Sidekickery Part A Trivia Quiz

Answer: Samwise Gamgee

There are few greater examples of loyalty in literature than the willingness of Samwise Gamgee to follow Frodo Baggins across Middle Earth and into Mordor. Critics suggest that Sam is based on the ideal batman in the Colonial British army. And he cooks!

Answer: Flo

Polly Holiday played that part of Flo (played by Diane Ladd in the movie "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore" on which the TV show was based) as a wisecracking, sexy, sassy woman. The show ran from 1976 to 1985; Holiday left the cast to attempt her own spinoff "Flo" which was cancelled after two seasons.

Answer: Garth Alger

Dana Carvey played Garth Algar on Saturday Night Live as well as in "Wayne's World" (1992) and "Wayne's World 2" (1993). Garth's major fear of girls impairs his social life. When Garth would get overwrought, Wayne would instruct him to "Take your Ritalin." One of Garth's greatest lines: "Live in the now."

Answer: Patroclus

Achilles and Patroclus are soldiers together and are very close. Achilles gets word that Patroclus is dead, he covers himself with ashes and fasts (which is indicative of mourning). His rage grows over the death of his friend, so he returns to the battle, finds and kills Hector, and drags Hector's body behind his chariot.

The story appears in Homer's Iliad but is also mentioned by Aeschylus, Aeschines and Plato.

Answer: Penfold

Danger Mouse was an early parody of popular British spy fiction such as the James Bond series of novels (and films). Danger Mouse was a hyperpolyglot and master of the martial art of kung moggy. Penfold was a hamster who panicked the moment danger presented. The programme was reborn in 2015.

Answer: Beaker

Dr. Honeydew is the lab-coated bespectacled chief and founder of Muppet Lab. His first name derives from the Bunsen Burner; his last name refers to the shape of his head. Dr. Honeydew is assisted by hapless Beaker: tall, red-haired, nervous and mute except for a beep-beep sort of voice. If someone gets injured by a science experiment gone wrong, it is usually poor Beaker.

Answer: Br'er Bear

Walt Disney's "The Song of the South" (1946) made Br'er Fox and his henchman sidekick Br'er Bear more comedic than in the Uncle Remus stories. The pair appear in the Splash Mountain attractions in Disneyland and Disney World.

Answer: Bingo

Cracker Jack, a confection of caramel corn and peanuts, was invented in 1896. Sailor Jack appeared in advertising in 1916 and was promptly registered as a trademark in 1919. Sailor Jack was inspired by Robert Rueckheim, the son of one of the owners, who died of pneumonia at age eight. Sailor Jack's dog Bingo was inspired by a real dog named Russell, who belonged to another of the owners.

Answer: Charlie McCarthy

Edgar John Bergen (1903-1978) was a ventriloquist who somehow succeeded on radio where no one could see whether his lips moved or not. He developed several characters but the most famous of all was the wisecracking Charlie McCarthy (who wore evening dress) and Mortimer Snerd (who was a dim-witted agrarian).

They were on the air, on one show or another, from 1937 to 1956. He was also the real-life father of the vivacious and multi-talented Candice Bergen.

Answer: Ron Weasley

Ron Weasley is a tall, ungainly, red-headed full-blood who is not particularly gifted at academics nor Quidditch. His elder brothers excelled and Ron feels inadequate in their shadow. His loyalty to Harry and his personal bravery are repeatedly demonstrated in the series. Rupert Grint portrayed Ron in the films and has gone on to quite successful career in cinema and television. Altogether socially responsible, he lent his face to a UK-wide promotion of daily milk drinking in 2011.