Who Pays the Ferryman? Trivia Quiz

Answer: Crete

Alan Haldane has sold his share in the ship wharf he directed. After having disagreed with the future main stockholder on the strategic choices, Haldane resigned. He then decided to go back to Crete, where he had fought during WW II with the local resistance (the Andartes). He sets out to inquire after the whereabouts of Melina Matakis, the girl he loved during the War.
The other islands mentioned here are the main locations of some other TV miniseries of the same category: adventurous and yet romantic. Cyprus is the location of "The Aphrodite Inheritance" (1979). "The Dark Side of the Sun" (1983) uses Rhodes. And "Levkas Man" (1981) was named after the island Levkas. All these series, except "Levkas Man", were edited by Michael J. Bird (1928-2001) after his own books.
Jack Hedley plays the role of Alan Haldane. His career started with the TV series "The Buccaneers" in 1957. Jack also played the title role in the 1961 TV series "The World of Tim Frazer", as well as the role of Lt. Col. John Preston in the TV series "Colditz" (1972-1974).

Answer: Neil McCarthy

All these actors appear in the series "Who Pays the Ferryman". Neil McCarthy (born 1933) is the one we're looking for: he plays the role of Babis, a lawyer representing the family interests of the Matakis family. During the war, Babis fought bravely with Alan Haldane (then known as Leandros). After Haldane's return to England, Melina was pregnant. Having lost all contact with Haldane, Melina married Stelios Papadakis, another resistance warrior. When Haldane returns, Melina and her husband have died, and Melina's only child Elena does not know the identity of her real father.
Neil McCarthy (1933-1985) started his career with some minor roles in several TV series in 1959. His major roles are in the TV series "Catweazle" (1969-1970) and "Freewheelers" (1973).
Nikos Verlekis stars as Nikos Vassilakis, Elena's husband. Alexis Sergis plays Alexis Vassilakis, the son of Nikos and Elena. Steve Plytas plays the role of Petros Matakis, the brother of Melina.

Answer: Melina Matakis

Babis Spiridakis advises Haldane to keep his distance, because Annika is Melina's sister. If Haldane were to get romantically involved with Annika, he risks hurting her feelings when she eventually would find out the full history of his relation to the Matakis family.
The role of Annika Zeferis was played by Betty Arvaniti, a Greek actress born 1939. Betty Arvaniti has mainly acted in Greek movies, for example "Istoria mias zois" (1965 - there is no English title available, but I would translate this as "The Story of My Life") and "Ostria - to telos tou paihnidiou" (1984, international title "South Wind").
As for the other names mentioned: these are minor characters in one of the eight episodes of "Who Pays the Ferryman".

Answer: Major

Stefan Gryff (born in Warsaw 1939) has played characters with all these ranks in various TV series.
In "Who Pays the Ferryman", he had the rank of Major. The book states he was named Major Krasakis. Gryff played Captain Michael Krasakis in "The Lotus Eaters" (1972-1973), Colonel Flores in "The Onedin Line" (1973) and an unnamed Inspector in one episode of "Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense" (1985).
In the episode "Some Talk of Alexander", the Major tries to convince Alan Haldane to have a quiet word with William Hebden, another Englishman who fought with the Resistance during WW II. One of the former Resistance people has set out to kill the sergeant who betrayed the Resistance people during the War, and everything indicates that William Hebden was this sergeant.

Answer: Noukakis has proposed to Annika Zeferis, but she's in love with Haldane

Matheos Noukakis, a role for Takis Emmanuel (born 1933), is the superior employee of Annika's olive garden. He has proposed to Annika, but she turned him down. Matheos observes Annika falling in love with Alan Haldane, and tries to do something about it.
It is Alan Haldane who prepares a joint venture with the Vassilakis family: Elena and Nikos would keep the tavern they exploit in Elounda, and Haldane would construct a series of sailing boats to enhance the touristic attraction of Elounda.
Noukakis' brother is in fact killed by Alan Haldane, but this happens only at the very end of the series.
There are no espionage intrigues in "Who Pays the Ferryman".

