Bulletin Board #1 [March 14-May 17]
Bulletin Board #2 [May 18-July 14]
Bulletin Board #3 [July15-August 19]

Thanks to everyone who's been sending stuff to post to the boards. I've had to start Bulletin Board #4 a month ahead of schedule. Now as your reward, I've got something very special. If you've read the previous board carefully, you would have noticed that I mentioned I had the copies of the original scripts. Well, with a great deal of help from Lesley Pohl, I can now share them with you! I'm linking the original script text to the Episode Guide. Just click on the title of the episode and you can read the script! Remember that these are the original scripts so that they don't always jive with what was actually filmed and aired. Believe me, they're fascinating reading!! It's going to take a while for us to type up all the scripts, but I've started you guys off with two early unproduced scripts. I hope you folks enjoy them. I'm not sure that this is entirely legal and I may incur the wrath of the Writers Guild of America. There's nothing worse than ticking off a union, but I think it's worth the risk.

Troy New.Beginings.Production@MAVDMH.honeywell.com Patricia, God I hate Mondays!!! Just wondered if you had seen the FCC warning sent out last week about the internet virus called"good times".If you haven't let me know and if you have cool because I wouldn't want the "Goose" heading into the drink.
Your closet "TOTGM" reader
Troy
I've heard the so-called "good times" rumor before. I don't hold much stock in it. If it does exist, it doesn't really matter. I've had all my shots. Besides, I have all my files backed up in case of a major catastrophe. It would take me forever to upload them all again, but it's feasible, if not tedious. But thanks for the heads-up. Anyway, I would think that a virus called "good times" would only affect web sites dealing with '70s sitcoms. ;-)

Jayme Blaschke tdt@vvm.com Is it me, or is there a definite acceleration in the rate your bulletin boards fill up? Seems like a definite progression. Congrats on No. 4 going up, and I'm pleased to see the script-thingy panned out.
Yes, I'm very proud that we filled up BB #3 in about a month. Of course, it helped that we got all sorts of neat stuff from Stephen Collins and Jeff MacKay to post on the board. And congrats to you, Jayme. You're the first person to even mention the "script-thingy". Lesley and I were getting a bit worried.
I've been pondering the life and times of Gandy Dancer recently. It seems to me, if this guy was from Texas and an officer in the army air corps, he most likely went to college, and participated in the ROTC program. If so, a country boy like Gandy would have probably gone to Texas A&M (then the A&M College of Texas), the only real military school in the state, and been a member of the Corps of Cadets, since membership was mandatory then. I don't know if Gandy would have graduated or not (didn't seem like the studious type) but he obviously earned his commission, entering the military as an officer. After a few years' patriotic service, probably in the Phillipines, he joined up with the Flying Tigers (or their forerunners, actually) to combat the Imperial Japanese aggression. Unfortunately, our good friend met his demise in 1938 among a tribe of South Pacific Watusi. The real tragedy of this is that Gandy died just one year before A&M won its first (and so far only) national championship in football. To commemorate this sad event, I propose all loyal Monkiacs out there turn on their televisions Saturday morning (Aug. 24) and watch on ABC, cheering Texas A&M on as the Aggies take on BYU in the Pigskin Classic. I'm sure Gandy would be pleased.
I don't mean this as a put-down, but you just put *way* too much thought into this. Of course, your not so subtle plug for Texas A&M (your alma mater, if I remember correctly) is duly noted. First the Astros, now the Aggies. Have you no shame?!

Edward Cox EddieCox@say-cheese.com I had this dream the other night about an old TV show I used to beg to be allowed to stay up and watch. It was like Raiders of the Lost Ark or something. Then I remembered "Tales of the Gold Monkey"! Being me, the first thing I did was search Alta Vista and *poof*, there was your site. The web is a beautiful thing. Thank you.
Don't thank me. The web has been around for years. Oh, you meant *my* web site. You're welcome. It's my pleasure and I mean that sincerely.

My, the response to the scripts has been underwhelming, to say the least. Will you folks take a break from reading them and let me know what you think. Should Lesley and I continue typing these puppies up? In the meantime, I've just uploaded the script for 'High Stakes Lady' and linked it to the episode guide. No sense in letting all that hard work go to waste.

J. Cursinella (?) jcursinella@valsmtp.riag.com I think you should include all of the scripts on your web site, which is, by the way, one of my favorites.
Thanks for the feedback and the compliment. I'm planning on uploading all the scripts, but it's going to take a while. Lesley Pohl and I are typing them all ourselves. Well, Lesley's doing the bulk of the typing while I do the formatting. My typing skills are a wee bit rusty, so what would take me two weeks to do takes Lesley two days. Also, each script is approximately 60 pages so there's lots of typing to do. Right now, I'm working on the pilot script which is 109 pages! I hope my fingers hold out.

Bill Cosson BillPresto@gnn.com Patricia - love the scripts! I only got about 14 pages from the 2 missing scripts and 12 pages from "High Stakes Lady." Is this normal, or am I goofed up somewhere? Keep those scripts coming. Can't wait for more.
Sounds like you're goofed up there, Bill. I know I have problems if I try to view them through the AOL browser, but I'm fine if I use Netscape or Prodigy. Try again and let me know if you're still having problems. If all else fails, I could e-mail them to you.

Gerald and Sheri Servais serv@cwconnect.ca WOW! I'M BLOWN AWAY. Sorry that it has taken me this long to write, but I'm still a awe struck with the fact that Stephen Collins dropped by, WOW! All the questions that I wanted to ask, and know that I can, I'm to shy...but one of the biggies is that I would love to get his and Jeff MacKay's autograph. Never has a television show so influenced me. I love Tales Of The Gold Monkey.
Now I'm in even more awe. Copies of the original scripts!!!! I can't believe it! I read the first two, the night that they were first up, I loved it! I cannot wait to read the rest of them. I read " High Stakes Lady" today. Now every since I found out about you putting the scripts up, I have been checking the site about three times a day. This is the best site on the the internet. Thank you so much for what you have done.
Wow, thanks for that enthusiastic praise! Believe me, the pleasure's mine. This is just so much fun to do. BTW, you don't really need to check the site so often. I usually update the board only once a day and it takes a few days to type up a script. I'm planning to upload 'Legend Are Forever' tomorrow and I'm not sure when the next script (whatever that may be) will be ready. So, in the meantime, why don't you type up what questions you'd like to ask Stephen Collins and Jeff MacKay and pass them along to me. I'm sure they'd love to read them.

Jayme Blaschke tdt@vvm.com No shame. No shame what so ever.

Leanne Richard volterra@znet.com Hi Patricia, I don't know if this has happened to anybody else yet, but I got a letter back from Universal Video, to quote:

"In response to your request to release "Tales of the Gold Monkey" series on video this matter will be referred to the appropriate marketing director for consideration. Thank you for your interest.

Sincerely,
Evan Fong,
Executive Director, Publicity"

How's that, eh?
Sounds like they're blowing us off! At least you got a letter. I got bupkus from them. Also, we now have a name, sort of. I'll write to Mr. Fong asking him for the name of the appropriate marketing director, so we can better organize our attack.
Another coupla things: The Good Times virus is a complete and utter hoax, the "story" has been running around the internet for a number of years.
But have you prepared for the Hare Krishna virus? It was featured on all the network news broadcasts yesterday.
And umm, if you need a hand typing up these scripts, I'm more than happy to accept a photocopy of one or two and start typing ... after all, I haven't found work yet and what better else to do (besides get married of course *real soon now*) with my time? Have you considered scanning them in?
The more, the merrier, Leanne. Thanks. I did think about scanning, but these aren't really great copies so they wouldn't come out well. Besides, it's actually quite fun to type these scripts up. All right, it's tiring too, but no pain, no gain. I could send you a couple of scripts and you could try scanning a few pages to see how they come out. If it works out, then fantastic. Otherwise, we'll do it the old-fashioned way. Let me know which scripts you'd like. Besides the ones that are already posted to the site, Lesley has agreed to type 'Trunk From the Past', 'Boragora or Bust', 'Shanghaied' and 'Naka Jima Kill' and I'm currently working on the pilot. If people keep volunteering to help, we'll have all of these scripts uploaded in no time.

Also, for your reading pleasure, I've uploaded 'Legend Are Forever'. See if you can detect the interesting bit of dialogue that the writers gave Jake in the beginning of Act Four. These guys were getting just a teeny bit silly.

Alan Davies adavies@m3isystems.com Hi, I'm another one of those people to whom 'Tales of the Gold Monkey' was just a vague memory, to be brought up during those times when you discuss old TV favourites from when you were little with friends- except nobody I've ever met has ever heard of the show. I was starting to think I'd imagined it- even my Mum can't remember it, and she used to watch it with me every week.
I would only have been 5 or 6 at the time, and it was my favourite programme, I could still remember how the plane looked, it's name, and the four main characters (although not their names).
Anyway, thanks for providing such a cool site, and bringing back lots of memories (as well as proving my sanity).
I'm glad that I was able to help bring back some memories (only good ones, I hope). As for proving your sanity, I don't think that this will hold up in a court of law, but close enough. :-)

John Michael Nona JMichaelN1@aol.com I was trolling through AOL's WebCrawler, which found web pages completely unrelated to what I was looking for, when I scrolled to your Gold Monkey. "Oh my Lord!!" I loved the show, like lots of others apparently. And here I thought I was the only one. I also watched it from the beginning during my formative years. And I was bitter when it was cancelled (like when ABC killed "Police Squad!"). All I had left were dim memories of Stephen Collins and his cool jacket and the great dog and an island I wish I could visit. Until now. Thank you thank you thank you!! You can post my address, anyone who wishes to write is welcome, meanwhile I'll scroll around these pages some more.
Thanks for dusting off some happy memories of a good show Patricia.
You're welcome. Isn't nice to see that you're not alone? It's also nice for me to see that I wasn't alone in getting ticked off at ABC when the killed Police Squad. ABC sure had a tendency to murder all their really cool shows in the '80s. Remember what they did to Max Headroom and Sledge Hammer? I still hold a grudge against them!

