QUIZTIME QUIZZES

1. Which word, associated with Christmas comes from a Greek word meaning ‘we can act anything’?
Pantomime
2. What is odd about the principal boy and the dame in a pantomime?
They’re both played by a member of the opposite sex
3. In the Pantomime ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’, Jack receives beans in exchange for what?
His Mother’s Cow - mother called Dame Trott
4. Which Pantomime features the character Maid Marion?
Babes in the Wood
5. Its name will ring a bell with members of the legal profession; in 1716 which London theatre put on England’s first pantomime ?
Lincoln’s Inn (Theatre)
6. In the pantomime Aladdin what was the name of Aladdin’s brother?
Wishy Washy
7. Dressed as which pantomime villain did Leslie Grantham, allegedly, indulge in sex play on his webcam in 2004?
Captain Hook - Amanda, the 23-year-old blonde with whom Leslie Grantham played online sex games was known as The Halo Polisher!
8. In traditional pantomime who is the sweetheart of Harlequin?
Columbine
9. In which Christmas pantomime does buttons appear?
Cinderella
10. Which pantomime character marries Alice Fitzwarren?
Dick Whittington
11. Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, Sinbad The Sailor and Aladdin all derive from which collection of Middle East tales?
The Arabian Nights
12. In the original pantomimes, what were breeches roles?
Male roles played by women
13. What is the name of the father of Cinderella and The Ugly Sisters?
Baron Hardup
14. Which wooden bat, originally used as a prop by the character Harlequin, came to give its name for a type of comedy used in pantomime?
Slap Stick
15. Which famous clown pioneered the use of pantomime dames during the 19th century?
Joseph Grimaldi
16. Charles Perrault wrote whose book of Fairy Tales which included Puss In Boots, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Red Riding Hood?
Mother Goose’s
17. Fe Fi Fo Fum I smell the blood of an Englishman is a classic line from which pantomime?
Jack & the Beanstalk
18. In which Pantomime does Idle Jack appear?
Dick Whittington
19. Which two pantomimes did Cliff Richard record soundtracks of in the 60s?
Aladdin and Cinderella
20. The last lines of a pantomime have two traditions associated with them - name either?
They should be in rhyming couplets and they should never be spoken in rehearsal

21. Which traditional pantomime features a character called Dandini?
Cinderella
22. What is the name of the cow in the pantomime Jack and the Beanstalk?
Old Buttercup
23. What name is given to the leading male role in a pantomime, usually played by a woman?
Principal Boy
24. Which pantomime contains the goose that lays the golden egg?
Jack & the Beanstalk
25. Medieval English Christmas pantomimes did not include which character - St. Nicholas, The Bold Slasher, Father Christmas or The Turkish Knight?
St. Nicholas - In Medieval England, Nicholas was just another saint - he had not yet metamorphosed into Santa Claus and had nothing to do with Christmas
26. In pantomime, what is Aladdins surname?
Twankey (his mother was widow Twankey)
27. In Pantomime, who is Princess Marcella?
Sleeping Beauty
28. Which Pantomime character slaps his thigh every time he speaks his name?
Dick Whittington
29. What does Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother turn into a coach?
A Pumpkin
30. Who eat the Gingerbread House?
Hansel and Gretel
31. In pantomime who was the son of mustafa a poor tailor of China?
Aladdin
32. What told Dick Whittington to ‘turn again’?
The Bells of London
33. Who took the Babes into the Wood?
Their Father
34. What is the occupation of the Seven Dwarfs who befriend Snow White?
Miners
35. In which pantomime would you meet a ticking crocodile?
Peter Pan
36. Which pantomime character shares their name with a brand of children’s confectionary?
Buttons
37. In which pantomime would you find King Rat?
Dick Whittington
38. Does the Fairy Godmother come on stage right or stage left?
Stage right
39. Which is the most popular Pantomime?
Cinderella
40. In which year was the first pantomime produced in Britain?
1717
- In which year did Frank Bruno retire after losing to Mike Tyson leaving him plenty of time for Panto?
1996

