Episode 61 Eggheads

DERMOT: These people are amongst the greatest quiz players in Britain.

Together they make up the Eggheads,

arguably the most formidable quiz team in the country.

Question is, can they be beaten?

Welcome to Eggheads, where five quiz challengers

take on possibly the greatest quiz team in Britain.

They've won some of the country's toughest quiz shows.

They are the Eggheads.

And taking on our quiz champions today are Us 4 Plus 1 from Coventry.

Four of the team are regular quizzers who ply their trade at the Green Club in Eastern Green.

However, on this occasion,

team captain Dave has recruited his rail-enthusiast friend Nigel

to not only complete the quintet but also to distract Chris.

Let's meet them.

Hello. I'm Dave.

I'm 55 and I'm a financial advisor.

Hello. I'm David.

I'm 57 and I'm an engineer.

Hello, I'm Nigel.

I'm 49 and I'm a retired musician.

Hi. I'm Dave. I'm 50 and I'm an area manager.

Hello. I'm Mike. I'm 54 and I'm a part-time security officer.

Welcome to you, Us 4 Plus 1.

But let's get this out of the way once and for all.

So you are rail enthusiasts. You, Dave C and Nigel.

That's right, Dermot. I met Nigel about eight years ago,

in a pub in Coventry.

And we found out that we had railways in common,

steam trains particularly,

which was a hobby that people used to do in the '50s and '60s,

called trainspotting then.

Are you allowed to say that word? Cos he always tells me off.

-It's not a word we use now.

-It's slightly derogatory.

You call someone obsessive a trainspotter.

It's an introduction to the hobby of rail enthusiasm.

And it's when you're young and don't have a camera,

the object is to see all the different engines.

So you just have paper and pencil and write down the numbers until you've seen them all.

And then gradually you progress to become a rail enthusiast.

-Right, Chris?

-That's exactly it, Nigel.

So. Let's move on from trains, then, because that's you two.

And the quizzing side. What's your tactics for today?

Well, we're gonna take out the main players.

Which includes Kevin.

-OK. Target Ashman.

-Yes.

OK. Here we go.

Every day £1,000 is up for grabs for our challengers.

If they don't win, the prize money rolls over to the next show.

So Us 4 Plus 1, the Eggheads have won the last six games,

which means £7,000 says you can't beat the Eggheads.

And our first head-to-head is Film & Television.

Who wants to play this?

I'd have a go at film, be nervous about TV.

-So you're OK with films?

-Yeah.

We're looking at Dave B here.

You said you'd take out the top players. Who do you want to play? They're all good.

-Kevin.

-Live dangerously.

Let's have Dave B and Kevin into the Question Room,

so you can't confer with your team-mates.

Dave, would you like to go first or second in this?

I'll go first, please.

OK, Dave.

Which character was found nearly dead in his armchair in the first episode of EastEnders in 1985?

I've actually watched EastEnders,

and it probably was about 15 to 20 years ago.

I don't think it was Ali,

cos he was in it for quite a while afterwards.

I actually believe it's Reg Cox.

It is Reg Cox! Well worked out, Dave. Got that very assuredly.

So, Kevin, your first question.

"How very dare you" is a catchphrase used by a character created by which comedy performer?

I'm not too sure because I don't really watch any of them very much.

Doesn't sound like Caroline Aherne.

Catherine Tate's got many characters of course.

It sounds more like Victoria Wood to me, but since I don't really watch any of them, I don't know it.

So I'm going to go for Victoria Wood. I'll have to.

OK. Who says it, Eggheads?

-Catherine Tate.

-Catherine Tate.

Caught out by a television question.

So, Us 4 Plus 1, if Dave gets the next two right, he's through.

Dave, which 2001 movie, starring Robert De Niro and Ed Norton,

was the last completed film of Marlon Brando's career?

HE EXHALES

I believe I've seen this. Um...

For some reason, Heist is coming to mind.

So I would go with Heist.

No, it's not!

It's The Score.

Oh!

OK. Kevin.

Which Oscar-nominated actress has been married to Christopher Lambert and Josh Brolin?

I think if it was... For some reason I don't think it's Laura Linney.

And I think if it was Julianne Moore...

..I'd be aware of it more.

