Pop Culture Trivia Quiz: 1956

What Happened In 1956?

56 Trivia Questions and Answers for 1956 History

(answers)

1. What was Elvis Presley’s first nationwide released single, also his first number-one record?

2. Norma Jean Mortenson changed her name to what?

3. Based on George Bernard Shaw’s 1913 play Pygmalion, this Broadway Show opened in March 1956…

4. What was the highest-grossing film of 1956

5. How much did a Loaf of Bread cost in 1956?

6. How much did a Gallon of Milk cost in 1956?

7. What was the Bestselling Fiction Book in 1956?

8. What was the Biggest Number One Song of 1956?

9. What was the average annual household income in 1956?

10. This Hollywood Star became Princess of Monaco when she got married… who was she?

11. Who did Grace Kelly marry to become a princess?

12. Retiring in 1956, this Heavyweight boxing champion never lost a professional match.

13. NBC introduced this icon in Spring 1956.

14. Who won the Stanley Cup in 1956?

15. What was the name of Doris Day’s most popular song?

16. Que Sera, Sera was featured in what Alfred Hitchcock film?

17. How many people lived in the United States in 1956?

18. How many people lived in the World in 1956?

19. To the nearest quarter, what was the average movie theater ticket price in 1956?

20. Who was the President of the United States in 1956?

21. In June 1956, The International Criminal Police Organization took on what official name?

22. This musical, starring Deborah Kerr and Yul Brynner, won Yul Brynner an Oscar for Best Actor. What musical?

23. On September 9, 1956, who appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show from the waist up?

24. Elvis’ earlier appearance in June 1956 on a big TV star’s program was the reason for the “waist up” (because of his “suggestive” movements) appearance on Ed Sullivan. Name that other big TV star program.

25. Who threw the only perfect game in World Series history, in Game 5 of the 1956 World Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers?

26. This theatrical film, first broadcast on CBS in 1956, eventually became one of the most widely viewed films of all time.

27. Two long-running television game shows debuted in 1956 that mentioned “Truth” in the title. Name one of them.

28. How much did a dozen eggs cost in 1956?

29. Who won the 1956 World Series?

30. Recorded in Sun Studios and peaking at #2 on the charts for Carl Perkins, it was Mr. Perkins’ biggest hit. Name that song.

31. Ernest Borgnine won his Best Actor Oscar for his role in this film about a socially awkward butcher.

32. Samuel J. Seymour passed away on April 2, 1956, and was the last surviving witness to a significant American event. Can you name the event?

33. Name the fashion item Nicholas McKay and his wife Helen invented in 1956.

34. What was the average coffee cup price in 1956?

35. Who were the Time Magazine Men of the Year in 1956?

36. Based on similar dice-based games, this popular game was marketed under WHAT moniker by entrepreneur Edwin S. Lowe in 1956?

37. This American painter and a major figure in the abstract expressionist movement died in an alcohol-related car accident in 1956.

38. This traveling entertainment show stopped performing under a “big tent” in 1956. Name that troupe.

39. Nicknamed “Dragon Lady,” the CIA used this high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft, then the US Air Force.

40. His name was Cornelius Alexander McGillicuddy, but another name better knows him as the winningest and longest-lasting MLB manager. Can you name him?

41. Name the Roger Vadim film that made Brigitte Bardot a sex symbol.

42. Name the 13-year-old boy who beat chess grandmaster Donald Byrne. They called it “The Game (chess) of the Century”.

43. How much did a gallon of gas cost in 1956?

44. Who was the American Vice-President in 1956?

45. What was the Top-Rated TV Show in the 1955/1956 season?

46. In 1956, what was the average life expectancy in the United States?

47. What company used the slogan: “Does She or Doesn’t She?”?

48. Which celebrity was NOT born in 1956: Oprah Winfrey, Ron White, Larry Bird, or Carrie Fisher?

49. A joint resolution of Congress signed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower made WHAT our national motto?

50. What company used the slogan: “It Takes a Licking and Keeps on Ticking”?

51. Name the comedy duo that stopped performing together at New York City’s Copacabana nightclub on July 24, 1956.

52. Who signed the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, creating the Interstate Highway System in the United States?

