Great Brain Quiz 113

7. Which country's official languages are French, German, Italian, and Romansch?
8. In the game of squash what word is used to describe a shot which is played via a side wall to the front wall?
9. Without concerning yourself about the actual musical content, can you say which of these following well-known works is the odd one out. "Ariadne auf Naxos", "The Chocolate Soldier", "Die Fledermaus", or "The Radetzky March"?
10. Who was the husband of Venus in Roman mythology?
11. Which word, represented by the line in the brackets, ends the first word and begins the second word? Sho(-)yah.
12. Which violin and viola player gave the first public performance of Berlioz's "Harold in Italy"?
13. What is the name of the poem about a turn of the 20th century cricket match that contains the lines "There's a breathless hush in the close tonight — ten to make and the match to win"?
14. One of the words in the two word French term for a small boneless cut of beef from the underside of a sirloin is also the name of a 19th century opera based on a novel by Goethe. Who composed this opera?
15. * Which same word can be a typeface size; a model of excellence; and a railway station in Hull?
16. Which well-known science fiction writer was born in Minehead, Somerset and given the freedom of the town in 1992?
17. Which private investigator made his debut in the early 1930's novel "The Case of the Velvet Claws"?
18. Which word that nowadays means a conference where academic topics or social issues are debated was, in ancient Greek times, a sort of booze-up where scholarly conversations took place?
19. Name the German writer and dramatist responsible for a couple of very controversial 1960's plays whose surname contains the letter "h" four times.
20. * Who is the General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress?
21. In which award winning production based on a short story by Mary Orr did Anne Baxter play the lead character "Margo Channing"?
22. According to the hoardings displayed on some of its platforms which is Britain's busiest railway station?
23. Who was the first American athlete to run a sub four minute mile?
24. The title of which novel, later a film, became a term for someone who had been brainwashed by a foreign power to obey orders unthinkingly?
25. * Which word meaning a silly or somewhat flighty person contains four letter "b"s?
26. "The Loneliness of the Long Distance Walker" gives a clue as to the character surname of a dodgy private in a very popular BBC comedy series of the day. Which actor played the character in question in this episode which was first broadcast in April 1974?
27. Which prestigious London store punningly gives its name to the jocular term that describes the imaginary boundary separating the supposedly prosperous south of England from the less wealthy north?
28. Where in the world can you find a trio of monarchs to the north and a collection of traps to the south?
29. Who explained a very famous proposition by contrasting sitting down with an attractive young lady to sitting on a hot cooker?
30. * Which same word, in various contexts, is associated in phrases of two or more words with "closet", "key", "shrimp", "staff", and "suit"?
31. Which two teams were involved in the men's football match that resulted in the largest ever winning margin in the history of the Football World Cup qualifying stages?
32. What name was given to the medieval torture in continental Europe that involved tying a prisoner's arms behind his or her back and hoisting them to the ceiling by means of a pulley with a rope attached to their wrists?
33. Which American company in the 1960's turned a three million dollar annual loss into a similar profit after using the advertising slogan "When You're Only No 2, You Try Harder. Or Else"?
34. Which actor plays "Hardy Greaves" and narrates throughout a fairly recent film in which Bobby Jones and Walter Hagen narrowly lose a fictitious three way golf match to "Rannulph Junuh"?
35. * What links the CND movement; Superman; a Hertfordshire-based firm of hairbrush manufacturers; and the actress born Joan Summerfield?
36. What was the first name and surname, which will certainly be familiar, of the very brave man who received two Congressional Medals of Honour in the American Civil War only to die, horribly mutilated by all accounts, in a famous battle of 1876?
37. The head of state of which country has a name that includes eight consecutive vowels?
38. Alter the first letter of Poland's longest river (as it is known in English) and you have the medical word for an abnormal ulcer-like opening than can occur in various parts of the human body. The two words please.
39. In which film, based loosely on a famous novel of the same title, do the two principal characters, who are much attached to each other at the time, register in a hotel as the Hopkinsons from Hammersmith?
