Theater News

The 1600 Club

How well did you do on the Broadway University Presidents Day Quiz? Here are the answers.

Howard Da Silva and William Danielsin the film version of 1776
Howard Da Silva and William Daniels
in the film version of 1776

Congratulations to Peter Alfano, AnyaToes, Fred Aronowitz, Joanna and Steve Bell, Brigadude, Scott and Janet Cain, Ben Cornish, Jason Flum, Barb Gowans, Cathy Jones, Andrew Milner, Arthur Robinson, Joshua Rosenblum, Samkb, and Rob Witherwax. They’re the ones who did the best on the Presidents Day Quiz that we professors at Broadway University devised to see your knowledge of musicals that mention U.S. Presidents. In case you were wondering what the answers were to the 43 questions, here they are:

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1. “You’ve seen the sign that says, ‘George Washington once slept here’? Well, though nobody spied him, guess who was beside him?” (“A Little Brains, A Little Talent,” Damn Yankees)

2. “I’m not suggesting he isn’t A-1. He has a character like George Washington.” (“It’s a Helluva Way to Run a Love Affair,” Plain and Fancy)

3. “I hear those trumpets begin to blare. And now I’m Washington upon the Delaware.” (“Step to the Rear,” How Now, Dow Jones)

4. “For the first time in a year, Adams isn’t here.” (“Cool, Cool Considerate Men,” 1776)

5. “Mr. Jefferson, dear Mr. Jefferson, I’m only 41; I still have my virility.” (“But, Mr. Adams,” 1776)

6. “Mr. Jefferson today is having a buffet, and he thought the bunch who came to lunch would like to hear them play.” (“The President Jefferson Sunday Luncheon March,” 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue)

7. “As Jefferson, you knew it! As Madison, you knew it! And now that you’re Monroe, you surely ought to know!” (“The Monroviad,” 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue)

8. “Who’d have dreamed I’d be counting my sheep at night where Van Buren and Polk used to sleep at night?” (“Duet for One,” 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue)

9. “Commodore Perry say hello! Also come memorial plaque President Fillmore wish bestow.” (“Please, Hello!”, Pacific Overtures)

10. “Commodore Perry very fierce. Disregard confusion below. President Fillmore now named Pierce.” (“Please, Hello!”, Pacific Overtures)

11. “Free now, thanks to yo’, Massa Lincoln, emancipator.” (“Abie Baby,” Hair)

12. “What he did to Shakespeare, Booth did to Lincoln.” (“Opening Night,” The Producers)

13. “President Grant on campaign, making speeches from a train.” (“Lights! Camera! Platitude!”, What Makes Sammy Run?)

14. “Frankfurters, Boston beans, Ulysses S. Grant, Abraham Lincoln, Popcorn, Sitting Bull, Ragtime Baby.” (“Uncle Sam Rag”, Redhead)

15. “Is it Hayes or is it Tilden? Somehow, no one seems to know.” (“Duet for One,” 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue)

16. “Drew a crowd to his trial, led them in prayer, said, ‘I killed Garfield, I’ll make no denial.'” (“The Ballad of Guiteau,” Assassins)

17. “He was close advisor to President Grover Cleveland and served in the House of Representatives two full terms!” (“The 1st Class Roster,” Titanic)

18. “The Secret Service was at the ready. The recent assassination of President McKinley had been a lesson well-learned.” (“President,” Ragtime)

19. “Look! Now that Wilson is in, and old Taft didn’t win, hell, they’re comin’ to blows!” (“Big News,” Parade)

20. “Who is ready to keep the foe at bay? Fight like Teddy, and speak like Henry Clay?” (Who’s the Greatest?”, Let ‘Em Eat Cake)

21. “Search for Warren Harding. Who’s he?” (“Throw It Out,” A New Brain)

22. “You’re a Coolidge dollar. You’re the nimble tread on the feet of Fred Astaire.” (“You’re the Top,” Anything Goes)

23. “We’re keeping cool with Coolidge. He’s our pal! We’re keeping cool with Cal!” (“Keeping Cool with Coolidge,” Gentlemen Prefer Blondes)

24. “They offered us Al Smith and Hoover; we paid attention, and we chose.” (“We’d Like to Thank You, Herbert Hoover,” Annie)

25. “When you’ve been through Herbert and J. Edgar Hoo-ooo-ooo-ver, anything else is a laugh.” (“I’m Still Here,” Follies)

26. “If Mr. Roosevelt decides to rule-la-la until the year 1944, he’d better teach Eleanor” (“Give Him the Oo-La-La,” DuBarry Was a Lady)

27. “We might have been left bereft of FDR.” (“How I Saved Roosevelt,” Assassins)

28. “Truman’s Bess ought to be you. His success ought to be you.” (“Cherry Pies Ought to be You,” Out of This World)

29. “That makes Ike the kind o’feller they like, and what’s more, they seem to think he’s gonna, but Harry won’t get out.” (“They Like Ike,” Call Me Madam)

30. “Hula hoops and nuclear war, Dr. Salk and Zsa Zsa Gabor, Harry Truman, Truman Capote, and Dewey.” (“Chop Suey,” Flower Drum Song)

31. “Not the Roosevelts, not the Trumans, not the Eisenhowers, no, this is not that kind of show.” (“Opening,” Mr. President)

32. “I might be mannish-ish or mouse-ish … but with thee, I’m Eisenhows-ish.” (“Something Sort of Grandish,” Finian’s Rainbow)

33. “While the right people stay at home with all those Kennedys.”
(“Why Do the Wrong People Travel?”, Sail Away)

34. “And I think that Mr. Eisenhower is absolutely swell. (Conductor means to correct her by tapping baton) “Oh, really? When? I think that Mr. Kennedy is absolutely swell.” (“All-American,” Stop the World — I Want to Get Off)

35. “JFK to U.S. Steel, from jolly Nikita to Norman Vincent Peale.” (Title song, Here’s Love!)

36. “LBJ took the IRT down to Fourth Street, U.S.A. When he got there, what did he see?” (“Initials,” Hair)

37. “From here to Saud Araby, if Johnson blows his nose, run and hock the baby.” (“The A-B-C Song,” How Now, Dow Jones)

38. “Khruschev stopped screaming, and Librium came in, and Nixon didn’t win.” (“Bobby and Jackie and Jack,” Merrily We Roll Along

39. “How can you say it’s just a house? Is Jimmy Carter just a grin?” (“Just a House,” Doonesbury)

40. “Man, Reagan’s way worse than Nixon ever was.” (“Talk Show,” john & jen)

41. “The Bushes of Tex. were nervous wrecks because their son was dim – but look what happened to him.” (“All About Ruprecht,” Dirty Rotten Scoundrels)

42. “You hair is only for now. George Bush is only for now.” (“For Now,” Avenue Q)

43. “Bush is bad. Bush is bad. He’s the worst president we’ve ever had.” (“Bush Is Bad,” Bush Is Bad: The Musical Cure for the Blue-State Blues)

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[To contact Peter Filichia directly, e-mail him at pfilichia@theatermania.com]