MGM musicals of the 1950s
In which 1952 MGM musical does Gene Kelly perform the iconic “Singin’ in the Rain” number, filmed while he had a fever of 103°F?
Singin’ in the Rain
What was the code name for the U.S. amphibious landing at Incheon in September 1950?
Operation Chromite
Which American author wrote the novel The Confessions of Nat Turner, which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1968 but sparked controversy over its portrayal of race and history?
William Styron
Which country is home to the northernmost permanently inhabited settlement in the world?
Canada (Alert, Nunavut)
What pseudonym did Marilyn Monroe use when she checked into hospitals or traveled incognito?
Zelda Zonk
Which MGM musical, released in 1951 and directed by Vincente Minnelli, won the Academy Award for Best Picture?
An American in Paris
Which U.S. general was relieved of his command by President Truman during the Korean War?
General Douglas MacArthur
Who was the first African American woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, known for novels like Beloved and Song of Solomon?
Toni Morrison
Which island nation has the most freshwater lakes in the world, including over 60% of the world's natural lakes?
Canada
What was the name of the final, unfinished film Marilyn Monroe was working on at the time of her death in 1962?
Something's Got to Give
What was the final MGM musical to feature Judy Garland before she was released from her contract in 1950?
Summer Stock (1950)
What line of latitude approximately divided North and South Korea before and after the war?
The 38th Parallel
Which reclusive American author published only one novel in her lifetime, To Kill a Mockingbird, until a second manuscript was controversially released in 2015?
Harper Lee
What is the only country in the world that does not have a capital city?
Nauru
Which U.S. president was Monroe rumored to have had a relationship with besides John F. Kennedy?
Robert F. Kennedy
Which MGM musical was the first to pair Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra in a feature film?
Anchors Aweigh (1945 – note: not a 1950s film, but the duo continued collaborations into the 1950s)
Which country sent the largest number of troops to fight alongside the U.S. and South Korea under the United Nations command?
United Kingdom
Which American novelist, known for Gravity's Rainbow and The Crying of Lot 49, was notoriously private and rarely gave interviews?
Thomas Pynchon
What is the highest navigable lake in the world, located on the border of Peru and Bolivia?
Lake Titicaca
Who was the photographer behind Marilyn Monroe’s final photo session, taken just weeks before her death?
Bert Stern
“New York, New York” was introduced in which 1949–1950 MGM musical co-starring Frank Sinatra, Gene Kelly, and Betty Garrett?
On the Town (1949, though commonly grouped with 1950s musicals stylistically)
What Chinese military leader commanded the People's Volunteer Army during the Korean War?
General Peng Dehuai
Who wrote the experimental novel Underworld and is often associated with postmodernism and the themes of American consumer culture?
Don DeLillo
Which desert is the largest non-polar desert in the world by area?
The Sahara Desert
What was the full name of the famous venue where Marilyn Monroe sang “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” to JFK?
Madison Square Garden, during a Democratic fundraiser and birthday celebration on May 19, 1962
In The Band Wagon (1953), Fred Astaire sings “That’s Entertainment!” Which famed lyricist wrote the lyrics for that song?
Howard Dietz
What prison camp on the Korean Peninsula became notorious for prisoner riots and ideological conflict among POWs?
Geoje (Koje-do) Island Prison Camp
Which Southern Gothic author is known for Wise Blood and A Good Man is Hard to Find, and died at the young age of 39 from lupus?
Flannery O’Connor
The Danube River passes through how many countries before emptying into the Black Sea?
10
Which Ivy League university did John F. Kennedy attend for his undergraduate studies?
Harvard University
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954) was set in which U.S. state?
Kathryn Grayson
What was the name of the first major engagement between U.S. and North Korean forces in July 1950?
Battle of Osan
Which American author created the character Rabbit Angstrom, featured in a series of novels spanning decades and earning a Pulitzer Prize?
John Updike
Which European capital city is located closest to the geographic center of Europe?
Vilnius, Lithuania
What was the subject of JFK’s senior thesis, which was later published as a book?
British appeasement of Hitler — the thesis was published as Why England Slept
Which actress played Lilli Vanessi/Katharine in MGM’s Kiss Me Kate (1953)?
Kathryn Grayson
Which American pilot became the first jet-vs-jet combat ace in history during the Korean War?
James Jabara
Which American novelist was influenced by transcendentalism and wrote the novel The Blithedale Romance, inspired by his time at Brook Farm?
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Which is the only country in the world to be located on all four hemispheres (Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western)?
Kiribati
What was the name of the U.S. Navy patrol boat that JFK commanded during World War II?
PT-109
What innovative technology was used in Kiss Me Kate (1953) that was rare for musicals at the time?
3D filming
What Soviet-made fighter jet, flown by North Korean and Chinese pilots, became a formidable opponent in aerial combat?
MiG-15
Who is the American novelist behind the posthumously published Pale Fire, a metafictional novel often regarded as one of the greatest of the 20th century?
Vladimir Nabokov
Which Asian capital city was formerly known as Edo?
Tokyo
What rare medical condition did JFK suffer from throughout his life, which was kept secret from the public?
Addison’s disease
In Royal Wedding (1951), Fred Astaire famously dances on the walls and ceiling of a room. How was this effect achieved?
The set was built on a rotating rig that spun in sync with the camera
What parallel peace talks location gave its name to the 1953 armistice agreement?
Panmunjom
Which American writer’s magnum opus, Invisible Man, was published in 1952 and explored themes of identity and race in America?
Ralph Ellison
Which river has the largest drainage basin in the world?
The Amazon River
Which acclaimed director was briefly attached to a planned biopic about Marilyn Monroe that was ultimately never made during her lifetime?
Billy Wilder (he directed her in Some Like It Hot, but a serious biopic was once considered)
Gigi (1958) was directed by which legendary MGM musical director, also known for An American in Paris?
Vincente Minnelli
Which future U.S. president served as a supply officer in the Korean War and later drew on that experience during his political career?
Jimmy Carter
Who was the author of Angle of Repose, a historical novel that won the Pulitzer Prize in 1972 and is set in the American West?
Wallace Stegner
Which island nation has the most freshwater lakes in the world, including over 60% of the world's natural lakes?
Canada
What 1953 film earned Marilyn Monroe a Golden Globe nomination and established her as a serious comedic actress?
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
Which 1950s MGM musical featured a character named Dolores “Lola” Del Rio, who tries to steal the lead’s love interest?
The Toast of New Orleans (1950)
What U.S. Army unit was involved in the controversial No Gun Ri massacre of South Korean civilians in 1950?
7th Cavalry Regiment
Which author, known for The Adventures of Augie March, won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1976 and was considered one of the last great American realists?
Saul Bellow
What do you call a piece of land that is almost entirely surrounded by water but is still connected to the mainland?
A peninsula
Where was JFK assassinated, and who was the governor sitting in the car with him at the time?
Dealey Plaza, Dallas, Texas; Governor John Connally