I mean... Hmm.

I'm gonna have to go for Diane Lane.

-Diane Lane.

-Yeah.

And that's the correct answer.

Dave, chance for the lead for you.

Who won an Oscar for her role in the 1960 film Butterfield 8?

Right. I actually believe it was an Elizabeth Taylor film.

Elizabeth Taylor was actually in it.

I would go for Elizabeth Taylor.

You were sure about that from the start.

It's the right answer. Well done, Dave. Two to you.

In the lead. Gotta get this, Kevin.

Gil Favor, played by Eric Fleming,

was a central character in which American TV series?

Gil Favor, played by Eric Fleming.

Yeah. It's vintage Western series Rawhide.

He was the trail boss in that.

Gil Favor is in Rawhide. It's right, Kevin.

So we go to Sudden Death.

And that means, Dave, we remove those choices, as you know.

Dave, in which 2008 film did Aaron Eckhart play the role of Harvey Dent?

I'm not so good on recent films, so I need to think about this.

No, I am really struggling with this one.

Um, it would have to be... It is an absolute guess.

I'm not sure it's 2008. Would be the latest Batman film.

Batman Returns.

-Is that your answer?

-It is.

It is the latest Batman film, which is not Batman Returns.

-It is called...The Dark Knight.

-Bad luck, Dave.

Kevin has a chance to win despite his first question.

Kevin, Charles Bronson starred as Paul Kersey

in which series of films directed by Michael Winner?

Very left-wing series of films. Death Wish.

Correct, Kevin. You're through to the final round.

He clawed it back. Dave won't be playing in the final round.

Please come back and join your teams.

Us 4 Plus 1 are down to...well, Us 4. Lost one brain from the final round.

So far the Eggheads are all still there.

Our next subject is Music.

Now, I wonder who'd like to play this. Nigel?

-No?

-Um, Cook is brilliant at music.

-Really? Fancy it, Dave?

-I think I'll go for it. Yeah.

Which Egghead would you like to play?

Not Kevin. You wanted to knock him out. He's secure.

-Barry.

-OK. Right. You wanna play Barry?

Let's have Dave C and Barry into the Question Room.

Dave, would you like to go first or second?

I'll go first, please, Dermot.

OK, good luck, Dave. Here you go.

Good Vibrations was a 1966 UK number one hit single for which band?

Good Vibrations was a 1966 UK number one hit single for which band?

It was The Beach Boys. I'm sure it is.

Good Vibrations? Good start.

It's right. The Beach Boys.

Barry,

which singer had UK hits with Get The Party Started and Family Portrait?

Oh, dear.

I know the singers, I've just never heard of those tracks.

Well, I shall go for Kylie Minogue since she's been going the longest,

so she might have done the two.

-Whiff of grasping at straws there.

-Just a little.

And not correct. Following Kevin.

It's Pink.

Pink - Get the Party Started and Family Portrait.

Dave, the vocalist Bernard Sumner and bass player Peter Hook

were in the original line-up of which group?

Well, I don't think it'd be Human League.

They're a Sheffield group.

Either Talking Heads or New Order.

New Order - I don't remember those names being in the group.

So going by that, I will go for Talking Heads.

So that's my answer. Talking Heads.

-No, it's not.

-Oh.

New Order.

There we go. OK, Barry.

Which soprano sang Handel's Let the Bright Seraphim

at the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer in 1981,

reaching a worldwide audience of 600 million.

It's a little bit too early, I think, for Lesley Garrett.

Although I'm certain Montserrat Caballe was around then,

I remember Kiri Te Kanawa singing at Prince Charles's wedding.

So that's my answer.

That's right.

OK. Well, it's all square again after two questions.

Dave, what's the title of Gilbert and Sullivan's very first collaboration,

also known as The Gods Grown Old?

The Gods Grown Old.

Bacchanalia doesn't sound like that to me.

So I'm gonna rule that one out.

But Thespis rings a bell. I could be wrong.

So I'm gonna go for Thespis.

-Thespis?

-Indeed.

Well, it's not just pop. You're right.

Well done, Dave.

Barry.

Christopher Wallace was the real name of which hip-hop star?

Oh, my favourite idiom. Not!

