Bad Boys Trivia Quiz

Answer: Spike

Spike is played by James Marsters and makes his first appearance in the episode "School Hard". His first lines are in response to a vampire who claims to have been present at the crucifixion - "You were there? Oh please! If every vampire who said he was at the crucifixion was actually there it would have been like Woodstock". I knew then that he was going to become one of my favourites.

Despite their dreadful "English" accents, he and the delightfully demented Druscilla certainly livened up the show and provided a welcome contrast to the doom and gloom that characterised a good part of the second series.

Answer: Keith Richards

The producers chose wisely! It is fairly well known that Johnny Depp drew on Keith Richards for many of the Jack Sparrow characteristics. However, it is not quite so well known that he also drew on the character of cartoon skunk Pepe le Pew for Jack's romantic side!

Keith Richards made an appearance as Jack Sparrow's father in "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End".

Answer: Conman

James "Sawyer" Ford is played by Josh Holloway. Sawyer's childhood was shattered when his mother had an affair with a conman, losing all the family money in the process. Sawyer's father shot his errant wife and then himself. When he was nineteen, Sawyer found himself owing money to some shady characters, and turned to conning pretty women out of their money. Sawyer is always ready with a sarcastically witty remark and rarely calls people by their given names, preferring to give them nicknames.

Although he has served prison time for his conman activities and is certainly on the wrong side of the law, there has been no suggestion of him being involved in any of the other choices mentioned.

Answer: Warren Beatty

As well as starring in the film, Warren Beatty was also the producer. Warner Brothers were the distributors and initially did not have much faith in the film being a success. On this basis, they offered Warren Beatty 40% of the gross profit instead of a fee. The film then went on to earn in excess of over fifty million dollars!

In real life, Clyde Barrow was a long term criminal. It is likely that he shot at least ten people personally and the Barrow gang were responsible for the deaths of nine law enforcement officers. There is no evidence that Bonnie Parker ever shot anyone. However, as a surviving member of the gang, W D Jones, said in an interview "She was one hell of a loader".

Answer: Thomas Hughes

Flashman first appeared as the school bully in the novel "Tom Brown's Schooldays", published in 1857. George McDonald Fraser's "Flashman" novels are based on the supposed memoirs of the old villain, allegedly discovered in a Leicestershire sale room in 1965. The books are written complete with footnotes and references and are meticulously researched. Although McDonald Fraser didn't intend to deceive anyone, the fiction that these are the memoirs of a real person was so convincing that when the first novel was published in the US, several reviewers actually believed it to be a real memoir!

Flashman freely admits to being a bully, a liar and a coward. He treats women and his perceived inferiors abominably. He has few redeeming features, apart from self-knowledge and a complete lack of hypocrisy, at least in his memoirs. His adventures lead him to take part in some of the most notable events of the nineteenth century, including The Charge of the Light Brigade, The Indian Mutiny, the raid on Harper's Ferry, The Battle of Little Big Horn and the Boxer Rebellion.

The sad death of George McDonald Fraser in January 2008 means that Flashman's role in the American Civil War will never be revealed, unless of course there are a packet of papers among Mr McDonald Fraser's effects!

Answer: The Dead Zone

In "The Dead Zone" (1983) Walken plays the part of Johnny Smith, a man who wakes from a five year coma to find he has psychic powers. Although he attempts to assassinate an aspiring politician, he believes he is acting for the greater good after "seeing" the politician initiate nuclear war in the future.

He played the villainous Max Zorrin in "A View to a Kill", the Headless Horseman in "Sleepy Hollow" and Max Shreck in "Batman Returns".

Answer: Johnny Depp

Apparently, Johnny turned down this role, as well as the role of Jack Traven in "Speed" as he didn't want to be involved in blockbuster movies, preferring slightly more off-beat roles. That particular ploy seems to have failed rather spectacularly in recent years!

Anne Rice, the author of "Interview with the Vampire", was initially not happy with the choice of Tom Cruise for the part of Lestat. However, she changed her mind after seeing the film. Although Tom Cruise is not one of my favourites, his wicked Lestat did bring some welcome relief to the somewhat dreary character of Louis, played by Brad Pitt.

Answer: The Sheriff of Nottingham ("Robin Hood Prince of Thieves", 1991)

Alan is a gifted actor with many stage and screen roles to his credit. He does seem to have a gift for playing the villain though. Several of his scenes from "Robin Hood" were cut as he was considered to be a much more entertaining character than Kevin Costner's Robin Hood.

Answer: Anjelica Huston

Jack Nicholson co-starred with Anjelica Houston in "Prizzi's Honor". They also had a sixteen year relationship in real life. The affair ended when it was revealed that waitress Rebecca Broussard had become pregnant by Jack. He is an actor who seems to live the "bad boy" role, as well as playing them!

Answer: James Marsters (Spike from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer")

Captain Jack Harkness is played in fine style by John Barrowman. The character first appeared as a time-travelling conman in Dr Who. After accidentally releasing a plague (could happen to anyone) he saved the day by volunteering to sacrifice himself in order to detonate a bomb. Fortunately, the BBC had the sense not to kill off such a charismatic character and he was saved.

James Marsters played Captain John Hart, a sometime associate and ex-lover of Captain Jack. He was still in "bad boy" character. Unfortunately, in my opinion it would take all of our bad boys to liven up what has turned out to be a very disappointing series!