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40 Inspector Morse Trivia Questions, Answers, and Fun Facts

How much do you know about Inspector Morse? This category is for trivia questions and answers related to Inspector Morse (Television). Each one is filled with fun facts and interesting information.
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1 In the first Morse episode, 'The Dead of Jericho', our eponymous hero is visiting the house of Anne Staveley, the person who eventually ends up as the first murder victim. What was his reason for visiting her?
Answer: A choral performance

Morse and Anne were both members of the same choir and he went to take her to a performance they were giving. When she doesn't answer the door he goes without her, only to return later when she is found hanging in her kitchen.
  From Quiz: 'Morse' Code
2 Who played Inspector Morse?
Answer: John Thaw

Manchester-born John Thaw played many roles during his TV career. After "Morse" he went onto another series, "Kavanagh QC". He was married to actress Sheila Hancock, and, sadly, he died in February, 2002, at the young age of 60.
  From Quiz: "Inspector Morse" - Who Played Who?
3 What is Morse's first name?
Answer: Endeavour

His parents were Quakers, and "Endeavour" was considered a suitable name for Quakers. Additionally, his father was obsessed with Captain Cook.
  From Quiz: "Inspector Morse"
4 Who composed all of the original music for 'Morse'?
Answer: Barrington Pheloung

Barrington Pheloung was born in Sydney, Australia, in 1954. He based the theme music around the morse code for Morse. He also incorporated other character's names into the music. Sometimes it was the name of the murderer, sometimes it was an innocent person. He has numerous film and TV scores to his credit, and is also a respected conductor, having led, amongst others, The Royal Philharmonic and the Saddlers Wells Royal Ballet Orchestras.
Although born in Australia, his surname is Huguenot in origin.
  From Quiz: 'Morse' Code
5 In the last few episodes, Morse fell seriously in love with Adele Cecil. Who played this love interest?
Answer: Judy Lowe

Judy Lowe is the actress; the other names are all characters in one episode of "Inspector Morse".
  From Quiz: "Inspector Morse" - Who Played Who?
6 What is the name of Morse's Superintendent?
Answer: Strange

He was played by the rotund James Grout, and always seemed torn between proper police protocol and indulging Morse.
  From Quiz: "Inspector Morse"
7 Who played Chief Superintendent Strange?
Answer: James Grout

Although mainly known for comedy roles, David Jason played 'Jack' Frost in "A Touch of Frost". John Nettles went from playing Jersey-based Jim Bergerac in "Bergerac" to Midsomer-based Tom Barnaby in "Midsomer Murders". Robbie Coltrane ('Hagrid' in the "Harry Potter" films) played Fitz, the pyschologist in "Cracker".
  From Quiz: "Inspector Morse" - Who Played Who?
8 How many episodes of the TV series were made?
Answer: 33

All timed for two-hour long episodes. They spanned a number of years and comparisons between the technology in early episodes and that in the later ones is fascinating.
  From Quiz: "Inspector Morse"
9 What was the name of the author of the 'Morse' books?
Answer: Colin Dexter

He was born Norman Colin Dexter on 29th September 1930 in Stamford, Lincolnshire. After he graduated from Cambridge in 1953 he began a career in teaching working in both Leicestershire and Northamptonshire. Because of the onset of deafness he left teaching and, in 1966, took up a post as Senior Assistant Secretary for the University of Oxford Delegacy of Local Examinations. He held this post until he retired in 1988.
  From Quiz: 'Morse' Code
10 Which character actor, more usually seen in light roles, played the repulsive Sir Clixby Bream?
Answer: Richard Briers

Richard Briers, perhaps best known for the role of Tom Good in "The Good Life" played the reptilian Master of Lonsdale College, in the episode called "Death is now my neighbour". Mark McGann is one of a famous family of actors. Tom O'Connor is a Liverpool-born comedian while Tom Baker most famously played one of the many incarnations of "Doctor Who".
    Your options: [ Tom Baker ] [ Mark McGann ] [ Richard Briers ] [ Tom O'Connor ]
  From Quiz: "Inspector Morse" - Who Played Who?
11 What was Morse's nickname while at university?
Answer: Pagan

He was known as "Pagan" due to his distaste for all things religious. Sergeant Lewis had much amusement when he learnt this nickname.
  From Quiz: "Inspector Morse"
12 Who played Sergeant Lewis?
Answer: Kevin Whatley

Kevin Whatley, Jimmy Nail, Pat Roache and Tim Healey all acted together in the successful and amusing series "Auf Weidersehen, Pet".
  From Quiz: "Inspector Morse" - Who Played Who?
13 Morse had an assistant, Detective Sergeant Lewis. Most of the time Morse only uses Lewis's surname. There are occasions though when he calls him by a familiar version of his first name. What does he call him?
Answer: Robbie

The Detective Sergeant Robert 'Robbie' Lewis that we see on the TV screen is a slightly different character to the original one in the books. Dexter originally wrote him as a 60 year old Welshman and grandfather, not as the young Geordie we came to know. There were other changes from the books as well, including Morse's beloved red MkII Jaguar. It was originally written as a Lancia.
  From Quiz: 'Morse' Code
14 Which actor, who once played 'The Doctor' in TV's "Doctor Who", played the lecherous voyeur George Jackson in the very first episode of "Inspector Morse"?
Answer: Patrick Troughton

