50s Trivia Questions and Answers
The 1950s was a decade of significant cultural and social changes. It was a time when rock and roll took the world by storm, Hollywood produced memorable films, and iconic figures emerged in various fields.
If you have a fondness for the '50s or want to test your knowledge of this influential era, you've come to the right place.
In this article, we have compiled the 50s trivia questions and answers to take you on a nostalgic journey through the fads, events, and pop culture of the time.
From music and movies to historical milestones, let's dive into the world of the 1950s and see how well you remember this fascinating decade.
For more quizzes, see ourĀ trivia quiz sitemap.
50s Trivia Questions and Answers
1. Who was the President of the United States during most of the 1950s?
Answer: Dwight D. Eisenhower.
2. What was the name of the first artificial satellite launched into space by the Soviet Union in 1957?
Answer: Sputnik 1.
3. Which American singer is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll"?
Answer: Elvis Presley.
4. Who was the first African American player to join Major League Baseball in 1947?
Answer: Jackie Robinson.
5. What was the name of the iconic Hollywood actress known for her roles in films like "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" and "Some Like It Hot"?
Answer: Marilyn Monroe.
6. What event occurred on June 25, 1950, marking the start of the Korean War?
Answer: The invasion of South Korea by North Korea.
7. Which American novelist wrote the classic novel "The Catcher in the Rye," published in 1951?
Answer: J.D. Salinger.
8. What was the name of the American car company that introduced the Chevrolet Corvette in 1953?
Answer: General Motors.
9. Who won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in the film "On the Waterfront" in 1955?
Answer: Marlon Brando.
10. What was the name of the television show that aired from 1951 to 1957 and featured Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz?
Answer: "I Love Lucy."
11. Who was the British monarch during the 1950s?
Answer: Queen Elizabeth II.
12. What was the name of the American civil rights activist who refused to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1955?
Answer: Rosa Parks.
13. Which country became the second nuclear power in the world after successfully testing its first atomic bomb in 1949?
Answer: The Soviet Union.
14. What was the name of the popular dance style that emerged in the 1950s and is often associated with teenagers?
Answer: Rock and roll.
15. Who was the American scientist credited with discovering the structure of DNA in 1953?
Answer: James Watson and Francis Crick.
16. Which American author wrote the novel "To Kill a Mockingbird," published in 1960 but set in the 1930s?
Answer: Harper Lee.
17. What was the name of the conflict between North Vietnam and South Vietnam that lasted from 1955 to 1975?
Answer: The Vietnam War.
18. Which American actress starred in the film "Giant" alongside James Dean and Rock Hudson in 1956?
Answer: Elizabeth Taylor.
19. Who won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in the film "Roman Holiday" in 1954?
Answer: Audrey Hepburn.
20. What was the name of the popular TV Western series that aired from 1955 to 1975 and starred James Arness as Marshal Matt Dillon?
Answer: "Gunsmoke."
21. Which American musician and actor gained fame with his hit songs like "Blue Suede Shoes" and "Heartbreak Hotel"?
Answer: Elvis Presley.
22. What was the name of the influential American poet and writer known for his works such as "Howl" and "Kaddish"?
Answer: Allen Ginsberg.
23. Which American actress became the Princess of Monaco after marrying Prince Rainier III in 1956?
Answer: Grace Kelly.
24. Who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954 for his poetic achievement?
Answer: Ernest Hemingway.
25. What was the name of the musical duo known for hits like "All I Have to Do Is Dream" and "Wake Up Little Susie"?
Answer: The Everly Brothers.
26. Who was the American actress and singer who became a cultural icon for her roles in films like "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" and "The Seven Year Itch"?
Answer: Marilyn Monroe.
27. What was the name of the American television quiz show that premiered in 1955 and featured contestants answering questions for cash prizes?
Answer: "The $64,000 Question."
28. Who won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in the film "The African Queen" in 1952?
Answer: Katharine Hepburn.
29. Which American author wrote the novel "Fahrenheit 451," published in 1953?
Answer: Ray Bradbury.
30. What was the name of the American actor known for his rebellious persona and starring roles in films like "Rebel Without a Cause" and "Giant"?
