Tales of the Gold Monkey Facts 'N Stuff
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Here's everything that you ever wanted to know about Tales of the Gold Monkey and lots of things you never even thought of. The first part of this page has information that I've collected from books, articles and the episodes themselves, plus from fellow fans "The Gneech" and John Hudak. The second part has "official" details, some of which contradict what actually aired or, in some cases, each other (e.g. Jake's year of birth). A big thank you to Harvey Laidman, who directed two of the episodes, for providing me with this valuable material.


UNOFFICIAL FACTS 'N STUFF

OFFICIAL FACTS 'N STUFF



SERIES INFORMATION

Originally telecast on the American Broadcast Company (ABC) television network
First Telecast: September 22, 1982
Last Telecast: July 6, 1983
21 Episodes (2 hour pilot, 20 1-hour episodes)
Produced by Belisarius Productions in association with Universal
Creator/Executive Producer: Donald P. Bellisario
Supervising Producer: John G. Stephens (pilot only)
Producer: Donald A. Baer
Co-Producers: Rick Weaver, J. Rickley Dumm, Tom Greene
Associate Producer: Leon Ortiz-Gil
Executive Script Consultant: George Geiger


CAST/CHARACTER LIST

Stephen Collins as Jake Cutter
American pilot/soldier of fortune [our blond, blue-eyed hero]

Jeff MacKay as Corky
mechanic/co-pilot [Jake's alcoholic best buddy]

Caitlin O'Heaney as Sarah Stickney White
American spy/torch singer [Jake's quasi-girlfriend]

Roddy McDowall (Ron Moody - Pilot only) as Bon Chance Louie
bar owner/French magistrate [suave, sophisticated and shifty]

John Calvin as Rev. Willie Tenboom
German spy/Dutch priest [prefers beautiful women to Hitler]

Marta DuBois as Princess Koji
Eurasian Princess [lusts for money, power and Jake]

John Fujioka as Todo
Koji's henchman [the ultimate samurai warrior]

Les Jankey as Gushie
Louie's wheelchair-bound partner [disabled, yet treated like everyone else]

Leo (a.k.a. Jack) as Jack
Jake's one-eyed, multi-lingual terrier [the coolest dog in TV history!!!]


SYNOPSIS

Set on the fictitious South Sea island of Boragora in 1938, Tales of the Gold Monkey follows the adventures of Jake Cutter, a cargo pilot who flies a Grumman seaplane emblazoned with the name, "Cutter's Goose". What should be routine jobs transporting passengers and/or cargo always end up with Jake battling and defeating assorted bad guys. Helping Jake out are his mechanic/co-pilot, Corky, an absent-minded alcoholic with an almost child-like quality, and Jack, Jake's one-eyed (left), talking (one bark means no, two barks mean yes) terrier with a definite attitude.

Jake lives in a room above the Monkey Bar, owned by Bon Chance Louie, who is also the island's magistrate and medical officer. Louie's partner is Gushie, who can be seen wheeling around the bar, serving drinks and cleaning up. Sarah White is the bar's singer, a job that Jake got for her, but her real occupation is that of agent for the U.S. State department, a fact that only Jake knows. However, she's not the only spy on the island. The Rev. Willie Tenboom, a Dutch priest who enjoys "blessing" his lovely female parishioners, is really a German Army officer.

On the island of Matuka in the Japanese mandate of the Marivella island chain reigns Princess Koji, a beautiful Dragon Lady. Her nefarious activities usually pit her opposite Jake; however, she would rather have him on her side and in her bed. Todo, a proud samurai, is the commander of Koji's army.


FUN FACTS

Just a few interesting tidbits of information. Episodes in which the fact is mentioned are enclosed in brackets.

CHARACTERS

JAKE
Relatives: Mother, deceased. Father, unknown. (they were never married) ['The Lady and the Tiger']
An aunt, Nell ['Escape From Death Island']
Former professions: Minor league (Class C) baseball pitcher for the Duluth Dukes ['Sultan of Swat']
U.S. Army Air Corps mail pilot ['The Lady and the Tiger', 'Sultan of Swat', 'Force of Habit']
Freelance pilot in Central and South America ['Pilot', 'Black Pearl', 'The Lady and the Tiger']
Pilot for the Republican Army during the Spanish Civil War ['The Lady and the Tiger']
Pilot for the Flying Tigers [every episode]

CORKY
Full name, unknown. Age: 31 ['Pilot' - script only]
Former profession: chief mechanic for Pan Pacific Airlines ['Shanghaied']
Met Jake when Corky rescued him from a burning tri-motor plane in Guatemala in 1933 ['Pilot']

SARAH
Born in 1910 ['The Late Sarah White']
Relatives: Father (an archeologist), deceased. ['Trunk From the Past']
No close living relatives, just aunts and uncles. ['The Late Sarah White']
An aunt, Harriet ['Trunk From the Past']
Education: Vassar, class of '34 ['Pilot'] Class Rank: 1st ['Naka Jima Kill']
Was in the Glee Club all four years ['Once a Tiger...']

