Race Bannon

General Information

Card Stats and Summary

Hair: White
Eyes: Blue
Weight: 210 lbs.
Height: 6'3"

Race Bannon (real name Roger) is the bodyguard and close friend of the Quest family, having worked with Dr. Benton Quest for several years as a government-assigned bodyguard, and now by choice. Race came from a western American setting, acquiring several colorful similes and turns of phrase growing up. He worked for government agencies in various roles, eventually retiring to work solely with Dr. Quest partly over ethical differences with his agencies' policies. He's in perfect physical condition and a robust man of action who inspires admiration in Jonny Quest. He's also known for his charm and flings, and fathered Jessie Bannon several years before the series. The Style Guide claims that he's an ex-Navy SEAL.

The second season altered Race, returning him to Mike Road's vocal style and establishing him as a government bodyguard still. In this continuity, Race fathered Jessie Bannon with Estella Velasquez, a Colombian archaeologist and code-breaker who met Race while working for Intelligence One, Race's spy agency. Episode Race Against Danger established his nickname as a prize among friends for having the world record at a United States armed forces obstacle course. A look at his passport in Bloodlines establishes Race as 6'2" and 220 lbs., born in Calumet City, Illinois on April 1, 1954. However, classic Jonny Quest pegs Race's birthplace as Wilmette, Illinois. This birthdate also conflicts with the writer's bible age of 38, unless the second season is assumed to have taken place in 1992.

Peter Lawrence Dialogue

And where did the idea for the refreshing adaptation of Race come from?

Yes, the same questions and the same answers. I wanted a man of action, not thought - though perfectly capable of deep thought. A cowboy. It's not what you think that counts, it's what you do. And, for gods' sake, aren't we all sick of the 1-D stereotypes? Whoever said that someone out of the West could not be a philospher/warrior. It's a calumny - a revolting slander - that our current president dresses himself in that phony aww shucks Texan crap and so fools voters into thinking he's a Good Old Boy. The only things he has in common with his redneck buddies, or the redneck he seems to aspire to be, despite his family, his wealth and his education, are his stupidity and his cowardice; Race was anything but stupid or cowardly. He would be disgusted at the Chief Executives act and believe it's giving cowboys, everywhere - right or left - a terrible reputation. A good reason, in fact, to alter their accents ...

Refreshing is right. Race believed in Jonny. He trusted Jessie. He liked Hadji and respected him. He thought, as I do, that kids are much smarter and have more integrity than we give them credit for. They particularly have much more depth and interest than writers, producers and broadcasters -program buyers - give them credit for. (Of course, there are many exceptions to this general rule of on-staff mediocrity which I seem to be promoting here, but I didn't find more than a few of those exceptions at HB at that time. And most of them - plus a couple of really good production execs., Katherine Winder, for example - left while I was working on QUEST.)

One other thing - very important - Race's accent and mannerisms gave us something to write toward. Variety. Surprise. Dare I say it ... something approaching originality.

Peter Lawrence Writer's Bible

Race Bannon

Race Bannon is almost exactly as you remember him: the ageless man of action with an acute nose for any danger which threatens him or his friends. he is fearless and utterly dependable. He has a laconic sense of humor—will often come up with a dry quip at the moment of maximum danger—and an occasionally peculiar, characteristic turn of phrase. Each episode will feature one such phrase—different each time.

Like Dr Quest, Race may have romantic attachments. The women to whom Race and Dr Quest are attracted and / or attract will be different in personality—a rather obvious observation, no doubt.

Glenn Leopold Writer's Bible

RACE BANNON

is almost exactly as you remember him: the ageless (okay, he's 38) man of action with an acute nose for any danger which threatens him or his friends. He is fearless and utterly dependable. Though Race is almost a part of the Quest family, he is an employee of the government, assigned to protect Dr. Benton Quest and family. And he would do anything to protect them. Respecting his employee arrangement, Race respectfully refers to Benton as "Dr. Quest".

Race has a laconic sense of humor. He will often come up with a dry quip at the moment of maximum danger.

Race has been involved with a variety of women, including such femme fatales as the American spy "JEZEBEL" JADE KENYON and the Russian operative, NATASHA ROSTOVA. He's been married (and divorced) by a Columbian architect named ESTELLA VELASQUEZ, with whom he had a daughter...Jessie.

Jessie is the most constant woman in Race's life right now, though sometimes it seems the brainy teenager should be Dr. Quest's daughter. Race loves Jessie, but can't help being the overprotective Dad.

As for Jonny, he's the boy Race never had. He's taught Jonny everything he knows about self-defense and courage. It's enough to make a daughter jealous. And sometimes does.

