World War I 1916 babies – including leaders and actors

World War I Quiz - 1916 Babies (Questions)

1916 saw the First World War entering into its second year with no sign of hostilities coming to a halt. The Battle of Verdun was fought and the Arab Revolt began. Also in this year British Summer Time was first introduced, Lloyd George replaced Asquith as Prime Minister of the UK and many people were born who would find fame in later life. Find out about some of them in this quiz.

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Harold Wilson, born on 11th March 1916, was the leader of the Labour Party and Prime Minister of The United Kingdom. How many general elections did the Labour Party win under his leadership?

[ ]	No general elections
[ ]	One general election
[ ]	Two general elections
[ ]	Three general elections

Iosif Shklovsky (pictured on the left with fellow scientist Yakov Zel'dovich) was a Russian astronomer born on July 1st 1916. He is most famous for his book on which subject?

[ ]	The Big Bang theory
[ ]	The moons of Jupiter
[ ]	Intelligent alien life
[ ]	The rings of Saturn

American film star, Gregory Peck, was born on April 5th 1916. During his career he was nominated five times for the award of Best Actor at the Oscars ceremony. On how many of these occasions did he win the award?

[ ]	He never won the award
[ ]	He won the award once
[ ]	He won the award twice
[ ]	He won the award three times

On 26 October 1916 François Mitterrand was born. He grew up to become the leader of the French Socialist Party and France's longest-serving president. For how long was he in office?

[ ]	For 14 years
[ ]	For 12 years
[ ]	For 10 years
[ ]	For 8 years

Yehudi Menuhin (born on 22 April 1916) was thought to be one of the most talented violinists of the 20th century. He became a British citizen in 1985, but in which country was he born?

[ ]	The United States of America
[ ]	The Soviet Union
[ ]	Australia
[ ]	East Germany

James Wight was born on 3rd October 1916. He wrote a series of novels under the pen name James Herriot, which were inspired by his experiences as a vet. What was the name of the TV series based on his books?

[ ]	All Things Bright and Beautiful
[ ]	All Creatures Great and Small
[ ]	All Things Wise and Wonderful
[ ]	The Lord God Made Them All

The future Prime Minister of the UK Sir Edward Heath, was born on 9th July 1916. What achievement did Sir Edward accomplish whilst serving as Prime Minister?

[ ]	He won the World Snooker Championship
[ ]	He competed in a Formula One race
[ ]	He beat the world champion at chess
[ ]	He captained Britain's team in a yacht race

Betty Grable was an American singer, dancer and actress who was born on December 18th 1916. Which part of her body was rumoured to have been insured for $1,000,000?

[ ]	Her hands
[ ]	Her lips
[ ]	Her legs
[ ]	Her teeth

This man, Issur Danielovitch, was born on December 9th 1916 in New York. He was later to become an actor and is more commonly known by what name?

[ ]	Charles Laughton
[ ]	Ernest Borgnine
[ ]	Tony Curtis
[ ]	Kirk Douglas

10.

The writer, Roald Dahl, was born in Wales on 13th September 1916. In addition to his books Dahl also wrote screenplays for films, including one in which series?

[ ]	Star Trek
[ ]	James Bond
[ ]	Star Wars
[ ]	Indiana Jones

World War I Quiz - 1916 Babies (Answers)

Harold Wilson, born on 11th March 1916, was the leader of the Labour Party and Prime Minister of The United Kingdom. How many general elections did the Labour Party win under his leadership?

[ ]	No general elections
[ ]	One general election
[ ]	Two general elections
[x]	Three general elections

Harold Wilson was elected as Prime Minister on four occasions but only three of these saw a Labour majority in the House of Commons (1964, 1966 and 1974). 1974 saw two elections, the first of which being a hung parliament. Harold Wilson resigned from his post as Prime Minister on 16th March 1976, possibly due to health reasons. He died on 24th May 1995 aged 79

Iosif Shklovsky (pictured on the left with fellow scientist Yakov Zel'dovich) was a Russian astronomer born on July 1st 1916. He is most famous for his book on which subject?

