Pop Culture Trivia Quiz: What Happened In 1963?

63 Trivia Questions for 1963 History

1. What was the Biggest Number One Song of 1963?

2. Disney’s Son of Flubber was a sequel to what 1961 film?

3. This crime drama television show, based on the real-life story of Sam Sheppard, ran from September 1963 through August 1967.

4. What was the Bestselling Fiction Book in 1963?

5. In 1963, what was the average life expectancy in the United States?

6. What was the highest-grossing film of 1963?

7. Cleopatra was the most expensive film ever made up to that point and almost bankrupted what film studio?

8. Who was the Time Magazine Man of the Year in 1963?

9. Who was the President of the United States in 1963?

10. 1963 Catchphrase: Who said, “And that’s the way it is.”?

11. Who won the Stanley Cup in 1963?

12. How much was a 5-pound bag of flour in 1963?

13. How much did a Loaf of Bread cost in 1963?

14. How many people lived in the United States in 1963?

15. How many people lived in the World in 1963?

16. what was the average movie theater ticket price in 1963 to the nearest quarter?

17. Name the 13-year-old boy and his song who reached the number one spot on Billboard’s Top 100 singles chart.

18. Name the 15-year-old girl and her song who reached the number one spot on Billboard’s Top 100 singles chart.

19. This famous piece of art was on display at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, and then at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art for a month before returning home to Europe. Name it.

20. On March 5, 1963, a plane crash near Camden, Tennessee, killed performers Hawkshaw Hawkins, Cowboy Copas, and what Country/Pop singing star?

21. This famous prison, the subject of many books and films, closed on March 21, 1963. Name that prison.

22. Coca-Cola Company introduced its first diet drink in 1963. What was it called?

23. This now 118,000-square-foot location opened in Canton, Ohio, with 17 charter members. Name that place of honor.

24. This 1963 cartoon is often credited for creating the aesthetic that became known worldwide as anime. Name the character.

25. This popular children’s book by Maurice Sendak was first published on April 9, 1963. What book?

26. What was the title of singer-songwriter Bob Dylan’s second studio album, which opened with the song Blowin’ in the Wind?

27. Where did US President Kennedy deliver his famous “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech?

28. Within 10,000, how many official Major League Baseball games had been played by September 1963?

29. Can you name all five The Jetsons’ cartoon family members, including their dog?

30. These two iconic rock bands performed on the same bill, only once together, at a concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London in September 1963. Name the bands.

31. Leave It to Beaver (1957–1963) ran on ABC for every season except the first. What network did Leave It to Beaver debut on?

32. This actress started as an original Mouseketeer but went on to star in various “Beach Party” movies from 1963 through 1967. Name that actress.
Annette Funicello (October 22, 1942 – April 8, 2013)

33. Who won the 1963 World Series?

34. Name the television show where the lead actress played Patty and Cathy Lane.

35. This lake began to form inside Arizona’s Glen Canyon due to the construction of the Glen Canyon Dam off the Colorado River.

36. Can you name the cartoon character Huckleberry Hound’s favorite song?

37. Name the two countries making up the Caribbean island of Hispaniola.

38. Name the first Major League Baseball team to play a regular-season game with a team composed entirely of rookies, including Jor Morgan.

39. How much did a gallon of gas cost in 1963?

40. What was the Top-Rated TV Show in the 1962/1963 season?

41. Mary Kay Ash founded her MLM (Multi-Level Marketing) company in 1963. What was it called?

42. Born in 1963, this American NBA basketball player was nicknamed “The Mailman.” Name him.

43. This syndicated comic strip, by Scottish cartoonist Alex Graham, featured a dog, whose name was also the comic’s title. Name that dog.

44. This handy computer device was first made of wood in 1963, and we still use it today. What is it?

45. “Towser the Mouser” was a Scottish cat who earned a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for doing what?

46. Today, it is the MetLife Building at 200 Park Avenue at East 45th Street in Midtown Manhattan, but what was it called when it was built in 1963?

