61 Trivia Questions for Seniors, and Retired Folks

Trivia questions provide an excellent opportunity to take a walk down memory lane and are excellent for jogging the memory. Our bumper trivia for seniors is guaranteed to bring back some moments of time gone by.

After 5, 6, or 7 decades of life, few people know more interesting facts than seniors.

A recent study in Topics in Cognitive Science made the point that seniors, and retired folk, have much more information in their brains than younger people – but can you remember all this information?

In our trivia for seniors, we have a whopping 61 questions to truly test some memories.

Whether you’re a senior, work with seniors, or simply enjoy a challenge and want to try to complete our special trivia for seniors, we are certain you’ll enjoy this trivia game.

Without further ado, let’s begin!

Table of Contents

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Related: 1960s Trivia | 1950s Trivia

General Trivia for Seniors

The first round of our trivia for seniors is the big general knowledge one!

Here, you will find 20 random questions to wake up those memories of yesteryear and hopefully bring a smile to your face.

Although some of the questions are pretty tough, you will find a few that are sure to make you feel full of magical nostalgia.

Let’s find out how much you know about American seniors, and how good your memory is!

Here we go!

1: At what age can you start to receive Social Security retirement benefits in the US?

62.

2: As of 2021, how many American citizens were officially retired?

69 million.

3: If you were born in 1955, how old would you be today (2022)?

67.

4: What unprecedented activity did Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay do in 1953?

Climb Mount Everest.

5: In 1972, which Olympic athlete set a record by winning 7 gold medals?

Mark Spitz.

6: What was the brand behind the first commercial for TV dinners?

Swanson.

7: What kind of skirt was fashionable in the 1960s?

Mini.

8: The Office for National Statistics has revealed that the average person over 65-years spends how long per day on leisure activities?

7 hours.

9: On the official US list of popular baby names, what was the number 1 name for a girl born in 1950?

Linda.

10: Who was the first person of color in the US to make commercial records?

George Washington Johnson.

11: What percentage of people over 65-years lived with their spouse, or partner, in 2020?

61%

12: How much was the average slice of diner pie in 1965?

35 cents.

13: In which movie did Humphrey Bogart say: 'We'll always have Paris'?

Casablanca.

14: In 1950, 9% of Americans owned a TV. What was this figure by 1960?

Over 80%

15: What did the Scott Paper Company sell in 1966 for $1.25?

Paper dresses.

16: How many husbands did Marylin Monroe have?

17: Which blood type is known as the universal donor?

O-negative.

18: How many states are there in the US?

50.

19: What is offal?

Animals organs.

20: What was the surname of the main family who starred in The Little House on the Prairie?

Ingalls.

Celebrity Trivia for Seniors

Seniors have seen famous people come and go over the decades; some have stuck around, others were notable for a short time, and there are those who were mere flashes in the pan.

But, famous people leave their mark on the world and on us.

In this trivia round for seniors, we will take a look at some of the most notable people from around the world over the decades.

They could have stepped onto red carpets, Hollywood’s walk of fame, podiums, stages, or the silver screen!

Ready to test your celebrity culture knowledge?

Here we go!

1: Who did Pope John Paul II succeed as Pope?

John Paul I.

2: Whose death postponed the 1968 Oscars for 48-hours and led to huge civil unrest in the US?

Martin Luther King.

3: Which famous actor says the iconic phrase 'you talkin' to me' in the 1976 movie Taxi Driver?

Robert De Niro.

4: What kind of accident rendered actor Christopher Reeves paralyzed?

Horseback riding accident.

5: Who did Time Magazine name 'Man of the Year' in 1938?

Adolph Hitler.

6: What was the name of the 1942 classic movie starring Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart?

Casablanca.

7: What is the name of the British comedy actor who started life in an English workhouse and rose to fame in the US during the era of silent movies?

Charlie Chaplin.

8: Which 1960s heartthrob made their Broadway debut in 1953?

Paul Newman.

9: Who was the 34th President of the US, running two consecutive terms from 1953 to 1961?

Dwight D. Eisenhower.

10: Which political figure was released from prison in 1990 after serving 27-years?

Nelson Mandela.

11: Ally McBeal actress, Calista Flockhart, is the longstanding wife of which long-established, multi-award-winning, billionaire American actor?

Harrison Ford.

