Short answers, pulled from the story.
The Pickwick Papers, formally titled The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, was the first novel by Charles Dickens. It was published in serial form from March 1836 to November 1837 in 19 issues over 20 months, with the final double-length issue costing two shillings.
At age 24, Dickens was approached by publisher Chapman and Hall to write descriptions connecting a series of comic illustrations by Robert Seymour depicting a fictional sporting club. Dickens admitted he knew nothing of sport but accepted the commission, and quickly reversed the format so his prose led each instalment rather than following the illustrations.
Robert Seymour illustrated only the first two instalments before his suicide. Robert William Buss briefly took over for the third instalment, but Dickens rejected his work. The remaining instalments were illustrated by Phiz, the pen name of Hablot Knight Browne, who went on to illustrate most of Dickens's subsequent novels.
Pickwickian syndrome, now formally known as obesity hypoventilation syndrome, takes its name from Joe the fat boy, a supporting character in The Pickwick Papers who consumes great quantities of food and constantly falls asleep in any situation at any time of day. Most people with obesity hypoventilation syndrome have concurrent obstructive sleep apnea.
Yes. Clubs using the Pickwick name began forming before the novel had even finished publication, with one meeting in the East of London as early as December 1836. The Pickwick Bicycle Club of London, still in operation, was established in 1870. The Dickens Pickwick Club was founded in 1976 by Cedric Dickens, the author's great-grandson.
The first successful Pickwick musical premiered in Manchester in 1963 before transferring to London's West End, where it ran for 694 performances. It starred Harry Secombe in the title role and Roy Castle as Sam Weller. The show failed when it opened on Broadway in 1965.