TV -- ain't what it used to be

[hafital]

I must share.

A side effect of my job has me occasionally researching odd bits of forgotten TV shows from long ago.

Does anyone remember a TV show called Tales of the Gold Monkey? When I saw the title I had to find out more:

The adventures of seaplane pilot and soldier of fortune Jake Cutter in the South Pacific of 1938. Jake, a former Flying Tigers pilot, made his home on the island of Boragora along with his one-eyed dog Jack and his mechanic Corky. Other companions were Bon Chance Louie, the local magistrate and owner of the Monkey Bar hangout, Sarah Stickney White, the bar's singer who was actually an American spy, and Dutch minister Willie Tenboom who was actually a German spy. Rounding out the cast of schemers was Princess Kogi, ruler of the nearby island of Matuka, and the samurai warrior Todo who commanded her private army.

Bahahahhaaaa. Corky the Mechanic? The Monkey Bar hangout?? Boragora! (that's right next to Bora Bora, don'tcha know) Spies! The samurai Todo!! Why isn't this show on TV now!?!

And the other one I found was Love, Sidney, with Tony Randell, who makes me think of my 10th grade European History teacher because they looked identical, yo.

The part that got me with this one was:

The story derived from the 1980 TV-movie Sidney Shorr: A Girl's Best Friend , but with a crucial change: in the movie Sidney was gay, information that somehow got mislaid in the sit-com, where Sidney was just mysteriously celibate.

*snort*

p.s. this is my first post to LJ from this job. less than a week and I'm slacking off already. heh.

Comments

[movies-michelle.livejournal.com]

Actually, I loved Tales of the Gold Monkey, back in the day. Jack, the Jack Russell Terrier, was great, and I loved Stephen Collins as the sort of rough-and-tumble Jake. I even still have one of my really-old-tapes which has one of the episodes from first-run. Which I am afraid to watch, for fear it would just disintegrate in the VCR.

[hafital.livejournal.com]

Well, damn, now I *really* want to see it. hrrmph.

[yahtzee63.livejournal.com]

Although I watched neither show, I remember both. The question of Sidney's sexuality (or lack thereof) was a controversy at the time; "Gold Monkey" was an Indy ripoff. And yes, we have lost much by going for less-cheesy TV. TV should include plenty o' cheese. That's the only kind of cheese that will not hurt you.

[hafital.livejournal.com]

I LOVE YOUR ICON!

*g* mmmm, cheeeese. We *have* lost the cheese in tv, it's true.

[destina.livejournal.com]

Does anyone remember a TV show called Tales of the Gold Monkey?

Well, yeah. Because we're old, and all that. *g* I loved that show, but it wasn't on very long. It was an Indiana Jones rip-off, with Stephen Collins, who was rather hot at the time.

[falzalot.livejournal.com]

I must be old too, because I sure remember watching it. :->

[hafital.livejournal.com]

See, I was around in the 80's. I wonder why I never came across it. Curious. I dont' know who Stephen Collins is. Although the cast list says Roddy MacDowell was on it. I know him!

[destina.livejournal.com]

Recently, I think Stephen Collins was playing the dad in 7th Heaven. But he was also Captain Decker (of the 'melded with Ilia/Vger' fame) in Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

[hafital.livejournal.com]

Ah. Okay, so Stephen Collins is that guy. I didn't know his name, but I remember him from ST.

[ariestess]

I used to watch both shows on a pretty regular basis, if memory serves. Especially Tales of the Gold Monkey. My stepdad was into that one. And if memory further serves, wasn't the dad from 7th Heaven the star of that one? Or am I in need of more crack to smoke?

[hafital.livejournal.com]

Well, I don't know of you're on crack or not, but wasn't that guy also Brad from Rocky Horror? And he was Cmdr. Decker in ST:TMP. *g*

[ariestess]

Barry Bostwick played Brad in RHPS... Because I snicker every time I watch a rerun of Spin City and see him...

[hafital.livejournal.com]

Oh right! Okay, I knew he was on tv somewhere. ;) Those two look similar to me for some reason.

[killabeez.livejournal.com]

Ohmigod! I remember Tales of the Gold Monkey! Wow, did I lose that in the dark depths of my brain. But now, there it is, plain as day! Triptastic. {{{{hugs you}}}}

[hafital.livejournal.com]

Okay, where the hell was I?? I can't believe I've never heard of this show at all.

and {{{{bigbighugs}}}}