Australia's Got Talent Trivia Quiz

Answer: Rolf Harris

Rolf Harris was born on 30th March 1930 in Perth, Western Australia. His entertainment career took off when he moved to England. "Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport" (1960) was one of his hit singles. Others included "Two Little Boys" (1969), "Jake the Peg" (1965) and "Stairway To Heaven" (1993). On his entertainment shows, he was noted for seemingly making up paintings as he went along, telling stories all the time. (In reality he was tracing on a screen over a pre-made painting that he could see, but the TV cameras did not pick up). For an such an apparently 'unhip' performer, he became a sensation at the Glastonbury music festivals in 2009 and 2010 among young people not even born when he was at his prime.

Answer: Simon Baker

Simon Baker was born on 30th July 1969 in Launceston, Tasmania. Like so many Australian actors who went on to international stardom, Baker's career was grounded in the TV soap operas. He appeared in "E Street", "Home and Away" and "Heartbreak High" before moving to the USA. Several low-key movie roles followed before he was cast as the lead in TV's "The Guardian" in 2001.

In 2008 he first starred as Patrick Jane in the award-winning "The Mentalist," playing a psychic who helped the fictional California Bureau of Investigations solve crimes.

Answer: Donald Bradman

Sir Donald Bradman (born 27th August 1908 - died 27th February 27th 2001) was the greatest batsman of his generation. When he retired in 1948 he had a career batting average of 99.94 in Test matches (one of four batsmen to average above 60 runs); this was still the case when he died.

99.94 Sir Donald Bradman (1928-1948)
60.97 Graeme Pollock (1963-1970)
60.83 George Headley (1930-1954)
60.73 Herbert Sutcliffe (1924-1935 )

Answer: Barry Humphries

John Barry Humphries was born on 17th February 1934 in Melbourne. While performing with the Melbourne Theatre Company, he created the outrageous femme fatale Dame Edna Everage. On moving to the UK, a number of serious roles followed, but he could not shake off Dame Edna and 'she' made him a star.

His other well-known alter ego was the foul-mouthed Sir Les Patterson, the Australian ambassador to the UK.

Answer: Paul Hogan

Paul Hogan was born in Lightning Ridge NSW on 8th October 1939. His first experience of entertaining was with his sketch show "The Paul Hogan Show" (1973 to 1984). That led to a number of movie roles, including that of Mick Dundee in "Crocodile Dundee" (1986).

It was the story of a rough and ready hunter who was transported to the sophistication of New York City by an American TV presenter, who then typically fell in love with him.

Answer: Slim Dusty

David Gordon Kirkpatrick, aka "Slim Dusty", was born on 13th June 1927 in Kempsey NSW and died in Sydney on 19th September 2003. His musical influences came from the American country and western scene. In 1957, "A Pub With No Beer" became the first Australian single to become a gold record. He released 105 LPs during his career and was working on another when he died.

Answer: Germaine Greer

Germaine Greer was born on 29th January 1939 in Melbourne. After an early career as an academic and a budding actress, she started to write, and hit the headlines and the top of the best-sellers' list with her book "The Female Eunuch" in 1970. She espoused many political and social ideals during her career and was particularly noted for promoting the feminist cause.
She also once said" I didn't fight to get women out from behind vacuum cleaners to get them onto the board of Hoover."

Answer: Elle MacPherson

Eleanor Nancy Gow was born on 29th March 1963 in Sydney (McPherson was her stepfather's name). She began to model in Australia at the age of 17, but really struck the big time when she moved to the USA. She became one of the most sought-after photographic models, and graced the covers of magazines as diverse as "Elle", "GQ", "Harper's Bazaar", "Vogue", and "Time".

She also established a record by appearing five times on the cover of the annual "Sports Illustrated" swimsuit issue. McPherson also appeared in movies and TV shows, including five episodes of "Friends".

In 1990, she entered the world of business by launching a lingerie collection.

Answer: Herb Elliott

Herbert James Elliott was born on 25th February 1938 in Perth, Western Australia. He was a committed middle distance runner who once broke the four-minute mile record. He won a 1500-metre gold medal at the 1960 Rome Olympics, to follow on to his 880 yards and one-mile golds in the 1958 Commonwealth Games in Cardiff.

Answer: Errol Flynn

Errol Leslie Flynn was born on 20th June 1909 in Hobart and died on 14th October 1959 in Vancouver, Canada. Flynn was a tearaway in his youth and left Australia to run businesses throughout the Pacific, many of which failed. Arriving in London, he took to acting with a relish and was picked up by Hollywood after the movie "Murder at Monte Carlo" (1934).

Many leading roles followed, As well as three movies in the question he starred in "The Charge of the Light Brigade" (1936), "The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex" (1939) and and "They Died with Their Boots On" (1941). (Apologies to English language purists for mangling the word "swashbuckle").