Across the Pond
In 1961, this British author published the children’s classic James and the Giant Peach.
Who is Roald Dahl?
Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach was made into a movie in 1996.
P. L. Travers first published the tale of this magical nanny in 1934, and Julie Andrews famously brought her to life in the 1964 film.
Who is Mary Poppins?
Despite the film’s immense popularity, Travers is said to have disliked how her story was portrayed by Disney.
Born in 1970, this figure skater’s career highlights include the first competitive triple axel completed by an American woman, but that is often overshadowed by the attack on her competitor, Nancy Kerrigan.
Who is Tonya Harding? Harding is portrayed on film by Margot Robbie in the 2017 film I, Tonya.
This backward-sliding dance move was popularized by Michael Jackson after he performed it onstage in 1983.
What is the moonwalk? Based on a dance move called the backslide, the moonwalk is considered one of Jackson’s signature dance moves.
This actor and slapstick comedian is best known for his work with partner Dean Martin.
Who is Jerry Lewis? Lewis’ many comedic film credits include 1963’s The Nutty Professor. His last role was in the 2016 crime thriller The Trust.
British sports fans had a great day on July 30, 1966, when the English team won this global sporting event.
What is the World Cup?
England’s 1966 team won on home soil against the West German team.
The 1980 horror flick The Shining is based on a novel of the same name by this renowned author.
Who is Stephen King?
King found inspiration for the story when he and his wife stayed as the only guests at an old hotel in the dead of winter.
Nicknamed “Lefty,” this professional golfer has won 45 events on the PGA tour, including three Masters titles.
Who is Phil Mickelson?
Mickelson was born in 1970 and first showed interest in golf as a toddler. He is considered one of the best left-handed golfers of all time.
Mikhail Baryshnikov is a Russian American dancer known for his grace in this style of dance.
What is ballet? Baryshnikov moved to Canada from the Soviet Union in 1974 and began touring with the American Ballet Theatre shortly thereafter.
Peter Sellers’ iconic comedic role is this bumbling inspector in The Pink Panther.
Who is Inspector Jacques Clouseau?
The Pink Panther films were originally intended to focus on a different character entirely, but the crew was so enamored with Sellers’ performance that he literally stole the show.
This British physicist first posited his theory that black holes emit radiation in 1974.
Who is Stephen Hawking?
This theory has been tested in recent years using technology to detect mass, spin, and reverberations from black holes.
Although Sean Penn is well known as main character Jeff Spicoli, both the novel and screenplay of this film are based on writer Cameron Crowe’s real high-school experiences.
What is Fast Times at Ridgemont High? During filming, Sean Penn insisted on being addressed as Spicoli rather than his real name.
Brad Paisley, born in 1972 in West Virginia, is known as an award-winning singer in this genre of music.
What is country? His debut album went platinum in 1999, and he has since been inducted into the Grand Ole Opry.
Patrick Swayze plays dance instructor Johnny Castle in this hit film of 1987.
What is Dirty Dancing? The ending dance sequence, with Swayze lifting costar Jennifer Grey into the air, has become an iconic image of the film.
John Cleese was a member of this British comedy troupe for many years, appearing in such films as Life of Brian.
What is Monty Python? The group had its own program, Monty Python’s Flying Circus, though Cleese left the show after three seasons to pursue other comedic roles.
Sci-fi fans across the pond rejoiced at the 1963 premiere of this show starring William Hartnell as a time-traveling alien.
What is Doctor Who?
The show was rebooted in 2005 with Christopher Eccleston in the title role.
The film True Grit, based on a novel by Charles Portis, stars this western movie icon as Rooster Cogburn.
Who is John Wayne?
Wayne reprises his role in 1975’s Rooster Cogburn, where he stars alongside Katharine Hepburn.
She was the first Black woman featured on the cover of GQ magazine, in 1996.
Who is Tyra Banks? The supermodel was born in 1973. She has won two Emmy Awards for her work in television and also launched a cosmetics line in 2014.
The 1960s dance craze the mashed potato was popularized thanks in part to the song “(Do the) Mashed Potatoes” by this R&B singer.
Who is James Brown? Brown, under the pseudonym Dessie Rozier, released the song in 1960 and made it to the Billboard Top 100 that year.
This 1974 comedy is set in Transylvania and stars Gene Wilder in the title role
What is Young Frankenstein? Reportedly, this was Gene Wilder’s favorite of all the films he made.
The Falklands Conflict was an undeclared war fought between Great Britain and this nation.
What is Argentina?
Control of the Falkland Islands and other South Atlantic islands had long been disputed between the two countries before the conflict broke out in 1982.
The film Who Framed Roger Rabbit? had a slightly different title than this 1982 novel on which the movie was based.
What is Who Censored Roger Rabbit?
The film adapts Gary Wolf ’s novel with a blend of live-action and animated characters.
Born in 1970, this London native is known as the director of films such as Inception, Dunkirk, and Interstellar, as well as several Batman films.
Who is Christopher Nolan? He made his first short film at the age of seven and continued making short films throughout college.
This legend of the dance world was given a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Film Institute in 1981 for his appearances in films including Funny Face, The Band Wagon, and The Towering Inferno.
Who is Fred Astaire? He is often associated with costar Ginger Rogers; together they are considered the most successful dance team on film.
Father-daughter duo Ryan and Tatum O’Neal costar in this 1973 comedy-drama film about a con man traveling with a girl who may or may not be his daughter.
What is Paper Moon? The film was Tatum O’Neal’s first acting experience, and she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.