I'm pretty certain it's either Notorious B.I.G. or Tupac Shakur.

And I'm going to go for Notorious B.I.G.

Barry, it's the right answer. Notorious B.I.G.

OK, well, we go to Sudden Death.

Dave.

Isaac Hayes won an Oscar for his theme tune to which 1971 film?

Well, the song was called Shaft so the film would be Shaft.

I would say, yeah, Shaft.

Yeah. It's right. It's Shaft.

Barry, which American singer who had a UK top 10 single in 1990 with From a Distance,

is known as the Divine Miss M?

Oh, that's the wonderful Bette Midler.

That's right. Yes. Well done. Here we go.

Another question, Dave.

The album Ummagumma, featuring live versions of the tracks

Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun

and Careful With That Axe, Eugene,

is a 1969 release by which rock group?

It's from a group which was formed in 1965

with Syd Barrett and Roger Waters.

Pink Floyd.

Pink Floyd is correct. Ummagumma.

OK, Barry.

Under what name did electro pop star Gary Numan and his group

release their 1979 chart-topping single Are Friends Electric?

I'm afraid this is where we say goodbye

because I truly haven't any idea whatsoever.

-So I'll pass.

-Not even a guess?

-Not even a guess on that.

-Gary Numan.

-No.

-OK.

I'll give the honours to Dave. If he knows, doesn't matter.

-Tubeway Army.

-Tubeway Army is double correct.

So you win by two points.

Oh, deary me. What a bad miss.

Bad luck, Barry. But very good for Dave.

Dave, you're playing in the final round for £7,000.

-Well done, Dave.

-No place for Barry.

Please come back and join your teams.

That makes it all square.

Both teams lost one brain from the final round.

Third head-to-head is History. Who'd like to play this?

The remaining players are David, Michael, Nigel.

Geography's my subject, but...I'll go for history.

OK. Chris, Daphne or CJ?

-Who else? Chris. Absolutely.

-OK, Nigel. Let's do it.

I don't want you two discussing coal-shovelling technique.

Let's have you both into the Question Room please.

Nigel, it should be said, of course,

we're in the presence of pop royalty, with you there.

-I wouldn't say royalty.

-Oh, come on!

Lieutenant Pigeon?

Yeah. For my sins. Yes.

We had a question not long ago about your biggest hit, Mouldy Old Dough.

Yes, and I understand Chris did sing the line to it,

which I'm proud of him for that.

For old times' sake, get Chris to sing along with you two. Let's have a blast.

One, two, three.

BOTH: (GROWL) # Mouldy old dough. #

Ooh, it hurts these days!

Oh, great stuff.

All right, well, two rail enthusiasts in there.

Let's see who wins out in the battle of History.

Would you like to go first or second, Nigel?

Uh, can I go second?

Chris, what did the abolitionist movement of the 18th and 19th centuries seek to make illegal?

There was an abolitionist movement for capital punishment,

but that was more 20th century.

But the main philanthropic abolitionist movement

in the 18th and 19th century was to abolish slavery.

Slavery - it's the right answer. Good start, Chris.

Nigel, here's your first question.

James II, King of England from 1685 to 1688,

also known as James VII of Scotland, belonged to which royal house?

It's certainly not Hanover. Um... I...

The Tudors and then... I'm gonna go for Stuart.

Stuart? Yeah, that's the right answer.

Well worked out. So solid start from you both.

Chris, which British prime minister was in office at the start of the American Revolution

and resigned in 1782?

I think Henry Pelham and George Grenville were later.

I think he was one of the aristocratic cronies of George III,

so it was Lord North.

Lord North...is the right answer, Chris. Well done.

Nigel, here's your next question.

Which early military vehicle was nicknamed the devil's chariot by German soldiers during WWI?

Right. Zeppelin was an airship.

Sopwith Camel was one of those funny little biplanes.

But I'm gonna go for tank.

Tank...

..is the right answer - yes.

Well, it's all square, then.

Chris, the bizarre Zimmermann Telegram of 1917

was designed to provoke the invasion of the US by which country?

It's not a very well-known fact, but until 1917,

the majority of the US army was on the border with Mexico.