Jayme Blaschke tdt@vvm.com Patricia, Were he alive right now, Gandy would be very depressed. Very depressed indeed.
For those people who didn't watch the Pigskin Classic, the final score was BYU 41 - Texas A & M 37. A moment of silence for our dear, depressed friend, Jayme. To add to Jayme's problems, the Houston Oilers lost to the Dallas Cowboys yesterday 24-19. Of course, it was just an exhibition game. Look on the bright side, Jayme. The Astros beat the Cardinals 3-1 and are now back in first place in the N.L. Central. I'll even be nice to you in your moment of grief and let you brag about the Astros. How about that?

A couple of announcements from your benevolent dictator. First, I just uploaded the script for 'Boragora or Bust' which you'll find linked to the episode guide. Also, just a reminder that 7th Heaven debuts tonight on the WB Network. Now show Steve what a swell guy we think he is and watch his new series. Hey, if you had a TV series, I'm sure he'd do the same for you.

Duane Rowland dr12828@appstate.edu Howdy, Monkiac!
Just got my Grumman Goose Image Gallery up and running! I linked to your page - Thought you'd like to know. Come by and see the gallery - Lots of cool pics, including Cutter's goose in it's current home.
Thanks loads!
-Duane.
The Grumman Seaplane Page:
Http://www.appstate.edu/~dr12828/seaplanes.html
Thanks for the note and the link, Duane. As I've said before, one good link deserves another, so your page is now linked to mine. Thought you'd like to know.

Jayme Blaschke tdt@vvm.com Okay, I goofed. We've got a combo UPN/WB station here, and I forgot to set the VCR to tape 7th Heaven (sportswriters work the darndest hours!). How did it turn out? Gimme a review, so I know whether to take the plunge and try to program the VCR for next week.
I know I said that this is a full-service web site, but I didn't think I'd have to play TV critic. Oh well, I'll give it a shot. In a nutshell, 7th Heaven is a cute, warm and funny look at surburban family life. WB keeps promoting it as the '90s version of The Waltons, but it's more realistic than that show ever was. It's a good show for the entire family. The kids can relate to their TV counterparts and the parents won't be muttering "Oh brother, do you believe this! Who acts like that!" And I'm not just saying this because you-know-who will probably read this and he knows where I live. BTW, last night's episode was just a "sneak peek". The show will return permanently in probably a few weeks.
P.S. Biggio opened tonight's game with a line-drive homer. I brag if, and when, the Astros hold on.
Final Score - St. Louis 3, Houston 2. I guess we won't get any bragging. But the Astros are still a half game over the Cards in the N.L. Central. You could brag about that.
P.P.S. Got a story over the wire about Red Sox Fever (catch it and die? Sorry, old Indians joke). Looks like your team isn's so far out of the wild-card race, after all.
Oh, no! I'm not falling for *that* old trick. Sure, just because the Red Sox are 2 games above .500 and 3 games back in the wild-card race, doesn't mean I going to catch Pennant Fever. I've been down this road too many times in my life and, let me tell you, the road is full of potholes!

Leanne Richard volterra@znet.com Wow! I just wanted to pass on my congratulations to Mr C, for a great premiere. Well-acted, minimum of "too cute" moments and some real neat dialogue happening! However, one question (I know it's not TOTGM related but do you think he'll allow it?): does the show have a medical advisor? Because there were two big medical boo-boos that my fiance picked up (who also otherwise enjoyed it -- meantime during a commercial break I found out about all the different kinds of leukemia!). What did everyone else think of it?
Anyway, here's hoping the network execs don't get their hands on it and turn it into another "family cliche" show ...
Which of the Powers That Be does one write to (Aaron Spelling c/o Warner Bros.?) to let them know how great this show is?? Or rather, how ever greater this show could be?? I mean, it was so *refreshing*! Oh, and anyone found out when the series starts screening for good?
You know, between baseball and 7th Heaven, we never talk about Gold Monkey on the board anymore. But hey, it's something to post, so I shouldn't complain. Thanks for your review, Leanne. I've already posted my opinion on the show. Let's hear what the rest of the folks think. I don't have any answers for you, though. You could contact Spelling Television and/or the WB Network, but I don't have any addresses for them. The WB Network has a site on America Online with a message area that is regularly read by members of the WB programming staff. I could always post something for you. And perhaps when Mr. C gets a free moment to check out the board, he could answer your questions. If they don't have a medical advisor, maybe your fiance would like the job.

Today is Wednesday. You know what that means? New script! Today's offering is 'Trunk From the Past'. You know where to find it.

Also, to show you folks that I try to answer every question that you guys throw at me, I did a little web snooping and found these 7th Heaven Powers That Be addresses for Leanne, who's getting married this Saturday, so inundate her in-box with congratulatory e-mail. In case the rest of you were interested, here they are:

Spelling Television
5700 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90036

The Warner Brothers Television Network
4000 Warner Blvd.
Bldg. #34R
Burbank, CA 91522

And speaking of 7th Heaven, guess who's here...
Stephen Collins Frankly, I can't remember a thing about Jake's illegitimacy. Maybe if I sat down and watched all the episodes it would come back to me. I just remember Don Bellisario wanting to give Jake a troubled past and that was one way of doing it, and maybe also playing against my looks - as a way of making Jake seem more of a renegade. Donald was trying to suggest, I think, someone who was on the run from his former life, and who'd gone literally to the other end of the world to escape his past. Had we gone on, I'm sure we would have explored it more.
Thanks for the background info. It gives the episodes a new dimension. Since I know you're busy, I won't pester you with anymore questions at this time. All right, the truth is that it's quarter to 8 in the morning and the caffeine hasn't hit my bloodstream yet, so I can't think of anything right now. And it seems that the rest of the gang is too busy, shy or lazy to ask anything. So, stop back anytime to chat about anything. We're pretty informal around here.
BTW, I caught the premiere of 7th Heaven Monday. Congratulations! I know this is premature, but judging from the buzz in the WB Network site on AOL (Keyword: WB NET), it looks like you've got a hit on your hands.

Look, an added bonus (as opposed to a subtracted bonus)! Lesley Pohl has been asking *everybody* questions. She's just nosier than I am, I guess. ;-) Anyway, she forwarded me a question she asked Stephen Collins (at least she *has* some questions) and his response.
LP: I read Patricia's posting of your last communication wherein you talked about your scary adventures on the set. You finished by saying you learned alot about fight scenes during your time with TOTGM. I read that shortly after watching "Legends Are Forever," the watching of which led me to believe that during the fight scene in that episode, between Jake and Gandy Dancer in the Monkey Bar, you and Bill Lucking actually connected on at least one of the punches thrown. I've seen a lot of fist fights on tv and usually scrutinize them carefully, and as I said, it really, really looked like you and Mr. Lucking made contact at least once, if not more. Especially the first punch, which Jakes throws at Gandy. So....am I imagining things or did you two actually connect?
SC: I'm glad it looked like we really hit each other - it's supposed to. But we didn't. The magic of certain camera angles is that the actor can throw a punch and miss the other actor by as much as a foot, but if the one being hit "takes" the punch properly (i.e. he flinches and moves his head in timing with the arc of the punch), it looks real. Then they add sound effects during post-production, and whammo, you have a seemingly real punch.
Jeff MacKay and Bill Lucking (who played Gandy) were excellent fake-fighters, and Diamond Farnsworth, the stunt director, and our magnificent camera operator (a great guy named Bill Battersby) would always tell us if the hit looked real. In those days, it was the camera operator's job to be sure that the hits had "landed" (looked real). Now, almost all directors watch the action through a live-feed TV monitor, so they can be sure themselves and not have to depend on the camera operator so much. Battersby was and is one of the best, though, and he was always right. Fun fact: Bill Battersby operated a little on "Sisters" last year when I was on it, and also worked a second camera for us this season on "7th Heaven."

SCRIPT ALERT! I've just uploaded 'Shanghaied' and linked it to the episode guide. The next script, 'Naka Jima Kill', will probably be uploaded Monday. Yeah, I'll work on Labor Day just for you people!

