Could Dooley Wilson really play piano?

No, a studio pianist played off camera

Why was a plan to replace the song dropped?

Ingrid Bergman had cut her hair, so reshoots were impossible

What happened to Sam's piano in 2014?

It sold at auction for millions of dollars

As Time Goes By Quiz: The Song, Sam's Piano and Casablanca

This As Time Goes By quiz sits by the piano at Rick's Café Américain in Casablanca. Play 10 interactive questions on the songwriter Herman Hupfeld, its 1931 Broadway debut, Dooley Wilson as Sam, the famous line that is never actually said, why the song survived a plan to cut it, the piano's sale at auction and its place on AFI's list.

Start As Time Goes By Quiz

🎯 Daily Trivia Challenge • 🧠 10 Questions • ⏱️ 150 Seconds

Question 1 / 10 Time: 150s

Film
In which film is As Time Goes By famous?
Writer
Who wrote the song?
Origin
Where did the song first appear?
Sam
Who plays Sam the pianist?
Real
Could Dooley Wilson really play piano?
Quote
Which famous line is never said in the film?
Rick
What does Rick tell Sam after Ilsa leaves?
Cut
Why was a plan to replace the song dropped?
Piano
What happened to Sam's piano in 2014?
Rank
Where did AFI rank the song among movie songs?

Explanations: answer key for all 10 questions

Q1: In which film is As Time Goes By famous?
Answer: Casablanca
It was released in 1942.
Q2: Who wrote the song?
Answer: Herman Hupfeld
He wrote it in 1931.
Q3: Where did the song first appear?
Answer: In a Broadway show
It was later revived by the movie.
Q4: Who plays Sam the pianist?
Answer: Dooley Wilson
He sings the song.
Q5: Could Dooley Wilson really play piano?
Answer: No, a studio pianist played off camera
He was a drummer and singer.
Q6: Which famous line is never said in the film?
Answer: Play it again, Sam
Ilsa says play it, Sam.
Q7: What does Rick tell Sam after Ilsa leaves?
Answer: If she can stand it, I can. Play it
He had banned the song.
Q8: Why was a plan to replace the song dropped?
Answer: Ingrid Bergman had cut her hair, so reshoots were impossible
She had moved on to another film.
Q9: What happened to Sam's piano in 2014?
Answer: It sold at auction for millions of dollars
It sold for about 3.4 million dollars.
Q10: Where did AFI rank the song among movie songs?
Answer: Second
Over the Rainbow ranked first.

The Song Rick Could Not Bear to Hear

As Time Goes By was written by Herman Hupfeld for a 1931 Broadway show. A decade later it became the heart of Casablanca, released in 1942, sung by Sam, played by Dooley Wilson, at Rick's Café Américain. Wilson was a drummer and singer, so a studio pianist played off camera while he mimed.

Rick had banned the song because it reminded him of Ilsa. She asks Sam to play it, saying play it, Sam, and later Rick says if she can stand it, I can, play it. The famous line play it again, Sam is never actually spoken in the film.

Composer Max Steiner reportedly wanted to replace the song, but Ingrid Bergman had already cut her hair for another role, so reshoots were impossible. Sam's piano sold at auction in 2014 for about 3.4 million dollars, and AFI ranked the song second among movie songs, after Over the Rainbow.

What This Quiz Teaches

Classic movie fans will enjoy these questions.

Who wrote the song
Who sings it in the film
Which line is misquoted
Why it stayed in
What became of the piano

Did You Know?

Humphrey Bogart plays Rick.
The film won Best Picture.
Max Steiner wove the tune into the score.
Woody Allen named a play after the misquote.
The song returns in the finale music.