53. Who was the Pope in 1956?

54. Two long-running soap operas began on April 2, 1956. Name one of them.

55. What company used the slogan: “Finger-Lickin’ Good”?

56. This NBC broadcast recreated the 1954 Broadway musical with all its original cast members. Name that musical show.

Trivia Team Bonus Questions:

1. Who was the star on both Broadway and the Television special that aired on NBC?

2. Who were the 1956 NFL Champions?

3. This once-major television network made its final broadcast in 1956. Name that network.

4. In 1956, General Electric/Telechron introduced the model 7H241. The idea became standard in American households. What was it?

5. This annual song contest began in 1956. Pop band Abba won the contest in 1974. Name that international song competition…

6. Who were the 1956 NBA Champions?

7. Produced by AMPEX and a format known as 2″ Quadruplex, this recording product set the standard until the did=gital age. What was this product called?

8. Presented in March 1956, what was the name of Elvis Presley’s first gold album?

9. What Horse won the Kentucky Derby in 1956?

10. On March 12, 1956, what did The Dow Jones Industrial Average do?

The Answers:

56 Trivia Questions and Answers for 1956 History

1. What was Elvis Presley’s first nationwide released single, also his first number-one record?
Heartbreak Hotel

2. Norma Jean Mortenson changed her name to what?
Marilyn Monroe

3. Based on George Bernard Shaw’s 1913 play Pygmalion, this Broadway Show opened in March 1956…
My Fair Lady

4. What was the highest-grossing film of 1956?
The Ten Commandments

5. How much did a Loaf of Bread cost in 1956?
18 cents

6. How much did a Gallon of Milk cost in 1956?
97 cents

7. What was the Bestselling Fiction Book in 1956?
Don’t Go Near the Water by William Brinkley

8. What was the Biggest Number One Song of 1956?
Don’t Be Cruel/Hound Dog by Elvis Presley

9. What was the average annual household income in 1956?
$4,800

10. This Hollywood Star became Princess of Monaco when she got married… who was she?
Grace Kelly

11. Who did Grace Kelly marry to become a princess?
Rainier III, Prince of Monaco

12. Retiring in 1956, this Heavyweight boxing champion never lost a professional match.
Rocky Marciano (September 1, 1923August 31, 1969)

13. NBC introduced this icon in Spring 1956.
The NBC Peacock

14. Who won the Stanley Cup in 1956?
In 1956, The Montreal Canadiens won over the Detroit Red Wings (4 games to 1)

15. What was the name of Doris Day’s most popular song?
Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)

16. Que Sera, Sera was featured in what Alfred Hitchcock film?
The Man Who Knew Too Much

17. How many people lived in the United States in 1956?
The population was an estimated 168,903,031 people.

18. How many people lived in the World in 1956?
The estimated world population in 1956 was 2,811,572,031 people.

19. To the nearest quarter, what was the average movie theater ticket price in 1956?
50 cents

20. Who was the President of the United States in 1956?
Dwight D. Eisenhower (January 20, 1953January 20, 1961)

21. In June 1956, The International Criminal Police Organization took on what official name?
INTERPOL

22. This musical, starring Deborah Kerr and Yul Brynner, won Yul Brynner an Oscar for Best Actor. What musical?
The King and I

23. On September 9, 1956, who appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show from the waist up?
Elvis Presley

24. Elvis’ earlier appearance in June 1956 on a big TV star’s program was the reason for the “waist up” (because of his “suggestive” movements) appearance on Ed Sullivan. Name that other big TV star program.
The Milton Beryl Show (Uncle Miltie)

25. Who threw the only perfect game in World Series history, in Game 5 of the 1956 World Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers?
Baseball pitcher Don Larsen of the New York Yankees.

26. This theatrical film, first broadcast on CBS in 1956, eventually became one of the most widely viewed films of all time.
The Wizard of Oz

27. Two long-running television game shows debuted in 1956 that mentioned “Truth” in the title. Name one of them.
To Tell The Truth OR Truth or Consequences

28. How much did a dozen eggs cost in 1956?
60 cents

29. Who won the 1956 World Series?
In 1956, The New York Yankees won, beating the Brooklyn Dodgers (4 games to 3)

30. Recorded in Sun Studios and peaking at #2 on the charts for Carl Perkins, it was Mr. Perkins’ biggest hit. Name that song.
Blue Suede Shoes

31. Ernest Borgnine won his Best Actor Oscar for his role in this film about a socially awkward butcher.
Marty

32. Samuel J. Seymour passed away on April 2, 1956, and was the last surviving witness to a significant American event. Can you name the event?
Samuel James Seymour (March 28, 1860 – April 12, 1956) was the last surviving person who had been in Ford’s Theatre on the night of the assassination of US President Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865.