Answer: James Dean.
31. Who was the American musician and actor known as "The King of Rock and Roll"?
Answer: Elvis Presley.
32. What was the name of the iconic American sitcom that aired from 1951 to 1959 and centered around the life of a suburban family?
Answer: "I Love Lucy."
33. Who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1954 for his contributions to the invention of the transistor?
Answer: William Shockley, John Bardeen, and Walter Brattain.
34. Which American baseball player hit a record-breaking 61 home runs in a single season in 1961?
Answer: Roger Maris.
35. What was the name of the Soviet satellite that became the first human-made object to orbit the Earth with a living creature onboard in 1957?
Answer: Sputnik 2.
36. Who won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in the film "From Here to Eternity" in 1953?
Answer: Burt Lancaster.
37. What was the name of the American comedian and actor known for his slapstick comedy and starring roles in films like "Some Like It Hot" and "The Apartment"?
Answer: Jack Lemmon.
38. Who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1950 for her humanitarian work and founding the Missionaries of Charity?
Answer: Mother Teresa.
39. What was the name of the American television show that aired from 1959 to 1964 and featured a family living in the fictional town of Mayberry?
Answer: "The Andy Griffith Show."
40. Which American actress starred in the film "Breakfast at Tiffany's" in 1961?
Answer: Audrey Hepburn.
41. Who was the American actor known for his roles in films like "High Noon" and "Sergeant York"?
Answer: Gary Cooper.
42. What was the name of the American author who wrote the novel "The Old Man and the Sea," published in 1952?
Answer: Ernest Hemingway.
43. Which American singer and actor gained fame with his hit songs like "That's Amore" and "Volare"?
Answer: Dean Martin.
44. Who was the American actress known for her roles in films like "Sabrina" and "Roman Holiday"?
Answer: Audrey Hepburn.
45. What was the name of the American sitcom that aired from 1959 to 1963 and followed the lives of the Ricardo family and their friends?
Answer: "The Donna Reed Show."
46. Who won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in the film "The Bad and the Beautiful" in 1953?
Answer: Gloria Grahame.
47. What was the name of the American musician known as "The King of the Blues"?
Answer: B.B. King.
48. Who was the American actor known for his roles in films like "The Searchers" and "Rio Bravo"?
Answer: John Wayne.
49. What was the name of the iconic American magazine known for its provocative photography and articles?
Answer: Playboy.
50. Which American author wrote the novel "On the Road," published in 1957 and considered a defining work of the Beat Generation?
Answer: Jack Kerouac.
51. Who was the American musician and songwriter known for his contributions to rock and roll with hits like "Maybellene" and "Johnny B. Goode"?
Answer: Chuck Berry.
52. What was the name of the American actress known for her roles in films like "Sunset Boulevard" and "All About Eve"?
Answer: Marilyn Monroe.
53. Who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1954 for his research on the nature of the chemical bond?
Answer: Linus Pauling.
54. Which American musician and actor gained fame with his hit songs like "Blueberry Hill" and "Ain't That a Shame"?
Answer: Fats Domino.
55. What was the name of the American television show that aired from 1952 to 1966 and featured a singing cowboy and his horse?
Answer: "The Roy Rogers Show."
56. Who won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in the film "Ben-Hur" in 1959?
Answer: Charlton Heston.
57. What was the name of the American author known for his works like "Invisible Man" and "Juneteenth"?
Answer: Ralph Ellison.
58. Which American actor starred in the film "North by Northwest" directed by Alfred Hitchcock in 1959?
Answer: Cary Grant.
59. Who was the American actress known for her roles in films like "Anatomy of a Murder" and "The Birds"?
Answer: Janet Leigh.
60. What was the name of the American actress and singer known for her roles in films like "Pillow Talk" and "Calamity Jane"?
Answer: Doris Day.
Conclusion
The 1950s was a decade of change, innovation, and cultural milestones. From the rise of rock and roll to the influence of iconic figures in film, music, and literature, the '50s left an indelible mark on history. We hope this collection of the '50s trivia questions and answers took you on a nostalgic journey back in time and challenged your knowledge of this remarkable era. How well did you do?
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