Who was Angelina Jolie’s husband, before Brad Pitt?
Angelina Jolie and husband Billy Bob Thornton adopted a child from Cambodia. Soon after, she divorced Billy Bob, and then fell in love with Brad Pitt while making Mr. and Mrs. Smith; he was married to Jennifer Aniston at the time. That’s pretty cold, even for Maleficent.
True or False: The actor who originally played the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz almost died on-set.
There are many rumors and stories surrounding the 1939 classic film The Wizard of Oz. Something that isn’t a rumor? Buddy Ebsen, who played the Tin Man, was rushed to the hospital after having his lungs fail due to the aluminum dust in the silver makeup that covered his body. Ebsen had to leave the production for his health and was replaced by Jack Haley.
In November of 2014, the computers at Sony Pictures were hacked. What film was the hacking allegedly in response to?
In November of 2014, the computers at Sony Pictures were hacked in response to the studio's film The Interview, which was about the assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The group released an immense amount of sensitive information, including salaries, home addresses, and intimate e-mails.
Which Hollywood leading man was once jailed for his part in an unprovoked attack on two Vietnamese men?
Actor Mark Wahlberg had a bit of rough youth. He was a small-time drug dealer and spent time in jail for an unprovoked attack of two Vietnamese men. He hit one with a stick and punched the other, causing the victim to go blind in one eye. He was originally charged with attempted murder, but was able to plead to a lesser charge of criminal contempt. He was sentenced to two years in prison but served only 45 days.
Before he made his big acting breakthrough, what was Marlon Brando’s job?
Speaking of The Godfather, star Marlon Brando worked as an elevator operator at a department store before he became an actor. Reportedly, he quit because he was so embarrassed at having to call out the lingerie floor.
Before their highly-publicized divorce, who was Arnold Schwarzenegger’s wife?
Celebrities often have rocky marriages, but few last for over three decades. That’s why so many people were surprised when Maria Shriver filed for divorce from the Governator himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger. The most shocking news that came out during the proceedings was the fact that Schwarzenegger had fathered a child with the couples’ housekeeper.
Which Hollywood actress comes from a family of actors that goes back more than 300 years?
Many people know actress Drew Barrymore comes from a long line of actors. But it goes back further than you think. In fact, it goes back over 300 years to her great-great-great-great grandfather Thomas Haycraft Lane. Wonder what would have happened if she told the family she wanted to be a doctor or a lawyer.
Early in her career, Judy Garland was pressured constantly to lose weight. Who was responsible for that pressure?
Judy Garland was pressured constantly by studio chief Louis B. Mayer to lose weight. When she was 18, Mayer put her on a daily regimen of black coffee, chicken soup, 80 cigarettes a day, and diet pills every four hours.
Which Hollywood actor was arrested in 2006 after he was pulled over on suspicion of a DUI, only to launch into an anti-Semitic rant?
In 2006, Malibu police pulled Mel Gibson over on suspicion of DUI. He proceeded to go on an anti-Semitic rant against one of the officers. At the station he called a female booking officer “Sugar Tits.” But he made a movie about Jesus, so apparently everything is cool.
Which Hollywood star was allegedly involved in an affair with John F Kennedy?
In a town synonymous with scandalous rumors and affairs, one stands above the rest. Blonde bombshell Marilyn Monroe was rumored to be involved romantically with both Bobby and John Kennedy. In fact, legendary Hollywood private eye Fred Otash claimed to have an audio tape of Marilyn and JFK doing the deed. Happy birthday, Mr. President indeed.
What is the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all-time?
Made for just about 35 million dollars, IT pulled in over $700 million worldwide.
How many Oscars did the legendary director Alfred Hitchcock win?
British director Alfred Hitchcock never won an Oscar. Despite being nominated five times for Best Director, more or less inventing the thriller and horror film genres, and directing countless groundbreaking movies, he was never able to take home the golden statue. Hopefully he made up for it by making millions of dollars, having adoring fans across the globe, and being knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.
What was the first movie ever screened at the White House?
The Birth of a Nation became the first film to be screened in the White House. After viewing it, President Woodrow Wilson is rumored to have said, “It’s like writing history with lightning. And my only regret is that it’s all so terribly true.” As the controversy grew due to its heroic portrayal of the Klan, Wilson sought to distance himself from the film, saying he had no idea of the nature of it before screening and disavowing his comments.
Which of these actors got there start by appearing in adult films?
