Courtesans and Prostitutes Trivia Quiz

Answer: Pretty Woman

Gary Marshall's deft direction makes this a charming and watchable film. Roy Orbison's "Pretty Woman" sets the mood.

Answer: De Pompadour

Madame de Pompadour came to the French court of Louis XV with two strikes against her. Firstly, she was married, and secondly, she was a commoner. The king arranged a legal separation and bestowed the title of marquess upon her. Her wit, beauty, intelligence and cultural instincts made her a powerful force behind the throne although she never held official powers.

It was a very complex court.

Answer: Canada

Gerda Munsinger entered Canada after failing a background check to enter the United States. She did serve her required year as a domestic then moved on to Montreal and Ottawa and found her way into the lives of Canadian cabinet members. She was particularly close to Pierre Sevigny, Minister of Defense. The Canadian government issued a statement that she had died. But in 1966 Munsinger emerged and denied all charges in interviews with the press.

Pierre Sevigny's political career was ruined and was a great embarrassment to the Diefenbaker government. Neither Sevigny nor Munsinger denied the relationship but both denied that any government secrets were ever discussed.
In 1992 the film "Gerda" was released.

Answer: Victims of Jack the Ripper

Although reality and fiction mix, these women are believed to have been killed and mutilated by someone called 'Jack the Ripper' by the press. Many theories exist about the identity of 'Jack' but none has been proven.

Answer: The Dreyfus Affair

Many forget that Zola was a leading French novelist of his time. His article "J'Accuse" fermented a controversy in France that reached the top echelons of the bureaucracy and military. It concerned a falsely accused French artillery officer who was convicted and sent to Devil's Island on flimsy, fabricated evidence amid a strong current of anti-semitism in France at that time.

Answer: The fall of Eve in the Garden of Eden

Although the term is sometimes heard, the symbol is often molded to fit the theologians' theory as to the prevailing presence of evil in their philosophy.

Answer: Rahab

Rahab housed Joshua's scouts that came to Jericho to study the city's fortifications pending the assault by Joshua's army. In return, Joshua promised to spare Rahab and her family when the raid came if she hung a red cord from her house.

Answer: Xaviera Hollander

Hollander was able to translate her book into several movies and about thirty sex advice books. For thirty-five years she had a sex advice column in "Penthouse" magazine. When last heard from she was running a bed-and-breakfast in Amsterdam.

Answer: Lucky Luciano and Dutch Schultz

Polly's autobiography "A House is not a Home" (1953) was a bestseller and made into a major motion picture starring Shelly Winters as Polly. Among her clients were writer/actor Robert Benchley and New York mayor Jimmie Walker.

Answer: Courtesans of Charles II of England

After the austerity of the rule of Oliver Cromwell, Charles II came to the throne and established one of the most hedonistic periods of English history. It is estimated that Charles had at least twelve children by seven women. In addition he had at least eight other liaisons. Most of his children were granted estates and titles.

Interestingly, both Diana, Princess of Wales, and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, are direct descendants of Charles II. If Prince William ascends the throne, he would be the first of Charles' bloodline to ascend.