Minor characters from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

There are many minor characters in the various versions of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams. In fact, defining a major character is rather difficult. If the major characters are those the plot focuses on, they are Arthur Dent, Ford Prefect, Zaphod Beeblebrox, Marvin and Trillian, with the possible inclusion of Slartibartfast, Prostentic Vogon Jeltz, Random Dent and Fenchurch. If they are defined as characters appearing in all the books, they are only Ford Prefect and Arthur Dent. In this case, the definition of major characters will be those in the series with major plot significance not appearing on this list.

Gag Halfrunt

In the series, Gag Halfrunt is the private brain care specialist of Zaphod Beeblebrox, and is not a major character in terms of the amount of dialogue or prominence he gets. However, he is major in the sense that the entire plot loosely revolves around him (at least in the radio series version of HHGG). This may be in part due to the fact that large parts of the series were made up by Adams as he went along, and some of the plot developments and explanations were more a way to tie up some of the glaring loose ends than part of a predetermined master plan.

Related Topics:
Brain - Zaphod Beeblebrox

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In the story, Zaphod and Gag Halfrunt (as leader of a group of psychiatrists) are in cahoots to discover who or what is really running the universe. Because the Earth is really a giant computer built to determine the very same thing, the psychiatrists cannot afford to have the Ultimate Question revealed, because this would put them out of a job (on the premise that if the Question becomes known, everyone would suddenly start leading happy and productive lives, rendering shrinks unnecessary). Therefore they hire the Vogons to destroy the Earth to prevent the Ultimate Question being discovered. Later the Vogons also try (under Gag's direction) to destroy the starship Heart of Gold because it is carrying Arthur Dent, who may have the Question buried in his brain somewhere. All of this is unknown to Zaphod because he has brainwashed himself to forget about the collusion (though again this seems to be more of a device to explain why it only becomes clear towards the end of the second series and hasn't been mentioned before). In the end Zaphod "remembers" and does, in fact, find The Ruler of the Universe.

Related Topics:
Earth - Computer - Vogon - Heart of Gold - Arthur Dent - The Ruler of the Universe

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Appears in:

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• The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
• The Restaurant at the End of the Universe

On radio, he was voiced by Stephen Moore, and appears in Fits the Second,

Related Topics:
Stephen Moore - Fits the Second

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Seventh and

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Ninth.

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On television, he was played by Gil Morris and in the film he is played by Jason Schwartzman. In both these versions he only appears briefly, being interviewed about Zaphod Beeblebrox, and the plot involving the ruler of the Universe does not appear.

Related Topics:
Gil Morris - Jason Schwartzman

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