ENTERTAINMENT
The movie "Love Me Tender" premiered in November 1956. Which celebrities were the three MAIN stars of the movie?
Elvis Presley/Debra Paget/Richard Egan
"Love Me Tender" is an American black and white Western about the four brothers, the Renos. It was Elvis Presley's first film and the only time in his entire career that he was not billed as the lead.
Elvis Presley played Clint Reno, the youngest of the four brothers who stayed at home to look after the family farm and his mother, while his three brothers fought for the Confederacy in the American Civil War.
When informed that Vance, the oldest brother played by Richard Egan, has been killed, Clint marries Cathy, Vance's girlfriend played by Debra Paget.
Unfortunately, but not for Vance, they were misinformed and Vance returns home.
CBS' logo was the "eye". What was in the background?
Clouds
The distinctive logo was introduced by CBS in 1951. NBC's 11-feathered peacock was first seen in 1956.
Turning to music, time to dust off those old 45's. Who sang the never-to-be-forgotten, rock classic "Turn Me Loose."
Fabian
Talk about a one-hit wonder, Fabian was a heart throb in the late '50s. He had a short singing career and an even shorter movie career. Problem was he couldn't sing or act. But he sure was cute.
What 1957 craze was invented by Arthur Melin and Richard Knerr which gave kids and adults alike, hours of fun and exercise?
Hula Hoop
Oh, so much fun was had with the Hula Hoop, a big plastic hoop made of brightly coloured plastic tubing that you twirl around your waist and keep it going by moving your hips. Doubt if the arthritis would allow it today, ouch!
Some people's personal favourite form of entertainment is a basic pleasure - that of food. Which fast food chain, which later had an iconic red roof in its logo, first opened in this year in Wichita Kansas?
Pizza Hut
McDonald's first location opened in 1955, but they are known for their "golden arches". Dairy Queen opened in Illinois in 1940. In-N-Out began in 1948.
Pizza Hut was started by two university students in a building which did NOT have a red roof, but that was changed with the expanded franchise operations. Fast food trivia enthusiasts might also be interested to know that the first White Castle burger joint also had its origins in Wichita in 1921. What is it about the state of Kansas??
This comedian's show premiered on CBS in October and ran through 1965. The program featured the star's wife, Mary Livingstone, and the skits frequently lampooned his supposed cheapness. What is the name of this famous comedian?
Jack Benny
Jack Benny had been offered one of the two lead roles in the Neil Simon movie "The Sunshine Boys" (1975) but failing health forced him to pull out of the production. His friend and fellow comedy pioneer George Burns replaced him and went on to win an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for the role.
1951: In this year, the Topps company first released what form of collectable items?
baseball cards
Sports are a great source of entertainment for many people and if you want to purchase "collectibles" for baseball, then Topps is your "go to" company. They produced their first baseball sets (red and blue back series) in 1951. Two years later they started inserting jokes/cartoons into Bazooka (which they also owned) gum packages. I personally didn't think too much about the cards back then, as I used them for "noisemakers" clipped onto the spokes of my bicycle tires, but I certainly "rue the day" now!
"Some Enchanted Evening" is the theme song for which 1958 movie?
South Pacific
Adapted from the Pulitzer Prize winning novel "Tales of the South Pacific" by James A. Michener, "South Pacific", is a romantic musical set during WWII.
The film received three Oscar nominations, winning the "Best Sound" Category.
Mitzi Gaynor stars, as a young nurse called Nellie Forbush, who falls in love with a much older, enigmatic Frenchman, played by Rossano Brazzi.
Where did the United States detonate a hydrogen bomb for testing?
On an island in the Pacific
The United States tested this bomb on Bikini Atoll on May 12, 1951.
In 1950 what popular coffee shop was founded?
Dunkin' Donuts was founded in 1950.
What legendary radio newsman brought America "See It Now" in 1951?
Edward R. Murrow
This news program was the first to use its own footage instead of relying on newreel film. It also introduced the use of producers and non-rehearsed interviews.
1951: The title of the best selling book of this year came from a Rudyard Kipling poem. The plot centers on a group of Army officers and the women in their lives in Hawaii just before the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Which James Jones novel is this?