40. Why was the Automobile Club of America's so called "endurance contest" of September 1901 abandoned after 40 or so of the 80 drivers en route to Buffalo from New York had got as far as Rochester?
41. Who was the first Wimbledon singles champion to be born outside Great Britain?
42. We've probably all heard the words "When you go home/Tell them of us and say/For your tomorrow/We gave our today", but on the British 2nd Infantry memorial to which battle do they appear?
43. When Russia's state airline was founded in the 1920's it was given an eight letter name which was an abbreviation of some of the words in its very lengthy title. What name?
44. Who played the "Larkins" eldest daughter "Mariette" in the popular series adapted by Bob Larbey and John Esmonde from the novels of H E Bates?
45. What did the Saunders-Roe SR-N1 famously accomplish in July 1959?
46. Which London underground station on the Northern Line was reopened in 1998 after a six year refurbishment period.... and I'm sorry if you are a bit clueless on this one!?
47. This chap is probably best remembered for fathering a famous child but which work of considerable scholarship, published in the 1840's, did he co-write with a person who shared his first name and surname with a well-known explorer?
48. Which British spa town was known as by the Romans as Aquae Arnemetiae?
49. Take the surname of the literary hostess with whom "Rupert Birkin" has an unsatisfactory affair in a novel by D H Lawrence and alter one of the letters. You should now have the surname of a talented young tennis player who could possibly win Wimbledon in the next year or so. Who is he?
50. He shared his real first name with the surname of a famous poet; his real middle name with the surname of a well known racehorse trainer; and his real surname with an American comedy actress. His life ended tragically about a quarter of a century ago so what, please, was the stage name of this film and television star?
Into Tantalising 30 now with the first ten answers, or part of them, whole words, of course, being linked in a certain way... which you will need to find out for an extra two points!
51. Name the Pulitzer Prize winning play with an all black cast that put God on stage in the 1930's in the shape of Richard Harrison.
52. In which cult horror film of the 1970's was the Wisconsin serial killer Ed Gein the "model" for one of a family of weird homicidal maniacs who were not averse to a spot of cannibalism?
53. What two word term applies to a mathematical sequence such as
    2 6 18 54 162 ... ?
54. The statement "Mr Moss, I have to let you go" entered gambling folklore in 1949. What was the nickname of the person who uttered these words after a marathon poker session?
55. * Which 1966 comedy film based on a Robert Louis Stevenson story starred several distinguished actors who shared their character surnames with a London Circus?
56. In 19th century Australian slang what was a concoction of brandy and lemonade called, possibly because it crept up on the imbiber? Variants of the drink, going by the same name, were claret and lemonade; and brandy and beer or sherry with lemonade.
57. Which stage musical first seen in New York in the mid 1920's had numbers including "It", "Then You Will Know", "The Song of the Brass Key", "The Sabre Song", and "I Want a Kiss"?
58. What traditionally takes place in a certain Buckinghamshire town, on a particular day in the calendar, over a course of around 400 yards between the Bull Hotel and the Church of St Peter and St Paul?
59. A violin prodigy as a child, he received encouragement from the likes of Joachim and Sarasate before studying in Belgium with Cesar Thomson. He accompanied (on the violin!) a famous soprano on a world tour and, in 1909, married another soprano. He passed away in London 50 years later, ironically the city where one of the songs by which he is really only remembered nowadays was composed while taking a bus ride. His name please.
60. * In which film starring a future "Hopalong Cassidy" did a far greater Hollywood figure make his talking picture debut?
61. And for two more probably simple points, what links these last ten answers?
62. Which 15th century Carmelite monk and painter inspired a famous 1850's poem written in the form of a dramatic monologue?
63. Which Spanish architect died in Barcelona in the 1920's after being struck by a tram?
64. Of all the persons who have been Vice President of the United States, who lived to the greatest age?
65. * According to the words of the popular song where did the "Gay Caballero" come from?
66. Back in 1895 who was the very first Royal visitor at the Wimbledon championships?
67. "Lowood Institution" which features in a famous 19th century novel was based on the author's own experiences at which seat of learning?
