Tuesday, July 28, 2009

James Roberston Justice quiz: The winner

I had hoped to report the draw live from the Bonkers Arms again, but it turned out that it had already been booked by the local branch of the L. T. Hobhouse Appreciation Society. So we shall make do with posting the answers and the winner here.

Thank you to everyone who entered. First the answers.

You were asked to identify five films in which James Robertson Justice (JRJ) appeared:

1. A story of British heroism with a celebrated score by Ralph Vaughan Williams.

Scott of the Antarctic

2. In this Ealing Comedy JRJ, spoke the great line: "It's a well-known medical fact that some men are born two drinks below par."

Whisky Galore!

3. This lesser-known Ealing Comedy starred a small boy called William Fox who grew up to be James Fox - and Billie Piper's father in law. (JRJ appeared under the pseudonym Seamus Mòr na Feusag.)

The Magnet

4. In this film JRJ asked "You - what's the bleeding time" and Dirk Bogarde replied "Ten past ten, sir."

Doctor in the House

5. A classic family musical that also featured Stanley Unwin, Max Wall and Benny Hill.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Most people got them right, though a couple insisted on squeezing The Guns of Navarone in somewhere.

The only obscure film among the five is The Magnet, one of the less celebrated Ealing comedies. You can watch the whole film on this website. It all seems rather twee now, but there are some fascinating shots of Liverpool and New Brighton in 1950.

James Robertson Justice makes a brief appearance early on as a tramp. He appeared as Seamus Mòr na Feusag (Big James with the beard) because he was a Labour candidate for North Angus and Mearns in the 1950 general election.

And now for the winner...

Robin Young

Congratulations to him and commiserations to everyone else who entered.

The good news is that I already have the prizes for my next quiz...

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