47. Name two original five members in the first Marvel Avengers comic book.

48. On December 25, 1963, Walt Disney released its 18th feature-length animated motion picture, based on T.H. White’s novel of the same name. What was it called?

49. Who was the American Vice-President in 1963?

50. Which famous writer did NOT pass away on November 22, 1963: Aldous Huxley (Brave New World), William Faulkner (The Sound and the Fury), or C.S. Lewis (The Chronicles of Narnia)?

51. Where did Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. deliver his “I Have a Dream” speech?

52. In what country did the Great Train Robbery take place? Yes, they were still robbing trains in 1963.

53. What did the Abington School District v. Schempp US Supreme Court case do?

54. Name the well-known Hollywood trio that appeared (uncredited) as firemen in It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World.

55. When they opened in 1963, they called themselves Consumer Value Stores. They officially changed their name in 1996. Name that retailer.

56. Only a handful of people received an Honorary Citizenship of the United States; the first was in 1963. Name that recipient.

57. When the show debuted in 1963, who was the host for Let’s Make A Deal?

58. This book by Betty Friedan is credited with launching the Modern Women’s Movement in the United States. Name that book.

59. The ABC series, which ran from 1963 through 1965, is often compared to The Twilight Zone, but with a greater emphasis on science fiction stories. Name that show.

60. Name the film or actress who set the (then) Guinness World Record for “Most Costume Changes in a Film” in 1963.

61. Which celebrity was NOT born in 1963: Michael Jordan, Larry the Cable Guy, Charles Barkley, or Brooke Shields?

62. What animal education show, initially hosted by Marlin Perkins, debuted on (NBC) (later in syndication) in 1963?

63. In Bye, Bye, Birdie, who was the rock star based on?

Trivia Team Bonus Questions:

1. In Bye, Bye, Birdie, the rock star character’s name, “Conrad Birdie” – who was the real-life music star that his name is based on?

2. What Horse won the Kentucky Derby in 1963?

3. Tennessee has a best friend in the cartoon Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales. Who and what was he?

4. Who were the 1963 NFL Champions?

5. Who was the Pope in 1963?

6. TV’s Astro Boy was set in the not-too-distant future from 1963. In what year was it originally set?

7. American artist Harvey Ball created what famous pop culture icon in 1963? Hint: It is usually yellow.

8. Which actors did NOT appear in Cleopatra: Rex Harrison, John Derek, Roddy McDowall, or Martin Landau?

9. Who were the 1963 NBA Champions?

10. On The Dick Van Dyke Show, name the town that Rob, Laura, and his son Ritchie Petrie lived in.

The Answers:

63 Trivia Answers for 1963 History

1. What was the Biggest Number One Song of 1963?
Sugar Shack by Jimmy Gilmer and The Fireballs

2. Disney’s Son of Flubber was a sequel to what 1961 film?
The Absent-Minded Professor

3. This crime drama television show, based on the real-life story of Sam Sheppard, ran from September 1963 through August 1967.
The Fugitive

4. What was the Bestselling Fiction Book in 1963?
The Shoes of the Fisherman by Morris L. West

5. In 1963, what was the average life expectancy in the United States?
Men – 66.6 years, Women – 73.4 years.

6. What was the highest-grossing film of 1963?
Cleopatra (2nd place: From Russia With Love) 3rd place: It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World)

7. Cleopatra was the most expensive film ever made up to that point and almost bankrupted what film studio?
20th Century Fox

8. Who was the Time Magazine Man of the Year in 1963?
Martin Luthor King Jr

9. Who was the President of the United States in 1963?
John F. Kennedy (January 20, 1961 – November 22, 1963) and Lyndon B. Johnson (November 22, 1963 – January 20, 1969)

10. 1963 Catchphrase: Who said, “And that’s the way it is.”?
Walter Cronkite on (CBS) Evening News

11. Who won the Stanley Cup in 1963?
In 1963, The Toronto Maple Leafs won over the Detroit Red Wings (4 games to 1)

12. How much was a 5-pound bag of flour in 1963?
57 cents

13. How much did a Loaf of Bread cost in 1963?
22 cents

14. How many people lived in the United States in 1963?
The population was an estimated 189,241,798 people.

15. How many people lived in the World in 1963?
The estimated world population in 1963 was 3,201,178,277 people.

16. what was the average movie theater ticket price in 1963 to the nearest quarter?
75 cents

17. Name the 13-year-old boy and his song who reached the number one spot on Billboard’s Top 100 singles chart.
‘Little’ Stevie Wonder, Fingertips.

