Another One Bites the Dust: 14 Quiz

Answer: Jack Benny

His inept violin playing was actually for effect as he was in fact an accomplished player. A school football team in Waukegan, Illinois, his hometown, are known as the "39ers" in honour of his insistence of always being thirty-nine. After his death on 26 December, 1974 he left instructions for a rose to be delivered to his wife every day until she died.

Answer: Agnes Moorhead

Agnes was the first woman to host the Academy Awards. She did this with Dick Powell in 1948. She actually turned down the role of Endora in "Bewitched" but gave in when Elizabeth Montgomery asked her personally. Agnes died of cancer on 30 April, 1974.

Answer: Bud Abbott

Lou Costello insisted their earnings together were split 60/40 in Bud Abbott's favour on the basis that "comics are a dime a dozen. Good straight men are hard to find". The performance of "Who's on First?" in the film "The Naughty Nineties" (1945) is enshrined in a looped video at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. Bud Abbott on died 24 April, 1974.

Answer: 'Mama' Cass Elliot

The New Journeymen became "The Mama & The Papas" and following their breakup a little later, she started a solo career which had its up and downs. Her career was definitely hitting the high spots once again when she did a series of shows in London, getting rave reviews. On on 28 July 1974 she died in her sleep in her London flat aged 32. Four years later, The Who's drummer, Keith Moon, died in the same flat, also aged 32.

Answer: Ed Sullivan

The Ed Sullivan show was responsible for bringing many acts to the American public's attention including Elvis Presley and The Beatles. Ed was a surviving twin like Elvis and Liberace. The three of them all had twin brothers who were stillborn. He died on 13 October, 1974.

Answer: Tex Ritter

Tex was the father of John Ritter the actor. His name was actually Woodward Ritter. He got that from the surname of the doctor who helped at his birth. He became known as "Tex" later. He died on 2 January, 1974.

Answer: Duke Ellington

He has appeared on both stamps and coins. On 16 July 2008, he appeared on a 42 cent USA stamp celebrating Vintage Black Cinema. In 2009, the District of Columbia issued a 25 cent commemorative coin as part of the USA's Statehood Quarters series. He is shown seated next to a piano, and the name "DUKE ELLINGTON" is engraved in the area above the piano keys. He died on 24 May, 1974.

Answer: Samuel Goldwyn

Samuel Goldwyn is famous for driving ambition, bad temper and "Goldwynisms" which are unintentional funny comments arising partially from his limited knowledge of the English language. Examples of this would be "Color Television! Bah! I won't believe it until I see it in black and white" or "My wife's hands are very beautiful. I'm going to have a bust made of them".

He died on 17 August, 1974.

Answer: Georges Pompidou

All four of those named were French Presidents. Pompidou was President June 1969-April 1974, d'Estaing from May 1974 until May 1981, Mitterand from May 1981 until May 1995 and Chirac from May 1995 until May 2007. He died on 2 April, 1974.

Answer: Cliff Arquette

For eight years from the mid 1960s, he was in the lower left square of the game show "The Hollywood Squares" as his most famous character, Charlie Weaver. He left for a short time following a stroke but returned later and stayed with the show until his death on 23 September, 1974.

He guest-starred as his Charlie Weaver character in several different TV series including, "The Dennis Day Show", "Dragnet", "The Jack Paar Tonight Show", "The Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Show" and "The Andy Williams Show".