Movie trivia questions Hollywood 1920s-30s era

Test your film history knowledge
Hollywood Movie Questions 1920s - 1930s

All questions are from quizzes and tests that appeared in 1920s-30s movie magazines.

How well do you know old movies, legendary screen actors and actresses, directors, history? While there may be more than one answer to some of the questions, the answers given will be the answers they gave then. Consider the time period. How much do you know? Do you have to Search/Google the answers? * This is part one. *

Harold Lloyd Filmstrip 1922

Movie Making, the mechanics, trivia from 1920:

1) Who invented the close up?
 
2) What is meant by an iris-in?
 
3) How many impressions taken by the camera are shown on the screen in a second?
 
4) How many feet are there in a reel of film?

5) What is the largest sum ever paid for the film rights to a stage play and for what play was it paid?






Sunset Boulevard 1950, Gloria Swanson, William Holden, Erich von Stroheim; "Alright Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up..."

This man operates machines during the film.
"Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain"
--The Wizard of Oz 

Behind the scenes 1920s - 1930s
6) Name three of the best known women writers of original stories for the

Harold Lloyd Gifts Clothing
Prizes? Customize

screen [1920 Magazine actually gave three names as an answer.]
7) What woman achieved distinction as a motion picture director? (1920 question)
8) What American is known in England as Walter Terry?
9) In the picture above you see a technician who's operating a machine. He uses it during silent films and he is usually offstage. What's the man's job and what exactly does this machine do?
10) In 1922 Buster Keaton is credited with coining the term Optience. What does it mean?
11) This director is called the answer to an extra's prayer because all his pictures call for hordes of extras.

Part Two: More questions:
How well do you know actors' nicknames and real names?
How about gossip and news of the day? 
This is a free movie quiz for your next film party.

Page to print out questions with the answers will be available. Hand out the quiz at your Oscar party, your movie themed baby shower, at the next movie party at your house.


Buster Keaton's locomotive scene from The General, 1927. Nearly unbelievable by today's standards that this was real. How could they re-do it??

GoPro Camera HERO4
Life was different then but there are similarities.
Now we watch movies that friends shot on their GoPro cameras.
We laugh at footage they shot while they forgot the camera was running!
Now we can use software to create things that were impossible in those days.
Is the look better, worse or just different? Impossible to compare?

1920s Flapper
Gatsby Dresses
For that 1920s party, a costume

Related Pages of Interest:

Part two of this quiz: Questions 12-42

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