Horseplay Trivia Quiz

Answer: Tony

Tony 'The Wonder Horse' (1899-1942) was a horse bought by Tom Mix for $600. Tony first appeared in the 1917 film "The Heart of Texas Ryan. Tony replaced Mix's regular horse 'Old Blue' who had been injured. In 1919, Old Blue died and Tony became Tom Mix's full time mount. He had white socks on his rear legs only (Tony, not Tom). Together they did their own stunts and made 181 films.

Answer: Cisco

Cisco was John Dunbar's buckskin gelding from "Dances with Wolves" (1990). Cisco's real name was Buck and, after his film career, he was housed and cared for in a place called 1880 Town in South Dakota. Buck died in August 2007 at the age of 33.

Answer: Argo

Argo was a Palamino-colored horse, and Xena's trusted companion for many years. "Xena: Warrior Princess" was played by New Zealand actress Lucy Lawless. Argo's real name was Tillie, a mare who actually had her own stunt double.

Answer: Champion

Gene Autry's partner and sidekick was called Champion. Champion was with Autry through his legendary career in radio (I wonder how that worked?), TV and film. Champion was dubbed 'World's Wonder Horse', and was a sorrel-colored, Quarter horse stallion.

He made his screen debut in 1935's "Melody Trail". There were actually three "official" Champions, i.e., Champion, Champion Jr. who appeared in films until 1950, and Television Champion. TV Champion appeared in Autry's last films and on TV on "The Gene Autry Show" and "The Adventures of Champion" in the 1950s.

Answer: Topper

Actor William Boyd played cowboy Bill 'Hopalong' Cassidy and, unlike the other TV cowboys of the time, he wore all black, including a black hat (which was usually worn by the villains). "Hoppy" had an all-white horse named Topper. In June 1949, "Hopalong Cassidy" became the first network Western television series. Topper was discovered by Boyd on a ranch in 1937; he was an Arabian white stallion with black ears.

The actor bought him, and his wife named him 'Topper' after a book series by Thorne Smith. Boyd rode Topper until 1953, and the horse died in 1961.

Answer: Target

Loosely based on the life of sharp-shooter Annie Oakley, "Annie Oakley" appeared as a TV series from 1954 to 1957. Gail Russell was the eponymous Annie, and her horse was named Target. The role of Target was generally played by two rental horses. One of the Executive Producers of the show was Gene Autry.

Answer: Gunpowder

Washington Irving published "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" in 1820. The story is set in the 1790s, in an old Dutch settlement in New York. Ichabod Crane was one of the protagonists of the story and he rode the steed Gunpowder while trying to win the heart of Katrina Van Tassel.

In the book, Gunpowder was an old, broken-down, partially blind horse which Crane had borrowed from Hans Van Ripper.

Answer: Tornado

Tornado was the name of the horse ridden by the masked outlaw Zorro (Don Diego de la Vega), originally a character from books written by Johnston McCulley in the early 20th century. In the film "The Mask of Zorro" (1940), Tornado is a black Andalusian stallion, although he was played by a Friesian.

Answer: Buck

U.S. Marshal Matt Dillon was the main character and hero of the long-running TV Western "Gunsmoke" (1955-1975). It was set in Dodge City, Kansas in the 1870s. Many of us can still remember the Marshal and Miss Kitty, but can you name Matt Dillon's horse, who had to endure the Marshal's 6'7" frame? Poor over-worked Buck was a buckskin quarter horse gelding but, unlike "Mr. Ed", you never heard Buck complain. Buck's real name was Dunny Waggoner (no relation to Lyle).

Answer: White Feller

Tonto was 'kemosabe's' sidekick on "The Lone Ranger" (1949-1957). Who was that masked man? "The Lone Ranger", a former Texas Ranger, was played by Clayton Moore with Tonto, his Native American friend, played by Jay Silverheels. Yes, we remember Scout, the famous paint horse, as Tonto's horse.

But before Scout, Tonto's first horse was (somewhat ironically) called White Feller, an all white horse similar in appearance to Silver. Scout was a gift from Chief Thundercloud, with whom Tonto swapped White Feller.