And the Zimmermann Telegram was sent by the Wilhelmstrasse to Mexico

to stir them up to invade the US, so it's Mexico.

Right. Thanks for the explanation.

It's the right answer. Mexico. It's bizarre.

It means you've got to get this, then, Nigel.

At which battle was Charles d'Albret, twice the Constable of France, killed?

Oh, dear. I knew it was going too well.

I'm familiar with all three, but not with the guy who copped it.

I'm going to take a chance and go for La Rochelle.

OK. Is it La Rochelle, Eggheads?

-No, it's Agincourt.

-Agincourt.

Oh! I nearly went for that.

You're hesitating. Went for La Rochelle instead.

And it means you're in the final round, Chris. No place for you, I'm sorry to say, Nigel.

Please come back and join your teams.

Us 4 Plus 1 are now missing two brains. The Eggheads have lost one.

And we go into our last head-to-head. It's Arts & Books now.

And David or Mike remain to play it.

Arts & Books.

-Mike, what do you think?

-Yeah.

-Happy to do it?

-I'm happier with that than history.

You think it's gonna be Mike?

Remember, consider who you're gonna play. Daphne or CJ.

CJ.

Let's have Mike and CJ into the Question Room, please.

Do you want to go first or second, Mike?

I'll go second, please.

CJ kicking off, then.

CJ, "curiouser and curiouser" is a phrase in a novel by which author?

I hope that's in one of the Alice books by Lewis Carroll.

That's correct. "Curiouser and curiouser."

OK, Mike, first question.

Which Renaissance painter had the surname Sanzio?

I don't think it's da Vinci.

I've never heard Sanzio mentioned in connection with his name.

So I think I'm gonna probably go for either Donatello or Raphael.

50/50.

I think I'll go for Donatello.

It's not. It's Raphael.

You're right about da Vinci.

Your 50/50 narrowed it down, wasn't enough.

Your second question, CJ.

The artist Basil Hallward and Lord Henry Wotton

are characters in which novel, first published in Lippincott's Monthly Magazine in 1890?

I don't know the characters, but 1890...

Dickens was dead by then, and The Pickwick Papers is one of his earlier novels.

Mansfield Park is Jane Austen. She died in 1817.

So it has to be The Picture of Dorian Gray by, um...

Oh, um...Oscar Wilde! That chap. Oscar Wilde.

Had to be, according to that logic, The Picture of Dorian Gray.

That's right. Well worked out, CJ.

You've got to get this, then, Mike.

Which Evelyn Waugh novel takes its title from a line in TS Eliot's 1922 poem The Waste Land?

I'm really pleased to see this, because I think I know the answer.

I'm a fan of TS Eliot

so I think I'm gonna go for A Handful of Dust on this one.

OK. A Handful of Dust from The Waste Land by TS Eliot.

It's the right answer, yes.

So you're back in it.

CJ, which artist's stainless steel balloon flower magenta sculpture,

which resembles a modelling balloon twisted into the shape of a flower,

was sold for a record £12.9 million at Christie's in London in 2008?

Hirst did have a big sale in 2008,

but I don't recognise that piece as one of his.

And I don't recognise it as one of Koons's either.

And I'm not sure Koons has had a big sale...very recently.

Um, if it was Hirst or Koons

I'd be much more aware of it,

so I'm gonna go for Paul McCarthy.

OK. Another form of logic.

It's Koons.

Jeff Koons. So that's the let-off you were hoping for, Mike.

Keeps you in the game if you give me a correct answer here.

In 2008, which book, featuring an 800-word Harry Potter prequel by JK Rowling,

became the UK's fastest selling collection of short stories?

This is bad news for me, cos I'm not a huge Harry Potter fan.

So, uh... Just gonna have to...

..have an inspired guess on this one, I think.

Storyville is the one that springs to mind.

I could be wrong, but I'm gonna go for Storyville.

It's incorrect. It's What's Your Story?

And the story of that round is told there by the scores.

In spite of getting one wrong, CJ's through to the final round.

Please come back and join your teams.

This is what we've been playing towards.

It's time for the final round, which, as always, is General Knowledge.

Those who lost your head-to-heads won't take part in this round.

So, Nigel, Dave and Mike from Us 4 Plus 1,

and Barry from the Eggheads, please leave the studio.