[ ]	The Big Bang theory
[ ]	The moons of Jupiter
[x]	Intelligent alien life
[ ]	The rings of Saturn

He wrote the 1962 book Universe, Life, Intelligence, which he reworked alongside American astronomer Carl Sagan and republished as Intelligent Life in the Universe in 1966. Shklovsky also wrote a personal memoir entitled Five Billion Vodka Bottles to the Moon. He died on March 3rd 1985 at the age of 68

[ ]	He never won the award
[x]	He won the award once
[ ]	He won the award twice
[ ]	He won the award three times

Peck won the Academy Award for Best Actor for the role of Atticus Finch in the 1962 film To Kill a Mockingbird. He also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America's highest civilian award, for his humanitarian work. Gregory Peck died on June 12th 2003 when he was 87 years old

On 26 October 1916 François Mitterrand was born. He grew up to become the leader of the French Socialist Party and France's longest-serving president. For how long was he in office?

[x]	For 14 years
[ ]	For 12 years
[ ]	For 10 years
[ ]	For 8 years

Mitterrand was the 21st President of France, holding the post from 21st May 1981 until 17th May 1995. In the Second World War Mitterrand escaped from a German prisoner of war camp and walked back to France where he joined the French Resistance. He died on 8th January 1996, aged 79

Yehudi Menuhin (born on 22 April 1916) was thought to be one of the most talented violinists of the 20th century. He became a British citizen in 1985, but in which country was he born?

[x]	The United States of America
[ ]	The Soviet Union
[ ]	Australia
[ ]	East Germany

Menuhin's parents were from Belarus but had moved to America before he was born. He spent most of his career in the UK but was also a citizen of Switzerland. He died on 12th March 1999 at the age of 82

[ ]	All Things Bright and Beautiful
[x]	All Creatures Great and Small
[ ]	All Things Wise and Wonderful
[ ]	The Lord God Made Them All

He wrote 20 books in all which have inspired a film, a long-running TV series and a stage play. The building in which Wight had his veterinary practice, in the town of Thirsk in Yorkshire, is now a visitor attraction entitled "The World of James Herriot" (pictured). James Wight died on 23 February 1995, aged 78

The future Prime Minister of the UK Sir Edward Heath, was born on 9th July 1916. What achievement did Sir Edward accomplish whilst serving as Prime Minister?

[ ]	He won the World Snooker Championship
[ ]	He competed in a Formula One race
[ ]	He beat the world champion at chess
[x]	He captained Britain's team in a yacht race

Sir Edward was a keen yachtsman and was the captain of the British team which won the 1971 Admiral's Cup. He also won the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race in 1969 and captained the British team in the 1979 Fastnet race. Sir Edward died on 17th July 2005, when he was 89 years old

Betty Grable was an American singer, dancer and actress who was born on December 18th 1916. Which part of her body was rumoured to have been insured for $1,000,000?

[ ]	Her hands
[ ]	Her lips
[x]	Her legs
[ ]	Her teeth

Grable was said to have the most beautiful legs in the film industry and a poster, showing her posing in a swimsuit, is thought to have been the most popular pin-up among American soldiers during World War II. Betty Grable died of lung cancer on July 2nd 1973. She was 56 years old

This man, Issur Danielovitch, was born on December 9th 1916 in New York. He was later to become an actor and is more commonly known by what name?

[ ]	Charles Laughton
[ ]	Ernest Borgnine
[ ]	Tony Curtis
[x]	Kirk Douglas

Douglas appeared in more than 70 films and is the father of actor Michael Douglas. At the time of writing Kirk Douglas is still alive and at the ripe old age of 97

10.

The writer, Roald Dahl, was born in Wales on 13th September 1916. In addition to his books Dahl also wrote screenplays for films, including one in which series?

[ ]	Star Trek
[x]	James Bond
[ ]	Star Wars
[ ]	Indiana Jones

Dahl wrote the script for the 1967 James Bond film You Only Live Twice. He was a prodigious writer, having to his name 17 children's stories, 2 adult novels, 19 volumes of short stories, 3 books of poetry for children, 9 non-fiction books, 6 film screenplays, 8 television show scripts and 1 play. He died on 23rd November 1990 when he was 74