"The Play What I Wrote" Trivia Quiz

Answer: The Morecambe and Wise Show

"The Morecambe and Wise Show" often featured a truly terrible play written by Ernie Wise. The amazing thing was that they were able to persuade serious actors. such as Glenda Jackson who once appeared in one as "Cleopatra", to participate in them. These plays were usually based on actual historial plays.

Other luminaries who appeared in them were Dame Flora Robson, Vanessa Redgrave and Peter Cushing.

Answer: Bernie Winters

Mike and Bernie Winters were actual brothers. They performed together on various variety shows for many years before being awarded their own television show which ran from 1965 to 1973. Mike was always the sharp, intelligent one and Bernie always the goofy one.

His phrase "Shut ya mouff" was always accompanied by a silly grin. The brothers split, somewhat acrimoniously, in 1978 to go their separate ways. Bernie Winters often appeared on television after the split, usually with his St. Bernard dog, Shnorbitz.

Answer: Dandy Nichols

"Till Death Us Do Part" was once held up by Mary Whitehouse as a shining example of the BBC's moral laxity. Giving us memorable phrases such as "silly moo", Alf's normal description of his wife, and "randy scouse git", his description of his son in law, it was also one of the first programmes to use the word "bloody" in normal conversation. It was a true reflection of a lot of things in 1960s Britain, and was an instant hit.

Una Stubbs and Patricia Hayes were both in the series. Una Stubbs played Alf's daughter and Patricia Hayes a neighbour.

Answer: Steptoe and Son

Starring by Harry H. Corbett as the son and Wilfred Bramble as Steptoe. "Steptoe and Son" featured the life of a father and son who were rag and bone men. Albert, the father, is set in his ways, but Harold, his son, has social aspirations away from life in Oil Drum Lane (a completely fictional place in London).

He often blames his father for ruining his various enterprises and regularly calls him a "dirty old man". The series originally ran from 1962 to 1965 and was revived in 1970 and ran until 1974.

Answer: Tony Hancock

With the introduction "It's H H H Hancock's Half Hour" this show is often cited as the start of the British situation comedy. Starring Tony Hancock as a down at heel version of himself, and Sid James as his housemate. the show started on radio in the 1950s.

It first appeared on television in 1956, and for a while the radio and television series alternated before the final transfer to television only in 1959. Sid James was in both versions and was the only person from the radio show to transfer to the television version as a regular cast member. Kenneth Williams, also of "Carry On" fame had often been heard on the radio version, but appeared only rarely in the television series.

Answer: Hale and Pace

Gareth Hale and Norman Pace had their first full series in 1987. This won the Silver Rose of Montreux, and led to further series for ITV. They ended up with a series that ran for ten years. Their two most famous creations were the stone faced pair of bouncers known as "The Management", or "The Two Rons" and the perpetually smiling, deeply irritating, children's television presenters Billy and Johnny.

They were very different to the gentle comedy of the original "Two Ronnies", and in one episode caused a lot of controversy when they pretended to microwave a cat.

Answer: Not The Nine O'clock News

"Alas Smith and Jones" was a sketch and comedy show which became noted for the head to head "duologues" between the two characters. Like "Not The Nine O'clock News" there was frequent bad language, and sketches that some felt were in questionable taste.

The head to head's were very similar to sketches performed by Peter Cook and Dudley Moore with Smith being the know all and Jones being the one who knew nothing. It was also seen as a parody of the "Two Ronnies" and some felt it was one of the reasons Ronnie Barker decided to retire from performing comedy.

The show started in 1984 and ran, with a slight change of title to "Smith and Jones", until 1998.

Answer: Peter Cook and Dudley Moore

Peter Cook and Dudley Moore created "Not Only... But Also", a television series that ran from 1965 to 1970. Only three series were made, but the rambling conversations between the two characters, Pete and Dud, that were a feature of the programmes, led to "Derek and Clive".

Their conversations were captured on record only. In the main the records were considered too offensive for mainstream release, but bootleg and underground copies circulated quite freely.

Answer: Open All Hours

In "Open All Hours" Ronnie Barker played shopkeeper Arkwright, and David Jason his unfortunate nephew and shop boy Granville. "Open All Hours" originally aired in 1976, and 26 episodes were made. In many ways it was a classic comedy pairing of straight man (David Jason) and comic (Ronnie Barker), encompassed into a situation comedy. David Jason went on to become one of Britain's most celebrated actors, starring in "The Darling Buds of May" and "A Touch of Frost", as well as many other plays and series.

Answer: Byker Grove

Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly started their careers on "Byker Grove", a children's television show. From there they had a short lived recording career as PJ and Duncan. Their niche became presenting variety shows. These have ranged from their own "Saturday Night Takeaway" to "Britain's Got Talent", "Pop Idol" and "I'm A Celebrity - Get Me Out Of Here". To avoid confusion as to which one is which Ant is always on the left as you look at them, and Dec on the right.