General Knowledge Quiz

[OhNoAPacer]

Who is the only surviving person to have flown to the moon but not landed on it?

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Jim Lovell?

 

[Peterthegreat]

Fred Haise?

 

[OhNoAPacer]

Jim Lovell?

He died in August 2025.

Fred Haise?

Is the correct answer.

Your turn to blast off to another question.

 

[Peterthegreat]

Thank you.
What is a quadriga?

 

[D6130]

Thank you.
What is a quadriga?

A Northern Italian folk dance?

 

[Peterthegreat]

A Northern Italian folk dance?

I think that is a quadriglia.

 

[D6130]

I think that is a quadriglia.

Yes....you're right - originating from Brittany, I believe!

 

[DaleCooper]

Thank you.
What is a quadriga?

An animal related to giraffes.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Anything 4 legged?

 

[D1511]

Ben Hur's Roman racing chariot was a quadriga I believe. They have 4 horses pulling them, hence 'quad'

 

[Peterthegreat]

Ben Hur's Roman racing chariot was a quadriga I believe. They have 4 horses pulling them, hence 'quad'

That is correct. And the "riga" bit derives from "equine"
Your turn to pull us to the next question.

 

[D1511]

Thank you.

Not entirely unrelated to the last question, the scene referred to in Ben Hur is allegedly one of the 10 most expensive movie scenes ever filmed, with inflationary adjustments applied.

What is considered, also with inflationary adjustments, to be the most expensive movie scene ever filmed?

(Edited to correct typo)

 

[DaleCooper]

Thank you.

Not entirely unrelated to the last question, the scene referred to in Ben Hur is allegedly on of the 10 most expensive movie scenes ever filmed, with inflationary adjustments applied.

What is considered, also with inflationary adjustments, to be the most expensive movie scene ever filmed?

Sinking of the Titanic

 

[D1511]

Sinking of the Titanic

Although in most top tens, it's not number one.
Clue: Forget CGI and think 'extras'. And it's not a recent film

 

[MotCO]

Cleopatra?

 

[D1511]

Cleopatra?

Good guess, but not Cleopatra

 

[Peterthegreat]

War and Peace?

 

[D1511]

War and Peace?

You are correct with the film......and the scene was the Battle of Borodino, which involved 500 tons of pyrotechnics and a staggering 100,000 extras.

According to Screen magazine "Since its release, the film has often been considered the grandest epic film ever made, with many asserting its monumental production to be unrepeatable and unique in film history."

Your turn to pose us an epic question!

 

[xotGD]

a staggering 100,000 extras

3 hours to watch the film, another 3 hours to watch the credits!

 

[D1511]

3 hours to watch the film, another 3 hours to watch the credits!

The film is actually in 4 parts, with a total running time of about 7hrs!

 

[Acathater]

The film is actually in 4 parts, with a total running time of about 7hrs!

And presumably that's based on the condensed edition of the book...

 

[D1511]

And presumably that's based on the condensed edition of the book...

Apparently, it's considered one of the hardest books to read. I'm certainly not tempted......about a third of Anna Karenina is the only Tolstoy I've ever managed......

 

[Peterthegreat]

Thank you.
Al Martino topped the charts in the first UK listings in 1952.
Who was the second person to top the UK charts?

 

[Acathater]

At a guess Frank Sinatra

 

[Peterthegreat]

At a guess Frank Sinatra

Not Sinatra.

 

[Greenheart]

Bing Crosby?

 

[Peterthegreat]

Bing Crosby?

Not Bing.

 

[Gloster]

Julie London?

 

[Peterthegreat]

Julie London?

Nope.