33. Name the fashion item Nicholas McKay and his wife Helen invented in 1956.
The Lint Roller (remover)

34. What was the average coffee cup price in 1956?
31 cents

35. Who were the Time Magazine Men of the Year in 1956?
“The Hungarian Freedom Fighter”

36. Based on similar dice-based games, this popular game was marketed under WHAT moniker by entrepreneur Edwin S. Lowe in 1956?
Yahtzee

37. This American painter and a major figure in the abstract expressionist movement died in an alcohol-related car accident in 1956.
Jackson Pollock (January 28, 1912August 11, 1956)

38. This traveling entertainment show stopped performing under a “big tent” in 1956. Name that troupe.
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus

39. Nicknamed “Dragon Lady,” the CIA first used this high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft and then the US Air Force.
U-2 (Lockheed U-2 spyplane)

40. His name was Cornelius Alexander McGillicuddy, but another name better knows him as the winningest and longest-lasting MLB manager. Can you name him?
Connie Mack

41. Name the Roger Vadim film that made Brigitte Bardot a sex symbol.
And God Created Woman

42. Name the 13-year-old boy who beat chess grandmaster Donald Byrne. They called it “The Game (chess) of the Century”.
Bobby Fischer

43. How much did a gallon of gas cost in 1956?
$0.30 per gallon

44. Who was the American Vice-President in 1956?
Richard Nixon (January 20, 1953 – January 20, 1961)

45. What was the Top-Rated TV Show in the 1955/1956 season?
The $64,000 Question (CBS)

46. In 1956, what was the average life expectancy in the United States?
Men – 66.7 years, Women – 72.9 years.

47. What company used the slogan: “Does She or Doesn’t She?”?
Miss Clairol hair coloring

48. Which celebrity was NOT born in 1956: Oprah Winfrey, Ron White, Larry Bird, or Carrie Fisher?
Oprah Winfrey (born January 29, 1954)

49. A joint resolution of Congress signed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower made WHAT our national motto?
In God We Trust

50. What company used the slogan: “It Takes a Licking and Keeps on Ticking”?
Timex

51. Name the comedy duo that stopped performing together at New York City’s Copacabana nightclub on July 24, 1956.
Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis

52. Who signed the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, creating the Interstate Highway System in the United States?
President Dwight D. Eisenhower

53. Who was the Pope in 1956?
Pope Pius XII, March 2, 1939October 9, 1958

54. Two long-running soap operas began on April 2, 1956. Name one of them.
As the World Turns or The Edge of Night

55. What company used the slogan: “Finger-Lickin’ Good”?
Kentucky Fried Chicken

56. This NBC broadcast recreated the 1954 Broadway musical with all its original cast members. Name that musical show.
Peter Pan

Trivia Team Bonus Questions:

1. Who was the star on both Broadway and the Television special that aired on NBC?
Mary Martin

2. Who were the 1956 NFL Champions?
New York Giants

3. This once-major television network made its final broadcast in 1956. Name that network.
The DuMont Television Network

4. In 1956, General Electric/Telechron introduced the model 7H241. The idea became standard in American households. What was it?
“The Snooz Alarm” is the first snooze alarm clock.

5. This annual song contest began in 1956. Pop band Abba won the contest in 1974. Name that international song competition…
Eurovision Song Contest

6. Who were the 1956 NBA Champions?
For the 1955-56 Season, Champion Philadelphia Warriors won 4 games to 1 over the Fort Wayne Pistons

7. Produced by AMPEX and a format known as 2″ Quadruplex, this recording product set the standard until the did=gital age. What was this product called?
Videotape

8. Presented in March 1956, what was the name of Elvis Presley’s first gold album?
Elvis Presley

9. What Horse won the Kentucky Derby in 1956?
Needles

10. On March 12, 1956, what did The Dow Jones Industrial Average do?
It closed above 500 for the first time. (Rising 2.40 points, or 0.48%, to 500.24.)