Can You Ace This Old Hollywood Trivia Quiz?

By: Heather Cahill
Estimated Completion Time
3 min
Can You Ace This Old Hollywood Trivia Quiz?
Image: Selznick International Pictures Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

About This Quiz

It was the Golden Age of Hollywood with the actors, actresses, and pioneers of the entertainment industry. They were the stars you grew up with, looked up to, or admired. They played the role of cowboys, business people, and many more. The movies they made have become both a glimpse into the world at the time and a piece of history. Who was your favorite star of Old Hollywood?

Do you know the origins of John Wayne's nickname? Can you name the man who was known as the "King of Hollywood"? Can you name all the movies in which Jean Harlow starred? Knowing the people who performed in the movies is half the battle. If you also know the movies, you'll be well on your way to acing this quiz!

Do you know when "East of Eden" was released? Can you name a film that was produced by Henry Fonda? Do you know the characters in "West Side Story"? Some of the most classic movies will be on this quiz. Do you know them?

Movie buffs and film lovers, if you're a fan of classic Hollywood cinema, you'll pass this quiz with flying colors. So, when you're ready, press play and see what you can score!

In which Shakespearean play did James Dean once act?
"Macbeth"
James Dean was in "Macbeth" at UCLA before he became a famous actor. He was cast to play the role of Prince Malcolm.
"Hamlet"
"Twelfth Night"
"Romeo and Juliet"

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Who was known as the "Swedish Sphinx"?
Greta Garbo
Greta Garbo was known as the "Swedish Sphinx." This is because she enjoyed keeping to herself and staying out of the spotlight. She was very introverted and liked to keep her space.
Marlene Dietrich
Mary Pickford
Barbara Stanwyck

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Humphrey Bogart commonly played what role?
Bank Clerks
Businessmen
Magicians
Sailors
Humphrey Bogart commonly played the role of sailors in his movies. He played a sailor in "The African Queen," and he also was the proud owner of his own yacht in real life.

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How many directors did "Gone With the Wind" have?
one
two
three
"Gone With the Wind" had three directors. The first was George Cukor, the second was Victor Fleming and the third was Sam Wood. However, Victor Fleming was the main director.
four

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Who starred alongside Henry Fonda in "Jezebel"?
Marion Davies
Mary Pickford
Bette Davis
Bette Davis starred alongside Henry Fonda as Julie Marsden. The movie was a hit for Davis, and she was also in a relationship with the film's director.
Gloria Swanson

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Marlene Dietrich and Josef Von Sternberg made how many movies together?
Ten
18
20
Seven
Marlene Dietrich and Josef Von Sternberg made seven movies together. One of the most famous was the German film, "The Blue Angel," that shot Dietrich into global stardom.

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Where did John Wayne's nickname come from?
His father
His dog
John Wayne's nickname came from his dog, who was named Duke. Wayne preferred to use the name Duke rather than his reeal name, Marion, from a young age.
His best friend
His style

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In which television show did Fred Astaire perform his last on-screen dance?
"Battlestar Galactica"
Fred Astaire performed his last on-screen dance on "Battlestar Galactica." He was in an episode titled "The Man With Nine Lives" when he was 80 years old.
"M*A*S*H"
"The Jeffersons"
"Charlie's Angels"

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Elizabeth Taylor became the first highest paid actress for what movie?
"The Taming of the Shrew"
"The Sandpiper"
"The Comedians"
"Cleopatra"
Elizabeth Taylor was the first actress to make $1 million for a role. It was for the movie, "Cleopatra." After this, she consistently started earning millions for her roles.

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Who was known as "The King of Hollywood"?
Clark Gable
Clark Gable was known as "The King of Hollywood." He was in more than 60 movies over the span of his career and got his start acting in silent films.
James Stewart
Orson Welles
John Wayne

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During a performance of which movie did Marlon Brando break his nose?
"Forbidden Planet"
"Robot Monster"
"The Quiet Man"
"A Streetcar Named Desire"
Marlon Brando broke his nose during a performance of "A Streetcar Named Desire." Even though he was bleeding, he went on stage to finish his performance.

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Who was the director of the movie, "Strangers on a Train?"
Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock directed the movie "Strangers on a Train." The movie was not regarded as his best work but it still received some praise and it was nominated for awards as well.
Frank Capra
Gene Kelly
Burt Lancaster

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Which line in "Some Like It Hot" did Marilyn Monroe have to redo 50 times?
"It's me, Sugar"
Monroe had to retake the line, "It's me, Sugar," over and over due to her saying the wrong thing. She reportedly had a lot of trouble with lines because of her excessive drinking and drug habit.
"I'm Cinderella the second."
"You're the wrong shape."
"They shrink when they're marinated."

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Who was "the girl with the curls?"
Shirley Temple
Katherine Hepburn
Marilyn Monroe
Mary Pickford
Mary Pickford was known as "the girl with the curls." She was a big star in the early 1900s and got her first role when she was just seven years old.

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Who played the role of Kitty in the movie, "Scarlet Street?"
Joan Bennett
Joan Bennett played the role of Kitty on "Scarlet Street." You may also remember her from movies such as "Moby Dick" and "She Wanted A Millionaire."
Lillian Gish
Janet Gaynor
Norma Shearer

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What was Joan Crawford's first movie?
"Lady of the Night"
In 1925, "Lady of the Night" was Joan Crawford's first movie. She played Norma Shearer's body double in the movie and was not credited for the role.
"The Kid"
"Greed"
"Sherlock Jr."

