neo.
This film is about a computer hacker who discovers that there is a race of machines which have taken over the minds of human beings and intends to snuff them all out. It is up to him to save the world as we know it.
Laurence Fishburne was 12 when he got his first professional role in a TV soap opera "One Life to Live" 1968.
He played in "The Matrix" and "The Matrix Reloaded".
He is known for playing wise and intelligent characters.

9. Kim Basinger was offered a part in "Basic Instinct" but the part was taken by Sharon Stone. What did Sharon Stone do in this film that became a notorious clip?

Answer: She crossed her legs when she sat down.

Sharon Stone did not realise how much exposure she had in this film and wanted the scene cut, but it went ahead. Although at first she was very annoyed, she admitted later that it was an integral and valid part of the story. It is said that she slapped the director's face over this incident.

10. In "Sister Act", Whoopi Goldberg took the part of Dolores after Bette Midler refused it. What name did Dolores take when she pretended to be a nun?

Answer: Sister Mary Clarence

This film was more of a success than Bette Midler expected, producing a sequel and a Broadway stage musical.
In the film, Dolores is a night club singer who needs to hide from some gangsters after seeing a murder. She takes refuge in a convent where the Mother Superior passes her off as a nun and gives her the name Sister Mary Clarence. She soon discovers that the convent finances are almost gone and the convent will soon have to close, along with its school. Dolores uses her musical ability to revitalise the choir and repair their ailing fortunes.
Whoopi Goldberg is a very versatile actress and has been in films as diverse as "Ghost", "The Muppet's Christmas Show" and "Jumping Jack Flash".

Source: Author Toeknee448

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

Many a famous film actor has refused a part that was then offered to another who made such a success of it that the original actor might well have regretted his/her decision. Do you know about these?

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>