1950s Slang
The phrase 'going ape' was popular in the 1950's. What does it mean?
Going Crazy
Ward, June, Wally, and Beav Cleaver are characters from what well known TV show?
Leave it to Beaver
What popular fad, scientifically known as formicarium, was a hit with the kids?
Ant Farm
The first commercially sold formicarium was introduced around 1929 by Frank Eugene Austin an inventor and professor at the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth College. Austin received a patent for his formicarium on June 16, 1931, as well as further patents for its continued development. Austin included whimsical painted or wooden scenes of palaces, farms and other settings above the ground level.
What famous singer sang the songs "Peggy Sue", "That'll be the day", "Maybe Baby", and "Everday"?
Buddy Holly
Charles Hardin Holley, known professionally as Buddy Holly, was an American singer-songwriter who was a central and pioneering figure of mid-1950s rock and roll.
The series originally focused on the efforts of a real-life squad of Prohibition agents employed by the United States Department of Justice and led by Eliot Ness (Stack) who helped bring down the bootleg empire of "Scarface" Al Capone, as described in Ness's bestselling 1957 memoir.
The Untouchables. This squad was nicknamed "The Untouchables" because of its courage and honesty; squad members could not be bribed or intimidated by the mob
What does "made in the shade" mean?
made in the shade meant things are going well for you and you don't have a care in the world.
What actor played the role of Barney Fife on The Andy Griffith Show?
Don Knots
Swanson introduced its famous TV dinners in 1954. They were designed to look like food served in which glamorous and relatively new industry?
Airlines
The first TV dinner was turkey with mashed potatoes and peas. The introduction of this product was made possible by the advent of the "quick freeze" process.
Which famous song sung by Doris Day was introduced in the 1956 Hitchcock thriller, The Man Who Knew Too Much?
Que Sera Sera
What does the 1950s slang term "ankle biters" refer to?
A small child
What tv show concerns the misadventures of a mischievous child?
Hint: it was also a cartoon and a comic
Dennis the Menace
In the 1950s a trendy hairstyle for guys came into vogue that involved combing hair straight back with a part down the back of the head and a few tendrils left dangling around the face.
Ducktail or DA
While the DA is forever associated with the 50s, more young men of the era sported a crewcut or flat-top
Which smoky-voiced singer sang Too Young in 1951?
Nat King Cole
What does the 1950s sland term "bird dog" refer to?
Someone who tries to steal your girlfriend
What is the name of the popular cap worn by Fess Parker for his role Daniel Boone?
A Coonskin Cap
This designer began in 1954 to produce boxy suit jackets trimmed in braid, paired with slim skirts, made of highly textured tweeds and worn with ropes of pearls. The style remains a classic.
Name the designer.
Coco Chanel
The now iconic "Chanel suit" became an international phenomenon when it was copied by large American department stores such as Macy's and Neiman-Marcus, thus becoming accessible to American women
Who recorded Rock Around the Clock in 1955?
Bill Haley and the Comets
If someone calls a man a "Dream boat", what are they saying?
That he is cute or handsome
What was the name of the ranch in 'Bonanza'?
Ponderosa
During the 1950s the number of American births skyrocketed. According to the Bureau of the Census, what is the time span of what is now called the "Baby Boom"?
1946-1964
It's estimated that beginning in 2004 a Baby Boomer turned 50 every 8 seconds. Whew! More babies were born in the five year span of 1948-1953 than in the previous thirty years!
The Coasters recorded a song in 1959 with the line "You're gonna need an ocean of Calamine lotion." What is the name of the song?
Poison Ivy