Gregory Peck was tall and not just in stature but he appeared tall in the roles he portrayed. His imposing stature, the righteous characters in which he saw injustice and fought against it are some of the memories I have of Peck! If you are a fan of Gregory Peck, you will enjoy this quiz, and if you are not, then you will have learnt more about his movies. Enjoy!
Questions (Scroll down for the answers)
1. Right from the beginning, Peck played the lead roles in some of the successful movies. In one such 1947 released movie, he was nominated for Best Actor for his role of Philip Schuyler Green (he didn’t win), however, the movie picked up the Best Picture Oscar. What movie?
2. Spellbound and what other movie are the only two movies he played lead roles directed by Alfred Hitchcock?
3. Gregory Peck was a frequent feature in war movies. One such war film was from the 1948 novel written by Sy Bartlett and Beirne Lay, Jr. His role of Frank Savage is one of the best performances in a war movie. What movie?
4. The character of Cynthia Green played by Ava Gardner was invented for the screen version. This 1936 Hemingway’s story revolves around the disillusioned writer Harry Street played by Gregory Peck in the 1952 movie. What movie?
5. Not just the serious or dramatic roles, Gregory Peck did well in some of the comedies. One such was for a British production and was based on a short story by Mark Twain. What movie?
6. The Battle of Leros was the central event of the Dodecanese campaign of the Second World War. This was turned into a novel by Alistair MacLean and adapted into screen in 1961. What movie?
7. Alfred Hitchcock was slated to direct but for a dispute. This 1962 psychological thriller was adapted from the novel The Executioners and was remade in 1991 by Martin Scorsese. In both the films, Peck played a role albeit different ones. What movie?
8. During the filming of this movie, Gregory Peck was privately depressed about his separation and imminent divorce from Greta Kukkonen, his first wife. During the shoot, he met and fell in love with a French woman named Veronique Passani. He married her after the divorce and remained together for rest of his life. Name the movie.
9. Gregory Peck was the President of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences from 1967-1970. Under his leadership, the call to postpone the 1968 Oscar ceremony was made. Why was the ceremony postponed?
10. On the day of his funeral and burial, Brock Peters delivered his eulogy. Who was Brock Peters?
11. In 1956, he told, “Everybody is doing it – setting up their own companies. You can incorporate yourself for $25, rent an office, and put your name on the door and you’re in business.” That year, he formed just such a company, Melville Productions. Why the name Melville?
12. The 1945 movie Spellbound featured a dream sequence that was designed by a famous painter. Hitchcock, a big fan of this painter signed him as he believed no one understood dream imagery better. Which painter?
13. David Pollock, the character of Gregory Peck’s in this 1966 movie was originally written with Cary Grant in mind. Peck struggled to get the humour right in a line, he’d smile and tell director Stanley Donen “Remember, I’m no Cary Grant.” Which movie?
ANSWERS
- Gentlemen’s Agreement
- The Paradine Case
- Twelve O’Clock High
- The Snows of Kilimanjaro
- The Million Pound Note
- The Guns of Navarone
- Cape Fear
- Roman Holiday
- Martin Luther King’s Assassination
- In To Kill a Mockingbird, Brock Peters played the role of Tom Robinson, the black man accused of raping a white girl that Atticus Finch defended in court.
- Herman Melville, the author of Moby Dick – he played a role in the movie Moby Dick.
- Salvador Dali
- Arabesque