18. Name the 15-year-old girl and her song who reached the number one spot on Billboard’s Top 100 singles chart.
Little Peggy March, I Will Follow Him

19. This famous piece of art was on display at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, and then for a month at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art before returning home to Europe. Name it.
Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci

20. On March 5, 1963, a plane crash near Camden, Tennessee, killed performers Hawkshaw Hawkins, Cowboy Copas, and what Country/Pop singing star?
Patsy Cline (September 8, 1932 – March 5, 1963)

21. This famous prison, the subject of many books and films, closed on March 21, 1963. Name that prison.
Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary. Today, Alcatraz is a public museum and one of San Francisco’s major tourist attractions, attracting over a million visitors annually.

22. Coca-Cola Company introduced its first diet drink in 1963. What was it called?
Tab

23. This now 118,000-square-foot location opened in Canton, Ohio, with 17 charter members. Name that place of honor.
Pro Football Hall of Fame

24. This 1963 cartoon is often credited for creating the aesthetic that became known worldwide as anime. Name the character.
Astro Boy

25. This popular children’s book by Maurice Sendak was first published on April 9, 1963. What book?
Where The Wild Things Are

26. What was the title of singer-songwriter Bob Dylan’s second studio album, which opened with the song Blowin’ in the Wind?
The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan

27. Where did US President Kennedy deliver his famous “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech?
In front of the Berlin Wall in West Berlin, West Germany.

28. Within 10,000, how many official Major League Baseball games had been played by September 1963?
100,000 as of September 6, 1963.

29. Can you name all five The Jetsons’ cartoon family members, including their dog?
George Jetson, his boy Elroy, daughter Judy, and Jane, his wife. Astro was the dog.

30. These two iconic rock bands performed on the same bill, only once together, at a concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London in September 1963. Name the bands.
The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.

31. Leave It to Beaver (1957–1963) ran on ABC for every season except the first. What network did Leave It to Beaver debut on?
CBS

33. Who won the 1963 World Series?
In 1963, The Los Angeles Dodgers won, beating the New York Yankees (4 games to 0)

34. Name the television show where the lead actress played Patty and Cathy Lane.
The Patty Duke Show

35. This lake began to form inside Arizona’s Glen Canyon due to the construction of the Glen Canyon Dam off the Colorado River.
Lake Powell

36. Can you name the cartoon character Huckleberry Hound’s favorite song?
My Darling, Clementine

37. Name the two countries making up the Caribbean island of Hispaniola.
Haiti and the Dominican Republic

38. Name the first Major League Baseball team to play a regular-season game with a team composed entirely of rookies, including Jor Morgan.
The Houston Colt .45s (Houston Oilers)

39. How much did a gallon of gas cost in 1963?
$0.30 per gallon

40. What was the Top-Rated TV Show in the 1962/1963 season?
The Beverly Hillbillies (CBS)

41. Mary Kay Ash founded her MLM (Multi-Level Marketing) company in 1963. What was it called?
Mary Kay Cosmetics

42. Born in 1963, this American NBA basketball player was nicknamed “The Mailman.” Name him.
Karl Malone

43. This syndicated comic strip, by Scottish cartoonist Alex Graham, featured a dog, whose name was also the comic’s title. Name that dog.
Fred Bassett

44. This handy computer device was first made of wood in 1963, and we still use it today. What is it?
Computer Mouse.

45. “Towser the Mouser” was a Scottish cat who earned a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for doing what?
For catching 28,899 mice over more than 23 years (Born in 1963, she died in 1987)

46. Today, it is the MetLife Building at 200 Park Avenue at East 45th Street in Midtown Manhattan, but what was it called when it was built in 1963?
The Pan Am Building, (then) headquarters of Pan American World Airways.