68. Which same word can be a knave in certain card games; an archer; a picturesque cottage; and, in medieval times, a lady's private apartment?
69. Who is the youngest golfer ever to have competed in the US Women's Open?
70. * Which dog bred for speed and strength is named after an ancient town in the Middle East?
And into the realms of Competitors Corner with the next five posers kindly provided by your friendly GBQ enthusiasts!
71. Which same word can mean a flirtatious girl; a soggy firework; a gimcrack; a trifling object; a harpoon; and (down under) a police informer?
72. Name the US President who was sworn into the Presidency by his own father.
73. Which same number, possibly to their disappointment, linked Brian Clough and Jock Stein over the years? (You may wish to "justify" your answer!)
74. In the same overall entertaining context that BM was associated with 12; K with 13; S with 22; M with 27; and NC with 65, then which letters are associated with 15?
75. What was the surname of the first non native child born in Australia, one which was very famous in the world of aviation in the 20th century?
And now it's me again!
76. In which play by Shakespeare do six Personages take turns to hold a garland over a royal head at Kimbolton?
77. What do the letters UKIRT stand for in Hawaii?
78. Which Club was founded in 1873 by the MP for County Monaghan? (NB, if he wasn't MP at that time, he was shortly afterwards).
79. Name the tennis player, a victim of shell shock in WW2, whose superstitious mannerisms on court earned him an apt nickname. He would habitually bounce the ball many times before serving, at the same time tapping the court or his feet with his racket. When changing ends, or between points, he would tap the net, the umpire or his chair, the baseline, and the tramline. He occasionally felt compelled to chat to an imaginary bird on his shoulder and would deliberately get "stuck" in doorways. He did, amazingly, manage to win a US Open Singles title despite rarely, if ever, practising and being a frequent all night reveller.
80. * Which same person, in various circumstances, has been dubbed "Cap the Knife", "Cap the Ladle", and "Cap the Knight"?

87. Which actress who made a sensational film debut in 1971 was named after her grandfather and father?
88. Which mark was the first to be registered in Britain under the Trade Marks Registration Act?
89. Name the British "bird" who came within two points of defeating the future Mrs Norman Brinker at Wimbledon in the 1950's.
90. In which 20th century opera based on events surrounding a real life 17th/18th century actress do we encounter the stage-manager of the Comedie Francaise?
91. Name the convicted murderer, fluent in over twenty languages, who wrote "The Birds of Puerto Rico" in the 1950's after being released from prison on parole?
92. Jeanne Olson, who died in 1943, inspired a popular catchphrase of the day which her showbiz husband used to sign off with on his TV and radio shows. You will almost certainly find different rationales for this catchphrase, depending where you look......but what was it?
93. Three cryptic crossword clues next. One point for each!
    1. Slave girl from Stowe (5)
    2. O?(8, 6)
    3. Part of Japanese capital with inside information providing appropriate comic relief (6)
94. Excepting Shakespeare, whose total is perhaps dubious, which English language author is generally acknowledged to have used around 19, 000 different words in his literary output?
95. In the 1990's who played four consecutive matches on the same day on Wimbledon's centre court?
96. If you look closely at Titian's painting "The Adoration of the Magi" you should be able to spot a small dog. What is it doing?
97. OUTLINE SCRAMBLE is (I think!) an apt anagram of the first name and surname of which person who achieved a "first" in Britain between the Wars?
98. And which "War" was started in the early 1950's following a letter to a major newspaper and a suggestion from a future Prime Minister?
99. In the context that "Pink + White" is Breast Cancer Awareness; and "Blue" is Child Abuse Prevention; and "Purple + White" is Alzheimer"s Awareness; and "Purple, Teal + White" is National Osteoporosis Society, then what does "Red, White + Green" signify?
100. "The Mad Gypsy" lost his bare-knuckle world championship title some years ago after head-butting his challenger before the fight started. His duly incensed opponent dispatched him in a few seconds, and that was that. About five years ago the victor of that contest, an extremely violent character in real life, died shortly after completing an appropriate cameo role in a film that was subsequently dedicated to his memory. Which character did he play in this film?

Answers