And now another member of the Tales of the Gold Monkey family, albeit not a permanent one. If you don't recognize the name, go to the episode guide. There's a reason I added those credits.
Harvey Laidman Hlaidman@vine.org Wouldn't it be great if they released the show for home video. It definitely is one of my favorites.
I have scripts for "The Late Sarah White" and "Force of Habit" - albeit highly annotated and containing call sheets, schedules and other miscellaneous nonsense.
Don't know what the legal aspects are, but might be of historical interest.
Keep up the good work
...Harvey Laidman
Thank you very much for your note. I'd LOVE the scripts, especially with all the miscellaneous nonsense, my favorite type of nonsense. Thanks for the offer. I don't know the what the legal aspects are either, but just let them try and stop me! I have so much quasi-illegal stuff in the site already, a few more things won't hurt. :-)

Here's another installment from Lesley Pohl, Official Corky Correspondent, from one of her many conversations with Jeff MacKay.
LP: I read on BB#3 Craig N. relating his favorite scenes, one of which was the scene in Cooked Goose (after the fire) where Jake asks Corky about "the rule."
JM: That was one of my favorite scenes too. For one of the few times on the show, I was given a wonderfully written dramatic scene to play. That show was written by a friend that I'd known in dinner theater days. He gave me my first professional job as Sancho in Man of La Mancha back in '73 (?). I tortured him into writing for the show (as he is a man of great theatrical talent) and with great self-doubt and trepidation, he wrote it. The staff writers on the show, feeling the need to assert their own style on the episode, changed almost all of it. I couldn't believe it! They took good solid drama and watered it down until it was ordinary tv fare! I couldn't live with that, so I took it to Steve and showed him what Jay Huguely had originally written and compared it to what we were given to shoot. He was as outraged as I was and together we made our stand to have the 'improvements' of at least a few of the scenes restored. They played just as we knew they should. One small victory for the actors and a good writer. That scene is on my audition reel to this day. I'm very proud of it.

aileen de la torre dahlizyx@aol.com hey all...i happened to be roaming around the web looking for other hard to find facts and figures on my favorite things (howcum there are a million pages of the same stuff and never anything on what i want to know about?) when i stumbled upon this "gold monkey" page. wow!
let's see now, i think i was about ten or so when i first watched the show and i absolutely fell in love with it. i don't really remember any one particular show, but i remember certain scenes like the one in which jake has malaria (i think that's what he had) and he's all delirious and sweaty and standing out on the balcony...and i remember the characters. i think the best part of it all, though, was the whole setting - an exotic island in the era of ww2 (i've always loved that era) - and the fact that sarah was a spy. i remember that throughout my entire high school (and first couple of years of college) i wanted to be a spy just because i thought my life would be really cool like on the show and i would meet mysterious people like bon chance louie. unfortunately, i know differently now, but i still think about it sometimes. that was my absolute favorite show.
my favorite character was jake because i thought he was so cute. i remember i used to write stories about the characters in my notebook...i think i probably have a good ten or twelve future episodes in my old diary if they ever decide to rerun the show. in any case, just like everyone else i would love to know how to get my hands on videos of that show. is it in syndication somewhere? if anyone knows anything i would love to find out...write me at dahlizyx@aol.com
Thanks a lot for your note, Aileen. The bad news is that Tales of the Gold Monkey isn't rerunning anywhere that I know of. The good news is that I have all the episodes on tape. They're not the best quality, but they're good enough to see Jake all sweaty from malaria again. All I ask in return for these memories is a few bucks to cover most of the cost of the blank tapes and postage. I'm not doing this to make any money. Just part of my duty to help other Monkiacs. Let me know if you're interested. In the meantime, you could read through my episode guide to bring back some more memories of particular episodes.

Jayme Blaschke tdt@vvm.com Maybe you should change this site's name to `Gold Monkey Wedding Page.'
I'll do that when *I* get married. Ah, always a bridesmaid.... Wait a minute, I've never even been a bridesmaid! Damn, is my romantic life pathetic or what?! But it's nice to see others like you and now Leanne find wedded bliss.
BTW, I just gassed up about an hour ago, and am happy to report that Texas Texacos now have a "Wings of Texaco" Grumman Goose (Limited edition, of course) on sale for $24.95.
Maybe they'll slowly making their way across the country. They probably won't make it here to Massachusetts until late September.

Surprise! I've just uploaded the script for 'Naka Jima Kill' a day early. I finished formatting early (thanks to Lesley for typing it!) and besides, I'm not sure if I'll be here tomorrow. It has nothing to do with the Labor Day. I have no problem with holidays; however, I do have a problem with hurricanes! Edouard is on his way and while I really enjoy working on this site and chatting with everyone, there's no damn way I'm driving seven miles in heavy rain and 70-80 m.p.h. winds to do it!! No offense. To ease your pain a bit, I've also uploaded another picture from the Jeff MacKay collection to the pics page.

Happy Labor Day (US) and Labour Day (Canada)! Yes, I made it. It seems that Eddie just ran away. Typical male!!! ;-)

Jayme Blaschke tdt@vvm.com Here's a question I'd like to forward to Jeff MacKay (I know his e-mail address is listed, but if he responds directly to me, we may never see the answer!).
Mr. MacKay,
How does working on period pieces like Gold Monkey or Black Sheep differ from other work you've done? How did those two shows differ? What similarities did they share, from an actor's standpoint?
Don't worry, Commrade Blaschke, the message has been forwarded to El Corko. In the meantime, have you secured the plane from the exploitative Texas petroleum theives? (Just a little Commie fun, in case your bosses are reading this.)
However, here's the reply. (Ah, instant gratification!)

Jeff MacKay mackay@mail.westworld.com Thanks for the question, Jayme...
I actually prefer to do period pieces. The most interesting aspect of transplanting myself into another time and place is the challenge of changing my way of thinking as much as possible to the frame of mind of the people of that time. Corky thought, spoke, dressed and responded differently in 1938 than a Corky would in 1996. His experiences and frames of reference were based on a world that was much more simple, naive and trusting... I guess 'innocent' might be the word. The 'right and wrong' of the thirties was much more black and white than it became as the world grew in sophistication.
I remember watching every contemporary movie I could find that was made in the mid thirties. I picked up the slang and attitude of the time as much as I could. I made a list of expressions used then and wrote them on the back cover of my script notebook and threw them in whenever appropriate... even started using them in real life. Also tried to carve away those insights and prejudices that Jeff had learned (as best I could) until I began to think more literally. I think in many ways people were more eccentric then; more individual. They were more colorful in some ways.
BLACK SHEEP was similar for me, in that it was set in very different times as well. You know, for most of the people who served abroad in WWII, the war was the most exciting time of their lives. Never before or since have they worn their mortality on their sleeves day after day as they did during that period.
There is a sense of hightened reality to times of danger and risk. The same kind of energizing that comes in varying degrees when gambling, car racing, skiing... or acting! It is exciting. It hones your concentration and focus. It speeds your thought processes as you are forced to be more alert. To me, that's great fun. Jason Robards told me once that his time onstage is the only time he really feels alive... I understand exactly what he meant.
Both GOLD MONKEY and BLACK SHEEP were about people living at an outpost of society. The chips were down much more often for them than for the normal person living in the safety of their home town. This aspect of those characters is easy and fun to play... something is always going on.
After this long-winded, rambling answer, I suppose the gist of it is that overall, it's more interesting to pretend to be in another time and place than it is to be in LA in the 90's!
... one actor's opinion.

Lesley Pohl pohl@wpo.sosc.osshe.edu Could you please post the following for the gang:
FUN FACT: Hell opened its "ABC Wing" in 1983.
I'll post your Hell remark, but I'm just a wee bit puzzled. Are you referring to my mentioning that ABC killed all their cool shows in the '80s? If so, I think that the ABC Wing would have been opened much sooner than that, probably during Fred Silverman's reign in the '70s. They deserved it for The Love Boat alone!

Bill Cosson BillPresto@gnn.com Hi Patricia - We saw "Last Chance Louie" this past weekend, and it showed (as many of the episodes do) the importance of the PanAm Clipper in the lives of the TOTGM gang. Without that weekly link to the outside world, life on Boragora would deteriorate into some sort of 'Gilligan's Island' isolation. In reality, the China Clipper would travel from San Francisco to Hawaii, Midway, Wake Island, Guam, Manila, then Hong Kong. I think it was very clever of the writers to have it dock in Boragora once a week, bringing an assortment of tourists, adventure seekers, guest stars, and the ever-essential person from the past to propel the plot along. The advent of World War II brought an end to the transpacific service, but the thrill and romance of the big birds lives on, at least in select episodes of TOTGM.
For your personal perusal and edification, I'm uploading a text file from "The American Flying Boat," by Captain Richard C. Knott, USN.
Thanks for the info, Bill. Since I'm a firm believer in the free dispersal of information, I'm going to share it with everybody. I hope Captain Richard C. Knott, USN doesn't mind.

Now available in the episode guide for your dining pleasure, 'Cooked Goose'. Bon appetit!

Jayme Blaschke tdt@vvm.com Here's a follow-up for El Corko:
What were the difficulties in playing an alcoholic on the show, given the differences in attitides and perceptions between the 30s and 80s?
And here's the answer from El Corko:

Jeff MacKay mackay@mail.westworld.com I didn't delve into the different cultural point of views. What I did really wasn't difficult. All I had to do was to 'play' the forgetfulness aspect (fighting to remember) along with the coveting of a glass of beer (like water to a man dying of thirst) and the remorse that followed (oh my god... how could I have been so stupid!). When I'd done something bad while 'drunk' it was easy to conjure up a feeling of regret and guilt.

Harvey Laidman Hlaidman@vine.org Patricia, It took a lot of digging to dislodge those scripts from their 12 year resting place!
What memories - the show "bible" and a chronology of Jake's history, a copy of the "production scorecard" showing me $10,000 over budget after the first day of shooting! (Obviously a disciplinary gesture) A memo from Don Baer about what to shoot (not Jack's genitals), transcribed notes from the production meeting, etc.
Don Baer (producer) was the first person I met when I reported to Universal in September of 1968. He was in charge of scheduling in the production office.
This show was a challenge to his considerable organizational abilities. I know he directed some shows. Jim Fargo was the second person I met, and he went on to direct some Eastwood Films - I think "Gold Monkey" was the first episodic TV he did.
Generally, I'll plot a scene in a "stream of consciousness" and then "shorthand" the coverage (close-ups, etc.) I would write it all out on a legal pad, and sometimes in the script.
Dennis, who handled Leo, would stand in the street outside the stage, I believe, stage 27, where the "phantom of the opera" set still stands. (This was one of the stages that was long enough for the process projectors to provide the "plates" for the goose sequences. A dolly track that Hitchcock constructed was still attached to the ceiling.) The tourist trams would stop and Dennis would put Leo through his paces to the delight of the visitors. They never tired of this.
I think Dennis was somehow behind this, but I never could figure out how. I'd talk directly to Leo, who would listen, head tilted, and then do exactly as I requested! Leo was fantastic!
I'm sending the package to you, and I'd appreciate it back when you're finished. It does bring back a lot of great memories!
Wow! This is more than I dreamed of! The "bible" and Jake's history - It's like Christmas in September! Thank you very much. And thank you for the reminiscences in your note. They're great.
It shouldn't take me long to make the copies of everything. I wouldn't think of keeping the originals...Well, I would think of it, but I wouldn't do it. Photocopies will do quite nicely.

New Script Alert!!! 'Honor Thy Brother' has just been uploaded and linked to the episode guide. You guys must have plenty of time to read these scripts since you're not taking the time to send any e-mails to post to the board (except for the loyal little band that I like to refer to as "The Usual Suspects"). I should hear shortly (I hope) from somebody at MCA/Universal Home Video about whom to direct our requests for Tales of the Gold Monkey videos. If you don't want to send your correspondence directly to them, then send me a little note of support and I'll post it to the board. I'd like them to see that we're not just a handful of crackpots. We're a large mass of crackpots! ;-)

Bec padraig@wantirna.starway.net.au Patricia! I can't believe there are so many of us around!
Yeah, kinda scary, ain't it! :-)
Thank you!
Bec (from Melbourne-who-can't-afford-cable)
Thanks for your note. If you can't afford cable, maybe you can afford video. Let's see if we can convince those folks at MCA/Universal to sell Gold Monkey tapes worldwide!
Patricia (from Massachusetts-who-can-afford-cable-but-what-good-is-it!)

The Bec Saga continues...
Message #2
Bec padraig@wantirna.starway.net.au I'm sitting here feeling like a stunned cod because it's so late (early? tomorrow?), but I just wanted to say again "!thank you!" for bringing all this back. I think I was about eight or nine when the series ran in Australia, and visiting your web site is almost like someone handing you back a bit of brain and time that went missing. Keep it up! This is magic!
Bec (from Melbourne sans cable)
Message #3
Please let me know if this message gets to you (and the other two I sent before), I haven't got the hang of this *(@&#)@&#%!@&)*%#!#*^# machine yet. Feeling inadequate (unlike you gifs and jpegs types)
Upon receiving my reply to her first note
Jubilation! It worked! I feel a sense of awe at having joined the ToTGM family. I was getting so many 'POPSERVER' error messages that I thought I'd segued into a breakfast cereal site by mistake. Can't wait to get into those scripts.
Welcome to the family, Bec! I guess I'm going to have to act a little motherly now. What are you doing up at this hour of the night, yikes, morning?! You should be in bed, young lady. The scripts will still be there after you get some sleep. Sigh...you kids!!! :-)

Well, it was a quiet weekend for me. With the exception of Cableless Bec in Melbourne, I didn't get any e-mail. Did anybody send me anything? I've been having problems with my e-mail, so I just want to be sure. I don't want to berate you people for no good reason. Anyway, I've just uploaded 'The Sultan of Swat' for your reading pleasure. Give, give, give and never take. C'est moi.

It's time again for more Q&A with our favorite action hero, Jake Cutter, a.k.a. Stephen Collins. Our first question comes from out there in Orygun.
Lesley Pohl Well, I do have a question for SC, which you're more than welcome to ask for me if you're compiling another list. On BB#2, you posted an article by Jerry Buck (Associated Press) about TOTGM with a lot of quotes from SC. At one point, he's describing the house he was currently living in and said, "something you would expect to see in Baton Rouge." As a 13-year former resident of big B.R., I must admit I'm curious as to what prompted him to say that.
Stephen Collins The apartment I was referring to was in an old Spanish style building in on Havenhurst Drive in Hollywood that looked like something out of "Streetcar Named Desire." It had been, in fact, moved to LA from Mexico, piece by piece, and reconstructed. It was a very atmospheric place, exotic and overgrown with vines and fragrant flowering bushes. Gable had lived there in the thirties, and Bette Davis, and Randolph Scott. It was beautiful. It's now a landmark building. I was living there when I did TOTGM and when I met Faye. It was our first home....SC
Our next question comes from yours truly.
Patricia Annino I just received a package from Harvey Laidman with all sorts of great Gold Monkey stuff. Included is a memo from Don Baer to all Gold Monkey directors regarding series continuity. The first sentence is "For purposes of continuity in the show, it is our policy to always treat Jack, the dog, as a normal character actor whenever he's being photographed." How difficult was that for you to perform scenes with an actor who just happened to be a dog?
Stephen Collins Actually, through movie magic, it's very easy to treat a dog like a human - on film, that is. The thing I told myself was simply to treat Jack AS THOUGH he understood everything. Then the camera cuts to Jack, usually in a seperate shot, where he can SEEM to be responding appropriately, but where he is, of course, simply seponding to his trainer (who could command him to be keep still [deadpan reaction], or shake his head and exit the shot [rejection of Jake's stupid suggestion, etc.], say bark once or twice ["no" or "yes"]. Knowing the trainer could get Jack (whose real name was Leo) to do anything, we had the freedom to act AS THOUGH he were, basically, human. It was great fun, and one of the strange, bizarre touches of the show. As unlikely as some of our plot lines were, no critic ever complained that it was unrealistic for Jake to talk to Jack, or for Jack to understand and talk back. Don Baer's memo was spot-on.
Fun fact: Harvey Laidman has been signed to direct an upcoming episode of "7th Heaven". It'll be the first time I've seen him since TOTGM.

Yes, I received lots of great stuff (scripts, character history, etc.) from Harvey Laidman. You'll be able to read more from the Harvey Laidman Collection shortly.

Bill Cosson BillPresto@gnn.com Hi Patricia - Received your rebuke about no one writing in with great guiltiness. Congratulations on hit #6000. Six thousand people have been touched by you at least once, or less people than that more times than once. Glad to see the hurricane didn't wash you out to sea.
As always, your page is copacetic. WTG, M.
Thanks, Bill, but you're a bit premature. I just checked my counter and I was #5996. I wonder who'll be lucky #6000? But at least you sent me a note, unlike most of the other "regular" visitors. I swear, if I didn't get e-mail from people involved with the show, I'd have nothing to post.

Troy New.Beginings.Production@MAVDMH.honeywell.com Hi "Oh great one", Well, guess I get the distinction of being the 6000th "Monkiac" to stop by for a fix.Does it lessen my rep. if I logged on and off your page to jump ahead?How will I sleep tonight?(well probably)It's hard to believe that someone kept all the "behind the scene" memos and directives.Guess i'm not the only packrat in town.Adios Amiga.
"your less of a closet" TOTGM reader
Troy
No, Troy, your rep isn't lessened because you ran up the counter to get to #6000. But if you thought you were going to get a prize or something, forget it! Now, if you ran up the counter to get to #10000....:-)

Bec padraig@wantirna.starway.net.au Hi Patricia! If I'd known your weekend traffic was a bit on the light side I would have drawn you a multi-coloured chicken or something just to liven up my messages. Isn't this font blindingly awful?
The font is different with each system, I guess. It looks just like plain old sans serif text on my end. If you're going to draw me multi-colored animals, I'd think a monkey would be more appropriate.
They won't give us the internet at work - it would distract the captives from billing stupidly large amounts of money (not that we see any of it). As it is, we're all discouraged from playing "hearts" and "minesweeper". There is no kindness in this world (apart from your pocket of the universe, thank god you have a good memory).
This memory of mine is going to pay off for me someday when I become a five-time undefeated champion on Jeopardy. Maybe with my earnings, I'll buy a really fancy PC with all the trimmings so I can really make the web site fantastic.
Next time you compile a list of questions could you ask Mr C if he ever feels like there is no acting tomorrow after a show ends? Does he feel confident enough about his abilities (I know I am and I haven't even seen "7th heaven" yet) and about the industry in general to not get too anxious about the future? What went through his mind when he found out the powers that be shut down ToTGM?
I know these questions are completely facile, but I still can't get over the fact that the blue-eyed boy visits with us.
I'll pass along your questions. Thanks for asking something. I don't want our blue-eyed boy to think that nobody cares about him. BTW, I don't know when, or if, 7th Heaven will air in Australia. It'll start "officially" here in the US next Monday.
Take care, I had no idea that Massachusetts was ever the epicentre of natural disasters, I thought it was just genteel and filled with smart people,
Bec :)
We're not the epicentre, but we get our share of bizarre weather patterns. It's just a part of life around here. We don't get hit with hurricanes as much as the southeastern part of the country, like those poor folks who just got ravaged by Hurricane Fran, but we're always on our guard this time of year. Of course, in just a few short months, winter will be here. Oh, joy! Blizzards!!! Howling winds, blowing snow. Trying to dig out from under three feet on packed snow and ice. I've lived in the northeast US all my life and I can tell you quite sincerely, I HATE SNOW!!!!!

