Hindsight is 2020: Those We Lost in 2020 Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. This American athlete won five NBA championships with the L.A. Lakers. After retiring from the game at the age of 38, he moved into producing and was the first African-American producer to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film, "Dear Basketball", which expressed his love of the game. Who was this Philadelphia native who passed away in 2020 in a helicopter crash?

Answer: Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant was born in Philadelphia in 1978, and was just 18 when he was chosen as a first round draft pick. He hit the professional court with the Lakers and never stopped, until a tendon injury facilitated his retirement. At that point, he moved into production and philanthropy. He was very supportive of his kids and was taking his daughter and six family friends to a basketball game when the helicopter crashed. There were no survivors, but Bryant's love of the game is shared with every NBA fan.

This is an image of Kobe beef, from Kobe, Japan.

2. Who was the ace pilot who broke the sound barrier in 1947?

Answer: Chuck Yeager

Chuck Yeager was the first person to break the sound barrier on October 14, 1947, when he flew the experimental Bell X-1 at Mach 1. He was a military pilot from WWII, the Korean Conflict, and the Vietnam War, and earned many awards and metals. After retiring, he made his home in California, where he passed away at the age of 97.

This image is a picture of a woodchuck.

3. If you recognize these lyrics, then you will likely be able to identify the singer who released this song in 1978: "On a warm summer's evening / On a train bound for nowhere / I met up with the gambler / We were both too tired to sleep / So we took turns a-starin' / Out the window at the darkness / The boredom overtook us / And he began to speak." Who was the singer who made "The Gambler" famous?

Answer: Kenny Rogers

Kenny Rogers was born in Houston, Texas, in 1938, and passed away in Sandy Springs, Georgia, at the age of 81. He went through many genres of music as a young musician, including punk, jazz, folk, pop, rock, and country. He saw the greatest fame with his unique mix of country and pop. "The Gambler" was one of his signature songs; it appeared on the album, also called "The Gambler." The album won the Grammy for Best Male Country Vocal Performance.

This is an image of the Jolly Roger flag.

4. The world lost a talented actor when this star of "Black Panther (2018)", "Da 5 Bloods (2020)", and "42" (2013) passed away in 2020. Who was this South Carolina native?

Answer: Chadwick Boseman

Chadwick Boseman grew up in South Carolina and took to the arts early, writing a play as a teen and earning a Bachelor in Fine Arts from Howard University. His work has been highly acclaimed. He won many awards, including the Golden Globe for Best Actor, Academy Award for Best Actor, and two Screen Actors Guild awards. His breakout role was in "42 (2013)," in which he played the baseball hero Jackie Robinson. In 2016, Boseman joined the Marvel Universe as the superhero the Black Panther; the 2018 film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. "Da 5 Bloods (2020)," in which he played a squad leader in the Vietnam war. That movie was released posthumously.

This image is of a candleWICK.

5. Not everyone may recognize the name David Prowse immediately, but I bet you can name his most famous character. What was the name of this character, who was Luke Skywalker's father?

Answer: Darth Vader

David Prowse was a bodybuilder before he moved into acting. He took on his most famous role as Darth Vader in Episode IV, A New Hope (1977). He played Darth Vader on film, but Darth's lines were voiced by another actor. Prowse appeared on the large and small screen, including "A Clockwork Orange", "Doctor Who", and "The People That Time Forgot." He was survived by his wife of 57 years and three children when he passed away in 2020.

The image is of a black helmet, Darth Vader's signature headgear.

6. She won two Academy Awards for Best Actress in a Leading Role, for her role in "To Each His Own" (1946) and "The Heiress" (1949). In 2017, she became Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire. She and her actor sister made headlines with their ongoing feud. Who was this beauty?

Answer: Olivia De Havilland

Olivia De Havilland and her sister, Joan Fontaine, were born into a prominent family; her mother settled with her daughters in Saratoga, a woodsy town south of San Francisco, where she was active in local theater. Her plan was to become a teacher, but that changed when her acting career took off. After a very long and successful career, De Havilland passed away in Paris at the age of 104.

This is an image of an olive tree.

7. This comedian had a long and successful career and especially enjoyed performing with his wife, Anne Meara. Who is this funny man, known to generations for his roles, not just as half of the duo with Anne, but also as Frank Constanza on "Seinfeld"?

Answer: Jerry Stiller

Jerry Stiller was born in New York, played many New Yorkers in his long acting career, and passed away in his beloved city in 2020. He took up acting in high school, served in WWII, then continued his studies by earning a degree in Speech and Drama. Soon after that, he met Meara and they had long success as a comedy duo. He might be best known for his role as George's father in "Seinfeld" or Carrie's father in "King of Queens."

This image is of fusilli pasta, which played a part in one of Frank Costanza's many memorable scenes.

8. If I gave you the name of this rocker's band, it would be too big of a clue. Who was the lead guitarist of the group who had hits such as "Panama" (1984), "Jump" (1984), and "Jamie's Crying" (1978)?

Answer: Eddie Van Halen

Eddie Van Halen and his older brother were born in the Netherlands, and moved to Southern California during elementary school. Their band built up a following around L.A. before they broke through with their self-titled album in 1978. "Panama" and "Jump" were both on the band's album "1984," released that year. "Jump" was certified Gold within a few months of the album's release. "Jamie's Crying" was on the band's self-titled debut studio album, which Rolling Stone magazine rated five out of five stars in its 2004 retrospective review.

This picture is of a van.

9. Many hours have been spent comparing the characters of Mary Ann and Ginger on "Gilligan's Island." Who is the actress who played the girl next door on this show?

Answer: Dawn Wells

Dawn Wells grew up in Reno, though she left Nevada to study theater arts and design at the University of Washington in Seattle. She played Mary Ann Summers, one of the castaways on CBS's "Gilligan's Island", from 1964-1967. Mary Ann was practical, good-natured, and a down-to-earth foil to the movie-star character of Ginger Rogers, played by Tina Louise. Like too many people, Ms. Wells passed away in 2020 due to complications from the COVID virus. She leaves behind her writings, her humanitarian work, and fond memories.

This is an image of dawn breaking.

10. This gentleman was a gifted academic and editor in his own right, but he dedicated his life's work to curating and managing the writings of his famous father. Who was the son of a literacy luminary who passed away of natural causes in 2020?

Answer: Christopher Tolkien

Christopher Tolkien was one of four kids born to J.R.R. Tolkien, creator of the world of hobbits, elves, orcs, and wizards in his books. Christopher was part of the Royal Air Force during WWII and then studied English at Oxford. He helped bring his father's unpublished works into print.

This image is of rings, referring to J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings."

Source: Author PootyPootwell

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

The year 2020 was an eventful year across the globe -- let's honor those to whom we said goodbye. The images should help to provide clues. Good luck!

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