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Structure
Interesting Questions, Facts and Information
- There are a total of 70 general entries. We are selecting 30 for display.
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 Interesting Questions, Facts, and Information
 Downton Abbey
Hugh Bonneville. All the actors named have appeared in the series. Jim Carter plays Charles Carson, the butler and David Robb portrays Dr. Clarkson. Robert Bathurst plays Sir Anthony Strallan, a suitor of Lady Edith, who was intending to propose until Lady Mary lies to him in revenge for Lady Edith revealing the truth about the death of Kemal Pamuk. Lord Grantham is portrayed as being very paternal and caring, and ensuring the welfare of his staff. In the course of the series, he apologises to the butler for an outburst of temper and to his valet for his breakdown in tears over the loss of his unborn son. Hugh Bonneville has made his career primarily in television drama, including appearances in 'Peak Practice' (1994) and 'Doctor Who' (2011) among many others.
| Lord Grantham arranges for one of the Downton Abbey staff to undergo an operation for cataract problems. Which character is it? | 'Downton Abbey' (Series One)
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Mrs Patmore (cook). Mrs Patmore has various mishaps during the series, including mistaking salt for sugar (thus ruining the family's dessert) and dropping food and burning herself, until it is revealed that her sight is impaired by cataracts. The head housemaid, Anna, accompanies her to London, where she takes the opportunity to find out more about the background of the mysterious valet, Mr Bates, with whom she has fallen in love. Mrs Patmore is played by Lesley Nicol and Mrs Hughes by Phyllis Logan. Joanne Froggatt plays Anna and Tom Branson is acted by Allen Leech.
Solicitor. It comes as a shock to the Dowager, in particular, to find that a member of the family has to work for his living. Matthew's reference to the weekend meets with the response, 'What is a weekend?' During the course of the series, Matthew learns about the running of the estate and the responsibilities which come with the position, such as keeping others in employment. Matthew proposes marriage to Lady Mary, who delays her decision because of her guilty secret, until events cause the offer to be withdrawn. Dan Stevens plays the role of Matthew Crawley and Lady Mary Crawley is portrayed by Michelle Dockery.
| The household of Downton Abbey has several servants, among them being two footmen. The first footman is named Thomas, but what is the name of the second (junior) footman? | 'Downton Abbey' (Series One)
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William. Thomas is resentful that he has been passed over for promotion to valet, and takes many opportunities to belittle William, who is a much kinder character. Thomas and Sarah O'Brien, Lady Grantham's personal maid, spend much time plotting and evading additional work. Thomas is also revealed to be a thief, helping himself to wine from the cellars by taking the keys from the butler's room. William is attracted to Daisy, the kitchen maid, but Thomas, realising this, makes a play for her himself. Thomas is played by Rob James-Collier and William by Thomas Howes.
| In the third episode of the first series of 'Downton Abbey', the eldest daughter is faced with a problem when a male visitor to her room dies in her bed. The man is a diplomat from which country? | 'Downton Abbey' (Series One)
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Turkey. Kemal Pamuk has been brought to visit by the Honourable Evelyn Napier, a possible candidate to be Lady Mary's future husband. Her head is turned by the handsome Turk, who persuades the senior footman to take him to Mary's room, with disastrous consequences. The body is moved from her bedroom back to Pamuk's own with the help of one of the housemaids, Anna, and Lady Grantham, Mary's mother. Without their knowledge, they are seen by Daisy, the kitchen maid and Thomas, the footman, is also aware of the visit which means that the truth will become impossible to conceal. The role of Kemal Pamuk is played by Theo James.
| The role of Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham, in 'Downton Abbey' is played by which acting Dame of the British Empire? | 'Downton Abbey' (Series One)
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Maggie Smith. Maggie Smith, best known to younger filmgoers as Professor Minerva McGonagall in the 'Harry Potter' film series, portrays the widowed mother of the current Lord Grantham. She is very 'grand' and conscious of her status and frequently crosses swords with Mrs Isobel Crawley, who is perceived as interfering in matters that should be left to the aristocracy. Apart from 'Harry Potter', Maggie Smith has appeared in numerous films, including 'Gosford Park' (2001), 'The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie' (1969) and 'A Room With a View' (1985) as well as appearing frequently on the stage.