47. Name two original five members in the first Marvel Avengers comic book.
Iron Man, the Wasp, the Hulk, Thor, and Ant-Man. Captain America joined in issue #4.

48. On December 25, 1963, Walt Disney released its 18th feature-length animated motion picture, based on T.H. White’s novel of the same name. What was it called?
The Sword in the Stone

49. Who was the American Vice-President in 1963?
Lyndon B. Johnson (January 20, 1961 – November 22, 1963)
The office of vice president was vacant from November 22, 1963 – January 20, 1965

50. Which famous writer did NOT pass away on November 22, 1963: Aldous Huxley (Brave New World), William Faulkner (The Sound and the Fury), or C.S. Lewis (The Chronicles of Narnia)?
William Faulkner (September 25, 1897 – July 6, 1962)

51. Where did Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. deliver his “I Have a Dream” speech?
On the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC.

52. In what country did the Great Train Robbery take place? Yes, they were still robbing trains in 1963.
England (at Bridego Railway Bridge, Ledburn, near Mentmore in Buckinghamshire) £2.6 million (about 46 million in 2020) was stolen.

53. What did the Abington School District v. Schempp US Supreme Court case do?
The Supreme Court ruled that state-mandated Bible reading in public schools is unconstitutional.

54. Name the well-known Hollywood trio that appeared (uncredited) as firemen in It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World.
The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine, and Joe DeRita)

55. When they opened in 1963, they called themselves Consumer Value Stores. They officially changed their name in 1996. Name that retailer.
Now CVS and “Convenience, Value, and Service”

56. Only a handful of people received an Honorary Citizenship of the United States; the first was in 1963. Name that recipient.
Sir Winston Churchill (November 30, 1874 – January 24, 1965)

57. When the show debuted in 1963, who was the host for Let’s Make A Deal?
Monty Hall

58. This book by Betty Friedan is credited with launching the Modern Women’s Movement in the United States. Name that book.
The Feminine Mystique

59. The ABC series, which ran from 1963 through 1965, is often compared to The Twilight Zone, but with a greater emphasis on science fiction stories. Name that show.
The Outer Limits

60. Name the film or actress who set the (then) Guinness World Record for “Most Costume Changes in a Film” in 1963.
Elizabeth Taylor in Cleopatra, with 65 costume changes.

61. Which celebrity was NOT born in 1963: Michael Jordan, Larry the Cable Guy, Charles Barkley, or Brooke Shields?
Brooke Shields (born May 31, 1965)

62. What animal education show, initially hosted by Marlin Perkins, debuted on (NBC) (later in syndication) in 1963?
Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom

63. In Bye, Bye, Birdie, who was the rock star based on?
Elvis Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977)

Trivia Team Bonus Questions:

1. In Bye, Bye, Birdie, the rock star character’s name, “Conrad Birdie” – who was the real-life music star that his name is based on?
Conway Twitty (September 1, 1933 – June 5, 1993)

2. What Horse won the Kentucky Derby in 1963?
Chateaugay

3. Tennessee has a best friend in the cartoon Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales. Who and what was he?
Chumley, a walrus.

4. Who were the 1963 NFL Champions?
Chicago Bears

5. Who was the Pope in 1963?
Pope John XXIII, from October 28, 1958 – June 3, 1963, and Pope Paul VI, from June 21, 1963 – August 6, 1978

6. TV’s Astro Boy was set in the not-too-distant future from 1963. In what year was it originally set?
2000

7. American artist Harvey Ball created what famous pop culture icon in 1963? Hint: It is usually yellow.
The Smiley Face. He never applied for a trademark for the smiley image.

8. Which actors did NOT appear in Cleopatra: Rex Harrison, John Derek, Roddy McDowall, or Martin Landau?
John Derek

9. Who were the 1963 NBA Champions?
For the 1962-63 Season, Champion Boston Celtics won 4 games to 2 over the Los Angeles Lakers

10. On The Dick Van Dyke Show, name the town that Rob, Laura, and his son Ritchie Petrie lived in.
New Rochelle, New York.