Answers to Quiz- 66

1. For 70 years he rented, repaired, rebuilt, reconfigured and restored typewriters in a shop in New York that advertised itself as “Psychoanalysis for Your Typewriter.” Such was his authority and popularity that letters addressed to "Mr. Typewriter, New York" would be delivered to his store. Name this wizard of Manual Typewriters who passed away in September 2008.

Martin Tytell


2. An article published in 1945 in Wireless World gave birth to the concept of Geostationary Orbits for communication satellites. The article’s author, an extraordinary science fiction writer and futurist among other things passed away in March 2008. He has been immortalized for posterity by having the Geostationary Orbits named after him. What is the name given to these orbits?

Clarke Orbits

3. Born as Tula Elice Finklea, she started dancing lessons at the age of 6 to build up her strength after a bout of polio. She then went on to act in Hollywood Musicals such as Singin’ in the Rain and The Band Wagon opposite Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly. Fred Astaire called her ‘Beautiful Dynamite’. She passed away in June 2008. By what name do we know her?

Cyd Charisse

4. He served as President of his country for 32 years, one of the longest reigns of uninterrupted power in modern history. Known as the ‘Smiling General’, he passed away in January 2008. Name him.

Suharto, former President of Indonesia.


5. In 1958 he became the youngest Grandmaster in chess at the age of 15 years and 6 months, a record broken only in 1991 by Judit Polgar. Name this eccentric maestro, considered to be one of the greatest chess players of all time, who died in January 2008.

Bobby Fischer


6. Known as The Giggling Guru for the high-pitched laugh he often used to emphasize his observations, his followers included celebrities like The Beatles. He introduced Transcendentalist Meditation to the West, but later became embroiled in many controversies and John Lennon wrote the song "Sexy Sadie" as a thinly-disguised denunciation of him. Name this spiritual purveyor who passed away in February 2008.

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

7. Sir Edmund Hilary, the first man to climb Mount Everest died in January 2008. Who was the leader of that successful 1953 British Expedition?

John Hunt

8. Who directed ‘Out of Africa’, the 1985 epic film that won 7 Academy Awards including those for Best Picture and Best Director? He died in May 2008.

Sydney Pollack

9. Name the Cambodian photojournalist and Genocide survivor who was the subject of the Academy Award-winning film The Killing Fields. He passed away in March 2008.

Dith Pran

10. Name the South African Grammy Award winning singer and Civil Rights activist who was often referred to as Mama Afrika. She died in November 2008.

Miriam Makeba