Many of Hollywood’s biggest stars got their start in the adult film industry. Sylvester Stallone, Marilyn Monroe, and Kevin Costner dared to be bare before their “legitimate” film career took off.
What is the most expensive movie ever made?
The most expensive movie ever made was Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. This gem cost $378.5 million to make.
Adjusting for inflation, what is the highest-grossing film of all-time in America?
Adjusted for inflation, the 1939 classic, Gone with the Wind, would be the top-grossing movie of all time in domestic profit. In current dollars, it would have grossed $1,685,052,200.
Robert DeNiro once gained 65 pounds for his role in which film?
To portray boxer Jake LaMotta later in life in Raging Bull, actor Robert De Niro gained 60 pounds. Not to brag or anything, but I did the same exact thing last year between Thanksgiving to Christmas.
Which actor accidentally killed a mother and daughter while on vacation in Ireland?
Actor Matthew Broderick killed a mother and daughter while on vacation in Ireland with Ferris Bueller’s Day Off co-star Jennifer Grey. Their rented BMW crossed the center line, colliding head-on with an on-coming vehicle. He was convicted of “careless driving” and had to pay $175 fine.
Which scene in Quintin Tarantino’s classic Pulp Fiction was actually shot in reverse?
The famous scene in Pulp Fiction where John Travolta stabs Uma Thurman in the heart with a needle was shot in reverse.
Which Antonio Banderas movie is widely regarded as one of the biggest box-office flops of all-time?
Widely regarded as one of the most expensive flops in movie history, The 13th Warrior lost somewhere between $70 and 130 million. That includes not just production costs, but the marketing budget as well.
True or False: the author of the book that Forrest Gump was based on, almost didn’t get any money from the film
Author Winston Groom’s book Forrest Gump was turned into a Hollywood blockbuster, and earned over $677 million. Groom didn’t see any of that money for almost a decade; the studio claimed it actually lost money on the film.
Which of these iconic directors never actually attended film school?
Three of the top four highest-grossing directors of all time never went to (or initially completed) film school. Steven Spielberg (who dropped out and then finished his degree later), Peter Jackson, and James Cameron all began making movies when they were just kids and taught themselves the craft through trial and error. Not only were they not saddled with massive student loans, they didn’t have to sit through hundreds of hours of boring black-and-white French movies.
Which of these figures has appeared in the most Steven Spielberg movies
If you were to guess who has appeared in the most Spielberg movies, you almost certainly would be wrong. That’s because it’s his very own dog, Elmer.
Which of these people was originally considered to play the title role in James Cameron’s The Terminator?
OJ Simpson was slated to play the title character in The Terminator, but director James Cameron thought he was “too pleasant” to portray such a dark character.
What does MPAA stand for?
The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) is a board who rates every movie with one of five designations, G, PG, PG-13, R, or NC-17. Since getting a certain rating can often means a loss of millions of dollars, reports run rampant of payoffs and outright bribery to lower ratings for mature movies.
Which 80s movie allegedly included drug money in its production budget, in order to appease the movie’s stars?
Drugs in Hollywood is certainly no big story, but it was rumored that the budget for 1980s The Shining included money to supply Jack Nicholson with his daily dose of cocaine. I bet he was very excited to learn he would be buried in snow at the end of the movie.
The director Ed Wood and actor Bela Lugosi teamed up on what is widely considered one of the worst movies ever made. What was it called?
Directed by Ed Wood, Plan 9 From Outer Space has been named on several lists as the worst movie of all time. It starred Bela Lugosi, who died shortly after it was completed, I can only assume from embarrassment
True or False: The iconic Christmas movie It’s a Wonderful Life was a massive success at the box office
The iconic Christmas movie It’s a Wonderful Life was a flop at the box office. Made for $3.7 million, it made only $3.3 million in its initial release. It only gained popularity when it started being shown on TV.
Your Results
Movie Fan
You’ve clearly been studying your movie trivia. Do you read textbooks in your time off? Sure, a few of those questions got past you… but that’s because we made this as hard as humanly possible. And you still did pretty dang well. Good on you.
Film Master
Have you found some way to make a living off this knowledge you have? I mean your expertise is shocking. You must win every game of Trivial Pursuit you’ve ever played. Who could have such deep knowledge and understanding of the most obscure details of Hollywood? Very impressive… well done.
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Quiz
We all love movies. There’s something about being transported away from reality, just for a quick moment, that is simply satisfying. Unfortunately, though, the reality of Hollywood can be more than a little ugly. How much do you know about the industry’s ugly underbelly? Time to find out...