Wow! Two days in a row! I think you people will get spoiled pretty soon.

I may have asked this before but I'll ask it again. What kind of research, if any, did you do to prepare for your role as Jake?
Stephen Collins I watched Howard Hawks' "Only Angels Have Wings," a lot. It was really the model (for me) of the atmosphere, humor, and life we were trying to create on Gold Monkey...that alienated-from-America life with constant, dangerous work and great friendships. It's a wonderful movie. The Cary Grant-Jean Arthur-Thomas Mitchell triangle was, for me, the inspiration for Jake-Sarah-Corky.

And more stuff for you guys. I've just uploaded the script to 'God Save the Queen' and linked it in the episode guide.

Jayme Blaschke tdt@vvm.com Break out the long underwear -- it's supposed (I repeat, SUPPOSED) to drop down to the low 60's here tonight. Geez, I feel pneumonia coming on...
Wuss!
Got a Q for Mr. C: Was there ever any thought of coming up with a pseudonem for your fiction? With Richard Dreyfuss, yourself, and (forgive me) Newt Gingrich trying each one's hand in the fiction marketplace, I know there's a certain number of read of the belief these people are merely Trading on their Names. Kinda like Eddie Murphy launching a singing career. Was there a concern about market backlash?
What! Don't tell me you didn't boogie down to "Party All the Time"? BTW, the poor publisher of Newtie's novel, 1945, can't even give them away.
Oh, Patricia, BTW. There's a wildlife park near here that's shutting down early next month. My wife wants me to go there and buy her a monkey. Lots o' luck... but maybe if there were a GOLD one...
Well, there is such a species known as golden monkeys, so maybe you can buy one of those. I'm not sure about the specifics regarding these monkeys, except that they're from China, so I don't know if you could find one in a wildlife park in Texas. BTW, if you do get a monkey, what would you name it?

Here's an interesting note I received. It's not Gold Monkey related, but I suspect the author sent it to me because of my contact with Stephen Collins. It's the only excuse I can think of. Besides, I know most of you guys are also Trekkers, so what the heck, it's something to post.
Leonard F. Krieger otskrieger@city-net.com Hi my name is Leonard F. Krieger (as in Krieger Wave and USS Krieger A Constitution then Excelsior Class Vessel.) I am currently a member of the Uss Potemkin. We are currently masterminding a Campaign to get the Star Trek Sets open or at least tours of them for the public. As you may know the sets are currently closed. We need all of the help that we can get. Unfortuneately our resources are limited and we cannot get the exposure that we need. Can you help us?
Thank you for helping our noble cause.
Qa Pla' (Success in Klingon)
Leonard F. Krieger Email: otskrieger@city-net.com
Dwayne T. Krieger Email: Dkrieger@computerm.com
The Trek Hotline: (412) 462-TREK
> 8735
p.s Please also visit the following sites who are helping to promote Open The Sets and for other useful Star Trek info
Terry Peters website
http//www.escape/cal/~tpeters
Kasey Chang website http//userwww.sfsu.edu/%7ekschang/trekspcl.htm
Dan Rose website
http//www.cyberhighway.net/~danrose/st.html#Open The Sets
Mike Ripplingers website
http//members.aol.com/openface/wwwhtml
Chris Gray website
http//clgray.simplenet.com/strtrk/ots.html
Erin Peterson website http//ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/erinp/
Jeff Moon website
http://www.geocities.com/hollywood/7254/lcars.htm
Joan Ging website
http://www.skagit.com/turtle/joan/ots/
Yuan-Mings Website http://www-leland.stanford.edu/%enanyuan/ym.htm
Roberto Tecchio Website
http://intercity.shiny.it/wwwdb/startrekapp.html

aileen de la torre dahlizyx@aol.com hello all from down here in la la land (atlanta G-A, that is)...it's about 1:30 in the p.m. on wednesday the 11th of september and i just finished watching politically incorrect on the comedy channel. who should be on the show but mr. collins discussing doc kevorkian! he had some interesting remarks and was really funny as well...anyway, i was just wondering if anyone else out there saw that (i think they rerun the same show in the evenings).
Thanks for the heads up, Aileen. I'm not sure, but it might have been a rerun. If it wasn't, then I'm a trifle mad at Mr. C for not telling us about it. Comedy Central will run the same episode again at 7 ET tonight in case anybody wants to catch it. I usually watch it at that hour. Gee, a group of people making witty remarks about current events. Sounds like this place.

Happy Thursday! As a special Thursday surprise, I've add all sorts of goodies from the Harvey Laidman collection to the Facts 'N Stuff page. Go check it out. Yes, I do think I'm spoiling you people.

Dave Menzies DMENZIES@aol.com
YOU are the best!!
I loved that show!! I would do anything to watch every episode again and again
He was always hauling freight....Just pine crates, never said what was in em..
Its all about sweat stained khaki and a one eyed dog!!
YEE-HAW
Dave Menzies
Mystic, CT
I am proud of my jean jacket with all the pins!!!
Glad you enjoyed yourself, Dave. If you want to watch every episode again and again, I have them all on video, a bit worse for wear, but still watchable. Let me know if you'd like copies. The cost usually comes out to $3.00 a tape to cover the cost of a blank tape and postage. I can fit 2 episodes per tape on SP mode, 4-5 on LP and 7 on SLP. Let me know if you're interested.

And now let's welcome back the former Miss Leanne Richard
Leanne Shawler volterra@znet.com Hi Patricia! Ooh, a Melbournite on the group -- cool!!!
Anyway, I thought I ought to drop you a line and let you know that my 20+ boxes of personal belongings arrived two days ago and so the scripts have been put to one side ... I hope to get to them again tomorrow ... I'm about halfway through one already ... And I'm copying the formatting from the scripts on the page already ... I'll send you a sample later and you can tell me whether or not I need to add more tabs or what have you! :)
Looking forward to 7th Heaven ...
Oh! PS! I believe that *somewhere* (in a box!) I have a picture of SC posing in the front door of his "Baton Rouge style" house ... pretty blue tiles from memory ... I'll see if I can dig it up for you today ... and yeah, I gotta find that annual too ...
Just quickly! I just read the "Harvey" (not the large rabbit :)) Facts 'n' Stuff ... wow... did Jake's long-lost fiancee ever make it to Boragora?? Can you say fanfic??! When I've unpacked and finished typing up scripts ...
No, Jake's "fiancee" never made it to Boragora, but if you've read the script for 'Visions From the Past' (one of the unproduced scripts), I believe that Colleen was supposed to be her lookalike. BTW, piecing together from different scripts, I believe his fiancee's name would be Elizabeth Davis, in case you need that for your fanfic.

Bill Cosson BillPresto@gnn.com Hey Patricia -Harvey Laidman's Facts & Stuff is terrific. I noticed that some of the items have been left out or underplayed in the series, e.g. Jake's sophisticated ex-fiancee back in the states (for the better, I'm thinkin'). Keep the esoteric stuff coming!
As soon I get my hot little hands on some more esoteric stuff, you know I'll throw it in the site. I'm still rooting through the H files, but there should be at least one more goodie that will be added. I don't want to overload you guys with too much stuff at once.

But since I'm here, I'll give you guys the script for 'Once a Tiger... linked to the episode guide. Plus, there may be something else in your future...

Leanne Shawler volterra@znet.com Hi!! I'm leaving books and boxes scattered through the apartment to bring you ...
I found it!! and guess what I'd kept inside the front cover?! The pic of SC outside his home and a *really* cute pic of he and Caitlin together ... I'll see if I can get access to a scanner ...
And guess what else I found out??? He was in Australia in 1983 to present the Logies!!!!!! (that's the Aussie version of the Emmys). Altogether now Aussies: "Aaargh!" (It's almost as bad as going overseas last year on a holiday to France and discovering on return that Dean Cain had graced Aussie shores). So I have a question for Stephen: did he like Australia? and has he given any thought to working there? (Seeing as WB has opened a studio on the Gold Coast) Ok, so that's two questions ...
Ok, now onto the Annual ... the printing/copyright details are as follows... then I'll do a contents list and then we can see what we can do about getting some of this stuff online ... I'm open to suggestions ...

(c) 1982 Universal City Studios, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
All photographs, apart from the opening credits spread and "Tales of the Gold Monkey" feature are (c) Shooting Star / Transworld.

