Of course, we had our Unseemly Trivia Contest question - and, as it turns out, I didn't stump our usual panel of regular players, which astonished me. Here was the question:
This season produced one huge musical hit, several other musical hits, a lot of musical misses, a few hit plays, and a lot of flop plays - in other words, business as usual. This particular flop play at least eked out a modest run, even though it was never heard of again. It was by a well-known and popular playright, who was also a well-known and popular screenwriter of some classic films. It was directed by a well-known director. In the cast was an actor who'd recently appeared in a classic musical and who would go on to play a memorable role in a film version of a Broadway musical. Also an actor who would go on to have a diverse film career, appearing in several classic motion pictures. Also in its cast were a male and female actor who would have an interesting connection years later. Also in the cast was a young actress who would have a semi-successful career in movies (she appeared in at least one classic by a hugely popular film director), and would then star in a beloved television series opposite a beloved television star. Finally, another actor in the cast would have legendary status doing something other than acting.
So:
Name the play and its author.
Name the play's well-known director.
Name the actor who'd recently appeared in a classic musical and would go on to play a memorable role in a film version of a Broadway musical and name his role in that film.
Name the actor who would go on to have a diverse career in films, and name at least two of the classic films he appeared in.
Name the male and female actors who would go on to have a very interesting connection many years later.
Name the young actress who would go on to a semi-successful film career, name her classic film and the hugely successful director, and name her beloved television series and her co-star.
Name the actor who would achieve legendary status for something other than acting.
And here are the answers:
The Cold Wind And The Warm/S.N. Behrman
Harold Clurman
Timmy Everett/Tommy Djilas in the film of The Music Man
Eli Wallach/The Magnificent Seven/The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly or many others
Maureen Stapleton and Vincent Gardenia - Miss Stapleton starred in the TV film Queen Of The Stardust Ballroom, and Mr. Gardenia starred in its musical version on B'way.
Suzanne Pleshette/The Birds/Alfred Hitchcock/The Bob Newhart Show/Bob Newhart
Sanford Meisner became a legendary acting teacher
Our high winners were Dan the Man, FJL, Jrand, and JMK. We put their names into our handy-dandy Electronic Hat, which chose at random Dan The Man. So, if he will send us his address, he will receive a sparkling prize (and our past two winners will receive theirs this week, too).