So, Dave and David, you're playing to win Us 4 Plus 1 £7,000.

Kevin, CJ, Daphne and Chris,

you're playing for something money can't buy - the Eggheads' reputation.

I'll ask each team three questions in turn.

They're all general knowledge, and you're allowed to confer.

Us 4 Plus 1, the question is, are your two brains better than the Eggheads' four?

-Would you like to go first or second?

-We're gonna go first.

So kicking off. Us 4 Plus 1, best of luck. Can you win the money?

What is the only member of the proboscidean -

P-R-O-B-O-S-C-I-D-E-A-N -

proboscidean order of creatures that is still alive today?

OK. What springs to mind straight away is...

probos refers to nose.

Which means rhinoceros?

I was thinking elephant because...

your proboscis is a...

..refers to your nose.

-And an elephant's got a long nose. That's what you're saying?

-Yes.

My gut feeling is elephant.

-Shall we go for that?

-Yes.

Dermot.

We're going for, after deliberating, elephant is the answer.

Dave. After looking at the answers, I can tell you...

You're just very formal there.

-It's correct.

-Thank you very much.

OK. First question, Eggheads.

Purple sprouting is a variety of which vegetable?

Purple sprouting is a variety

of which vegetable?

THEY MURMUR

What are you asking Kevin on food and drink for?

Well, I'm not rushing in like we did last time.

That would be broccoli.

It is broccoli. Purple sprouting broccoli.

So, Us 4 Plus 1,

in October 2008, Vladimir Putin released an instructional video

on which subject?

My best...

My best guess on this would be...yoga.

-What do you think?

-Yeah.

Because if I was gonna watch one of those three,

I think I'd choose yoga.

It's the sort of thing that comes over very well on video.

-For instructions, yeah?

-Yeah.

-Even Vladimir Putin.

-Even him, yeah.

-Yoga is our answer.

-OK. Yoga. Putin, yoga.

Look at them!

It's not yoga. No, it's incorrect.

I'm afraid your colleagues

are all shaking their heads.

It is judo. Judo.

So a chance for the lead for the Eggheads.

According to a quote by the Victorian historian Thomas Carlyle,

history is a distillation of what?

According to a quote by the Victorian historian Thomas Carlyle,

history is a distillation of what?

First thing came to mind... When I saw it, rumour rang a bell.

"Distillation of fact" is too commonplace.

"Distillation of memory" is too... I'm sure I've heard this.

I think it's rumour.

It is a distillation of rumour.

And it would make it a better quotation. It's right.

Yes, "history is a distillation of rumour."

So it means you've got to get this, then, David and Dave.

The Henri Delaunay Trophy is awarded to the winners of which football competition?

The Henri Delaunay Trophy.

Well...

Henri Delaunay is a French name.

So it wouldn't be the World Cup, would it?

No, we know that with the Jules Rimet.

Yeah.

My guess would be the European Championship.

Because we don't know it. Well, not, as such, don't know it.

-It's not in the Champions League and that's played every year.

-It is.

You hear it.

We would say it's the European Championship.

OK. European Championships. Henri Delaunay...

..is the right answer!

Yes, well worked out.

OK, well, they got it, so kept their hopes alive.

Will they be dashed by this answer, though, from the Eggheads?

You've got to hope they get it wrong.

What is the official currency of the Seychelles?

I think it's rupee.

-I think it's rupee.

-It's not franc.

I'm thinking if there's a Seychelles dollar.

No.

THEY MURMUR

Most of those Indian Ocean countries have got rupees.

That would be the Seychelles rupee.

The official currency of the Seychelles...

..is the rupee.

It's the right answer, Eggheads. You've won.

Well, bad luck, Us 4 Plus 1. Just that one in the middle.

The Eggheads have capitalised and taken you out.

But great to meet you today, Us 4 Plus 1,

and the discussion about steam trains, Lieutenant Pigeon and the rest.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

The Eggheads' winning streak continues.

I'm afraid you won't be going home with £7,000, which means the money rolls over to the next show.

Eggheads, who will beat you?

Join us next time to see if a new team of challengers have the brains to defeat the Eggheads.

£8,000 says they don't. Until then, goodbye.

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