Oscar trivia quiz: The 'Ebony and Ivory' edition
I've been battling some nasty bug, so in my feverish haze, I asked Susan King, our paper's consummate Oscar guru-historian, if she would dream up a tough Oscar trivia question that might stump some of our most knowledgeable readers (or at least prompt them to dig out their dog-eared Oscar almanacs). Susan did not disappoint. Here's today's question. See if you can figure out the answer:
Robert Downey Jr. is nominated this year for best supporting actor in the role of an actor who goes to extreme lengths to play an African American soldier in "Tropic Thunder." Can you name two white actresses who received Oscar nominations for playing black women?
Our tie-breaker: What leading political figure was an obsessive fan of 1970 Oscar best picture winner "Patton," watching the film over and over during its original theatrical run?
Go ahead and give it your best shot. I'll post the answers soon.
Photo of Robert Downey Jr. in "Tropic Thunder" by Merie Weismiller Wallace / DreamWorks
The two actresses are: (1) Jeanne Crain, nominated in 1949 as best actress for the title role in "Pinky", and Susan Kohner, nominated in 1959 as best supporting actress for her role in "Imitation of Life" I'm going to guess Richard Nixon as the president fascinated by George C. Scott as "Patton"
Posted by: Bill Alston | February 12, 2009 at 05:22 PM
Susan Kohner -- the Weitz' Brothers mom -- for Imitation of Life, Jeanne Crain for Pinky
Posted by: Lou Lumenick | February 12, 2009 at 06:11 PM
Easy (relatively):Jeanne Crain in PINKY and Susan Kohner in IMITATION OF LIFE.
The tiebreaker is really easy: Richard Milhous Nixon, who reportedly ran PATTON again and again at the White House in the Spring of 1970.
Posted by: Griff | February 12, 2009 at 07:59 PM
Jeanne Crain in "Pinky" (1949) for best actress
Susan Kohner in "Imitation of Life" (1959) for best supporting actress
Richard M. Nixon
Posted by: SF | February 12, 2009 at 11:02 PM
Jeanne Crain and Susan Kohner, and Richard Nixon.
Posted by: Ralph | February 13, 2009 at 06:07 PM
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Posted by: kolinmargo | February 26, 2009 at 07:30 AM