Pantomime   
  First published in 1697 by Charles Perrault, though can be traced back to 9th century China. Disney included a dress-making mouse called Gus. The ‘pantoufles’ are probably mis-translated, but to get married you still have to put your foot in it.
Cinderella
  First written has a pantomime by Charles Dibdin in 1803. Charles Dickens is reputed to have said "I should have known perfect bliss" if he had been able to marry the heroine. In different versions Dickens’ bride-to-be has been eaten, saved, rescued and escaped - sometimes even her elderly relative gets away too.
Little Red Riding Hood
  James was born May 9, 1860 in Kirriemuir, Scotland. When James was only six years old, his older brother David (their mother’s favourite son) died. James spent the rest of his childhood trying to replace his brother for his mourning mother. This attempt to replace a forever-young David would influence the rest of James’s adult life and his writing. Before it was a play, this story was a small story in a 1902 book called The Little White Bird. In 1906, the section that originated this tale was published separately as a book called "<title character> in Kensington Gardens".  
Peter Pan
  Although the most famous version of the tale today is Disney’s classic animated film, the tale has existed in many versions for many centuries - the Grimms collected the tale from two sisters but it had also appeared with little variation from Ireland to Asia Minor to Central Africa. Disney actually resurrected some of the more gruesome aspects of the tale which had been edited out in previous versions intended for children, especially the queen’s demand the heart be delivered to her as proof of the child’s death. Some would say the Disney version is a miner classic!
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
  The first literary version of the tale appeared in 1734 as a story about a young ne’er-do-well horticulturalist with lofty aspirations called Jack Spriggins. Hi smother was less than pleased with his bovine bartering, however.
Jack and the Beanstalk

1. Name the Christmas song that includes the lyrics … ’You better watch out, you better not cry, better not pout, I’m telling you why’?
Santa Claus is coming to town
(Cryptic - Expectation of arrival to populated area by mythical, masculine, perennial gift-giver)
2. Which of Santa’s reindeer shares its name with a high street store?
Comet
3. In which year did James Edgar become the worlds first store Santa Claus - 1890, 1895 or 1901?
1890
4. What do Santa’s elves have on the end of their shoes?
Bells
5. Which film’s plot concerns a nice old man who claims to be Santa Claus. He is institutionalised as insane and a young lawyer decides to defend him by arguing in court that he is the real thing?
Miracle on 34th Street
6. True or False - The name Santa Claus is derived from the Dutch language?
True
7. In Raymond Briggs’ story “The Snowman”, what is the name of the little boy whom the snowman takes to Santa Claus’s party?
James
8. In ‘Frosty The Snowman’ who brought Frosty back to life?
Santa Claus
9. In which European country does Santa Claus have a female counterpart known as Befana, Holland, Austria or Italy?
Italy
10. If Santa puts his finger on the side of his nose, and nods his head, what is he about to do?
He is about to go back up the chimney
11. Which actor played an Elf called patch in “Santa Claus The Movie”?
Dudley Moore
12. On Christmas Eve, which American government agency tracks Santa’s sleigh?
NORAD
13. Not including Rudolph, how many reindeer pull Santa’s sleigh?
Eight - Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen
14. What is the capital of Tenerife and is also the name of a city in California?
Santa Cruz
15. True or False - Santa Clause works in lots of countries delivering presents but in Syria ‘A Wise mans Camel’ does the job?
True
16. Santa Barbara is located in which US State?
California
17. In Sweden, reindeer do not pull Santa’s sleigh. Which animals do, huskies, goats, or horses?
Goats (In Finland Santa leaves his sleigh behind and rides on a goat named Ukko - Ukko is made of straw!)
18. Which seasonal kiddy attraction in the Finnish town of Rovaniemi receives a £125,000 EU grant?
Santa’s Grotto
19. Are Santa’s reindeer male or female?
Female – Males lose their antlers in December / Vixen is supposed to be the only female
20. Family Fortunes Question - Top Answer Required - Real or Fictional, name a famous bearded man?
Santa Claus / Richard Branson / Noel Edmonds / Rolf Harris / David Bellamy

21. Where was I when I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus?
On the stairs - Mommy was under the mistletoe!
22. What is the Capital of ‘The Dominican Republic’?
Santa Domingo
23. Christians in China call Santa Claus Dun Che Lao Ren, which means, A) Christmas old man, B) Winter festival spirit, C) Firecracker red suit or D) Revered father white beard?
A) Christmas old man
24. Three ships were led by Christopher Columbus in his search for a new Asia in 1492, the Nina, the Pinta were two, what was the name of the third ship?
Santa Maria
25. Who had a minor hit in 1986 with the song "Santa Claus Is On The Dole"?
Spitting Image
26. Gwizador is which European countries equivalent of Santa Claus – Hungary, Poland or Denmark?
Poland
27. Which actor turned into Santa in the film ‘The Santa Claus’?
Tim Allen
28. Bells Nichols is Santa Claus’s brother in which European country - France, Switzerland or Holland?
France
29. What name is California’s Santa Clara County, the centre of the US Computer Industry, more commonly called?
Silicon Valley
30. What great work of art did Leonardo Da Vinci paint on the refectory wall for the dominican monks of Santa Marie Delle Grazie?
The Last Supper (In Milan)
31. Father Frost or an old woman called Nabushka is which countries equivalents of Santa Claus?
Russia
32. What is the capital of the American State New Mexico?
Santa Fe
33. One point each - what seasonal names do the dog and cat have in ‘The Simpson’s’?
Santa’s Little Helper and Snowball
34. Kriss Kringle is which European countries equivalent of our Santa Claus?
Germany - "Christkindl" evolved into Kriss Kringle
35. True or False - In Minnesota its illegal for a woman to be dressed as Santa Clause in the street?
True - woman can get 30 days jail for impersonating Santa Claus
36. Which famous company claims that the red and white suit worn by modern day Santa Claus was originally based on an idea from them?
Coca-Cola - before Santa was always pictured wearing flowing multi-coloured robes - or traditionally green
37. Which sport holds its main British events at Santa Pod?
Drag Racing
38. In which Californian coastal town can you find the legendary ‘Muscle Beach’?
Santa Monica
39. Which famous young actress said "I stopped believing in Santa Claus when I was six. My mother took me to see him in a department store and he asked for my autograph"?
Shirley Temple
40. What is the only anagram of the word Santa?
Satan
Tiebreaker - How many towns in the USA are called Santa Claus?
Allegedly there are 11 towns called Santa Claus across 8 states
Merry Christmas!

1. Olivia Newton John was the UK’s representative in the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest, she was beaten by which Song / Artist?
Waterloo / Abba
2. What was outlawed in 1439 to halt the spread of the plague?
Kissing
3. Which actor starred in 112 films including ‘The story of G.I. Joe’ for which he was nominated for an Oscar and ‘River of No Return’ when he starred opposite Marilyn Monroe?
Robert Mitchum
4. GREECE HOG MAIL is an anagram of which singer?
George Michael
5. If a dish is described as ‘Mornay’ what is it served with?
A Cheese Sauce
6. What colour is the roof of World Champion Stock Car Drivers?
Gold
7. Who was the first solo teenager to top the British Pop Charts?
Paul Anka
8. What is the usual main meat ingredient of ‘Shish Kebab’?
Lamb
9. Which Central American country’s name means ‘The Saviour’?
El Salvador
10. What kind of skins does a Fellmonger deal in?
Sheep Skins
11. Which fruit’s varieties include ‘Tonto’ and ‘Sweetheart’?
Strawberry
12. What is a Springbok doing if it is Pronking?
Bouncing up and down
13. What could you first dial on 1st July 1937?
999
14. What do Scotsmen hope to get on their Limerick or O’Shaughnessy?
A Fish
15. Which major tourist attraction stands close to the Campo Santo Cemetery?
Leaning Tower of Pisa
16. Which is Europe’s most densely forested country?
Finland
17. Which American country can offer a 47 miles coach ride from the Atlantic to the Pacific?
Panama
18. Which bank is on your left if you are swimming upstream?
Right Bank
19. In which country are Non-Austrian Tyroleans born?
Italy
20. What do Notaphiles collect?
Bank Notes