Quotes

Season One

Race's passport in Bloodlines

Escape to Questworld

Race - "This place has more wires than the White House!"

In the Realm of the Condor

Race - "Then Estella, Jonny, and Benton, you'll be the anchor."
Dr. Quest - "You mean overweight and likely to sink to the bottom."
Race - "Nah, think of it as rock-solid."

~

Hadji - "Have you ever seen any bird as big or powerful?!"
Race - "I don't care what they are. A slug in the right place is all it takes."

~

Race - "I don't know, Benton. That young lady's colder than a catfish on marble."

Rage's Burning Wheel

Race - "We were blacked out longer than it takes a two-legged dog to go fetch."

~

Race - "Ezekiel Rage?! That guy's like a burr in a boot. Just won't stay gone."

~

Race - "Yo 'Zeke, your mama never teach you to lock the back door?"

Ndovu's Last Journey

Race - "I guess the more pressing question is, can we make this hunk of junk run, or is it ready for the Quest Rover graveyard?"

Manhattan Maneater

Race - "You wanna join them in New York?"
Jessie - "We can?"
Race - "Sure; why not. With Jonny and Benton's track record, it's a buck to a bent dime they'll be needing us to pull the fat out of the fire sometime in the next twelve hours."

~

Race - "Forget it, Benton. These guys will be as much use as a chicken-wire submarine."

East of Zanzibar

Race - "No. If that twister hits Jonny and Hadji, the outboard will be as much use as a chocolate fire screen."

Assault on Questworld

Race - "It's colder than the north end of a southbound moose out there."

~

Choi Li - "These yaks are domesticated, of course."
Race - "Tell that to the yak I rode in on."

~

Race - "No offense Pradad, but this yak meat is tougher than my thirty-year old combat boot."
Pradad - "I'll take that as a compliment, Race."

Ezekiel Rage

Jonny - "See Jess? I do brake for lizards."
Jessie - "Lucky for you; these are fringe-toed lizards. They're endangered."
Race - "Not anymore they're not. Keys, please."

Alien in Washington

Dr. Quest - "NASA's been monitoring them for three weeks."
Race - "It took them three weeks to ask you to figure them out?"

~

Tyler - "I know who you are, Mr. Bannon—an ex-secret operations cowboy."
Race - "Well shucks, slick; when you boys in Washington let the cattle out of the corral, it's us cowboys that have to round them up."

~

Race - "You look like a couple kerosene cats in hell. What's up?"

~

Tyler - "That's insubordination!!"
Race - "We're not in your army, hoss."

Return of the Anasazi

Race - "And if you believe that, I've got a tin-plated mudcat with a gold-vest pocket."

~

Man in black - "You're supposed to be on our side. You were a government man."
Race - "You're right; I was...until they made those shades part of the uniform."

~

Race - "Oh yeah? I'm shakin', boss. You see me shakin'?"

Trouble on the Colorado

Dr. Quest - "Besides Bandit, we've also lost one third of our food, and our walkie-talkies."
Race - "Well, at least we still have our good looks..."

~

Race - "Pa always told me not to hit a lady; but then again Ms. Julia, you're no lady!"

In the Wake of the Mary Celeste

Race - Nothin'. No one. Emptier than a skid row trash can.

~

Race - Jonny, what we've got here is what you might call a situation.

~

Race - "Not even a double-jointed mosquito could get out of this place."

~

Hadji - "Karma will change life like the swish of a horse's tail!"
Jonny - "I have no idea what that means!"
Race - "You have to feed the mule if you want to go to the fair!"

AMOK

Jonny - "What's up, Race?"
Race - "Nothin' I can set a brand to...but there!"

Besieged in Paradise

Race - "How the heck am I supposed to find Havell and his sub?"
Dr. Quest - "Race, you're the best-connected man in the maritime service! Get on the horn. Just find him!"
Race - "Got it. You save Jessie, and I'll save the whales."

The Ballad of Belle Bonnet

Jonny - "I wonder if this is responsible for that."
Race - "Maybe. Or maybe Mr. Bones and I had the same climbing instructor."

~

Hadji - "This requires hospitalization, Race."
Race - "Later for that, Hadji. No one ever died of a busted shoulder."

~

Dr. Quest - "Frankly, Mr. Rawlings, we no longer need either your opinions or your services."
Race - "That's a polite way to say, 'You're canned, ace.'"

In the Darkness of the Moon

Race - "Pleasure, Dr. Metie. I was just saying how courageous it is to practice medicine in a remote place like this."
Marie - "Courage comes in all shapes and sizes. Benton tells me you're quite the hero, Bannon."
Race - "Well, that proves you can't believe everything you hear. And please, call me Race."
Marie - "Only if you call me Marie."

~