Another One Bites the Dust: 2 Trivia Quiz

Answer: Stanley Kubrick

The film in question is "2001: A Space Odyssey". Kubrick had a bit of a reputation for imposing his ideas onto film projects. When he took over "Spartacus", cinematographer Russell Metty complained that Kubrick was taking over his job. Kubrick simply brushed the complaints aside. Ironically, Metty won an Oscar for that film. Stanley Kubrick died 7th March 1999.

Answer: George C. Scott

George really did not like the awards system, feeling the ceremonies were nothing more than 'meat markets'. He was nominated for an Oscar in 1960 and again in 1962 when he refused to accept even the nomination. When he won the 1971 Oscar for "Patton", he stayed at home.

The film's director accepted the Oscar on behalf of Scott on the night but it was returned to the Academy the following day. Nevertheless, he was nominated again the following year. Scott died 22nd September 1999.

Answer: DeForest Kelley

Dr Leonard "Bones" McCoy first appeared in the TV series Star Trek. DeForest Kelley was the only actor from the original series never to write an autobiography. His early career was mainly in westerns where he often played the bad guy. He died 20th January 1999.

Answer: Victor Mature

Victor had a powerful body and often appeared in scenes where this was self evident. He had a passionate affair with Esther Williams in the early 1950s. Golf slowly replaced acting as his preferred activity and he made fewer films as a result. He died August 4th 1999.

Answer: Desmond Llewelyn

Desmond starred as "Q" in 16 James Bond blockbusters and one TV film. "Q" was the boffin who created all those amazing gadgets used by James Bond. His character was left out of "Live and Let Die" because it was felt that too much emphasis was being put on the gadgets, but he came back and was in all the remaining Bond films up until "The World Is Not Enough" (1999).

He died on 19th December 1999 having already decided that would be his last Bond film.

Answer: Mario Puzo

Mario is best known for the "Godfather" films adapted from his novel and for which he won the Best Screenplay Oscars in 1973 and 1975. He had tried to write a comic-book years earlier when working for the company that owned Marvel Comics but had no success.

He did achieve success in the comic-book genre when he wrote the story/screenplay for the first two "Superman" films. He died 2nd July 1999.

Answer: Frank Sinatra

His Oscar winning success was in the film "From Here To Eternity". During a fight scene for "The Manchurian Candidate" (1962), he broke his little finger when a karate chop he threw went straight through a table. The footage apparently stayed in the film. He died 14th May 1998.

Answer: Roy Rogers

Roy was known as "The King of the Cowboys". His on-screen wife in the "Roy Rogers Show", Dale Evans, was his real wife for over 50 years until his death. His horse "Trigger", a beautiful Golden Palomino stallion and his dog "Bullet", appeared in 100 episodes of the show. Roy died 6th July 1998.
William Boyd was Hopalong Cassidy and Duncan Renaldo was the Cisco Kid.

Answer: Joan Hickson

Joan Hickson's most famous role was Jane Marple, a fictional spinster who was an amateur detective created by Agatha Christie. She played the role in a BBC TV series which ran from 1984 until 1992. She first played an Agatha Christie character, Miss Pryce, in a 1946 play which Agatha Christie attended and who later wrote to Joan saying "I hope you will play my dear Miss Marple".

It took some time but it is now difficult to imagine anybody else in the role. Margaret Rutherford also played an earlier version of Miss Marple in a series of British films in the 1960's.

Helen Hayes also played Miss Marple in a 1985 TV film. Joan died 17th October 1998.

Answer: Maureen O'Sullivan

Maureen arrived in Hollywood in 1930 and was picked to play Tarzan's wife in a series of films with Johnny Weissmuller. She married John Farrow, an Australian writer with whom she had 7 children including Mia Farrow. She died on 23rd June 1998.