From Here to Eternity
James Jones won the National Book Award for "From Here to Eternity." The reference to the book's title is from Kipling's poem "Gentleman-rankers" which ends with the verse: "We're poor little lambs who've lost our way, Baa! Baa! Baa! We're little black sheep who've gone astray, Baa--aa--aa! Gentlemen-rankers out on the spree, damned from here to Eternity, God ha' mercy on such as we, Baa! Yah! Bah!"
Which character did NOT appear in the first Peanuts Cartoon Strip which appeared in October 1950?
Snoopy
The very first "Peanuts" cartoon strip, written by Charles M. Schulz, was four panels long and showed Charlie Brown walking by two other children, Shermy and Patty. Snoopy was an early character in the strip but he did not appear in the first one.
You might not have made the football or baseball team in school and you might not have been the most popular kid in America. But what made its debut in this year that was guaranteed to take your mind off your troubles and raise a "chuck"le or two?
"Peanuts" comic strip
Monopoly was first marketed in the 1930s, while Etch A Sketch and Lite Brite were from the 60s. However there WAS one fun item in the toy/hobby field first made available to the public in 1950 - Silly Putty.
The comic strip created by Charles Schulz (originally called "Li'l Folks") that starred "Charlie Brown" (called "Chuck" by "Peppermint Patty") has stood the test of time and has entertained several generations. The last newspaper cartoon was published shortly before the creator's death in 2000. But even today, when people say they are "doing the happy dance", they are likely referring to the character "Snoopy" (beagle extraordinaire).
What was Elvis Presley and Walt Disney's favorite 50s snack?
Walt Disney and Elvis Presley loved root beer floats and was their favorite snack.
What was DuMont?
DuMont, the 'fourth network', was unable to compete with NBC, CBS and ABC and ceased operations in 1956.
What were viewers shown in the first live commercial coast-to-coast broadcast?
Bridges
On a split screen, viewers of the first installment of "See It Now" could see both the Golden Gate and Brooklyn Bridges, simultaneously spanning the continent, an astonishing electronic feat for 1951.
Name the number 1 song on the Billboard Charts in 1951:
'Be My Love'
Mario Lanza was the artist.
By today's standards, this magazine wouldn't have been considered particularly "racy". With a blonde movie bombshell starring on the first cover, what was this publication?
Playboy
Ah yes. Entertainment takes many forms. Marilyn Monroe was the very first centerfold/cover for Hugh Hefner's "Playboy". If asked (in public situations), most men would say that the reason they purchased the magazine was "for the articles". "Sports Illustrated" was launched in 1954, but didn't start publishing swimsuit photoshoots until ten years later.
What was the most popular candy in the 50s?
Taffy was the most popular candy in the 50s.
On what TV show did a young Richard Crenna play the recurring role of a lovesick school boy?
Our Miss Brooks
Richard Crenna, with his high, nasal voice, played a love-struck high school student who had a crush on his teacher, Miss Brooks, played by Eve Arden. He also starred as Luke on "The Real McCoys" but by then he was married to Kate "Sugar Babe" Nolan.
One of the most popular children's books published in the '50s was "If I Ran The Zoo". Who wrote this story we all heard at bedtime?
Dr. Seuss
Dr. Seuss, born Theodore Geisel, created some of the most famous characters in children's literature including the Cat in the Hat and Horton, the elephant, from the book of the same name.
What network did 'I Love Lucy' debut on?
CBS
The 'I Love Lucy' show debuted on October 15, 1951, and the last telecast was September 24, 1961.
There's nothing like taking a trip to a "fantasy land" to raise your spirits. Which amusement park opened its gates in this year?
Disneyland
The opening of Disneyland was televised by the ABC network. The hosts of the broadcast were Ronald Reagan, Art Linkletter and Bob Cummings. The estimated TV audience was around 90 million - an incredibly high number given the fact that not everyone in America had television sets in those days. The general admission that year was ONE U.S. dollar per entrant.
What was a popular breakfast in the 50s?
porridge, followed by bacon, eggs and fried bread, then toast and home-made marmalade, and lots of milky tea. For most children it was also when they had their vitamin tablets