Those We Lost in 2011 Quiz | Death Becomes Them

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. She was a true Hollywood legend. Her passing in March at age 79 was a very sad occasion for her family and fans. Known for her many marriages as well as her acting talent, name this violet-eyed beauty.

Answer: Elizabeth Taylor

Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor was born in England to American parents. Married eight times, twice to actor Richard Burton, Elizabeth was an early champion of gay rights and established her own AIDS research foundation. Her role, at age 12, in the movie "National Velvet" made her a star. Those beautiful eyes were really a dark blue shade and only appeared to be violet.

2. With his trademark rumpled raincoat and bumbling manner, this actor played Lieutenant Columbo from 1971 to 2003. He passed away in June at age 83. Name this actor.

Answer: Peter Falk

Peter Falk had a successful stage career before moving on to TV and film. He was nominated twice for an Academy Award in the best Supporting Actor category. As a child he lost his right eye to cancer and wore a glass eye for the rest of his life. Falk married twice and had two children.

3. Standing 6'7" this strapping actor passed away in June. Perhaps if I mention "Gunsmoke" you might remember this actor's name. What is it?

Answer: James Arness

James Arness and his brother, actor Peter Graves, were born to a Norwegian father and German mother. He changed the family spelling of his last name, Aurness, when he became established in acting. His first role was in the movie "The Farmer's Daughter" starring Loretta Young.

He also played the creature in the 1951 science-fiction movie "The Thing." However, most people remember James Arness for playing the role of Marshall Matt Dillon in the TV Western "Gunsmoke" from 1955 to 1975.

4. She was the wife of the 38th President of the U.S. She courageously admitted to having an alcohol and drug dependency as well as breast cancer. She passed away in July at age 93. Name this former First Lady.

Answer: Betty Ford

Born Elizabeth Bloomer in 1918, Betty remained an activist even after her husband was no longer President. She lobbied for the ERA and fully committed herself to what was then referred to as the feminist movement. She founded the Betty Ford Center for treatment of substance abuse and addiction. Such candor, especially for a First Lady, endeared her to the public.

5. He was the founder of the Peace Corps and he married John F. Kennedy's sister, Eunice. His daughter, Maria, married actor Arnold Schwarzenegger. He died in January at age 95. What is his name?

Answer: Sargent Shriver

Robert Sargent Shriver, Jr. was a vice presidential candidate and campaign coordinator for his brother-in-law, JFK. An advocate for peace, Shriver founded the Peace Corps to promote world peace and friendship. He also served as Director of the Office of Economic Opportunity in the Johnson Administration in the mid-1960s. President Lyndon Johnson's War on Poverty program was lead by Shriver.

6. This British songbird was one of a kind. She died from alcohol poisoning in July. Known for her sultry voice and beehive hairdo, name this singer who passed away far too soon.

Answer: Amy Winehouse

Amy Winehouse knew how to deliver a song and her five Grammy wins are testimony to that. Influenced by female vocal groups of the 1960s, Amy wore heavy eye makeup and a beehive hairstyle as a tribute to the 1960s. Despite her talents for singing and songwriting, Amy was plagued with drug and alcohol addiction.

Unfortunately, these addictions were exploited by the media. Like other greats before her who died at age 27 (Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix) it will never be known how far Amy could have taken her talents.

7. She made history as the first woman to run on the U.S. presidential ticket of a major national party when she became Walter Mondale's running mate in the 1984 election. She died in March at age 75. Who is she?

Answer: Geraldine Ferraro

Even though the Democrats lost in a landslide to incumbent Ronald Reagan in 1984, Ferraro went on the become a U.S. envoy to the U.N. under President Bill Clinton. Having been an attorney before entering politics, Geraldine enjoyed success as a businesswoman and author.

8. As a longtime saxophone player for Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, this musician died from a stroke in June. Name him.

Answer: Clarence Clemons

Known as "The Big Man" Clemons recorded with many famous artists over the years and even appeared in films and television shows. As the tenor sax player, Clemons contributed a great deal to the E Street sound. Both Clemons and Springsteen met while performing separately in New Jersey bands, although they had actually moved in the same music circles before that. According to various interviews with Clemons, it was he who approached Springsteen first while the latter was playing a gig at a N.J. club called "The Student Prince".

He asked Bruce if he could play with his band. Springsteen agreed and the rest is history.

9. He was a lawyer, politician and diplomat. He was also Secretary of State in the Clinton administration. Name this politician who died in March at age 85.

Answer: Warren Christopher

Warren Christopher's political and civic accomplishments were many. He served as Deputy Attorney General in the Johnson administration, Deputy Secretary of State in the Carter administration, President of the Los Angeles County Bar Association, President of the Board of Trustees of Stanford University, and founder and President of the Stanford Law Review.

At the time of his death, Warren was a senior partner at the California law firm of O'Melveny & Myers.

10. December brought the death of this familiar actor who starred in films long before he became a television actor. If I mention the TV roles of Colonel Sherman T. Potter and Bill Gannon could you guess this actor's name?

Answer: Harry Morgan

Harry Morgan was born Harry Bratsberg in 1915. Morgan's film roles were many and varied. He starred in "Strategic Air Command," "The Glenn Miller Story" and "The Shootist." Harry Morgan was married twice and the father of four.

Source: Author nmerr

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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Those We Lost in 2011 Trivia Quiz

The year 2011 saw the passing of some famous and beloved people. This quiz is about ten of them.

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