Sidekickery Part B Trivia Quiz

Answer: Robin

Different versions of the "Batman" saga have portrayed Robin in different ways since he was introduced as the Caped Crusader's young sidekick in the 1940s comics. Perhaps the most enduring portrayal/interpretation of the Boy Wonder was Burt Ward's on the 1960s television series.

In addition to his acrobatic fighting skills (pow, wham, splat), his exclamations are marvelous, e.g. "Holy Astringent Plum-like Fruit, Holy Benedict Arnold, Holy Frying Towels, Holy Hutzpa, Holy Non Sequiturs, Holy Purple Cannibals, Holy Rising Hemlines, Holy Tintinnabulation, Holy Wernher von Braun."

Answer: Cecil the Sea-Sick Sea Serpent

Beany and Cecil began as the Paramount Pictures puppet TV show "Time for Beany" in 1949. It became an animated TV series called "Matty's Funday Funnies" in 1959 and ended up being called "Beany and Cecil in the USA." The premise was that Beany Boy was a crew member of the Leakin' Lena, skippered by Captain Horatio Huffenpuff who Beany called Uncle Captain. Beany would get into trouble and Cecil would come to his rescue saying "I'm a-comin', Beany Boy." Cecil's tail was never seen, probably because as a puppet there was a hand stuck where it would be, which convention continued into the animated version.

Answer: Sir Sagramore

The humour in this novel and film derive largely from the distance between 1912 (from which Hank/Sir Boss is transported) and 528 when the action is set. Much liberty is taken with both the Twain manuscript and Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur.

Answer: Horatio

Hamlet and Horatio are long-time friends. Hamlet confides his dreams and schemes in Horatio and his friend responds honestly with his opinion. Horatio loves Hamlet so much that he would rather take his own life than live without his friend. But Hamlet persuades him to live, so that someone he trusts will tell the story. Horatio beautifully bids his companion out of this world: "Good night, sweet prince, And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest!" (Act V, Scene 2).

Answer: Launchpad McQuack

Derived in some senses from the Disney animated TV series "DuckTales," "Darkwing Duck" relates the adventures of the superhero disguised as Drake Mallard. He is aided in fighting evil by Launchpad McQuack who pilots the Thunderquack. Launchpad refers to Darkwing as "DW" and Darkwing refers to Launchpad as "LP."

Answer: Dr. James Evan Wilson

English actor Hugh Laurie plays Dr. Gregory House who leads a team of diagnosticians at Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in New Jersey. His gruff manner, his addiction to pain medication, and his unorthodox medical approach lead him into constant conflict. His close friend Dr. James Wilson is played by Robert Sean Leonard who took the part because the relationship reminded him of Holmes and Watson and he liked what he called "the Odd Couple dynamic" between the two.

Answer: The Runt

Boston Blackie has appeared in short stories published in magazines, in books, in motion pictures (silent and talkie), on radio, on television, and in graphic novels. His sidekick was originally known as The Runt but, in the middle 40s, his name was changed to Shorty in what was doubtless an anticipation of political correctness.

Answer: Sylvester Pussycat Jr.

It is a trope among sidekicks that they are so often smarter than the main character to which they are attached. This is the case with Sylvester's son, Sylvester, Jr. Created by Robert McKimson and voiced by Mel Blanc (until his death), Junior loves his dad but outsmarts him constantly. He looks like a miniature Sylvester, which makes hereditary sense.

Answer: All of these

Carmen Sandiego began her career as a good person before she became a criminal mastermind. The franchise has moved through a great many versions, not all of which follow the same canon of information about her. The television programmes and video games include "Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?", "Where on Earth is Carmen Sandiego?"," Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego?" and others.

At one time or another, in different canons, Suhara, Chase Devineaux and Jules Argent have all been her partner.

Answer: Ethel Mertz

It can't be easy to play against Lucille Ball but Vivian Vance did so brilliantly for many seasons of the several versions of the "I Love Lucy" show. Vance was nominated four times for an Emmy as best supporting actress and won once. Entertainment Weekly called her one of the "best sidekicks" ever.

She and her husband Fred (played by William Frawley) were retired vaudevillians who became landlords in semi-retirement. Lucy would get the girls into trouble and Ethel would get them back out.