Memorable Epitaphs Trivia Quiz

Answer: Frank Sinatra

1915-1998 "The Chairman of the Board" was known to croon,
He and his "Rat Pack" were never out of tune.
One of the best singers of all time and, I must say,
He always wound up living life 'his way'.


*A 1959 song written by Cy Coleman

Answer: Rodney Dangerfield

1921-2004 Rodney Dangerfield was a comedian* and an actor,
He was also his own best detractor.
Known for his catch phrase "I don't get no respect!"
It seems he had no reputation to protect.


*"My wife and I were happy for 20 years. Then we met".

Answer: Studs Terkel

1912-2008 American author Louis 'Studs' Terkel
Was an actor and historian as well.
He interviewed celebrities* and brought them down to size,
And for his novel, "The Good Years", he won a Pulitzer Prize
In 1985.

*e.g., MLK, Dorothy Parker, Bob Dylan, Leonard Bernstein

Answer: Joan Hackett

1934-1983 Joan was an actress in films and on early TV
From "Twilight Zone" to the "Class of '63"*.
She was quite the eccentric and couldn't stand racket;
She died young and just couldn't hack it.



*also "Only When I Laugh" and "One-Trick Pony"

Answer: Civil War soldier

? - 1862 This soldier fought in the Battle of Antietam*,
We don't know on which side, so we don't know if he beat 'em.
I'm sure he was young and his life was quite hard;
While we don't know his name, we know he had no god.


*Maryland

Answer: Mel Blanc*

1908-1989 Early in life, Mel made his choice,
And decided to make a career out of using his voice.
From Yosemite Sam to Porky Pig, his death was quite a shock;
Even Bugs Bunny had to ask "What's up, Doc?"


*"Man of 1000 Voices"

Answer: Ludolph van Ceulen

1540-1610 Ludolph van Ceulen was a mathematician Dutch,
About his death in 1610, we do not know much.
But he gave his life meaning before he had to die...
He was the first to calculate 35 digits to pi*.


*the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter

Answer: Robert Frost

1874-1963 Poet Robert Frost wrote "The Road Not Taken,
And was asked to read his poetry at JFK's inauguration*.
He died soon after, which made the world grieve,
While "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Eve(ning)".


*Inaugural poem was "The Gift Outright"

Answer: Emily Dickinson

1830-1886 Emily Dickinson was Amherst's 'Belle',
She was a loner and not physically well.
She wrote over 2000 poems, you see,
"Because I could not stop for Death, He kindly stopped for me".


*"Called Back" was the phrase she used in a letter to her cousins.

Answer: Winston Churchill

1874-1965 Winston Churchill, Prime Minister during the WWII disaster,
Once had an argument with Member of Parliament's Nancy Astor*.
She said if he were her husband, she'd poison his tea,
And he responded that if she were his wife, he'd drink it -
Willingly!


*first female member of Parliament