Dastardly difficult trivia quiz

[DavidC]

One of their grandfathers was a famous writer who has a square named after him in Cardiff. Their other grandfather was nominated for an Oscar for "My Fair Lady". Which celebrity?

Sophie Dahl

[michael_churchill]

Actor Stanley Tucci was introduced to his wife by her sister who co-starred with Stanley in which film?

The Devil Wears Prada

Correct

[michael_churchill]

One of their grandfathers was a famous writer who has a square named after him in Cardiff. Their other grandfather was nominated for an Oscar for "My Fair Lady". Which celebrity?

Sophie Dahl

Correct

[michael_churchill]

Which Oscar winning actor appeared in the episode of the radio series of "The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy" which first revealed that the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe and everything was 42?

No answers for this, so time to clear it up.
First broadcast on 29 March 1978, the part of Vroomfondel, one of the representatives of the union of philosophers who (may, or may not) demand that Deep Thought not be allowed to work out the answer to the ultimate question, was an early role for Jim Broadbent!

[michael_churchill]

Madonna has never won an Oscar, but two songs that won the Oscar for Best Original Song were sung by Madonna in the relevant movie. Can you name them?

[michael_churchill]

Aaron Smolinski was the only person to appear in the 1978 and 2013 films of a particular movie series/franchise. He only had a small but significant appearance in each. Can you name the series?

[EastActionWoman]

Madonna has never won an Oscar, but two songs that won the Oscar for Best Original Song were sung by Madonna in the relevant movie. Can you name them?

I would have guessed "This Used to Be My Playground" from A League of Their Own, and "Into The Groove" from Desperately Seeking Susan, but a quick Google shows I'm wrong

[michael_churchill]

Madonna has never won an Oscar, but two songs that won the Oscar for Best Original Song were sung by Madonna in the relevant movie. Can you name them?

I would have guessed "This Used to Be My Playground" from A League of Their Own, and "Into The Groove" from Desperately Seeking Susan, but a quick Google shows I'm wrong

Madonna had a hand in writing both of those songs, so if the song had won, so would she. You're looking for songs written by somebody else that she sang in the movies. In both cases, they're quite famous songwriters, too!

[DavidC]

Madonna has never won an Oscar, but two songs that won the Oscar for Best Original Song were sung by Madonna in the relevant movie. Can you name them?

I would have guessed "This Used to Be My Playground" from A League of Their Own, and "Into The Groove" from Desperately Seeking Susan, but a quick Google shows I'm wrong

Madonna had a hand in writing both of those songs, so if the song had won, so would she. You're looking for songs written by somebody else that she sang in the movies. In both cases, they're quite famous songwriters, too!

I guessed Evita as one of the movies and am not surprised by Dick Tracy being the other, but I wouldn't have got the specific tracks without Googling: You Must Love Me and Sooner Or Later respectively.

[DavidC]

Aaron Smolinski was the only person to appear in the 1978 and 2013 films of a particular movie series/franchise. He only had a small but significant appearance in each. Can you name the series?

Yes, but I'll give others more time to answer. Good question with hindsight, although I don't know enough about the plot of the 2013 film to know if his appearance in that one was as significant.

[jamesthegill]

Aaron Smolinski was the only person to appear in the 1978 and 2013 films of a particular movie series/franchise. He only had a small but significant appearance in each. Can you name the series?

I'm guessing from the release dates, but Alien? The original and Alien:Covenant?

[RJSRdg]

And a question from me (hope this doesn't confuse things too much!)

Today (5th April) would have been the 110th birthday of Dad's Army actor John le Mesurier.
Which other actor, who appeared in Dad's Army, was also born on 5th April?

[michael_churchill]

Madonna has never won an Oscar, but two songs that won the Oscar for Best Original Song were sung by Madonna in the relevant movie. Can you name them?

I would have guessed "This Used to Be My Playground" from A League of Their Own, and "Into The Groove" from Desperately Seeking Susan, but a quick Google shows I'm wrong

Madonna had a hand in writing both of those songs, so if the song had won, so would she. You're looking for songs written by somebody else that she sang in the movies. In both cases, they're quite famous songwriters, too!

I guessed Evita as one of the movies and am not surprised by Dick Tracy being the other, but I wouldn't have got the specific tracks without Googling: You Must Love Me and Sooner Or Later respectively.

Correct. For those you need more info...
When a stage musical is filmed, the songs aren't eligible for an Oscar, because they're not original! Therefore it is common for at least one new song to be added. Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber wrote "You Must Love Me" specifically for the movie "Evita".
And the famous writer of "Sooner Or Later" from "Dick Tracy"? That was the only Oscar won by the late Stephen Sondheim.

[michael_churchill]

Aaron Smolinski was the only person to appear in the 1978 and 2013 films of a particular movie series/franchise. He only had a small but significant appearance in each. Can you name the series?

Yes, but I'll give others more time to answer. Good question with hindsight, although I don't know enough about the plot of the 2013 film to know if his appearance in that one was as significant.

"Significant" may be a stretch, but there a piece of trivia attached to his dialog in the 2013 movie. A further clue: Aaron Smolinski was only three years old when the 1978 movie was filmed and he played the younger version of the title character.

[michael_churchill]

Aaron Smolinski was the only person to appear in the 1978 and 2013 films of a particular movie series/franchise. He only had a small but significant appearance in each. Can you name the series?

I think enough time has passed...
The answer is Superman.
In the original Superman move, as a three-year-old, he played the infant Kal-El discovered by the Kents after his capsule crashes near Smallville. He lifts the truck when the jack collapses.
In "Man Of Steel" in 2013, he plays a 'communication officer' at the military HQ about 1 hr 45 mins in... the significance is that he is the first character in that film to speak the name 'Superman'!
Also, uncredited, in Superman III, he's the boy in the opening sequence who gets the photos when Clark Kent uses a photo booth to change into Superman.