| The series was created by, and jointly written by, which aristocratic actor, who appeared in 'Tomorrow Never Dies' in 1997? | 'Downton Abbey' (Series One)
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Julian Fellowes. All of these actors are known for their aristocratic roles, but Fellowes is actually Baron Fellowes of West Stafford and sits in the House of Lords as a peer. As well as 'Downton Abbey', Fellowes has written the scripts for the films 'Gosford Park' (2001) and 'Young Victoria' (2009) among others and has also directed films. He has appeared as an actor in television series' as diverse as 'Monarch of the Glen' and 'Our Friends in the North' as well as publishing novels, including 'Snobs' in 2004.
| Several characters were taken ill in the last episode of series two of 'Downton Abbey'. What disease caused near havoc in the house? | 'Downton Abbey' (Series Two)
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Spanish Flu. The butler (Mr Carson), Lady Cora and Lavinia were all taken ill, as well as some of the (unnamed) maids. Cora was particularly ill, and was nursed devotedly by Miss O'Brien, who came close to confessing her role in the miscarriage suffered by her ladyship in the first series. Having led viewers to believe that she was on her deathbed, Cora made a full recovery as did Mr Carson, although his illness did give Thomas a chance to worm his way back into the household by managing matters and making himself indispensable. Lavinia, as already mentioned, did succumb. Spanish flu was rife in 1918 and had a high death rate, particularly among young adults, so to show Lavinia as the victim was historically correct.
| A badly disfigured soldier arrived Downton Abbey to recuperate, and claimed to be Patrick, the rightful heir. Who was the only member of the family to believe his story? | 'Downton Abbey' (Series Two)
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Edith. Patrick was the cousin believed to have drowned in the Titanic disaster which opened series one. The soldier had been living in Canada and claimed to have lost his memory before recovering his past life as a result of the trauma he has undergone. His face had been badly burned, so he was unrecognisable, but he did seem to know quite a lot about Downton and its inhabitants. Although he had been destined to marry Lady Mary, Edith had been in love with him and was only too willing to believe that Patrick has returned. He discharged himself from the hospital and disappeared, without the situation being resolved, but will (presumably) return at some point to complicate Matthew's inheritance.
Poisoning. The unpleasant Mrs Bates was found dead at home, having, it seemed, taken poison to end her own life. Unfortunately, Bates had visited her on the day of her death and, we find out, had previously bought the poison which killed her, so it looked ominous for his and Anna's future happiness. Although Anna and he did get married in the final episode, it ended in disaster as Bates was arrested for murder in the final moments of the broadcast. Since the death penalty was still in force at the time, his days could be numbered although we should not underestimate Anna's ingenuity and ability to find a way out.
Allen Leech. Branson had been in love with Lady Sibyl since Series One and spent much of Series Two trying to persuade her to marry him. Sibyl had worked as a nurse during the war and was frustrated at returning to her former way of life. Branson offered an escape from this and they eventually eloped only to be discovered and persuaded to return to Downton. In the final episode of the series Lord Grantham reluctantly gave his blessing to the pair, who were determined to go ahead with their plans (I expect it's destined to end in tears). Only Allen Leech was born in Ireland. Brendan Coyle played Bates and Kevin Doyle portrayed Molesley. Scottish actor Cal MacAninch made a brief appearance as Lord Grantham's replacement valet, who was suffering from 'shell shock' and left to clear the way for the return of Bates.
| Lady Mary's new romantic interest in series two of 'Downton' was Sir Richard Carlisle. He was a self made man who had acquired his fortune in which business? | 'Downton Abbey' (Series Two)
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Newspapers. Carlisle was a ruthless man, used to obtaining his own way. He did not really fit into the Downton world and had to learn the correct way of addressing the aristocracy. Mrs Bates' plan to expose Lady Mary's affair failed as Carlisle tricked her into signing a secrecy agreement (another modern twist), although Mary had to tell him the truth to allow this to happen. This left her vulnerable and in his power, and he did not hesitate to remind her of this and threaten her with the consequences should she try to break their engagement. Sir Richard was played by Ian Glen.