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What actor starred in a propaganda film for the war?
James Stewart
James Stewart starred in a propaganda film for the war called "Winning Your Wings." It was released in 1942 at the time of World War II and its aim was to recruit members for the Air Force.
Henry Fonda
John Wayne
Clark Gable

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What actress went to the Oscars only once?
Katharine Hepburn
Katharine Hepburn only attended the Oscar's once, which was in 1974. She was nominated many times and won four times, but she never went to the ceremony to accept them.
Bette Davis
Vivien Leigh
Ginger Rogers

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Which of the following was a gang in the movie "West Side Story"?
Sharks
There were two gangs in the movie, one was the Jets, the other was the Sharks. The movie was based on the Shakespeare play, "Romeo and Juliet."
Mules
Snakes
Horses

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Jean Harlow starred in which of these movies?
"Rear Window"
"Sunset Boulevard"
"Bombshell"
Jean Harlow starred as Lola Burns in "Bombshell." She was also in other movies, such as "Red-Headed Woman" and "The Girl from Missouri."
"The Night of the Hunter"

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Which of the following actresses is part of the "EGOT Club"?
Mae West
Ginger Rogers
Lucille Ball
Audrey Hepburn
Audrey Hepburn is part of the EGOT Club. This means that she has won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony. There are only 12 people with the honor in the world.

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Is it true or false that "Imitation of Life" is based on a book?
True
This is true. The movie was based on a book of the same name. In fact, there were two films made after the book was released, the first in 1934 and the second in 1959.
False

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Which movie has had two television shows based on it?
"Forbidden Planet"
"Casablanca"
There were two television shows that were based on the movie, "Casablanca." But neither did very well. One was produced in the '50s and the other in the '80s.
"The Ten Commandments"
"The African Queen"

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Which actress played Dorothy Gale in the "Wizard of Oz"?
Judy Garland
Judy Garland played the role of Dorothy Gale, which quickly shot her into stardom. She became most recognized for her incredible performance.
Jane Fonda
Marilyn Monroe
Audrey Hepburn

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Which of these movies came out in 1951?
"McClintock!"
"Fantasia"
"A Place in the Sun"
"A Place in the Sun" came out in 1951 and it starred Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Cliff. It is considered an important film in American culture and a classic.
"Citizen Kane"

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Which movie was the first to be shot in Hollywood?
"Metropolis"
"The Gold Rush"
"Lights of New York"
"In Old California"
"In Old California" was the first movie to be shot in Hollywood. The movie was produced in 1910 and it was quite a short movie, running only around 17 minutes.

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Who was known as "One-take Charlie?"
Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra was known as "One-Take Charlie." He got the name because he was notorious for being very well prepared for his scenes and he wasn't fond of doing many takes.
Cary Grant
Gary Cooper
Clark Gable

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In what year was "East of Eden" released?
1955
"East of Eden" was released in 1955 and starred James Dean. The movie was highly praised and won countless awards, many for James Dean's performance.
1930
1914
1929

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Who played the role of Frankenstein in the 1931 movie?
Boris Karloff
Boris Karloff played the role of Frankenstein in this movie. He also played the iconic character in the "Frankenstein" movies that came after and was best known for this role.
Cary Grant
John Wayne
Clark Gable

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Who was both an actor and producer in the movie, "Bonnie and Clyde"?
Warren Beatty
Warren Beatty both acted in and produced "Bonnie and Clyde" in 1967. Did you know the film included a poem written by the real Bonnie Parker?
Dub Taylor
Michael J. Pollard
Denver Pyle

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Who was the youngest person to win the Academy Juvenile Award?
Judy Garland
Mickey Rooney
Shirley Temple
Shirley Temple was the youngest person to win an Academy Juvenile Award. She was only six years old at the time, in 1934.
Marcia Mae Jones

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Who wrote the book after which "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" is based?
Harper Lee
J.K. Rowling
Dorothy M. Johnson
Dorothy M. Johnson wrote the book of the same name after which the movie was based. The movie was a huge success and is still regarded as one of the great Westerns.
Leo Tolstoy

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Henry Fonda produced which of these films?
"12 Angry Men"
Henry Fonda produced "12 Angry Men," making it the only film on which he worked as a producer. He also acted in the movie, playing a juror in the trial.
"North by Northwest"
"A Bridge on the River Kwai"
"The Quiet Man"

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What was the first movie in which Paul Newman acted?
"The Silver Chalice"
Paul Newman first acted in "The Silver Chalice." The movie was about Ancient Greece and the Bible, but it did not receive good reviews.
"A Streetcar Named Desire"
"Some Like It Hot"
"The Island Earth"

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The actor who played Fred Flintstone was also in what movie?
"Breakfast at Tiffany's"
"Breakfast at Tiffany's" also had the actor who played Fred Flintstone. His name is Alan Reed and he was also in movies such as "Geraldine" and "Perfect Strangers."
"The Jazz Singer"
"The Phantom Carriage"
"Man with a Movie Camera"

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Selznick International Pictures Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer