Test your "West Wing" knowledge!

[Arkana]

"The West Wing", a show created about a decade ago by writer (and good friend of David Axelrod) Aaron Sorkin, follows the eight-year Presidency of Josiah Bartlet. Along the way, we see pretty much everything that can happen to a President in eight years happen--culminating in the election of his successor.

I know we have a few fans here, and I thought the lounge might be a good place for this quiz I thought up. I'm gonna throw out some names, and WITHOUT LOOKING THEM UP, tell me who their characters on the show were (I'm not just going to stick with regulars, either--some of them were guest stars for one or more episodes).

So, to start, we'll do some easy ones:

Martin Sheen
John Spencer
Richard Schiff
Allison Janney
Bradley Whitford
Jimmy Smits
Alan Alda

Now a little harder.

Rob Lowe
Janel Moloney
Dule Hill
Stockard Channing
Joshua Malina
Gary Cole
Tim Matheson
Lily Tomlin
Mary-Louise Parker

Even harder.

John Amos
Mary McCormack
Devika Parikh
NiCole Robinson
Kristin Chenoweth
Kathryn Joosten
Ron Silver
Melissa Fitzgerald
Marlee Matlin

Harder still.

Mark Feuerstein
Emily Procter
Oliver Platt
Elisabeth Moss
Annabeth Gish
Anna Deavere Smith
John Goodman
Zeljko Ivanek
Mark Harmon
Timothy Busfield

Hardest:

James Brolin
Adam Arkin
Kathleen York

If anyone can get all of those without looking any of them up (and if you're really good, tell me the character's job) I bow to you.

[MrCoffee]

1. I tried...

Martin Sheen - Josiah Bartlett, Governor , POTUS
John Spencer - Leo Thomas McGarry, White House Chief of Staff and Democratic Nominee for VPOTUS
Richard Schiff - Toby Zigler, WH Communications Director
Allison Janney - C.J. Cregg, Public Relations (Jones Day), WH Press Secretary, WH Chief of Staff
Bradley Whitford – Joshua Lyman, Hoynes’ Chief of Staff (US Senate), Deputy WH Chief of Staff, Campaign manager – Santos for President
Jimmy Smits - Santos, US Congressman, Democratic Nominee for POTUS
Alan Alda – Vinick, US Senator, Nominee for Sec. of State

Now a little harder.

Rob Lowe – Sam Seaborn, WH speechwriter, candidate for US Congress (CA-47
Janel Moloney – Donatella Moss, College Dropout, Assistant to the Deputy WH Chief of Staff,
Dule Hill – Charles “Charlie” Young, Assistant to POTUS
Stockard Channing – Abby Bartlett, FLOTUS
Joshua Malina – Will Bailey, Campaign Manager, WH speechwriter
Gary Cole – “Bingo” Bob Russsell, VPOTUS
Tim Matheson – John Hoynes, US Senate (TX), VPOTUS
Lily Tomlin – Debbie Fitterer, Secretary to POTUS
Mary-Louise Parker – Amy Gardner, many many jobs, including FLOTUS Chief of Staff

Even harder.

John Amos – Admiral Percy Fitzwallace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Mary McCormack - Drawing a blank
Devika Parikh – Bonnie, WH Communications Secretary
NiCole Robinson – Ginger, WH Communications Secretary
Kristin Chenoweth -Drawing a blank
Kathryn Joosten – Dolores Landingham, Secretary to POTUS
Ron Silver – Bruno SomethingMcSomething, CREEP
Melissa Fitzgerald - No idea
Marlee Matlin – Joey Lucas, Democratic pollster and consultant

Harder still.

Mark Feuerstein – What was his name!!! Congressional Attorney
Emily Procter – Ainsley Hayes, WH Attorney
Oliver Platt - Oliver Babbish, WH Counsel
Elisabeth Moss – Zoey Bartlett
Annabeth Gish - One of the Bartlett Daughters (Ellie?)
Anna Deavere Smith – National Security Advisor
John Goodman – Glenallen Walken, US Congress, Acting POTUS
Zeljko Ivanek - No idea
Mark Harmon – Agent Simon Donovan, FBI
Timothy Busfield – WH press corps

Hardest:

James Brolin - This is going to make me crazy
Adam Arkin - Dr. Stanley Something, Trauma Psychiatrist
Kathleen York –

[Aristus]

2. Without looking them up, or looking at previous replies:

Martin Sheen - Dr. Josiah 'Jed' Bartlet, President of the United States
John Spencer - Leo McGarry, White House Chief of Staff.
Richard Schiff - Toby Ziegler - White House Communications Director.
Allison Janney - Claudia Jean 'C.J.' Craig, White House Press Secretary.
Bradley Whitford - Josh Lyman - Deputy Chief of Staff.
Jimmy Smits - Congressman Matt Santos, POTUS, last episode.
Alan Alda - Republican Candidate for POTUS, last season. (Forgot his name.)


Rob Lowe - Sam Seaborn - Deputy Communications Director.
Janel Moloney - Donatella Moss - Josh's assistant.
Dule Hill - Charlie Young - Personal Aid to the President.
Stockard Channing - Abigail Bartlet, MD - First Lady.
Joshua Malina - Will Bailey, Sam's replacement as Deputy Communications Director.
Gary Cole - Former Colorado Senator and John Hoynes' replacement as VP.
Tim Matheson - John Hoynes of Texas, Bartlet's first VP.
Lily Tomlin - Debbie Fitterer, Mrs. Landingham's replacement as Bartlet's personal secretary.
Mary-Louise Parker - Political liaison for the League of Women Voters, and Josh's on-off girlfriend. (Forgot her name.)


John Amos - Admiral Percival FitzWallace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Mary McCormack - Some kind of advisor to POTUS in the last few seasons. The least memorable character in the show.
Devika Parikh - Bonnie, one of Toby's assistants (and possessor of the most beautiful brown skin I've ever seen...)
NiCole Robinson - Margaret, secretary to Leo.
Kristin Chenoweth - Another unmemorable character from the post-Aaron Sorkin era.
Kathryn Joosten - Mrs. Dolores Landingham, longtime friend, advisor and personal secretary to Jed Bartlet.
Ron Silver - Bartlet's re-election campaign manager. (Forgot his name.)
Melissa Fitzgerald - Carol, C.J.'s secretary.
Marlee Matlin - Josephine "Joey" Lucas, a Democratic campaign manager, and occasional advisor to Bartlet.

Harder still.

Mark Feuerstein - A Republican lawyer with brains, compassion, and a conscience. A completely fictional character, in other words. Counsel to the Congressional Majority Leader.
Emily Procter - Ainsley Hayes, a republican operative Bartlet hires to work in the office of the White House Counsel.
Oliver Platt - Oliver (Can't remember his last name), Bartlet's fourth White House Counsel.
Elisabeth Moss - Zoe Bartlet, POTUS' youngest daughter, and Charlie's girlfriend.
Annabeth Gish - Elizabeth Bartlet, POTUS' eldest daughter.
Anna Deavere Smith - Nancy McNally, Director of the NSA.
John Goodman - Republican Speaker of the House who becomes a priori President during the time Zoe Bartlet is kidnapped. (Forgot his name.)
Zeljko Ivanek - A Republican character tied to John Goodman's character.
Mark Harmon - Simon Donovan, a Secret Service Agent assigned to protect C.J. and gunned down foiling an armed robbery.
Timothy Busfield - Danny Concanon, Reporter for the Washington Post, and C.J.'s sometime boyfriend.

Hardest:

James Brolin - Robert Ritchie, governor of Florida, and Republican candidate for POTUS, defeated by Bartlet in his re-election campaign.
Adam Arkin - A psychiatrist who treats Josh for PTSD, and Bartlet for anxiety and insomnia. (Forgot his name.)
Kathleen York - Congresswoman Andrea 'Andy' Wyatt of Maryland, and Toby's ex-wife.

[RubyDuby in GA]

3. Mary McCormack - Commander Kate Harper

[Hippo_Tron]

4. Without looking

Martin Sheen - President Bartlet
John Spencer- Chief of Staff Leo McGary
Richard Schiff - Communications Director Toby Ziegler
Allison Janney - Press Secretary/CoS CJ Cregg
Bradley Whitford - Deputy CoS/CoS Josh Lyman
Jimmy Smits - Congressman/President Matt Santos
Alan Alda - Senator/Sec of State Arnold Vinick

Rob Lowe - Deputy Communications/Deputy CoS Sam Seaborn
Janel Moloney - Assistant to Josh Lyman/First Lady CoS Donna Moss
Dule Hill - Personal Assistant to the President Charlie Young
Stockard Channing - First Lady Abigail Bartlet
Joshua Malina - Deputy Communications/Communications Director/VP Chief of Staff Will Bailey
Gary Cole - Vice President Bob Russell
Tim Matheson - Vice President John Hoynes
Lily Tomlin - President's Executive Secretary Deborah Fidderer
Mary-Louise Parker - Amy Gardner (several positions, namely First Lady's CoS)

John Amos - Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Percy "Fitz" Fitzwallace
Mary McCormack - Deputy National Security Advisor Kate Harper
Devika Parikh - Not sure
NiCole Robinson - Assistant to the Chief of Staff Margaret Hooper
Kristin Chenoweth - Deputy Press Secretary/Leo's Asisstant Annabeth Schott
Kathryn Joosten - No idea
Ron Silver - Bruno Gianelli (Bartlet's re-election campaign manager)
Melissa Fitzgerald - No idea (looked it up it was apparently Carol)
Marlee Matlin - Joey Lucas (pollster)

Mark Feuerstein - No idea
Emily Procter - No idea (looked it up it's Ainsley Hayes and I feel dumb for not knowing)
Oliver Platt - Oliver Babbish (White House Counsel)
Elisabeth Moss - Zoey Bartlet (first daughter)
Annabeth Gish - No idea
Anna Deavere Smith - National Security Advisor Nancy McNally
John Goodman - Speaker of the House Glenallen Walken
Zeljko Ivanek - No idea
Mark Harmon - Simon Donovan Secret Service Agent
Timothy Busfield - Reporter Danny Concannon

James Brolin - Governor/GOP Presidential Nominee Rob Ritchie
Adam Arkin - Stanley Keelig (therapist)
Kathleen York - No idea