Published by GRANDREAMS LTD., Jadwin House
205/211 Kentish Town Road, London, NW5
Printed in Holland
ISBN 0 86277 154 1

CONTENTS:
* "Goddess of Gunagara" -- b&w cartoon
* Stephen Collins alias Jake Cutter (two b&w pics)
* Tales of the Gold Monkey (background story, b&w double page pic of Jake & Jack on the dock, b&w pic of the Goose, colour pic of the cast, SC in front holding the Golden Monkey)
* "Air Pirates" (story, with colour illustrations)
* Cutter's Goose (2 page colour spread of the goose, including neat shot with Volcano)
* Stephen Collins (bio, full page colour pic of SC in yellow sweater, smaller colour shot of earlier b&w double page of Jake & Jack on dock, another nice colour shot of SC looking *VERY* young!! (sorry Mr C :))
* Jack (2 full page size colour pics of Jack)
* "Island of Dead Souls" (story, colour illustrations)
* Roddy McDowall (bio, three colour pics, including one where he appears to be wearing a golden glittery tie!)
* Caitlin O'Heaney (bio, all TOTGM pics with Caitlin looking hot and steamy (and one with SC). 3 colour, 1 b&w)
* Tales of the gold Monkey Quiz (with 3 b&w shots -- Jack, SC, and one with Caitlin who looks rather tied up *grin*)
* Jeff Mackay alias Corky (two page spread - two b&w pics)
* "A Rocket For The Reich" (b&w cartoon)
* John Calvin alias The Reverend Tenboom ... & Willie (two b&w shots -- one as minister, the other in German uniform)

And that's it!!
That's all?! Darn it, I wanted more! ;-) Wow, it sounds fantastic! I don't suppose you'd part with it? No, I didn't think so. I'm just so upset that we didn't get that in the States. It was our show, you know! THANK YOU!

And don't worry folks, we're working on a way of sharing this cornucopia of cool stuff with everyone. Stay tuned.

And now another installment of "Ask Mr. C".
Bec Next time you compile a list of questions could you ask Mr C if he ever feels like there is no acting tomorrow after a show ends? Does he feel confident enough about his abilities (I know I am and I haven't even seen "7th heaven" yet) and about the industry in general to not get too anxious about the future? What went through his mind when he found out the powers that be shut down ToTGM?
Stephen Collins I was, ironically, on the island of Bora Bora (not Bora Gora, but awfully close) when I heard TotGM had been cancelled. It broke my heart, not because I was worried about working, but because we had just left the characters out there, unresolved. I was with Faye (it was before we were married), and we were very, very sad.
I worry less and less about working or not working in the acting future, although it's always disconcerting to be out of work for more than a few months. But since I started writing, I experience acting unemployment as an opportunity to write, so it's very different now. Sometimes I'm almost annoyed when acting work comes along while I'm in the middle of writing.

Jayme Blaschke Got a Q for Mr. C: Was there ever any thought of coming up with a pseudonem for your fiction? With Richard Dreyfuss, yourself, and (forgive me) Newt Gingrich trying each one's hand in the fiction marketplace, I know there's a certain number of read of the belief these people are merely Trading on their Names. Kinda like Eddie Murphy launching a singing career. Was there a concern about market backlash?
Stephen Collins I flirted with the idea of a pseudonym. I wanted people simply to read "Eye Contact" without thinking about who wrote it. I'm not famous enough to sell a lot of books merely on the strength of my name, but I wanted people to read the book on its own merits and not be asking, "Can HE write a book? SHOULD he write a book?" etc. Didn't know Dreyfuss was writing. The head of Bantam pointed out to me that VERY VERY few authors can be booked on "GMA" and "Regis & Kathie Lee" and that I should embrace that. Marketing first novels is difficult, and I'm glad now that I used my own name. Joe Klein is a friend of mine, though, and I kind of envy him what he did on "Primary Colors."

Leanne Shawler He was in Australia in 1983 to present the Logies!!!!!! (that's the Aussie version of the Emmys). ... So I have a question for Stephen: did he like Australia? and has he given any thought to working there? (Seeing as WB has opened a studio on the Gold Coast) Ok, so that's two questions.
Stephen Collins LOVED Australia and remember Logie night well. Spent a memorable few days on Heron Island on the Barrier Reef, too. I'd work down under in a second if a) anyone asked me, and 2) I could bring my family.

Tom Erland Sveen Tom.Sveen@stud.osir.hihm.no saw you wanted a "name with those numbers", so i thought i might email you - and did!
I have chosen you as my link to a golden monkey homepage, and was kinda hoping you'd want to return the favour *blush*
I never got to see the show, as it never aired in Norway, but it must be great considering bellisario made it! ;) I couldn't access all your subpages - so i couldn't get an overview of what the series was really about - so i just quoted your first line on the homepage(something with a oneeyed dog(?)).
If you would be so kind as to check out my site - and maybe even put a link to it on your homepage(hint,hint), I would really appreciate it!
Best regards
Tom Erland Sveen
Airwolf - The flying fortress
http://www.osir.hihm.no/~tomes/airwolf/
Thanks for your note, Tom, and thanks for the link. I'll include a link to your page to my main web page. This is the second link for an Airwolf page from Norway. Hmm...why is Airwolf so popular in Norway?

And speaking of links, I've linked the script for 'Escape From Death Island' to the episode guide for your Monday morning reading pleasure.

Bec padraig@wantirna.starway.net.au Thanks Patrish! Give me benevolent dictatorship like yours anytime.
Your welcome, Bec. My next act as B.D. will either be to get MCA/Universal to release the series on home video or to get the trains to run on time. I think the latter will be easier. ;-)
Another question for Mr C- Who are your literary influences (if any)?
Also, Hi Leanne! Congratulations on getting hitched. Melbourne was sunny today (for a change). Quite balmy in fact.
I bet you folks didn't expect you'd get weather information in this site, did you? BTW, today's forecast for the SE Mass./Rhode Island area is for partly sunny skies and highs in the 70s (Fahrenheit, of course).

Bec padraig@wantirna.starway.net.au You're very good at directing electronic traffic so I'd imagine the train system would be a cinch. Once you've fixed up yours, please PLEASE revamp ours. The MET probably caused Leanne to flee to America. I wouldn't be surprised.

It's time for a little Q&A with Jeff MacKay, courtesy of Lesley Pohl, "Official Corky Correspondent".
LP What was the scariest thing you ever had to do in conjunction with a role?
JM Once, standing on the dock, I was waiting for Jake to pull the plane in, slipped and damn near ran into the turning propeller blade. They were run by an electric motor in each wing and actually spun pretty fast. Could easily have killed me.

LP Were you ever told what Corky's real (full) name actually was? Or was he always intended to be simply Corky?
JM When I first donned the white jumpsuit (which was to become my everyday attire) the name Dixon was written on the left side over the pocket. I'd never heard that name before and didn't particularly like it, so I covered it up with black smudge. I thought someone had arbitrarily put in on. When I asked Don Bellisario about it he told me he thought it was a good name and that he'd come up with it. To my knowledge, it was never mentioned in the show.

James Sleeth 71044.1214@CompuServe.COM I really have enjoy reading all the infomation about TOTGM. Its GREAT!
I found a great place to find pictures in New York. The first request I had was TOTGM abd they brought out a folder full of 8x10 pictures. Their called Jerry Ohlingers Movie Material 212-989-0869. I don't believe they have a catalog. And thats all they sell are photos its an incredible place.
I would like to find out more about getting the videos I have a good copy of the Pilot and God save the Queen and bits and parts of others.
Thanks for the photo tip, James. I'll give them a call.

I don't have any new pictures for you guys, but I do have a new script. 'The Lady and the Tiger' has been uploaded. Also I got another letter from Leonard F. Krieger regarding the Star Trek Open the Sets campaign with more information. It's too much for me to post here, but if anybody's interested, you can e-mail me for the info or you can contact Leonard directly at OTSKRIEGER@city-net.com.

Joe Nusbaum jnusbaum@students.wisc.edu WOW--- I was completely dumbfounded to find your GM site on the web. After years of my own private crusade to reconnect with this almost forgotten facet of the past, I discover I am far from being alone. After spending much more time at you site than I could afford today, I'll have to cut this message short... but be asured I'll be back with many questions, trivia tidbits, etc.
Water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink... I NEED to get my hands the episodes. I promise to hold up my end in the letter writing campaign, but I don't think I can wait for those indefinite results. If you are still dubbing copies of the episodes, please let me know how to go about attaining them. (mailing address, etc.) I would be so unbelievably grateful for this service.
Thank you thank you thank you for bringing the lost souls of the GM generation together again.
You're welcome you're welcome you're welcome, Joe. As for tapes, yes, I'm still dubbing copies. In fact, I've got to finish up dubbing for 2 people first, then I can start on copies for you. However, there's a slight hitch. I'm moving in a few weeks, which means at one point I'm going to have to disconnect the VCRs and then try to remember how to reconnect them correctly. Hopefully, I can finish up your copies before then. Let me know which episodes you're interested in and which tape speed (SP, LP, SLP) you prefer. I'm pretty flexible. I can bend forward and put my hands flat on the floor! :-)

Craig Nystrom davidw@qnet.com Hello again, its been a while. I was overjoyed when I saw you had some scripts on this page of unproduced GM shows. Just the other day I was thinking (that's dangerous I know) that it would be cool if there were novels for GM like star Trek and other shows. Though there's only 2 stories, it was still a great treat. Are there any others anywhere? Maybe when I have nothing better to do I will write a story or two myself, who know's. I am using a buddy of mine's computer so you probably see a different address. Bye for now. Good Luck
Craig Nystrom
PS: Any new GM souveniers lately?
Well, Craig, I may be able to combine two of your requests. Leanne finally received her copy of the Tales of the Gold Monkey Annual and is forwarding it to Lesley for scanning and copying. In the table of contents Leanne provided (I haven't seen the Annual yet), there are listings for two stories, Air Pirates and Island of Dead Souls (sound pretty neat, eh?). I may be induced to violate copyright laws (Again!) and put them in the site. And I'm always in the market for fan fiction. Check out the Facts 'N Stuff page, if you haven't already, to get the "official" character histories from the show's bible, generously submitted by Harvey Laidman. You can get all sorts of story ideas from it.

