Jesters in Entertainment Trivia Quiz

Answer: Yorick

Hamlet discovers the skull of the Jester, Yorick, and turns to his friend and ally Horatio and remarks "Alas poor Yorick, I knew him Horatio".

Answer: American Pie

The lyric is from Don McLean's 1971 hit "American Pie" which topped the charts at number 1 for four weeks. The song was inspired by the death of Buddy Holly.

Answer: None of the above

The Jester's name is never given in "King Lear". The Jester follows the King around pointing out his folly, until Lear understands and the Jester is no longer needed. The Jester than just disappears from the story. Feste is the Fool in Shakespeare's "The Twelfth Night". Touchstone is from Shakespeare's "As You Like It". Mr. Murdstone is a character from Charles Dickens' novel "David Copperfield".

Answer: Woody Allen

Allen was featured as a Jester in a segment entitled "Do Aphrodisiacs Work"? He has his eye on the Queen, (played by Lynn Redgrave) who is watched very closely by a jealous King (Anthony Quayle). The film also featured John Carradine and Gene Wilder and was very loosely based on the book by Dr. David Reuben, "Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex".

Answer: Danny Kaye

Danny Kaye starred as Hubert Hawkins, a performer and revolutionary in the 1956 comedy. He poses as the Court Jester, 'Giacomo,' (taking the place of the real Jester played by John Carradine) to gain access to the castle and help restore the rightful King to his throne.

Answer: Touchstone

Touchstone added a bit of verbal wit to Shakespeare's play.

Answer: The Prince and the Pauper

"Crossed Swords" is based on Mark Twain's famous novel "The Prince and the Pauper". The story revolves around the two young lads, the Prince and young Tom (the pauper), who resemble each other so much that it is difficult to tell them apart. Just for a lark, the Prince decides to change places with the pauper for a day. Problems arise when he is unable to change back.

The movie starred Mark Lester (famous for his role as 'Oliver' Twist in the 1968 musical) and Oliver Reed (Who also appeared in "Oliver"!) "The Prince and the Pauper" was also a 1938 film starring Errol Flynn and Bobby and Billy Mauch.

Answer: Rigoletto

Rigoletto is the title charcter in an opera by Giuseppe Verdi. The opera is set in 16th century Mantua. Rigoletto is the Jester for the court of the Duke of Mantua, who is a ladies man. The Duke falls for a young woman named Gilda, who is Rigoletto's daughter. Problems ensue when the Duke sees Rigoletto and Gilda together and believes that they are a couple.

Answer: Bung

"The Wizard of Id", written by Johnny Hart and Brant Parker, debuted in 1964. The National Cartoonists' Society has awarded it plaques for the year's best humor strip in 1971, 1976, 1980, 1982, and 1983 and Hart and Brant have both won a Reuben award for outstanding cartoonist of the year (Hart in 1968, Parker in 1984). Among the chararcters of the strip are a tyrannical short King, Sir Rodney, a cowardly Knight and the drunken court Jester, Bung.

Answer: Jack Point

Bunthorne is a character from the opera "Patience". Yum-Yum is from "The Mikado", and Strephon is a character in "Iolanthe". All three operas are by Sir William Schwenk Gilbert (1836-1911) and Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan (1842-1900).