Inspector Morse
| Inspector Morse | |
|---|---|
John Thaw as Morse
|
|
| First appearance | The Dead of Jericho (1987) |
| Last appearance | The Remorseful Day (1999) |
| Created by | Colin Dexter |
| Portrayed by |
John Thaw (Television) (1987-2000) Shaun Evans (Television) (2012-present) Andrew Burt (radio) John Shrapnel (radio) Colin Baker (stage) |
| Information | |
| Title | Detective Chief Inspector |
| Nationality | British |
| Also appears in |
Inspector Morse television series (1987-2000) Endeavour (2012-present) |
Detective Constable/Detective Inspector/Detective Chief Inspector Endeavour Morse is the eponymous fictional character in the series of detective novels by British author Colin Dexter. On television, he appears in the 33-episode 1987–2000 drama series Inspector Morse, in which John Thaw played the character, as well as the 2012 prequel series Endeavour, portrayed by Shaun Evans. Morse originally is described as a senior CID (Criminal Investigation Department) officer with the Thames Valley Police force in Oxford, England. Morse presents, to some, a reasonably sympathetic persona, despite his sullen and snobbish temperament, with a Jaguar car (a Lancia in the early novels), a thirst for English real ale, and a penchant for music (especially opera and Wagner), poetry, art, classics, classic cars, and cryptic crossword puzzles. He is often assisted by his Sergeant Robert "Robbie" Lewis. Morse's partnership and friendship with Lewis is a fundamental aspect of the series.
Morse prefers to use only his surname, and is generally evasive when asked about his first name, sometimes joking that it is Inspector. At the end of Death Is Now My Neighbour, it is revealed to be Endeavour. Two-thirds of the way through the television episode based on the book, he gives the cryptic clue "My whole life's effort has revolved around Eve". In the series, it is noted that Morse's reluctance to use his Christian name led to his receiving the nickname Pagan while attending Stamford School (Stamford is an alma mater of Colin Dexter, the author of the Morse novels, and of Dexter's brother). In the novels, Morse's first name came from the vessel HMS Endeavour; his mother was a member of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) who have a tradition of "virtue names", and his father admired Captain James Cook. Dexter is a fan of cryptic crosswords and named Morse after champion setter Jeremy Morse, one of Dexter's arch-rivals in writing crossword clues. Dexter used to walk along the bank of the River Thames at Oxford, opposite the boathouse belonging to 22nd Oxford Sea Scout Group; the building is named T.S. Endeavour.
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