Twenty-five questions about the TV shows, music, films and everyday life of the 1950s through the 70s. They're as good for sharing memories as for keeping score.
Which TV comedy starred Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz as Lucy and Ricky Ricardo?
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I Love Lucy
I Love Lucy ran on CBS from 1951 to 1957 and was one of the first sitcoms filmed in front of a live audience.
Question 2
Which singer was nicknamed "Ol' Blue Eyes"?
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Frank Sinatra
Sinatra's career ran from the big-band era of the 1940s into the 1990s.
Question 3
In which year did the Beatles first appear on The Ed Sullivan Show?
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1964
Their first appearance, on February 9, 1964, drew an estimated 73 million viewers.
Question 4
Which dance craze did Chubby Checker make famous in 1960?
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The Twist
Hank Ballard recorded "The Twist" first. Checker's cover reached number one in 1960 and again in 1962.
Question 5
Which president said, "Ask not what your country can do for you"?
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John F. Kennedy
Kennedy said it in his inaugural address on January 20, 1961.
Question 6
Who was the first American to orbit the Earth, in 1962?
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John Glenn
Glenn circled the Earth three times in Friendship 7. In 1998, at 77, he flew again on the space shuttle Discovery.
Question 7
Which doll did Mattel introduce in 1959?
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Barbie
Ruth Handler created Barbie and named her after her daughter, Barbara. Ken, named after her son, followed in 1961.
Question 8
Which children's TV host asked, "Won't you be my neighbor?"
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Fred Rogers
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood ran nationally on public television from 1968 to 2001. Bob Keeshan was Captain Kangaroo.
Question 9
What was the name of the Lone Ranger's companion?
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Tonto
Silver was the Lone Ranger's horse and Scout was Tonto's. "Kemosabe" is what Tonto called the Ranger.
Question 10
Which 1965 musical film includes the song "Do-Re-Mi"?
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The Sound of Music
Julie Andrews starred as Maria. The film won five Oscars, including Best Picture.
Question 11
What did a first-class US postage stamp cost after the January 1963 increase?
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5 cents
The rate rose from 4 to 5 cents in January 1963. ZIP codes were introduced the same year.
Question 12
Which game show, created by Merv Griffin and first aired in 1964, asks contestants to answer in the form of a question?
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Jeopardy!
The original version was hosted by Art Fleming. Alex Trebek hosted the syndicated version from 1984 to 2020.
Question 13
Who hosted The Tonight Show from 1962 to 1992?
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Johnny Carson
Carson hosted for nearly 30 years. Ed McMahon was his announcer and sidekick ("Heeeere's Johnny!").
Question 14
Which 1969 music festival drew about 400,000 people to a dairy farm in upstate New York?
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Woodstock
It was held on Max Yasgur's farm in Bethel, New York, from August 15 to 18, 1969.
Question 15
Who starred as Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)?
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Audrey Hepburn
Hepburn's black Givenchy dress from the opening scene is one of the most famous costumes in film.
Question 16
Which TV Western ran for 20 seasons, from 1955 to 1975?
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Gunsmoke
James Arness played Marshal Matt Dillon of Dodge City for the whole run. Bonanza ran 14 seasons.
Question 17
In which year did Wham-O's Hula Hoop craze sweep the country?
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1958
Wham-O reportedly sold around 25 million hoops in the first four months.
Question 18
Which Motown group had Diana Ross as its lead singer?
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The Supremes
The Supremes had 12 number-one hits in the 1960s. Ross left for a solo career in 1970.
Question 19
Which company popularized the frozen "TV dinner" in 1953?
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Swanson
The first Swanson TV dinner was turkey, cornbread stuffing, peas and sweet potatoes in an aluminum tray.
Question 20
Which comic strip, which debuted in 1950, starred Charlie Brown?
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Peanuts
Charles M. Schulz drew Peanuts for nearly 50 years. The last original strip ran in February 2000.
Question 21
Which actor played Captain Kirk in the original Star Trek series of 1966?
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William Shatner
Nimoy played Spock, Kelley played Dr. McCoy and Doohan played Scotty.
Question 22
Which 1955 film starred James Dean as a troubled teenager?
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Rebel Without a Cause
It was released a month after Dean died in a car crash at 24. Marlon Brando starred in The Wild One.
Question 23
What is the name of Elvis Presley's home in Memphis?
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Graceland
Presley bought Graceland in 1957. It opened to the public in 1982 and is a National Historic Landmark.
Question 24
Which automaker introduced the Mustang in 1964?
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Ford
The Mustang was unveiled at the New York World's Fair in April 1964 and created the "pony car" class.
Question 25
Which singer was shown only from the waist up on The Ed Sullivan Show in January 1957?
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Elvis Presley
His hip movements were considered too wild for some viewers. It was the last of his three appearances on the show.
Key numbers
Questions
25
Format
Multiple choice, 4 options
Explanations
Every question
Answers
Hidden until you open them
Built for remembering together
Many groups play trivia less to win than to talk. These questions are about things people lived through: I Love Lucy, the Beatles on Ed Sullivan, John Glenn's orbit, five-cent stamps, Hula Hoops and TV dinners. Each answer has a line of detail that often prompts someone to say, "I remember when..."
Making it easy to play
Read slowly and repeat the options. The four choices also make the game easier for anyone who prefers recognizing an answer to recalling it.
Play in teams so no one is on the spot alone.
On a tablet or large screen, use your browser's zoom; the page scales cleanly to large text.
Questions that start conversations
After each answer, ask a follow-up that has no wrong answer: Where were you when you first saw the Beatles on TV? What did a TV dinner taste like the first time? Who had the first color TV on your street? The quiz gives the structure; the stories are what people remember afterwards. Activity coordinators often find that one good question can fill ten minutes.
Questions about the decades they remember best, such as 1950s TV, 1960s music and everyday prices, with multiple-choice options and a story to share after each answer.
Can these questions be used in a senior center or care home activity?
Yes. They're free to use for activities. Read each question twice, play in teams and leave time after each answer for people to share memories.
Are these trivia questions only about American life?
Mostly. They cover American TV, music, products and events from the 1950s to the 70s, plus a few with worldwide fame, like the Beatles.