The American Graffiti Quiz

Estimated Completion Time
2 min
The American Graffiti Quiz
Image: TMDB

About This Quiz

"American Graffiti" perfectly captured the car culture of the early '60s, setting a night of teenage cruising against a rock 'n' roll backdrop for the ultimate in cool. Take our quiz to see how much you remember about the film, its memorable moments, cars and characters.
What year serves as the setting for the film?
1952
1962
1972
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Set in 1962, the film actually premiered in 1973 with the tagline "Where were you in '62?"

What is the name of the restaurant in the film's opening scene?
Mel's
Al's
Big Boy's
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The film opens at Mel's Drive-In, where Steve, Terry, Curt and Laurie are hanging out to the tune of "Rock Around the Clock."

Who is Steve dating when the film opens?
Debbie
Laurie
Carrie
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Steve and Laurie are going steady -- until Steve breaks Laurie's heart by letting her know that he wants to be free to see other people when he heads off to college.

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Who plays the clean-cut Steve in the film?
Henry Winkler
Mickey Rooney
Ron Howard
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Ron Howard of "The Andy Griffith Show" plays the college-bound Steve Bolander.

Which of the other teens is scheduled to head off to college the next day?
Curt
Terry
John
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Curt Henderson, a rebel who also happened to earn a scholarship from the local Moose Lodge, is scheduled to head off to college with Steve.

Who does Steve lend his car to while he heads off to college?
Laurie
Bob
Terry
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Steve lends his white '58 Impala to a very grateful Terry, who promises to care for the car in Steve's absence.

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Who is the gang's favorite DJ?
Birdman John
Wolfman Jack
Dogman Frank
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

George Lucas based the Wolfman Jack character on his favorite California DJ from his own teen years.

Who plays the blond in the white Thunderbird?
Suzanne Somers
Farrah Fawcett
Heather Locklear
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Curt spends the evening chasing a gorgeous blond -- played by Suzanne Somers -- driving a pristine white '56 Thunderbird.

Which of the guys gets stuck cruising with 13-year old Carol?
John
Bob
Curt
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

After being rejected by Judy, John gets saddled with her younger sister Carol -- played by Mackenzie Phillips.

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Where do Steve and his friends go to school?
Southern
Hollywood
Dewey
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Steve and Curt were graduates of the class of '62 at Dewey High School, while Laurie and Terry are part of the class of '63.

Who plays tough street racer John Falfa in the film?
Mark Hamill
Harrison Ford
Burt Reynolds
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A pre-Hans Solo Harrison Ford played Bob Falfa, who wanted nothing more than to beat John's yellow deuce coup in a street race.

What song do Steve and Laurie dance to at the school dance?
"So Much In Love"
"And I Love Her"
"Smoke Gets In Your Eyes"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Class president Steve and head cheerleader Laurie dance the "snowball dance" to "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes," despite the fact that they are in the middle of a huge fight.

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What is Terry trying to score from the liquor store?
beer
vodka
Old Harper
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Terry dedicates himself to securing a supply of Old Harper for Debbie and himself, but is repeatedly foiled by a tough store owner and a couple of thieves.

What gang does Curt run afoul of?
Bloody Fingers
Killers
Pharaohs
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Carlos, Ants and Joe -- aka the Pharaohs -- tangle with Curt after accusing him of scratching one of their cars.

What spooky killer does Debbie tell Terry about after their car is stolen?
Goat Killer
Southside Stalker
Ghastly Grinner
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

On the long walk back to town after their car is stolen, Terry and Debbie are looking over their shoulders for the crazed Goat Killer.

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What initiation do the Pharaohs force Curt to perform?
hook a police car
steal liquor
jaywalk
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Pharaohs force Curt to perform an initiation in which he attaches a heavy metal cable to the axle of a police car.

Whose car does Laurie ride in during the big race?
Bob
John
Steve
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A heartbroken Laurie is riding with Bob during the race when his car flips over and explodes. Fortunately, she survives and runs straight to Steve's arms.

Who heads to college in the morning as planned?
Steve
Curt
both Steve and Curt
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Curt decides to head off to college as planned, while Steve stays behind to spend more time with Laurie.

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Which of the characters is killed by a drunk driver in 1964?
Laurie
Curt
John
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In the movie's epilogue, viewers learn that John is killed by a drunk driver in December of '64, just two years after "American Graffiti."

Which member of the gang moves to Canada?
Steve
Curt
Terry
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

After the events in the film, Curt moves to Canada, Terry is lost in action in Vietnam and Steve stays home in California.

How much did "American Graffiti" cost to make?
$775,000
$7,750,000
$775,000,000
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

On a shoestring budget of just $775,000, the film made $55 million in 1973 and another $63 million during a 1978 re-release.

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"Happy Days" was a spin-off of "American Graffiti."
true
false
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The pilot for "Happy Days" was made in 1971 -- two years before "American Graffiti," though the shows are similar and both star Ron Howard.

Which of these was a proposed title for the film?
"Rock Around the Block"
"Cruisin'"
"The Pharaohs"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The film went by several working titles, including "Rock Around the Block" and "Another Quiet Night in Modesto," before Lucas could convince the studios that "American Graffiti" was the right choice.

What California city served as the setting for the film?
San Diego
Los Angeles
San Rafael
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Inspired by George Lucas' adventures in his hometown of Modesto, the film was set in San Rafael, but the exterior scenes were largely set in Petaluma.

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How many Oscars did the film pick up in 1974?
0
1
2
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Despite five nominations -- including Best Picture and Best Director, "American Graffiti failed to win a single Oscar.

What year was the follow-up film "More American Graffiti" released?
1974
1976
1979
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"More American Graffiti," which came out in 1979, followed the same cast as the first film, but covered their lives between 1964 and 1967.

What holiday is the focus of "More American Graffiti?"
Halloween
Valentine's Day
New Year's Eve
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The follow-up film focuses on the lives of the characters during four consecutive New Year's Eves.

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Which character has become a country singer in "More American Graffiti?"
Curt
Laurie
Debbie
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Now that Terry is lost in battle in An Loc, Debbie Dunham has taken up a hippie lifestyle and performs with a country-western band.

What do Steve and Laurie fight about in "More American Graffiti?"
her hair
her job
his beard
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Laurie wants to get a job to help support Steve and their twins, but Steve feels that a woman's place is firmly in the home.

What role does Harrison Ford play in "More American Graffiti?"
drug dealer
lawyer
traffic cop
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Harrison Ford makes an uncredited cameo as motorcyle cop Bob Falfa in "More American Graffiti."

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You Got:
/30
TMDB