Leanne Shawler volterra@znet.com I finally had a chance to catch up with the page (after having some trouble connecting with your page this morning *growl*) today ...
I hope you're not growling at me!
To answer Bec's supposition about my fleeing to America because of the MET -- well, I've only been in Melbourne briefly (about 4 times, lovely *lovely* city) and I thought the trams were fun! *shrug*. I'm actually from Newcastle, NSW, which is north of Sydney ...
As for the weather -- it is sunny in San Diego *again*.
Oh and a question for Mr C: Did he go to Bora Bora because it was so close in name to Bora Gora? (I always wanted to go there too) What was it like?
Oh and everyone send nasty notes to the idiot who wrote a review of 7th Heaven in this week's TV Guide. Ye gods ... The man clearly has no clue (anyone who can bag SC's acting *and* ignore how completely refreshing ths show is, just has to be clueless ....)
My goodness, Leanne, you haven't been in America long, have you? *Nobody* takes TV Guide articles seriously. It's Rupert Murdoch, for crying out loud! BTW, I don't think it's fair. We give you Aussies Mel Gibson and you give us Americans Rupert Murdoch. I was not surprised at the article. There's bad blood between Murdoch and Jamie Kellner, the President of the WB Network. What surprised me was that in last week's issue, TV Guide said, "This warm, coming-of-age drama could wind up being the best family show on television." Obviously, Rupert didn't catch that!

Yes, it's Friday. The weekend is upon us. To celebrate, I've uploaded the script for 'The Late Sarah White'. Party on!!

I guess you folks took my "Party on!!" line too seriously. I haven't heard from anybody in the past few days. Oh well, I like to think that *somebody* is out there reading this. If you are, as your reward you can check out the script for 'Black Pearl' linked to the episode guide.

Late Friday, I received a note from a little birdie from MCA, who wishes to remain anonymous. The birdie said in part:
I am ("was" since I haven't seen it in years) a huge fan of "Tales"--I was 11 when it originally aired. I work at MCA/Universal Pay-per view and am pushing to get the series included in our schedule for a Europe. Anyway, if you'd like to publish a couple names, it could help (or at least couldn't hurt) get something going with selling the series domestically or even as a video release (somewhat less likely).
I've put the contact names on the main web page along with MCA/Universal's address. BTW, I couldn't send a reply, so Little Birdie, if you're reading this, thank you very much.

Well, still no mail to post. Where are all you guys anyway? I haven't heard anything from anybody but my loyal sidekick, Lesley Pohl, since Saturday. In all fairness, I have mail in my AOL inbox, but it's Wednesday and AOL screws around on the system on Wednesdays, so the mail function is down. However, I'm not getting my hopes up. It's probably junk mail. So this is the thanks I get for giving you folks all this neat stuff. And Lesley and I are working on getting Leanne Shawler's copy of the Tales of the Gold Monkey Annual scanned and transcribed into the site. Plus I've just uploaded 'Mourning Becomes Matuka'. Now, I don't need to be constantly reassured that you people like the site, but I will need your help with the new MCA letter writing campaign. Even if you don't take the time to write to TPTB at MCA, you could send me an e-mail of support to post to the site. I could even print them out and send them to TPTB to show that I'm not just a lone lunatic. Okay, I'll admit that I may be a lunatic (let 'em prove it in court!), but I'd like to think that I'm not alone.

I've got good news and bad news. The good news is that AOL has e-mail back up and running. The bad news is that I only had three letters in my mail box. One was junk mail (natch), one personal and this:
LARRY JAROSZ Ljarosz@fluids.ittind.com just went through your site boy it sure stired up memorys, thanks for the trip.
Thank you, Larry. Okay, it's not much, but it's more than the rest of you folks!

Now this is more like it!
Linda Young jlyoung@mindspring.com I found your GOLD MONKEY Web page tonight and am delighted. I loved the show, and so did my husband!
(So did many people, I take it. True Story: In February 1983 I went to Omnicon, a SF convention in Ft. Lauderdale, and brought with me six pieces of artwork for the art show. I sold four, three of them for about seven or eight dollars apiece.
The drawing I did of Jack sold for $25! ABC didn't know what they had.)
Tell me about it!! I have officially termed the network twits "weenies", as in "The show was murdered by those weenies at ABC." It seems to me that ABC expected the show to draw a huge, general audience, and when it got a smaller, though much more loyal, audience, they didn't know what to do. This was back in the days when the "numbers" were everything, not who was watching, but how many. IMHO, if ABC had renewed it for a second season and put it on at 9:00 ET on Wednesdays (instead of the earlier 8:00 time slot), the show would have emerged as a solid Top 20 hit. No wonder ABC spent much of the '80s in the ratings basement. They kept killing all their good shows.
BTW, if you have any more drawings, I'd love to scan them and post them to the site. I'm sure everybody reading this would love to see them.

aileen de la torre dahlizyx@aol.com well darlin' i thought i'd write in and say hello since no one else seems to be...the truth is that i visit the page quite often, i just never have anything to say. oh well. in any case, i got the videos and i saw the whole series for the first time in years - thank you so much for sending the tapes! it took me three days to watch all 22 hours (in between fighting with three other roomates for tv time and going to work) and now that it's over i'm having serious withdrawal symptoms. i've been walking around the house in my bomber jacket and bedroom slippers lamenting that there's just nothing good on television anymore. geez, it's enough to drive someone to books! ;-) i guess the only thing for me to do is to watch it all over again.
Is there something wrong with that? What's the point of having tapes if you don't watch them over and over again? :-)
p.s. - i saw 7th heaven on monday and i really enjoyed it even though it's strange watching such a functional family...unfortunately, i couldn't stop thinking that at any moment s.c. was going to jump from the pulpit and hop on that damn goose!
Now THAT would be interesting, sermons from a seaplane! I have to admit that the more I watch 7th Heaven, the more I like it. This is extremely rare for me since I never watch "family programming". Even growing up, I never watched Little House on the Prairie or The Waltons. We used to watch shows like Soap and, of course, all those action shows like Charlie's Angels and Emergency!. Does this mean I'm getting older and more mellow?! Perish the thought!

Linda Young jlyoung@mindspring.com I stopped the artwork many years back--just no time for it. These days I'm into cross-stitch. But thanks for asking!
(I do wish I'd kept a photo of that picture, though. It came out really well, as I remember.)
So, alas, no drawings. But don't worry. I've got plenty of stuff to keep you guys happy. First, I've just uploaded the script for 'A Distant Shout of Thunder'. And coming soon, that 1982 classic, the Tales of the Gold Monkey Annual, just chock full of pictures and drawings (which I'm sure aren't nearly as good as Linda's). Just stay tuned.

Tim Turley taturley@earthlink.net Dear Patricia, Great Web page! You have put some visual context to the retirement dreams of a close friend and myself. The Gold Monkey is the epitome of our retirement vehicle, even if we never really get there.
I also truly enjoy your style on the page. Perfect for someone with an avid but not-too-demented interest.
Yep, that's me, avid but not-too-demented. I like to think I have just the right amount of dementia. :-)
I got linked on from a response by my brother (a railroad engineer w/ a rusty A&P mechanics cert), after I queried him about seaplane stuff on the net.
I'm sure I'll be back soon, with my friend in tow. Keep up the great work, and thank you for your efforts.
You're welcome, Tim. And feel free to download any seaplane pictures that strike your fancy. That's what they're there for.

Time for another installment of "Ask Mr. C."
Bec Who are your literary influences (if any)?
Stephen Collins Literary influences (i.e. favorite or inspiring writers): Dickens, Hemingway, Robert Stone, Lawrence Block, Steinbeck, Carl Hiassen, Yeats...

Leanne Shawler Oh and a question for Mr C: Did he go to Bora Bora because it was so close in name to Bora Gora? (I always wanted to go there too) What was it like?
Stephen Collins I went to Bora Bora as part of a ToTGM P.R. trip to Australia. They wanted me to come so much (the show was a big hit down under) that they offered to send me and a mate (Faye) to Tahiti on our return. We also stopped in New Zealand. Bora Bora was unbelievably lovely and remote. Very French. They speak French and use French money and the food tends to be French and the people wear little clothing on the beach, as in parts of France. Gorgeous place, quite beyond belief.

