Dr. Benton Quest

General Information

Card Stats and Summary

Hair: Brown
Eyes: Brown
Weight: 185 lbs.
Height: 6'0"

Dr. Benton Quest is Jonny Quest's father and a leading phenomenologist and brilliant scientist. Recognized for his genius at a young age (universities offered bribes to his parents for his enrollment at age 16), Benton excelled at all areas of science, and even participated on archaeological digs—one of which allowed him to meet Alice Starseer. He later married Rachel Wildey, daughter of Doug Wildey, and came to work for the government. Rachel bore a son, Jonny, but was killed by an adversarial, undisclosed event some years later. The government assigned bodyguard Race Bannon to protect him, and Dr. Quest later adopted Hadji Singh. By the time of Real Adventures, he retired from government work and ran the very successful Quest Enterprises, offering his paid expertise as a phenomenologist to all ethical buyers from his base at the Quest Compound. Quest Enterprises sponsored its own line of credit cards, which Dr. Quest used (Return of the Anasazi).

Peter Lawrence Writer's Bible

Dr Quest

Dr Benton Quest is much as you remember him, though he is a little older and certainly more relaxed. Among his eclectic interests and qualifications, he is a Phenomenologist, consulted by individuals, governments and corporations to investigate any mysterious chain of events which might affect their lives or operations. He no longer works specifically for the U.S Government though he might, from time to time, be called in to help a particular problem.

Dr Quest is somewhat cerebral -- driven by his desire to know more about everything and, particularly, more about the inexplicable worldwide phenomena which he investigates. Gripped by that desire, he will ignore all distractions and dangers -- not because he is especially brave but because his drive to learn blanks out more basic instincts like self-preservation.

Glenn Leopold Writer's Bible

DR. QUEST

is much as you remember him, though he is a little older (55) and certainly more relaxed. He is a famous scientist and inventor, consulted by individuals, governments and corporations to investigate any mysterious chain of events which might affect their lives or operations. Dr. Quest has an overwhelming interest in strange phenomena, and is always eager to study the unexplained mysteries of our world.

While Dr. Quest no longer works specifically for the U.S. Government, he is, from time to time, called in to help resolve a particular problem. And the government does provide him with a bodyguard in the person of Race Bannon. As Race puts it, "You're too valuable a resource to be left unprotected, Dr. Quest."

Dr. Quest is somewhat cerebral - driven by his desire to know more about everything and, particularly, more about the inexplicable worldwide phenomena which he investigates. Gripped by that desire, he will ignore all distractions and dangers - not because he is especially brave but because his drive to learn blanks out more basic instincts like self-preservation.

His sense of humor tends to be a touch ponderous. Jessie laughs at his jokes, though. Jessie is the daugher Dr. Quest never had. And what of Benton Quest the man? He still misses his dead wife. He hasn't remarried. Will there be a romance for the world's most famous scientist this season? Which kid would resent this instrusion on Dr. Quest's attention the most? Jonny or Jessie? Seeing another side of Dr. Benton Quest is something we may explore in our show.

Quotes

Season One

The Darkest Fathoms

Jessie - "You don't really believe in the ghost of Black Jack Lee, do you Dr. Quest?"
Dr. Quest - "I'm not really certain what I believe. But I can't think of a ghost that would get the better of your father."

Ndovu's Last Journey

Hadji - "Follow knowledge like a sinking star beyond the utmost bound of human thought."
Dr. Quest - "To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield."

East of Zanzibar

Dr. Quest - "How ya doin', Jonny?"
Jonny - "We made good time. We may even make the island before sunset even though the port's way over on the other side."
Dr. Quest - "You know, your watch ended over an hour ago. Hadji and Race can take over if you're tired."
Jonny - "Are you kidding? I wouldn't give this up for anything! I'm living a dream, dad!"
Dr. Quest - "Searching for a lost submarine in an area where there have been reports of sea monsters for as long as man has sailed the ocean. I believe you're right Jonny; we are living a dream."

~

Dr. Quest - "Hard to imagine a sea monster powerful enough to sink a ship."
Jonny - "If you ask me, those whalers got what they deserved. Anyone who'd kill a whale is no better than a murderer. I don't care who or what got that boat; I'm glad."
Dr. Quest - "If a scientist let his feelings get in the way of his work, Jonny, science would never advance."
Hadji - "Some lead with the heart, and others with the mind. Greater progress, however, comes with the unity of both."

