The Red Carpet
Mad Science
The 1970s
Americana
Mixed Bag
100
What English actress won an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her role in Mary Poppins (1964)?
Julie Andrews. She was also nominated for Best Actress for her role in The Sound of Music (1965).
100
What causes objects to fall toward the ground?
Gravity. Sir Isaac Newton began formulating his Law of Gravity when he watched an apple fall from its tree to the ground. He wondered why the apple fell to Earth instead of the moon. He reported his Law of Gravity in his book Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy in 1687.
100
What appliance began to dominate kitchen “wish lists” and dramatically reduce cooking time during the 1970s?
Microwave. The microwave was invented by accident by the Raytheon Corporation in the 1940s; today, some claim the microwave is an accident waiting to happen.
100
In what state is Mount Rushmore located?
South Dakota. It’s located in the Black Hills, and Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln are carved into the side of the mountain. It took 14 years to build at a cost of $989,992.32. It was completed in 1941.
100
Which U.S. president was also an FBI informant?
President Ronald Reagan. During the McCarthy era, Reagan was an FBI informant, turning in fellow actors for suspected ties to the Communist Party and testifying before the House Committee on Un-American Activities.
200
What American actor was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performances in Serpico (1973) and The Godfather Part II (1974) and finally won the award for his performance in Scent of a Woman (1992)?
Al Pacino. His most celebrated performance was his portrayal of Frank Serpico, an honest New York cop in the midst of a den of corruption. The film is the story of a good cop turned whistleblower and his tribulations as he battled the “Blue Wall” (the convention of silence about misconduct among cops).
200
What type of drugs fight bacterial infections?
Antibiotics. We keep hearing the age of antibiotics is nearing its end. Early antibiotics such as penicillin and tetracycline were formulated in the 1940s and 1950s, but today’s superbugs are resistant to even the newest, strongest antibiotics.
200
What essential commodity required to run your car was in very short supply?
Gasoline. Do you remember the old odd/even-number license plate rationing scheme? It returned briefly in New York and New Jersey in 2012 after Hurricane Sandy.
200
What is the oldest city in America?
St. Augustine, Florida. St. Augustine was founded in 1565—42 years before Jamestown. According to city officials, it “is the oldest continuously occupied settlement of European and African-American origin in the United States.”
200
If you were to eat Roquefort, Gouda, or Brie, what would you be eating?
Cheese. DCI Cheese Company estimates there are at least 1,000 natural cheese varieties and an equal number of processed varieties. (Cheese.com lists over 600 varieties from 55 countries.)
300
What Canadian-born actor won three Primetime Emmy awards for his performance as Alex P. Keaton on the sitcom Family Ties?
Michael J. Fox. Most recently, he has been a recurring guest star on the TV series The Good Wife.
300
What is the third planet from the sun?
Earth.
300
What was the name of popular outdoor theaters during this era?
Drive-in theaters.
300
Who was the first U.S. president to travel out of the country?
Teddy Roosevelt. His visited Panama in 1906. Roosevelt racked up many firsts; among them, he was the first president to fly, ride in a submarine, own a car, and win a Nobel Prize (Nobel Peace Prize in 1906).
300
What artist painted the Mona Lisa?
Leonardo da Vinci. Mystery still surrounds this great work of art. An exhibition in 2007, Mona Lisa Secrets Revealed, explored research by French engineer Pascal Cotte addressing some of the anomalies in the painting. For us, the question remains, “What is the secret behind the half smile?”
400
What Canadian-born Saturday Night Live graduate has walked several different red carpets but never won a major award other than a shared award? Hint: He was nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his performance in Driving Miss Daisy (1989), and he is known for his starring performance in Ghostbusters (1984).
Dan Aykroyd. While he has never won an Academy Award, he is well known and loved for his Saturday Night Live performances and for his performances as one of the Blues Brothers.
400
What two elements make up water?
Hydrogen and oxygen. If two hydrogen atoms and an attached oxygen atom make water, have you ever wondered why we couldn’t cook up some water by smashing together these atoms? Scientists have had the same question. Unfortunately, it would probably create an explosion. Today’s scientists are searching for ways to draw water out of the atmosphere, creating water out of thin air.
400
What people made a popular song about the YMCA?
The Village People. U.S. copyright law is a labyrinth of mumbo jumbo, and in recent years, artists and writers have seen an erosion of their rights. Recently, however, one of the Village People won a court case, and his portion of ownership of “YMCA” was returned to him. The publisher argued that Victor Willis of the Village People had no rights of ownership and that he wrote the song under a work-for-hire agreement. The court disagreed.
400
What was the first state to ratify the U.S. Constitution?
Delaware. Delegates in Delaware unanimously ratified it on December 7, 1787.
400
What board game includes a “Get out of Jail Free” card?
Monopoly. Parker Brothers turned down the opportunity to purchase the game from its supposed inventor Charles Darrow. They believed the game took too long and there was “no clear goal for the winner.” In all, they cited “fifty-two fundamental errors.” Later, Parker Brothers was able to patent and copyright the game.
500
What American actress won an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her performance in Erin Brockovich (2000)?
Julia Roberts. She was also nominated for Academy Awards for her roles in Pretty Woman (1990) and Steel Magnolias (1989).
500
What is the source of solar power?
The sun. Solar power harnesses the sun’s energy and turns it into electricity.
500
What movie franchise starring Sylvester Stallone as a Philadelphia boxer got its start in the 1970s?
Rocky. The Rocky films started in 1976. By 1990, Stallone had made five Rocky films. The series concluded in 2006 with the sixth film, Rocky Balboa. The Rocky franchise has grossed $566 million.
500
What monument in Washington, D.C., was designed by female architectural student Maya Ying Lin?
Vietnam Veterans Memorial (also called The Wall). She was only 21 years old when she designed the monument. While her design was controversial at the time, it has become the top monument attraction in the United States.
500
In what country would you look at Big Ben to find out the time?
England. When the clock was installed, it was the largest clock in the world. Big Ben rang for the first time on May 31, 1859, and it rang for the first time on BBC on December 21, 1923.
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