Answer: Patience Collier

Did you pick one of the Greek actresses mentioned here? Too bad: it was the English Patience Collier who played Katerina Matakis, and she managed from time to time to speak with a slightly Greek accent.
Katerina Matakis lives by the traditional values of Cretan mountain dwellers (for inasmuch the TV series portrays these values correctly). She would go to all lengths in order to hold up the family honour. One fine example is how she tries to stop the funeral of Anthony Viglis, who would have robbed some sheep from the Matakis family - in 1916.
Patience Collier (1910-1987) started her career in 1955 with a role in three different TV series. She also played in "David Copperfield" (1974) and "The Pickwick Papers" (1985).
The other actresses I've mentioned are all Greek. Katina Paxinou (1900-1973) starred in the movie "Rocco e i suoi fratelli" (1960). Zoe Laskari (born 1942) is known, among others, for her role in the Greek movie "Nomos 4000" (1962). And Evelina Papoulia (born 1971) had her first important role in the TV series "Dyo xenoi" in 1997. (This TV series has no international title. I would translate the title as "Two Strangers".)

Answer: A bottle of brandy

Hasapis (a role of Nikos Kouros) has challenged Haldane to a boat race with their boats as stake. Haldane has already declared that he will sell the boat after winning the race. So Hasapis asks Haldane to name a price. Seeing that Hasapis has brought a bottle of Metaxa (Greek brandy), and knowing Hasapis needs his boat to earn a living as a fisherman, Haldane proposes to sell the boat for "A bottle of brandy". Hasapis tries to beat down the price (as is customary in Greece) but without result.
This is one of the finest moments in the TV series. Another follows at the end of this episode: when Haldane's boat is burnt down by Matheos Noukakis, Hasapis and his sons arrive with a trailer full of wood to start building a new boat together.
The euro did not exist when "Who Pays the Ferryman" was recorded. And there is no reason why anyone in Greece would use the Laotian kip or the Guatemalan quetzal.
If you would be tempted to send me a correction note: the dialogues in the TV series don't mention that the bottle of brandy was in fact a bottle of Metaxa. It takes a close look upon the bottle itself to find out the brand name.

Answer: Two coins with a note "For Charon"

Whereas all the given options have the same meaning, only one of these is the correct answer. Haldane received the note "For Charon" with two coins. This refers to the customs in ancient Greece: whenever someone died, the corpse was buried with one or two coins to pay the ferryman in order to cross the river Styx (the river bordering the Underworld).
Haldane visits the Major after receiving this note. As the Major asks him how he's doing, Haldane states "I'm fine. A bit richer.", which puzzles the Major.
At the end of this episode, Noukakis sabotages Haldane's car. But Nikos, Elena and Alexis have borrowed Haldane's car - their own car broke down.

Answer: The Fates

Babis Spiridakis and Annika Zeferis inform Katerina Matakis that an accident has happened with Haldane's car. But Haldane was not in the car - the fatal victims are Elena (Katerina's granddaughter), her husband Nikos and her son Alexis. Katerina curses someone in the name of the Fates (the daughters of Themis) and is then hit by a stroke.
It is very conceivable that Katerina suffers from a stroke when she learns who the victims are: after all, she has ordered Matheos Noukakis to kill Haldane. Matheos had just come to confirm to Katerina that he sabotaged Haldane's car...
The Fates are the Greek goddesses who fix the lifetime of every individual. Clotho spins the life thread, Lachesis fixes the length of the individual lives, and Atropos cuts the life thread when one's time has come.
The Graiai (three sisters having together one eye and one tooth), the Erinyes (vengeful Furies) and the Gorgons (creatures having snakes for hair) are other trios of Greek myth.

Answer: The Major

Apart from the Major, all these characters have served with the Andartes. However, at the final shootout only two of these people are present. I'll explain this in a moment.
Ioannis Noukakis, Matheos' brother, has opened fire on Alan Haldane. Ioannis missed and Haldane shot and killed him. Then Matheos has shot Haldane through the stomach. As Matheos aims for a coup de grace, the Major shoots and kills Matheos.
At this moment, six people have been killed because of Katerina's hatred: Nikos Vassilakis, Elena Vassilakis and Alexis Vassilakis died because Matheos sabotaged Haldane's car. Georgios Kaladis (one of the Andartes) tried to stop the brothers Noukakis on their flight, but Ioannis has shot and killed Georgios. Haldane killed Ioannis Noukakis, and the Major killed Matheos Noukakis.
Meanwhile, Annika discovers some letters Haldane had written to Melina, letters that Katerina had intercepted. Annika now realises that Katerina has in fact ordered the death of her granddaughter Elena and Elena's family. Then Annika visits Katerina for the last time. Katerina is completely paralysed after her stroke, but she can still see and hear everything. Annika explains to Katerina what has happened and places the photo of Elena, Nikos and Alexis so that Katerina has to look at this photo for the rest of her life. Annika instructs the nurse that this photo has to be placed exactly like that.
Stelios Papadakis has married Melina Matakis and died in 1949. As for Georgios Kaladis, I have already mentioned why he wasn't present at the final shootout.