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More Short Lives Trivia Quiz

A sequel to my other quiz regarding brief lives.

A multiple-choice quiz by robert362. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
robert362

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
88,728

Updated
Feb 20 22

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
1155

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Jean Harlow died tragically - and perhaps, avoidably - at a very young age. What was the cause? Hint

Heart attack

Disease of the digestive system

Cancer

Kidney and renal problems

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Question 2 of 10

2. Which of these Pulitzer Prize winners lived a relatively short life? Hint

James Agee

Sinclair Lewis

Eugene O'Neill

Tennessee Williams

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Question 3 of 10

3. One might think that all of the colorful characters of the Old West lived only a short span of time, but that is not the case. All of the following lived long lives EXCEPT for ...? Hint

"Bat" Masterson

"Buffalo Bill" Cody

Jim Bowie

Wyatt Earp

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Question 4 of 10

4. A 1585 portrait (in Corpus Christi College, Cambridge) of this Elizabethan period writer who died young (and mysteriously) is said to be the only portrait of this man in existence. Hint

John Webster

Ben Jonson

Christopher Marlowe

Thomas Kyd

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Question 5 of 10

5. Which of these comedians lived a (relatively) short life? Hint

Bud Abbott

Lou Costello

Stan Laurel

Oliver Hardy

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Question 6 of 10

6. Many old pop songs deal with teen death. Which one of the following songs includes the lyrics: "well, where oh where can my baby be/ the lord took her away from me ..."? Hint

Last Kiss

Leader of the Pack

Teen Angel

Patches

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Question 7 of 10

7. Which of the following TV people was fortunate enough to live the longest life? Hint

Fred MacMurray

Rod Serling

David Janssen

Gracie Allen

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Question 8 of 10

8. Upon learning that this former president had died, Dorothy Parker asked: "How could they tell?". Which president was this? Hint

Herbert Hoover

Calvin Coolidge

Warren G. Harding

William Taft

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Question 9 of 10

9. Which of these great men of science did NOT enjoy a long life? Hint

Pierre Curie

Thomas Edison

Alexander Graham Bell

Sigmund Freud

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Question 10 of 10

10. In the classic movie "From Here to Eternity", the only character of the following to avoid an early death is the one that is played by ... Hint

Burt Lancaster

Ernest Borgnine

Montgomery Clift

Frank Sinatra

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Jean Harlow died tragically - and perhaps, avoidably - at a very young age. What was the cause?

Answer: Kidney and renal problems

Harlow died in her twenties as a result of uremic poisoning. Her mother - a prominent force in her life - resisted the idea of getting her to a doctor until it was too late.

2. Which of these Pulitzer Prize winners lived a relatively short life?

Answer: James Agee

Agee, author of "A Death in the Family", died relatively young of a heart attack. Lewis ("Arrowsmith") and O'Neill and Williams - both multiple winners - lived long lives.

3. One might think that all of the colorful characters of the Old West lived only a short span of time, but that is not the case. All of the following lived long lives EXCEPT for ...?

Answer: Jim Bowie

Cody created the "Wild West Show" that featured Sitting Bull and Annie Oakley. Earp and Masterson led quiet lives. Bowie, however, was in the Alamo when it was overrun.

4. A 1585 portrait (in Corpus Christi College, Cambridge) of this Elizabethan period writer who died young (and mysteriously) is said to be the only portrait of this man in existence.

Answer: Christopher Marlowe

The mysterious Christopher Marlowe was a curious figure. Presumably, he was murdered, was involved in espionage, etc. Many have doubted the "official version"; some have said Marlowe wrote Shakespeare's plays.

5. Which of these comedians lived a (relatively) short life?

Answer: Lou Costello

Unlike the others, Costello did not enjoy a long life.

6. Many old pop songs deal with teen death. Which one of the following songs includes the lyrics: "well, where oh where can my baby be/ the lord took her away from me ..."?

Answer: Last Kiss

All of these choices are oldies that deal with young death, but the lyrics in question belong to this song by J. Frank Wilson.

7. Which of the following TV people was fortunate enough to live the longest life?

Answer: Fred MacMurray

Serling probably hastened his demise with his heavy smoking and lived to the age of 50. Janssen also probably hastened his death by his alcohol consumption and shuffled off this mortal coil when he was 49 years old. Gracie Allen was never in robust health and she died at the age of 69. MacMurray, however, lived to an old age of 83 after a fine career in movies and television.

8. Upon learning that this former president had died, Dorothy Parker asked: "How could they tell?". Which president was this?

Answer: Calvin Coolidge

Parker, always ready with a quip, was describing Coolidge. (His life wasn't all that short - he was about 60 when he died.)

9. Which of these great men of science did NOT enjoy a long life?

Answer: Pierre Curie

Pierre Curie's life ended in a street accident in Paris. The others lived long lives.

10. In the classic movie "From Here to Eternity", the only character of the following to avoid an early death is the one that is played by ...

Answer: Burt Lancaster

Sinatra (Maggio) is killed by Borgnine (Judson). Clift (Prewitt) avenges the death by killing Judson, then is killed himself.

Source: Author robert362

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor nerthus before going online.
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