The very first episode of "Inspector Morse" was entitled "The Dead of Jericho" and saw Morse's love interest, Anne Staveley (played by Gemma Jones), being found dead.
    Your options: [ Peter Davidson ] [ Colin Baker ] [ Patrick Troughton ] [ William Hartnell ]
  From Quiz: "Inspector Morse" - Who Played Who?
15 From what illness did Morse suffer?
Answer: Diabetes

His drinking only exacerbated the diabetes. He began to 'adjust' his blood sugar readings for the hospital in order to conceal the truth.
  From Quiz: "Inspector Morse"
16 In the episode of 'Morse' called 'Deceived By Flight', Lewis goes undercover to help solve a murder. What position did he take up?
Answer: College porter

This episode revolves around the death of a member of The Clarets cricket team and Lewis goes undercover as a college porter so he can replace the dead man on the team. In the story Lewis himself is injured by being hit over the back of the head with a cricket bat. It turned out that it wasn't only murder that was involved. One of the team was a drug smuggler and used the teams overseas tours as a cover for his illegal activity. The actor who portrayed Lewis, Kevin Whately, has said this is his favourite of all 33 shows because he featured so heavily in it.
  From Quiz: 'Morse' Code
17 Which actor, who once played a Dutch detective on TV, played 'The Master of Beaumont College' in the episode entitled "The Last Enemy"?
Answer: Barry Foster

Barry Foster played Dutch detective Van Der Valk in the quirky TV series of that name.
    Your options: [ William Roache ] [ Simon Callow ] [ Barry Foster ] [ Derek Fowlds ]
  From Quiz: "Inspector Morse" - Who Played Who?
18 Which author created the character of Inspector Morse?
Answer: Colin Dexter

Dexter makes a walk-on appearance in almost every episode, although he never speaks.
    Your options: [ Colin Dexter ] [ Val McDermid ] [ Agatha Christie ] [ John Connolly ]
  From Quiz: "Inspector Morse"
19 Which lugubrious actor played Matthew Copley-Barnes, The Master of Beaufort College, in the episode called "The Infernal Serpent"?
Answer: Geoffrey Palmer

Geoffrey Palmer has one of those faces for which "lugubrious" is the ideal word!
    Your options: [ Michael Sheen ] [ Ronnie Barker ] [ Geoffrey Palmer ] [ David Threlfall ]
  From Quiz: "Inspector Morse" - Who Played Who?
20 What is Morse's favourite drink?
Answer: Beer

Morse says "he thinks better" over a pint. This is a cause of some friction with colleagues and superiors, particularly when he never seems to have the cash on him to buy the next round.
  From Quiz: "Inspector Morse"
21 Which actor, writer, and producer played Charles Radford, the retired head of the Radford brewery firm, in the episode "the Sins of the Fathers"?
Answer: Lionel Jeffries

Jeffries played the eccentric grandfather in the film of "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" as well as directing the delightful children's film "The Railway Children".
    Your options: [ Dennis Waterman ] [ Stephen Fry ] [ Lionel Jeffries ] [ Ben Elton ]
  From Quiz: "Inspector Morse" - Who Played Who?
22 Which police force does Morse work for?
Answer: Thames Valley

Although based in Oxford, he actually works for Thames Valley. Once or twice he is seen following up a lead in London.
    Your options: [ Thames Valley ] [ The Met ] [ Oxford ] [ Greater London ]
  From Quiz: "Inspector Morse"
23 The final episode of 'Morse' was aired on November 15, 2000. It was called 'The Remorseful Day'. It is in this episode that we say our final goodbye to Morse. He had been away on sick leave and had only just returned to work. How did the series end?
Answer: Heart attack

In 'The Remorseful Day', Morse returned to work after a period of illness. This was seen during the previous episode, 'The Wench Is Dead', in which we see him in hospital. Morse never looked after his health. It was alluded to several times during the run of the shows. The last episode saw Lewis, awaiting promotion to Inspector, leading an investigation into a year old death. Morse, in his typical way, takes over. During the investigation Morse suffers a heart attack. The final, poignant scene, shows Lewis visiting the body of his friend and mentor and kissing him on the forehead. The last words heard are Lewis saying " Goodbye Sir ". Further scenes were filmed but were deemed unnecessary.
  From Quiz: 'Morse' Code
24 Which "Star Wars" actor played Morse's arch-enemy Hugo De Vries?
Answer: Ian McDiarmid

Ian McDiarmid played Chancellor (later Emperor) Palpatine in the "Star Wars" films. He is also an accomplished stage actor and director.
    Your options: [ Liam Neeson ] [ Harrison Ford ] [ Ian McDiarmid ] [ Ewan MacGregor ]
  From Quiz: "Inspector Morse" - Who Played Who?
25 What kind of car does Morse drive?
Answer: Jaguar

A vintage red Jaguar Mk II, registration 248 RPA. It is damaged in at least three episodes. It was bought for the series for £1,000 and sold at auction after the final episode for over £20,000
  From Quiz: "Inspector Morse"
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