Asimov's Black Widowers Trivia Quiz

Answer: 7

The membership of the Black Widowers remained constant throughout the period covered by the stories. The members were - Thomas (Tom) Trumbull, Mario Gonzalo, Emmanuel (Manny) Rubin, Geoffrey (Geoff or Jeff) Avalon, James (Jim) Drake, Roger Halsted, and Henry Jackson.


Henry was the waiter, but the other Widowers always insisted that he was a full member and "the best man here".


The only other member I can recall being mentioned by name was Ralph Ottur, who was said to have left the district and subsequently died.

Answer: Tom Trumbull

Thomas Trumbull is a government code expert, and occasionally his work produced mysteries or puzzles for the club to solve.

Answer: Mario Gonzalo

At the meetings he attends, (which is almost all of them) Mario Gonzalo draws a portrait of the guest to add to the "gallery" on the walls. Gonzalo is the dandy of the club, and his clothing is often commented on by the other members.

Answer: Mario Gonzalo

Gonzalo's twin sister, Marge, was murdered. He told the other members of the Black Widowers about it some time after the event. This was the only mystery Henry didn't solve at the meeting... he met Gonzalo privately later to break the unwelcome news of "whodunnit".

Answer: Henry

Henry, the permanent waiter at the Black Widower banquets, invariably solves the mysteries. However, he always gives credit to the other Widowers, claiming that they offer all sorts of solutions, leaving him to see the only possibility left.

Answer: Emmanuel Rubin

Manny Rubin's wife Jane is the bull collector. The bulls get a mention in at least two of the stories, including the one set in Manny's own apartment. This one, as far as I know, was the only Black Widower story that didn't take place in the traditional banquet room setting.

Answer: James Drake

Drake is often described as being wreathed in smoke, or coughing, or speaking in a soft, hoarse, smoker's voice. Isaac Asimov was not a smoker and didn't like it when others smoked, but he makes Drake a likable character.

Answer: Geoffrey Avalon

Avalon, often likened to a "friendly Mephistopheles" in appearance, is the patent lawyer. This is useful when points of law crop up in the stories.

Answer: Emmanuel Rubin

Manny Rubin's height is referred to almost as often as his "straggly beard" and "thick lensed spectacles". He is about a foot shorter than Avalon, the tallest Widower, who is 74 inches tall.

Answer: Roger Halsted

Roger Halsted, of the receding hairline and increasing girth, teaches maths at a junior high shcool. His mathematical ability comes in useful at times. Geoffrey Avalon was a patent lawyer, Ralph Ottur was a former member and Mario Gonzalo was an artist.

Answer: None of them

According to Isaac Asimov, none of the Widowers was based on himself. In fact, he once brought in a guest who WAS based on himself to prove it! All the Widowers except for Henry, though, were based on real people, fellow members of Asimov's at the Trap-Door Spiders Club.

Answer: Darius Just

Darius Just, protagonist of "Murder at the ABA" (aka "Authorised Murder") pops up in one of the Black Widower stories. The story is called "The Man Who Pretended to Like Baseball", and also appears in a collection called "The Sport of Crime". In my opinion it is a long way from the best of the Black Widower stories, but it was nice to meet Darius again.

Urth, Calvin and Bailey weren't all in novels (I think only Bailey was), and besides, they all lived well in the future of the Black Widowers.

Answer: Rubin

Manny Rubin wrote mystery stories and is said to be a "polymath". He is apparently quite successful. Apart from his wife, Jane, who is mentioned in a couple of the stories, we meet his nephew, Horace, an engaging student.

Answer: James Drake

James Drake was the organic chemist, and his knowledge came in useful during the discussions over banquets. There was no Widower called Tom Rubin, Fred Dannay was a real person, not a Black Widower, and Roger Halsted taught maths.

Answer: Sixtyish

Henry, the clever waiter at the Black Widower banquets, is always said to be "sixtyish", with "an unlined face". Henry never ages and never says a cross word. He is unchanging, but always engaging.