Ten Shades of Gray/Grey Trivia Quiz

Answer: Glenn Miller and Artie Shaw

Jerry (1915-76) was born Generoso Graziano in Boston, Massachusetts. He joined the Shaw organization in 1936 where he worked as a music arranger. Some of his best known work while there were "Carioca", "Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise" and "Begin the Beguine".

When the Shaw band broke up in 1939, Glenn Miller then offered him work where he hit his stride with his famous arrangements of "A String of Pearls", "Chattanooga Choo-Choo" and "Moonlight Cocktail" among others, which propelled the Miller band to stardom.

After leaving Miller, he formed his own band. He continued to be active in the music business into the 1970s, fronting his own orchestra, but, unfortunately, succumbing to a heart attack at age 61.

Answer: The Casa Loma Orchestra

The dapper-looking Gray (1906 - 63) started out in Detroit in 1929 where he fronted a group known as the Orange Blossom Band. He became the leader of the Casa Loma Orchestra, a co-op band, in 1937 when he replaced violinist Mel Jenssen by popular vote of the band members and also doubled in the saxophone section when necessary.

His orchestra was known mainly as a dance band and for their "sweet" style of music. Some of their big hits were "Casa Loma Stomp", "No Name Jive" and "Smoke Rings". The band lasted into the early 1950s when musical tastes changed and put so many Big Bands out of business. Gray died at the relatively young age of 57 from cancer.

Answer: 9 days

Lady Jane Grey was the daughter of nobleman Henry Grey, 1st Duke of Suffolk and was first cousin, once removed, of Henry VIII's children Elizabeth I, Edward VI and Mary I. With the death of Henry VIII, his son, Edward VI was crowned king, but only reigned 6 years and named Jane to succeed him in his will.

However, public support of Mary I grew so quickly that the Privy Council deposed Jane after only 9 days on the throne (July 10 to 19, 1553). She was convicted of high treason and sentenced to be executed, but was reprieved by the new Queen Mary I.

However, after Jane's father took part in Wyatt's Rebellion, Jane was again seen as a threat to Mary's reign, and she was executed on February 12, 1554.

Answer: Anne Bronte

"Agnes Grey" was first published in late 1847. Bronte used the pen name Acton Bell when writing this novel. The plot centers on Agnes, the child of a poor clergyman. To make her way in the world, she becomes a governess to several families, but the positions never seem to work out for her as she found it difficult to deal with fault-finding parents and their bratty children. While working for the Murrays, she meets Edward Weston with whom she becomes romantically involved. Giving up being a governess, she opens a school and marries Weston and they remain happily wedded.

Anne Bronte (1820-49) was the youngest of the famous literary sisters, the others being Emily and Charlotte. She once worked as a governess which may have been the inspiration for Agnes. She only wrote two novels, this one and "The Tenant of Wildfell Hall". She was better known for her poetry.

Answer: Dallas

Linda (b.1940) pursued careers in acting, modeling and entertainment production. However, when breaking into show business, she worked in commercials hawking deodorant and pantyhose (some of which can be viewed online). Her big break was being cast in the long-running TV drama "Dallas" (1978 - 89) as Sue Ellen Ewing, wife of oil tycoon J.R. Ewing (Larry Hagman).

After the series ended, she went on to star in several theatrical movies and stage plays. She continues to be active in show business. On an interesting side note, she is an aunt by marriage to actress Lindsay Wagner (a.k.a. "The Bionic Woman").

Answer: In & Out (1997)

Joel, born Joel David Katz in 1932, is an actor, singer and dancer. He is perhaps best known for his Academy Award performance playing the quirky MC of the nightclub in both Broadway and movie musical "Cabaret". He also played George M. Cohan in the Broadway play "George M!" and the Wizard in "Wicked".

Other Broadway, movie and TV credits are too numerous to go into here. A versatile actor, he appeared as Jimmie in "Venus Rising", the Ghost of Christmas Past in "A Christmas Carol" and Joseph Goebbels in "The Empty Mirror".

Answer: dentist

Pearl Zane Grey (1872-1939) is best known for his action novels set in the American Old West. His best selling book, "Riders of the Purple Sage", was published in 1912. While attending college at the University of Pennsylvania, he was a mediocre student but excelled in sports, especially baseball and swimming.

He opened his dental office in 1896 in New York City, but found dentistry a tedious career, so he turned to writing adventure stories to help his boredom and frequent bouts of depression. Throughout his life, he continued with his athletic interests and was an avid sportsman.

He died of heart failure and many of his 100 or so works were published posthumously.

Answer: bergamot oil

This aromatic tea is traditionally a blend of black tea and oil of bergamot. It is generally believed to be named after Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, who was a British Prime Minister in the 1830s. He allegedly received the tea as a gift from a Chinese mandarin whose son he saved from drowning. Bergamot is a citrus fruit resembling a large lime.

Some people like the taste very much, others find it gives the tea a strong medicinal flavor.

Answer: Talk About a Stranger

"Talk About a Stranger" stars Billy as the son of a California citrus farmer (George Murphy). The plot centers on the boy, Robert, Jr. (a.k.a Bud), who wants a pet dog more than anything. He happens to find a stray who, of course, follows him home (with much urging on Bud's part). One day Bud finds his dog dead of apparent poisoning. Devastated, he suspects a new mysterious neighbor, Mr. Murdock (Kurt Kasznar), who acts very antisocially and secretively. Wanting revenge, Bud vandalizes farm equipment on Murdock's property and starts bad-mouthing him all over town as the dog's killer. As speculation mounts, the townspeople think about whether they want this disagreeable man in their community. With the help of the local newspaper editor (Lewis Stone), Bud decides to do some investigating on his own and finds some surprising facts which makes him rethink his judgmental attitude.

Billy Gray (b. 1938) is probably best remembered for his role as the middle child and only son on the popular 1950s family sit-com "Father Knows Best", where, coincidentally, his character is also called Bud. He retired from show business in 1980 and became a businessman in an engineering firm and is also a motorcycle enthusiast.

Answer: Sibyl Vane

The only novel by Oscar Wilde was published in "Lippincott's Monthly Magazine" in July 1890. Although highly edited, it was still found offensive to many Victorian mores. The plot revolves around the young man, Dorian, who has his portrait painted by his friend Basil Hallward. After few indiscretions - the murder of Hallward and enabling his girlfriend's suicide, Dorian notices the painting is starting to change a little, showing he marks of his sins. He then relegates the portrait to the attic. Over the years, Dorian lives a downward spiral of a dissipated and debauched life. As he approaches middle age, people marvel that he looks the same as he did decades ago. One day he decides to look at the painting and is shocked to see how much it has changed showing a hideously ugly and depraved man.

The story was first dramatized in 1916 in a British-made film, but perhaps the best known movie was the 1945 version starring Hurd Hatfield in the title role and Angela Lansbury as Sibyl.