12: Who famously said, 'it costs a lot of money to look this cheap!'?

Dolly Parton.

13: Michael Jackson married the daughter of which Rock and Roll singer?

Elvis Presley.

14: Which president was the recipient of Marilyn Monroe's special rendition of Happy Birthday?

John F. Kennedy.

Historical Event Trivia for Seniors

The historical events in living memory for seniors today are pretty incredible.

There have been astronomical changes; in economies, diversity, societies, and laws over the last half a century and more – and few of us today have been around to see them all.

This isn’t so for seniors!

Seniors have witnessed firsthand some incredible transitions, monumental moments, and landmark events, and in this round of our trivia for seniors, we will take a brief look at just some of these.

If you’re a senior who was there the first time around, then hopefully, you will pass this round with 100% success.

Good luck!

1: In what year did the famous Apollo 11 moon landing seem to occur?

1969.

2: Who became the first African American to play in Major League Baseball in the modern era in 1947?

Jackie Robinson.

3: In what year was Pearl Harbor attacked by Japanese warplanes, leading to the US joining WWII?

1941.

4: In 1920, who got the right to vote in America?

Women.

5: What act was implemented in 1964 that outlawed discrimination based on race, color, national origin, gender, or religion?

The Civil Rights Act.

6: Racial segregation in schools becomes unconstitutional in what year?

1954.

7: In 2015, the US Supreme Court struck down all state bans on what kind of ceremony?

Same-sex marriages.

8: Who famously refused to give up their bus seat in Montgomery, Alabama, to a white person, igniting the Montgomery Bus Boycott and ultimately having bus segregation seen as unconstitutional?

Rosa Parks.

Music Trivia for Seniors

Few things have changed more than music over the last few decades, but have you been able to keep up with current trends?

Find out how good your music knowledge is right here!

This round will test your memory about some of the true greats of yesterday.

Whatever your favorite genre is, we’re sure you’ll be reminded of some long-forgotten classics.

1, 2, 3, 4…

1: Who sang 'Summertime' and 'God Bless the Child'?

Billie Holiday.

2: Who was known as The King of Swing?

Benny Goodman.

3: Who had a number 1 hit in 1957 with the track 'Wake up Little Susie'?

The Everly Brothers.

4: What kind of music was Ella Fitzgerald known as the Queen of?

Jazz.

5: Which Patsy Cline song led to her getting 3 standing ovations at the Grand Ole Opry?

Crazy.

6: What was Elvis Presley's first number 1 hit in the US?

Stuck on You.

7: Which British band had their first American hit with 'I Want to Hold Your Hand'?

The Beatles.

8: Who married fellow country star George Jones in 1969?

Tammy Wynette.

9: How many weeks was Don McLean's 'American Pie' a US number one in 1972?

10: Which married couple had global success with the 1965 hit 'I Got You Babe?'

Sonny and Cher.

Movie Trivia for Seniors

Remember when going to the movies was truly special and a big event?

Now we can just stream movies like they’re no big deal, but surely this doesn’t leave people today with the same romantic memories of the cinema’s back seat!

In this round of our trivia for seniors, we will take you back to some of the greatest movies ever produced, their stars, quotes, and most memorable scenes.

And, action!

1: 'Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn,' was said by which actor, in which movie?

Clarke Gable in Gone With the Wind.

2: Which singer played a Red Indian in the movie Stay Away Joe?

Elvis Presley.

3: Who played Inspector Clouseau in the Pink Panther?

Peter Sellers.

4: For which movie did John Wayne win his only Best Actor Oscar?

True Grit.

5: What is Agent007 otherwise known as?

James Bond.

6: In what year was E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial released?

1982.

7: Who did Marlon Brando portray in The Godfather?

Don Corleone.

8: What was the name of the character played by Gene Kelly in Singin' in the Rain?

Don Lockwood.

9: Which Belgian actress starred in Breakfast at Tiffany's, Roman Holiday, and My Fair Lady?

Audrey Hepburn.

More Trivia For Seniors Fun – Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WzWxI1V8ao

Knowledge quiz for people 60 years or older (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WzWxI1V8ao)

You’ve reached the end of our trivia for seniors! How well did you do? If you want to try some more specialized trivia challenges, here are some you may like:

Thank you for playing our trivia for seniors; we hope you enjoyed a look back at some of the best things to come out of America over the last few decades! God bless.