William Mason. William, the junior footman, was shown as being desperate to enlist, and eventually succeeded in doing so despite the Dowager Countess having done her best to prevent it. William sustained damage to his lungs while saving Matthew's life and was brought back to the Abbey to die. He attained his heart's desire by marrying kitchen maid, Daisy, despite her obvious reluctance, before succumbing to his injuries. Thomas managed to get himself shot in the hand, and sent home, early in the war. Molesley, Matthew's valet, managed to fake chest problems to avoid being conscripted and Branson, the chauffeur, was genuinely unfit for service.
| A new maid, named Ethel, was introduced at the beginning of 'Downton's' second series. How did she disgrace herself during this series? | 'Downton Abbey' (Series Two)
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She became pregnant out of wedlock. The Abbey was turned into a convalescent home for soldiers injured in the war, and Ethel became involved with Major Bryant, one of the officers. Following the discovery of her pregnancy, he disowned her and the housekeeper, Mrs Hughes, had helped by finding Ethel a home and providing food from the big house. The major was killed near the end of the war, leaving Ethel in an even worse situation, but she managed to show her son to his grandparents, who have visited Downton. Although initially dismissive, Mr Bryant senior (played by Kevin McNally, the real life husband of Phyllis Logan, who plays Mrs Hughes) eventually decided to take the child, but only if Ethel relinquished all claim to him. Lord Grantham did make advances to a maid but it was Jane, not Ethel, who was involved and it did not progress to a full blown affair. The theft was fictitious and it was Molesley who tasted the wines too enthusiastically before dinner.
Lavinia. Poor Lavinia. She was looked down on by the Dowager, who remarked
'I suppose looks aren't everything' and even by the staff, when Carson (the butler) couldn't find her family mentioned in Debrett's. Since she was the daughter of a solicitor and Matthew himself worked in the same business before being caught up in the war, she would undoubtedly have been a good match for him had he not been the heir to Downton Abbey. Lady Mary was still on the scene and still apparently in love with Matthew, despite having a new love interest of her own. Lavinia was played by Zoe Boyle in the series.
| The second series of 'Downton Abbey' began two years into the war, in 1916, and introduced the character of Vera Bates, the estranged wife of Lord Grantham's valet. Which actress, who also appeared in 'The Tudors', played the role? | 'Downton Abbey' (Series Two)
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Maria Doyle Kennedy. Bates was, of course, in love with Anna and wanted to obtain a divorce from his wife. Unfortunately, she had discovered the truth of Lady Mary's liaison with the Turkish diplomat from series one, and threatened to make this public. As a result, Bates felt that he had no option but to leave Downton with Vera, despite his true feelings. Mrs Bates accepted money from her husband to keep quiet, but still tried to sell her story to the press (a very modern twist), only to be thwarted. Maria Doyle Kennedy played the role of Katherine of Aragon in 'The Tudors' and also appeared in the film 'The Commitments' (1991). The other three actresses all portrayed wives to Jonathan Rhys Meyers' Henry VIII in 'The Tudors' television series.
| Doctor: 'I wish I was more familiar with the treatment.'
Who replied, 'Will that be your excuse when he dies?'? | 'Downton Abbey' Quote Quiz!
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Isobel. It was Isobel. When the Doctor was unsure about her remedy for treating a patient with Dropsy, she was very stubborn, and eventually saved the man's life with her own method.
Violet. When Violet was visiting Matthew, she almost fell off her chair, and Matthew announced that it was a 'swivel chair'. Violet asked if it was a modern invention, and Matthew replied, 'No, it was invented by Thomas Jefferson.' Violet then muttered, 'Everyday involves a fight with an American!'
| Who was Robert talking about when he said, 'She thinks that if you put a toy down, it'll still be sitting there when you want to play with it again."? | 'Downton Abbey' Quote Quiz!
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Mary. Robert said this when he was angry with Mary for ruining her chances with Matthew by flirting with another man. She did this because of a bet she had with Edith.
| Which two people said this?
'I'm afraid Edith will be the one taking care of us in our old age.'
'What a ghastly prospect!" | 'Downton Abbey' Quote Quiz!
