Some of My Compatriots Trivia Quiz

Answer: Tom Jones

After a string of fairly raw and rocky Top 40 hits in the 1960s and 1970s, Tom Jones evolved into a more mature crooner. He spent most of the next 20 years singing in various well known American night clubs, before enjoying a commercial revival in the 1990s. One of his best known early hits (1965) was the theme tune to the James Bond film, "Thunderball". Urban legend has it that on hitting the final high note, Jones passed out - but the take was so good, it was used in the final cut. Jones has always denied this.

Answer: Catherine Zeta Jones

Catherine Zeta Jones first rose to prominence alongside David Jason in the UK drama series, "The Darling Buds of May". In 2000, she maried Michael Douglas (son of Kirk Douglas, who played the title role in "Spartacus"), and won an Oscar as best Supporting Actress for her role in the 2002 film, "Chicago".

Answer: Timothy Dalton

I didn't realize that the first 5 James Bonds were 5 different nationalities - a Scotsman (Connery), an Australian (Lazenby), an Englishman (Roger Moore), a Welshman (Dalton) and an Irishman (Brosnan). To be consistent, they really should have gone with the rumour of casting Danny de Vito ahead of Daniel Craig, shouldn't they?

To be fair, Dalton was only born in Wales because his father was stationed there in World War 2. His family background is a mix of Italian, Irish and English. The famly soon moved to Derbyshire - which explains why Dalton is a self confessed, lifelong Derby County Football Club fan!

Answer: Sir Henry Morgan

What a character Sir Henry Morgan was! Living in the 17th century, he was brought up in South Wales before being sent to work for the Crown in the West Indies. This was under the auspices of his uncle, Edward Morgan, who was Lieutenant-Governor of Jamaica. Whether he was just a very effective policeman of the seas, keeping control of wayward sailors for His Majesty's interests, or whether he was one of the biggest rogues the Caribbean has ever seen is still a topic of debate.

What we do now is that he has been immortalized in film, in literature, in song, in video games and on the label of rum bottles. We're still not sure in Wales whether to be proud of him or not, mind!

Answer: Ruth Jones

Ruth Jones won the Best (female) Comedy Newcomer at the British Comedy Awards in 2007 for her appearances in 'Fat Friends' and playing Ness in 'Gavin and Stacy'. We've also enjoyed her talents as Linda in the BBC's 'Nighty Night', in Saxondale as 'Magz' with Steve Coogan (aka Alan Partridge), and mainly as 'Myfanwy' the bar maid in Llandewi Breffi - friend to Daffyd Thomas (played by Matt Lucas), 'the only gay in the village' in Little Britain.

Rob Brydon was a couple of years her senior at school in Porthcawl, and is said to have been a constant source of encouragement to her throughout her acting career.

Answer: Dylan Thomas

Thomas' turbulent private life, which ended tragically young, often overshadows the genius of the man. In "Under Milk Wood" he captures the quintessential nous of life in a small Welsh Village of the time, in wonderfully lilting poetic language. His sense of the absurd is epitomised in the name of the village in which the play is set - Llareggub. Spell it backwards.

And yet for all of this caricature and irony, I'd challenge anyone to read his poem to his dead father, "Do not go gentle into that good night", and not be moved. A literary genius whose flame was snuffed out far too soon.

Answer: Bertrand Russell

Bertrand Russell was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1950, and in the words of his citation it was awarded "in recognition of his varied and significant writings in which he champions humanitarian ideals and freedom of thought."

Russell was always associated with Cambridge University, though he was removed from there as a fellow for a while following his opposition to conscription at the time of the First World War - and it is possibly as a pacifist and anti-nuclear campaigner that most people will remember him for. But to remember him for this alone is surely doing an injustice to one of the sharpest minds across a broad range of interests that the world has seen in modern times.

Answer: Anthony Hopkins

Anthony Hopkins has been nominated for an Oscar on four occasions, but has only won the coveted award once - for "Silence of the Lambs", released in 1990. His other nominations were for The Remains of the Day (1993), Nixon (1995) and Amistad (1997).

I had the privilege of seeing him live on stage in London in the lead role of "M. Butterfly" - as it turned out, he had taken on this stage role in London because he had given up on Hollywood at this point. His official biography quotes him saying at the time "Well, that part of my life's over; it's a chapter closed. I suppose I'll just have to settle for being a respectable actor poncing around the West End and doing respectable BBC work for the rest of my life." Only weeks into the run, he was offered the role of Hannibal Lecter back in Hollywood.

Answer: Henry VIII

Henry VIII (1491 - 1547), of six wives fame, was born in Greenwich Palace, London. He was the son of a Welshman - Henry VII (1457-1509), or Hari Tudur, as he was known when he was a youngster growing up in Wales, having been born in Pembroke Castle.

Henry V (1386-1422) was born in Monmouth. He was the basis for Shakespeare's "Prince Hal" in the Henry IV plays, as well as the more mature king in "Henry V".

Edward II, (1284-1327) was born in Caernarfon Castle. He was the first Prince of Wales, and is purported to be able speak only Welsh at the time he was invested. He came to a gruesome end - supposedly thanks to a red hot poker.

Answer: Gareth Edwards

A leading light in the all conquering Welsh rugby team of the 1970s, Gareth Edwards left his iconic mark in many places in the folklore of rugby. He was the British Lions' scrum half in their first ever series victory in New Zealand in 1971, and scored countless memorable tries in the red shirt of Wales.

However, the try that he will be remembered for most is the one he scored for the Barbarians against the New Zealand All Blacks at the Cardiff Arms Park in 1973, finishing off a length of the field move which involved half the Babaas' team - and here is a transcript of legendary match commentator Cliff Morgan's words describing that try - "Kirkpatrick to Williams. This is great stuff. Phil Bennett covering, chased by Alistair Scowan. Brilliant! Oh, that's brilliant! John Williams, Brian Williams, Pullin, John Dawes. Great dummy! David, Tom David, the half-way line. Brilliant by Quinnell. This is Gareth Edwards. A dramatic start. What a score! Oh that fellow Edwards". I didn't hear that commentary at the time, because in the words of another "legendary" Welshman, Max Boyce - "I was there !" - honestly!

I hope you enjoyed "meeting" some of my compatriots.