And since Leanne was *very* upset at the nasty TV Guide review of 7th Heaven, here's my questions: Do you pay much attention to your reviews?
Stephen Collins I enjoy reading good reviews, and avoid reading bad ones. TV Guide said nice things about 7th Heaven in their Fall Preview issue, then said lousy things about it a week later in a formal review. We got a lot of GREAT reviews - many papers around the country said we were the best or one of the best new shows - a few bad ones, and a few in between. But they were mostly good. With 100 or so TV reviews, I kind of look for some kind of consensus, like in an election. If this were an election, 7th Heaven won by a landslide, so I shrug off the bad ones and don't read them. The pysche tends to remember bad reviews, word for word, for all time, so I avoid etching them into my consciousness. In real life, I hang around people who support me and avoid those who don't. I don't mind criticism, but I loathe carping, negativism, and nastiness, and all too few critics know how to write a negative review without turning nasty (cleverly so, often). So I don't honor that. Real, constructive criticism from critics, is, ironically, ALL too rare.

After, Stephen's answer to Leanne's question, I had a question for her: Just how big of a hit was Tales of the Gold Monkey in Australia?
Leanne Shawler volterra@znet.com Big :) Naturally I was too young back then to pay attention to stuff like ratings, but US TV stars only get invited over here when their shows are in the Top 10 ... in fact, you can thank us (or not) for keeping Baywatch afloat (personally, I wouldn't!)
Please change the word "thank" to "blame". And please don't sully my web page by mentioning that show. Egad!!
BTW, I had a weird dream about TOTGM last night ... the gang and I were running through the jungle away from the Japanese and Jack and I volunteered to draw them off into another direction ... I got the distinct impression I never caught up with the gang in question again.
But at least you had Jack. Maybe the dream means you want a dog. But, then I majored in film, not psych, so what do I know.
And everyone *please* send your good thoughts to the Padres -- they need to win the next three games to win the division!!!! It's very stressful for us San Diegans ... (Sorry, Patricia)
It's all right. It's nice to see someone who still has something to root for.

Hiddie-ho! I'm back. I just spent an entire day sitting around my new house (it's rented) waiting for the phone, gas and cable guys to come by and for a plumber who never showed. And it figures. All weekend, it was pretty quiet, no notes for postings. I don't log on for one day and my mail box is flooded with messages. And to top it all off, the AOL FTP server crashed this morning, so if you tried to access the site and couldn't, blame them. Well, at least the delay gave me time to answer all my e-mail. So let's get down to business. Also, I've just uploaded the script for 'Force of Habit'. We're almost done with the scripts (Yeah!). And speaking of 'Force of Habit', I just got a couple of notes from the writer of this episode. Yep, another member of the Gold Monkey family stops by!

Tom Greene I've just been told of this page. Wow! As you know, I was one of the producers of "Gold Monkey", plus co-wrote, or wrote (with other names on the scripts, that's a WGA thing) most of the episodes.
Got lots and lots of inside stuff on this series which I still hold dear to my heart. And I'm the guy who cast Faye Grant, and introduced her to Steve.And yes, they are still very happily married!
I talk with Steve Collins all the time, so if there's anything you want to ask him, let me know.
and...
Tom Greene I think I already e-mailed you on another page. My name's Tom Greene, and I was one of the producers of Gold Monkey and as you can see co-wrote, or wrote many, many episodes. I have most of the tapes,if not all, and a whole slew of neat-o stories about the show. Of all the shows I've done, including those that I created myself (of course Don created Gold Monkey, and he's a genius at that kind of thing) Gold Monkey really will always have the warmest part of my heart. The sets alone were amazing to work with, and Steve Collins, still a friend, is a great soul to boot! And I feel lucky to have been partly responsible for introducting him to his still wife Faye!
Anyway, e-mail me with any questions, etc.
And thanks for keeping this special show alive!
Thanks for both of your notes. I would LOVE to hear all of your "neat-o stories", as would all my other web site visitors. Perhaps, they may even have some questions to ask you about the show. Do you mind if I post your e-mail address for them? And if you can wrangle any other member of the cast or crew to stop by, please do. Steve Collins is already a regular contributor, as is Jeff MacKay. Harvey Laidman stopped by a while back and sent me all sorts of production memos and such from the two episodes he directed. I also got a brief note from Don Bellisario three months ago, but I never heard from him again. Oh well, he's a busy guy.
By the way, do you mind about our posting the original scripts to the web site? All the writers, including you, get their proper credit. But I could have problems the government, the studio and the WGA. I *MUST* be nuts.

Jayme Blaschke tdt@vvm.com Sorry I haven't been around much, but shock will do that to a person, what with the Aggies and Astros and all...
I was getting a bit worried about you, Jayme. After Texas Tech's last minute loss to Georgia, I thought you might do something drastic.
Just a quick word of warning to all those Steven Collins fans out there: Catch 7th Heaven while you can. The Nielsens that came over the wire last week had Heaven ranked something like 107th out of 107 shows. Disappointing, even for the WB. I read an article once explaining why broad-appeal shows don't usually make it on emergin networks -- it has to do with their limited availability to U.S. households, so most instead serve the interests of minorities, a underserved, yet loyal and profitable demographic. If 7th Heaven does get cancelled, which unfortunately seems likely, maybe a cable network, like the Family Channel could pick it up. They've done it before.
I wouldn't be too worried about the ratings. There are three reasons why the show finished in last place that week: 1) The series airs on the WB Network, where, to use a quote from Max Headroom, "two's company and three's an audience." Many stations, including Chicago superstation, WGN, air it different time slots because of other commitments, usually sports (So it's all the damn jocks fault!), 2) That episode was a rerun of the pilot that had just aired three weeks earlier, and 3) It was up against the highly promoted premiere of Cosby. When last week's ratings come out tomorrow, I'm sure it will have improved a bit. Also, I think that the WB Network will give the show every chance it deserves. It's the network's "quality" show. Besides, I can't see the show on the Family Channel. Aaron Spelling and Pat Robertson together?! Now *there's* an odd couple!

Richard Probert RProbert@aol.com I have been a Goose nut all my life. I currently am rebuilding one in the seattle area. It should fly in about 6 months. I flew "cutters goose" many times when the airplane was owned by Catalina Airlines. I have been trying to find video's of any of the "Tales of the Golden Monkey" adventures but have been very unsucessful so far. Can you Help?
Yes, I can. I have all the episodes. My copies are fading, but they're still watchable. Let me know if you're interested and we can arrange some sort of deal. How about all the episodes for a spin in your goose? Just kidding. There's no way I could get out to Seattle [pout, pout].

Mike Jones aa380@fan..nb.ca writting from New Brunswick, Canada. I use to watch this show as a kid . I'am now 22, just wanted to let you know the show is cool.
Cool!! Thanks for your note.

Kathy williap@freenet.msp.mn.us You are a total goddess-giver for reviving interest in Tales of the Gold Monkey. It was a near-perfect show. Exactly the kind that gets cancelled!
Bonne chance, mon amie!
Thanks for your note, Kathy, and thanks for your compliment. I guess I should change my webmaster title from "Benevolent Dictator" to "Goddess of the Gold Monkey". Kinda catchy, don't ya think?

Kate Siminoe lilmeeko@juno.com Hi there!!! Was searching through the web and came across this web page. I was totally surprised, as I had not thought of "Tales of the Gold Monkey" in years. I wish it was back on so that my daughter could enjoy it as well. Jack's eye should be put in the Smithsonian along with the Goose. I will keep coming back to your page to read what others have to say. This was one of my favorite TV shows of all time. Thanx for helping us remember it all. Another satisified customer. Glad to be of service.

Bec padraig@wantirna.starway.net.au Sorry I've been so quiet. A combination of awe and a nagging feeling that I haven't paid this month's service provider bill have made me a bit contemplative.
In other words, you're chicken!
Gee that was a succinct answer. Sign of a writer who knows how to be punchy and direct. Who on earth is Carl Hiassen? The others I heartily concur with, especially Messrs Hemingway and Yeats.
Carl Hiassen is the author of the novel "Striptease", which, for his sake, I hope was better than the movie, not that I've seen the movie either. He's written other novels, but their names escape me. Go to you local library to read more about it.
Another question - If memory serves me correctly, I'm sure that I saw our favourite pilot bob up in one of those dreadful made for tv Danielle Steel films, looking and acting magnetic and charismatic and generally lifting the tone of the piece. Is it hard not to laugh when everyone but you is taking the script seriously? In an ideal world, what thespianish activities would you want to be doing? Directing? Acting in film noirish thrillers? Writing screenplays? Being in charge of the dolly grip (whatever that is)?
I'll forward your question on to the big guy. FYI: I don't think he's ever been in a Danielle Steel TV movie. He's done a couple of Barbara Taylor Bradford's and there was that god-awful TV version of Ivana Trump's novel, but let's just forget about that one. More FYI: the dolly grip is the guy who moves the dolly, a device that wheels the camera around for tracking shots. The person in charge of the dolly grip is the key grip. I just knew my limited NYU Film School education would come in handy someday.

Leanne Shawler volterra@znet.com All hail the Goddess of the Gold Monkey!!
I like it :)
I have visions of you looking rather Egyptian :)
And I'm not worried about 7th Heaven either. I didn't watch the repeat and I haven't missed the show since!
I like to think of myself as a Roman goddess. I'm really half Sicilian and a quarter Neapolitan, but close enough. And since you'll ask, I'm also a quarter Portuguese. Yep, I'm one Mediterranean mama!

Yes folks, it's that time again. This board has reached around 100K, so it's on to Gold Monkey House #5. Be there or be square!

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