Charles Dickens month continues with this Oliver Twist villain. In Lord of the Rings terms, Fagin is much more of a pathetic Gollum than a malevolent Sauron. He’s poor himself, but running a private army of child thieves, for whom he rewards them with a cut of the pilfered goods. Oliver falls in with Fagin and finds a selfish father figure, but a father figure nonetheless.
Fagin (it’s never revealed if that’s his first or last name) is pathetic, desperate, supercilious, greedy, and unsightly. He’s also the only surrogate dad the street kids of London will ever have: you don’t choose family.
How well do you know Fagin?
1.This word, to describe Fagin’s middleman status in the criminal underworld, may come from his providing burgers with a defense since he, not they, holds onto the stolen good.
2. Charles Dickens originally called Fagin “Fagin the Jew,” which he removed from later editions. To boot, what subsequent book did he include the positive Jewish character of Mr. Riah?
3. Which comic book artist, so influential that the yearly comic book awards are named after him, wrote and drew a book called Fagin the Jew?
4. In the 1922 Jackie Coogan silent film of Oliver Twist, which silent actor specializing in monsters played Fagin?
5. The US release of the David Lean 1948 version of Oliver Twist was held up for years due to antisemitic concerns over how Fagin was portrayed; which future Jedi played him?
6. This song sung by Fagin in the play and filmed version of Lionel Bart’s Oliver! was sampled by Ludacris in his song “Large Amounts.”
7. In the UK’s The Further Adventures of Oliver Twist, Fagin is faking being paralyzed from a stroke to avoid what dark fate?
8. Professional pickpocket James Freedman taught Ben Kingsley how to pick pockets for a 2005 movie, made by what notorious Polish director?
9. In a scene from this alternate-history comic by Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neal, the Artful Dodger grows up to run a team of orphans just like his old master Fagin.
10. Dom Deluise played Fagin in this 1980s Disney cartoon version, where Oliver is a stray kitten.
11. Livingstone Fagan, a 20th century British man, was put on trial for involvement in an extended gunfire battle against ATF agents in what Texas city?
ANSWERS BELOW! Are you a true V11LLAIN?
1.This word, to describe Fagin’s middleman status in the criminal underworld, may come from his providing burgers with a defense since he, not they, holds onto the stolen good.
“FENCE”
2. Charles Dickens originally called Fagin “Fagin the Jew,” which he removed from later editions. To boot, what subsequent book did he include the positive Jewish character of Mr. Riah?
OUR MUTUAL FRIEND
3. Which comic book artist, so influential that the yearly comic book awards are named after him, wrote and drew a book called Fagin the Jew?
WILL EISNER
4. In the 1922 Jackie Coogan silent film of Oliver Twist, which silent actor specializing in monsters played Fagin?
LON CHENEY
5. The US release of the David Lean 1948 version of Oliver Twist was held up for years due to antisemitic concerns over how Fagin was portrayed; which future Jedi played him?
ALEC GUINNESS
6. This song sung by Fagin in the play and filmed version of Lionel Bart’s Oliver! was sampled by Ludacris in his song “Large Amounts.”
“YOU’VE GOT TO PICK A POCKET OR TWO”
7. In the UK’s The Further Adventures of Oliver Twist, Fagin is faking being paralyzed from a stroke to avoid what dark fate?
HIS EXECUTION
8. Professional pickpocket James Freedman taught Ben Kingsley how to pick pockets for a 2005 movie, made by what notorious Polish director?
ROMAN POLANSKI
9. In a scene from this alternate-history comic by Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neal, the Artful Dodger grows up to run a team of orphans just like his old master Fagin.
THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN
10. Dom DeLuise played Fagin in this 1980s Disney cartoon version, where Oliver is a stray kitten.
OLIVER & COMPANY
11. Livingstone Fagan, a 20th century British man, was put on trial for involvement in an extended gunfire battle against ATF agents in what Texas city?
WACO