~

Race Bannon - "Nice night for a sail. Man, I wish I were a kid again, Benton."
Dr. Quest - "I thought you were, Race. I hadn't realized you'd ever grown up."
Race Bannon - "Thanks a lot."

Assault on Questworld

Dr. Quest - "Above all people, Pradad, you know that phenomenology is a little more than simple adventure."

~

Dr. Quest - "Notwithstanding the fact that we're all phenomenologists...you look as if you've just seen a ghost!"

Return of the Anasazi

Dr. Quest - "Of course! When one acknowledges the existence of beings with superior intellects and technology, one also acknowledges one's own inferiority."

The Ballad of Belle Bonnet

Dr. Quest - "Remember,"
Dr. Quest / Hadji / Jonny - "'No heroics!'"
Dr. Quest - "I've become that predictable."

In the Darkness of the Moon

Dr. Quest - "That had to be the stupidest thing I've ever seen you do."
Jonny - "But dad, I—"
Dr. Quest - "Then again, it was probably the bravest thing I've seen anyone do."

Expedition to Khumbu

Dr. Quest - "We came here hoping to find a monster, and instead found a sapient culture more evolved in many ways than ours."

~

Dr. Quest - "Could you two suspend the formalities while we see if we can neutralize this device and maybe save the world?"

Season Two

The Dark Mountain

Dr. Quest - "As I tried to explain, you can't judge all humans by the actions of a misguided few."

Nemesis

Dr. Quest - "Zin is not going to destroy half the world using MY technology!"

Village of the Doomed

Dr. Quest - "Need any help?"
Jonny - "Nah. Race taught me all this when we were trout-fishing in Montana."
Dr. Quest - "I should have known."

~

Jonny - "Need any help?"
Dr. Quest - "No, Race taught me all about this when we were salmon-fishing in Alaska."

~

Dr. Quest - "Well, that wasn't very friendly, gentlemen."

Other Space

Dr. Quest - "Sorry, Fido, but I can't stay to play fetch!"

~

Dr. Quest - "Steer clear of any other dimensions, okay son?"

Thoughtscape

Surd - "Sorry, doctor, but it's time to settle this the old-fashioned way. Primitive, but effective."
Dr. Quest - "Primitive suits us just fine!"

~

Dr. Quest - "Now, it's just you and me."
Surd - "As it should be."
Dr. Quest - "You've endangered my family countless times. And it ends now!!"

The Edge of Yesterday

Dr. Quest's Message - "Hello, Jonny. If you're watching this it means either I'm dead or some terrible calamity has allowed me to cause access to this program. When your mother passed away, I wasn't sure I could go on. I became obsessed with the hope that I could see her one more time—talk to her once more. I labored for months to create a time portal using Questworld technology. I was just about to transport myself back in time when I realized not only could I see your mother again, but I could save her—I could stop her from dying. I had the power to change the past. I sealed the program away and never used it. I could not change history for personal gain, but if my time travel program can be used for a greater good, then it will be justified. Ask Iris for information. Good luck, son."

The Robot Spies

Dr. Zin - "This isn't over."
Dr. Quest - "Oh, yes it is! Your schemes, your attacks! You've threatened my family for the last time!"

~

Dr. Quest - "Come on, Zin! We knew one day it would come to this! Let's finish it now!"
Dr. Zin - "I could not agree more!"

Invention List

Throughout The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest, Benton is credited with the following:

Siberian translator (123 Ice Will Burn)
Questworld sensation stimulation system (126 To Bardo and Back)
VR Memory Probe (203 Bloodlines)
Quantum optical research leading to creation of a cloaking mask (204 Race Against Danger)
Prototype stabilizer for deep space navigational shield (205 The Dark Mountain)
Holographic wristwatch tracking system (208 Nemesis)
Race's pistol (209 DNA Doomsday, others)
Jonny's holographic zoom watch (212 Eclipse)
Prototype force field generator (216 Other Space)
3D Holographic camera (219 The Bangalore Falcon)
Questworld time travel portal (221 The Edge of Yesterday)
Holographic recording watch (222 The Haunted Sonata)
Bifrost Effect ice gun (223 General Winter)
Bioelectrical mechanical prototypes to aid muscle atrophied patients (224 Night of the Zinja)
Grappling gloves (224 Night of the Zinja)
Lightweight body armor (224 Night of the Zinja)
Aerosol capable of melting a stone wall (225 The Robot Spies)