21. In January 1911, what did Eugene Ely become the first man to land a plane on?
A Ship
22. What animal must stand at least 17 hands tall to meet the breed standard?
Shire Horse
23. What is the most popular street name in the USA, 1st street, 2nd street, Elm street or Independence street?
2nd Street
24. What was the first ever sport to be broadcast on BBC television?
Boxing - a training demo
25. Which came first Blackpool Tower or Blackpool Illuminations?
Illuminations 1879 / Tower 1894
26. Which country has a Caribbean and a Pacific coast, is the only country without an army and its national symbol is an oxcart?
Costa Rica
27. Which famous British singer was once billed as Tommy Scott the Twisting Vocalist?
Tom Jones
28. What was the Squadron number of the Dambusters?
617 Squadron
29. Which British port had the World’s first radar station?
Liverpool
30. What was the name of Quint’s boat in the film Jaws?
Orca
31. Which country has had two King Carols?
Romania
32. Why have there never been any photographs of an Australian Willy-Willy?
It is a Wind
33. Which leg is below his right arm if you study a left handed violinist in a mirror?
Right!
34. In which motel was Marion Crane stabbed to death?
Bate’s Motel
35. Which vegetable yields the most pounds per acre?
Cabbage
36. When does the Chattanooga Choo Choo leave Pennsylvania Station?
A Quarter to Five
37. Which river is closest to the grave of Pocohontas?
The Thames
38. What is the official language of Bangladesh?
Bengali
39. Who was the first British Prime Minister to fly supersonic on Concorde?
James Callaghan
40. What date is St. Patrick’s Day in a leap year?
March 17th

TIE-BREAKER - How many muscles are there in the human body?
700

1. What sort of creature is a Painted Lady?
Butterfly
2. If you were Lapidated, what would happen to you?
You would be stoned to death
3. What do the initials C.G. stand for on an Ordnance Survey Map?
Coast Guard Station
4. In which Cathedral is the tomb of King John?
Worcester
5. In which organ of the body is the Aqueous Humour found?
The Eye
6. Which sport begins in front of the south stake?
Croquet
7. What is your hobby if you use a Bungey Launch?
Gliding
8. What is the most common use for a Sea Cucumber?
A Loofah
9. In which sport would you find a Shotgun, a Bomb, a Blitz and a Tight End?
American Football
10. In which war did the Battle of Inkerman take place?
Crimean
11. Within a dartboard spider, how many sections are there?
82
12. In which American state is the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes?
Alaska
13. How do male moths find female moths in the dark?
By Smell
14. If you planted a Banderilla, what would you be doing?
Bullfighting
15. What kind of man would be in danger of swallowing his Swazzle?
Punch & Judy Man
16. Welsh, Berkshire, Hampshire and Gloucester Old Spot are all breeds of which kind of animal?
Pigs
17. What single letter of graffiti did Donna Diego De La Vega scratch on walls?
Z for Zorro
18. Which enviromental group has the greatest amount of members in the UK?
National Trust
19. If you were indulging in Vaccimulgence, what would you be doing?
Milking a Cow
20. For how long are Dogs pregnant?
Dogs tend not to become pregnant! - but Bitches do…

21. Which Comic was published first, the Dandy or the Beano?
Dandy - 1937 / Beano - 1938
22. Which city in the world has the largest Taxi fleet?
Mexico City
23. If in World War I, you went by I.C.C.B, how did you travel?
By Camel - Imperial Camel Corp Brigade
24. ‘Harlequin Executed’ performed in 1717, was the first English what?
Pantomime
25. ‘Tartan Khan’, ‘Tico’ and ‘I’m Slippy’ have all won which famous race?
Greyhound Derby
26. What is the Swedish name for Finland?
Finland! - The Fins call it Soumi
27. In a mediaeval suit of armour, which part of the body was covered by the Beaver?
Lower part of face / head
28. What do you need to play the games of Boss Out, Ring Taw and Bombers?
Marbles
29. What can travel to the far side of the world, yett stay in its own corner?
A Postage Stamp
30. What is the name of the schoolboy who turns into Bananaman?
Eric
31. What can lie on its back, eight feet up in the air?
A Spider
32. What ran between Sacramento in California and St. Joseph in Missouri, in the early 1860’s?
Pony Express
33. Which common British first name is France’s most common surname?
Martin
34. What name is given to individual frames from animated movies?
Cells
35. Which theme park has the greatest acreage of land to continue spreading over, Disneyworld or Disneyland?
Disneyworld
36. What went up in 1961 and didn’t come down until 1990?
Berlin Wall
37. Which row of a typewriter keyboard has the most vowels?
Top Row
38. What nationality are you if you are a citizen of the town of Condom?
French
39. ‘Bush-Bush’ are the last words of which song?
Down at the old Bull and Bush
40. What name is given to five of a kind in the game of Yahtzee?
Yahtzee!