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Cora and Robert. It was Robert and Cora, Edith's parents. It was said in season 1, episode 6.
Violet. It was Violet, Dowager Countess. This was said in season 2, episode 2.
Sybil. Sybil was annoyed that she was not working, and was wasting her life. So she said, "No one ever learned anything from a governess except for French, and how to curtsy!'
Anna. Anna was in love with Mr Bates, and she was sure that he returned the feelings, but was angry that he wouldn't say so. So she told him. 'I love you, Mr. Bates! And I know it's not ladylike to say so, but I'm not a lady and I don't pretend to be!'
Violet. When Matthew said that he'll have time for discussing the hierarchy at the weekend, when he's not working, Violet exclaimed 'What's a 'weekend?', as she is so high in the aristocracy chain, that no-one she knows has a job, therefore no weekends.
Mary. Mary said, "I hope you know that really smart people sleep in separate rooms." She said this to her parents when she was in their room whilst they were getting ready to sleep.
Robert Bathurst. Sir Anthony had been on the point of proposing to Edith at the end of Series One, until Mary interfered in revenge for Edith exposing her affair with the Turkish minister to the Embassy. Sir Anthony had been injured during the 1914-1918 war and lost the use of one arm. Because of this, and the age difference, he told Edith that he could no longer consider marriage, but Edith made it clear that she was not prepared to give up so easily. Robert Bathurst is probably best known for his role as David Marsden in 'Cold Feet', which ran on British television from 1998 until 2003. Iain Glen played Sir Richard Carlisle and Trevor White played Patrick Gordon in Series Two. David Robb played the role of the doctor.
Nigel Havers. Hepworth was penniless, a fact which Lady Violet was quick to establish, and was keen to marry Lady Rosamund for her money. Even though she was made aware of this, Rosamund told her mother that she was tired of being alone and was prepared to marry Hepworth despite his precarious financial situation. However, the housemaid, Anna, discovered that Hepworth and Lady Rosamund's maid were having a sexual affair, which she exposed. Rosamund could not now go ahead with marrying him, although she was not so much heartbroken as annoyed that Lady Violet had been proved right about his dishonourable intentions.
America. Lady Mary was suffering doubts about her engagement to Sir Richard, and it was suggested that she could visit his grandmother for a while. Since her mother, Lady Cora, was an American, this is where she decided to go. Anna, her maid, had agreed to go with her, but these plans fell through. Ireland was a red herring, as that was where Mary's sister, Sybil, was living. France and Switzerland were never mentioned.
Isis. Thomas the footman was keen to obtain promotion to the position of valet, but knew this was unlikely as Lord Grantham knew of his dishonesty (in Series One). He devised the plan of taking and hiding Isis, before being able to play the hero by finding her again. His plan did not go exactly as intended, as the dog was discovered by someone else while Thomas was searching for her when he realised she was no longer where he had left her. It did work out for him when Lord Grantham saw his return from the fruitless search and was impressed by his (apparent) loyalty. Isis was played by a dog named Ellie, from Series 2 onwards. The original dog from the first series, named Pharaoh and played by Roly, had to be replaced as he did not get on with the resident dogs at Highclere Castle where the series was filmed.
Lady Rosamund. Lady Rosamund Painswick is a widow, normally living in London. In the first series, she was instrumental in placing doubts in Mary's mind over marrying Matthew. She came to Downton for Christmas and New Year, bringing her maid, Marigold Shore, played by Sharon Small. Lady Rosamund is portrayed by Samantha Bond, who acted the role of Miss Moneypenny in the James Bond films between 1995 and 2002 when Pierce Brosnan was Bond.
Cricket. Cricket is, of course, the traditional English sport, and putting the team together provides opportunities to redeem both Thomas and Tom. Thomas has been the star player for the estate, and Robert is keen to retain his services, to the extent of turning away the police who had come to arrest Thomas for his illegal homosexual activities. Tom had initially refused to consider playing, but Robert agrees to consider Matthew and Tom's proposals for modernisation of the working practices on the estate on condition that Tom plays. The series ends with Robert and his two sons-in-law celebrating together on the sporting field.
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