Question 1 of 20Classic MoviesEasy
Trivia for seniors
Pour a cup of coffee and take a stroll down memory lane with these 20 trivia questions for seniors with answers. This friendly quiz for seniors visits the golden age of radio and early television, big-band crooners, Hollywood classics, ballpark heroes and the prices and gadgets of yesteryear, with a few timeless teasers mixed in. It's trivia for seniors made for sharing, so gather the family and see who remembers the most.
A free quiz from Megan Moran, author of The Ultimate 1950's Quiz Book.
Question 2 of 20Music StarsEasy
Which singer, born in Hoboken, New Jersey, was nicknamed "Ol' Blue Eyes"?
Question 3 of 20Radio and TVMedium
In October 1938, Orson Welles alarmed some radio listeners with a drama based on which H.G. Wells novel?
Question 4 of 20Sports HeroesEasy
In 1947, Jackie Robinson broke Major League Baseball's color line playing for which team?
Question 5 of 20Household ItemsMedium
Which kitchen appliance grew out of engineer Percy Spencer noticing that a candy bar in his pocket had melted near radar equipment?
Question 6 of 20Radio and TVHard
Who was the very first host of NBC's The Tonight Show when it premiered in September 1954?
Question 7 of 20Prices and ProductsMedium
For about 70 years, until 1959, how much did a standard bottle of Coca-Cola usually cost?
Question 8 of 20Music StarsEasy
Which singer is known as "the Queen of Soul"?
Question 9 of 20Classic MoviesMedium
The 1942 classic Casablanca, starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, is set in which country?
Question 10 of 20Sports HeroesHard
Heavyweight boxing champion Rocky Marciano retired undefeated in 1956. How many professional fights had he won?
Question 11 of 20Radio and TVMedium
On radio and TV, what was the name of the Lone Ranger's horse?
Question 12 of 20Radio and TVEasy
Which TV host introduced the Beatles to more than 70 million American viewers in February 1964?
Question 13 of 20Prices and ProductsHard
In August 1958, the price of a first-class US postage stamp went up from 3 cents to how much?
Question 14 of 20Music StarsMedium
"Moonlight Serenade" was the theme song of which big-band leader?
Question 15 of 20Sports HeroesMedium
In 1941, Joe DiMaggio set a major-league record by getting a hit in how many consecutive games?
Question 16 of 20Household ItemsHard
The Slinky first went on sale in November 1945 at Gimbels department store in which city?
Question 17 of 20General KnowledgeEasy
A golden wedding anniversary celebrates how many years of marriage?
Question 18 of 20Radio and TVMedium
On The Honeymooners, what was Jackie Gleason's character Ralph Kramden's job?
Question 19 of 20Music StarsHard
Which crooner was nicknamed "the Velvet Fog"?
Question 20 of 20American HistoryMedium
In August 1959, which became the 50th state of the United States?
Answer all 20 to see your score.
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Show all the answers, with the facts behind them
- In the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, what is the name of Dorothy's little dog? TotoThe part was played by a female Cairn Terrier named Terry, who was paid $125 a week.
- Which singer, born in Hoboken, New Jersey, was nicknamed "Ol' Blue Eyes"? Frank SinatraBesides singing, he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for the 1953 film From Here to Eternity.
- In October 1938, Orson Welles alarmed some radio listeners with a drama based on which H.G. Wells novel? The War of the WorldsAired on CBS the night before Halloween, the broadcast had the Martians land at Grovers Mill, New Jersey.
- In 1947, Jackie Robinson broke Major League Baseball's color line playing for which team? Brooklyn DodgersEvery April 15 is Jackie Robinson Day, when players across the major leagues all wear his number, 42.
- Which kitchen appliance grew out of engineer Percy Spencer noticing that a candy bar in his pocket had melted near radar equipment? Microwave ovenRaytheon's first commercial model, the 1947 Radarange, stood nearly 6 feet tall and weighed about 750 pounds.
- Who was the very first host of NBC's The Tonight Show when it premiered in September 1954? Steve AllenA busy songwriter too, he estimated he wrote more than 8,500 songs, and he also published over 50 books.
- For about 70 years, until 1959, how much did a standard bottle of Coca-Cola usually cost? 5 centsCompany boss Robert Woodruff once asked the US Treasury to mint a 7.5-cent coin. The Treasury refused.
- Which singer is known as "the Queen of Soul"? Aretha FranklinIn 1987 she became the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
- The 1942 classic Casablanca, starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, is set in which country? MoroccoAt the March 1944 Academy Awards it won three Oscars: Best Picture, Best Director for Michael Curtiz, and Best Screenplay.
- Heavyweight boxing champion Rocky Marciano retired undefeated in 1956. How many professional fights had he won? 49All but six of those victories came by knockout, earning him the nickname "the Brockton Blockbuster."
- On radio and TV, what was the name of the Lone Ranger's horse? SilverThe radio show began in 1933 on WXYZ in Detroit, galloping along to the finale of Rossini's William Tell Overture.
- Which TV host introduced the Beatles to more than 70 million American viewers in February 1964? Ed SullivanThe band played CBS's Studio 50 in New York, which drew 50,000 ticket requests for its 728 seats and now carries the host's name.
- In August 1958, the price of a first-class US postage stamp went up from 3 cents to how much? 4 centsThe 3-cent rate had held since July 1932, and the next rise came in January 1963.
- "Moonlight Serenade" was the theme song of which big-band leader? Glenn MillerA trombonist by training, he vanished in December 1944 on a wartime flight from England to France.
- In 1941, Joe DiMaggio set a major-league record by getting a hit in how many consecutive games? 56The streak began on May 15, 1941, and finally ended in Cleveland, where the Yankees still won the game 4–3.
- The Slinky first went on sale in November 1945 at Gimbels department store in which city? PhiladelphiaInvented by naval engineer Richard James, the first 400 sold within 90 minutes at $1 apiece.
- A golden wedding anniversary celebrates how many years of marriage? 50In the traditional American list, 25 years is silver, 40 is ruby and 60 is diamond.
- On The Honeymooners, what was Jackie Gleason's character Ralph Kramden's job? Bus driverThe Kramdens lived in a famously bare apartment on Chauncey Street in Brooklyn's Bushwick neighborhood.
- Which crooner was nicknamed "the Velvet Fog"? Mel TorméA disc jockey coined the name for his smooth, high tenor, though the singer detested it. He also co-wrote "The Christmas Song" with Bob Wells.
- In August 1959, which became the 50th state of the United States? HawaiiPresident Eisenhower signed the Admission Act that March, and in a June vote at least 93 percent approved statehood on every major island.