TIE-BREAKER - How old was Roger Moore when he first played James Bond in ‘Live and Let Die’?
45

1. Which is the most common first name in the world?
Mohammed
2. What Astronomical Event was first seen on April 24th 1957?
First Broadcast of Sky at Night
3. What colour does a Chameleon become when its angry?
Black
4. Which contains the most sugar, a pound of Strawberries or a pound of Lemons?
Lemons
5. What is the longest horse race run during the English Flat Season?
The Grand National!
6. Which country produces the greatest variety of Sausages?
Germany
7. What did Gossamer I allow man to do for the first time?
Fly by his own power
8. Which British city is named after King Edwin of Northumbria?
Edinburgh
9. What is the commonest produce of insects eaten in the UK?
Honey
10. What was the name of the steam launch in C.S. Foresters’ The African Queen?
The African Queen
11. Which city is located where the Mississippi meets the Missouri river?
St. Louis
12. Which mountain is known as the meanest mountain on Earth?
Eiger
13. From which country does the Cocker Spaniel originate?
Spain
14. What do the languages of Arabic, Mandarin and Hebrew have in common?
Written right to left
15. Which car manufacturer has a prancing horse on a yellow shield as its emblem?
Ferrari
16. Which war saw the first combat between jet fighters?
Korean War - US F86 shot down Mig 15
17. Brian Deane of Sheffield United was the first to do what, in 1992, whilst they were playing Manchester United?
Score the first Premiership Goal
18. What important part did Copenhagen play in the Battle of Waterloo?
Wellington’s Horse
19. What cloth is produced from tangled moistened fibres of hair and wool, heated and rolled together?
Felt
20. What is the hobby of a Campanologist?
Bell Ringing

21. Which form of transport is said to have been invented in 1869 by an American Baptist Minister to transport his invalid wife around the streets of Yokohama?
Rickshaw
22. The name of which religion means ‘Surrender to the will of God’?
Islam
23. Persian and Turkish Knots are used in the production of what?
Carpets
24. Are there more Bones, Joints, Ligaments or Muscles in the Human foot?
Ligaments - 107
25. Which group, that have had hit records since 1965, took their name with a view to deliberately frustrate anyone trying to get information about them?
The Who
26. Which planet’s moons are all named after Shakespear characters?
Uranus
27. What name is given to a horse that measures less than 14.2 hands?
A Pony
28. Where would you find the Pyramids of Malpighi?
In your Kidneys
29. What costs 847 dollars and 63 cents when passed through the till at the supermarket checkout during the opening credits of The Simpsons?
Maggie
30. Which was the first Disney film to be based on the life of a real person?
Pocahontas
31. What was used for the first time on 11th May 1844, to send the message ‘What hath god wrought’ from Washington to Baltimore?
Morse Code
32. Which dairy Firm took its name from an imaginary Monk who was supposed to have lived by the River Yeo, which runs through Yeovil?
St. Ivel
33. What was the name of the Welsh driver in Ivor the Engine?
Jones the Steam
34. Which is furthest East, Southampton, Northampton or West Bromwich?
Northampton
35. Which country won every Karate World Championship from 1982 to 1990?
Great Britain
36. During which decade did Neon Advertising Signs make their first appearance?
1920’s
37. In which country do the main headstreams of the Amazon River rise?
Peru
38. ‘Wild Coast’ is a literal translation of which Meditteranean region?
Costa Brava
39. To be classed a Veteran, must a car date from before 1900, 1908 or 1918?
1918 – Vintage after that date
40. If an Australian described you as a ‘Spine Basher’ what would you be?
Lazy

TIE-BREAKER - China has the most International borders in the World, neighbouring how many countries?
16