Quotes from Clever Folks Trivia Quiz

Answer: Oscar Wilde

Wilde (1854-1900) was the son of intellectuals. An aesthete who cared little for convention of any kind, he served a prison sentence for his homosexual acts, which were illegal in most European countries at the time. He wrote about the drudgery of prison life which, in the opinion of some, contributed to his early death.

Answer: Dorothy Parker

Though her formal education ended at age 13, Parker was one of the foremost members of the famous Algonquin Round Table, which included such wits as Alexander Wolcott, Harpo Marx and Robert Benchley. Benchley was her best friend. She also said, "The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity."

Answer: Groucho Marx

Marx was born in 1895. His mother was stage struck and pushed him and his four brothers into show business at an early age. After a long and sometimes rocky road, the Marx Brothers came to the big time in the late 20s and early 30s.
Another quote was, "Any man who says he can see through a woman is missing a lot."

Answer: George Carlin

Carlin passed away in 2008. Extremely intelligent, he was distrustful of authority and never missed an opportunity to puncture an inflated ego. He had little use for religion; and none for civil government ("Never, ever believe anything the government tells you").

Answer: Orson Welles

Welles also said, "I hate television. I hate it almost as much as peanuts. But I can't stop eating peanuts." Welles died in 1987. He was also a writer and producer. "The Magnificent Ambersons" was another of his films, but he is perhaps best remembered for his 1939 Mercury Theatre broadcast of "War of the Worlds" which was so realistic that many people panicked, believing that the earth had actually been invaded by Martians.

Answer: Winston Churchill

Winston Churchill served as Prime Minister during Britain's darkest days of World War II, and was, especially as Americans saw him, the very embodiment of the bulldog, "never surrender" spirit. He was called upon again to serve in the post in 1951. He had served in government since an early age in various ministerial posts, including First Lord of the Admiralty. Legend has it that he enjoyed an occasional nip and his legacy bears proof of a delightful sense of humor.

Answer: Mark Twain

Twain was born in Hannibal, Missouri in 1835. He is one of the most famous American writers, having penned "Huckleberry Finn" and "Tom Sawyer". It is claimed that one or both of these novels are autobiographical. He also once remarked that "Golf is a good walk spoiled."

Answer: George Bernard Shaw

Shaw (1856-1950) had an acerbic wit which permeated most of his comedies. His early education was described as 'irregular', as he had an immense dislike for regimentation. Another quote: "An Englishman thinks he is moral when he is only uncomfortable."

Answer: Woody Allen

Born in the Bronx and raised in Brooklyn, Allen began his career writing and selling jokes to newspaper columnists. He has brought his nebbish like character to many of his films; a particularly good example of this is his role in "Take the Money and Run." He is also a gifted writer and musician, performing as a clarinetist with his own jazz band in New York nightclubs.

Answer: W.C. Fields

Fields came from a poverty stricken childhood, never trusted banks or the Hollywood power establishment. His views on infidelity? "Thou shalt not commit adultery - unless you're in the mood." The view of his dislike of dogs and children was probably distorted, but both can be notoriously difficult to work with. His tombstone reads, "On the whole, I'd rather be in Philadelphia."