LOUIE
Fought in Africa with the French Foreign Legion during World War I ['Last Chance Louie']
Earlier sentenced to death by the French government, but was released when the guillotine malfunctioned. ['Last Chance Louie']
Was incarcerated on Devil's Island ['Shanghaied', 'Ape Boy']
Claimed to be first mate of the Normandie luxury liner ['God Save the Queen']
Attempted to scale Mt. Everest with Mallory in 1924 ['Legends are Forever']

PRINCESS KOJI
Has an Irish half-brother ['Shanghaied'] and half-sister ['Mourning Becomes Matuka']

JACK
His "glass" eye is actually an opal with a sapphire center ['Pilot']
Besides English, Jack "speaks" Japanese ['The Lady and the Tiger'] and Spanish ['The Late Sarah White']

SERIES

Original Title: Tales of the Brass Monkey
Changed a couple of months prior to the premiere. (Guess it didn't sound classy enough)

Original Choice to Play Jake: Bruce Boxleitner
His agent had a deal with CBS that gave the network a first shot at any of his clients. So Bruce Boxleitner did Bring 'em Back Alive (similar, yet highly inferior) instead, thus ensuring that he and Stephen Collins would be confused with each other for the rest of their lives.

ABC rejected the series in 1979 after Don Bellisario refused to update it. The network executives thought that no one would watch a show set in the 1930s. They quickly changed their minds after the enormous success of "Raiders of the Lost Ark" in 1981.

Despite the Indiana Jones-clone label, Bellisario always insisted that he got his inspiration from the 1939 film, "Only Angels Have Wings", starring Cary Grant, Jean Arthur, Thomas Mitchell and a young Rita Hayworth. It's obvious that he also was influenced by other classic films of the '30s and '40s such as "The Maltese Falcon", "To Have and Have Not" and "Casablanca" ("As Time Goes By" is played three times in the pilot).

After being grounded for almost nine years, "Cutter's Goose" flew again (sort of) in 1992 in an episode of Quantum Leap entitled 'Ghost Ship'. The episode, which was entirely set on the plane and heavily featured Gold Monkey stock footage, was co-written by Don Bellisario, who was also QL's (and of course Gold Monkey's) creator and executive producer.

The only primetime series in television history (as far as I know) to be ripped off and turned into a Disney cartoon. (There's no way that "TaleSpin" is a mere coincidence.)


TRIVIA FROM THE GNEECH

PLANE INFO:

The plane in the show was (most likely) a Grumman G-21A (affectionately named "Goose" by the British). The Goose was intended to be a rich man's toy, but proved so useful that it quickly became the plane of choice for many private maritime and mercantile concerns. The Navy and Coast Guard maintained a small fleet of Geese as rescue craft for many years, although I suspect that these days most of those duties are carried out by helicopter. Although the Goose has been supplanted in popular use by later planes in the same mold such as the Widgeon, Albatross, Seabee, and Mallard, it is still a versatile and popular plane, and still flies in the Caribbean and Alaskan islands. Also, it recently appeared on the cover of Jimmy Buffet's book _Where is Joe Merchant?_.

Its modern descendant is the McKinnon Turbo-Goose, which is basically the same plane with more modern accoutrements. Sadly, I don't have much info on that plane.

The Goose first went on the open market in 1937, with a base price of $60,000. A fully restored Goose is on sale right now in Kissimmee Florida for roughly $580,000.

There is a completely restored black and yellow Goose in vintage condition on the main floor of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., which has a display showing where you can find Geese in use and a film of a Goose taking off, in flight, and landing in the water. (This may very well be stock footage from _Tales of the Gold Monkey_... it's been a while since I saw the show.) There have been model kits of the Goose produced in the past, but they are very rare and hard to find.

On the inside, the Goose was about the size and shape of a Volkswagon Bus, with a separated cockpit and an additional storage space/lavatory in the tail. It could carry five or six people in relative comfort, but no more than eight, and then not very far.

-The Gneech - is not an aviation buff, but plays one on TV

AN ADDITIONAL NOTE FOR FILM BUFFS...

_Tales From the Gold Monkey_ derives infinitely more from _Only Angels Have Wings_ than it ever thought about taking from _Raiders of the Lost Ark._

_Only Angels Have Wings_ was a 1939 movie starring Cary Grant and Jean Arthur, centering on the exploits of a Chartered Airmail Delivery company in the Peruvian port city of Barranca (a real city). The action took place almost entirely in a bar owned by a crusty character named 'Dutchy' or 'the Dutchman,' and featured a rangy band of oddballs including Jeff, a.k.a. 'Papa Bear,' the strong-jawed boss of the outfit (Cary Grant), Miss Lee (Jean Arthur), a showgirl/piano player who stopped over in Barranca for a 4-hour visit and never got back on the boat, 'the Kid,' an aging pilot/grease monkey who is grounded because his vision's going, and Kilgallon, a pilot ostracized by the others because he jumped from a plane that was going to crash, taking the last parachute and leaving his mechanic (the Kid's brother) to die in the crash, and who is stranded in Barranca because he can't get a job anywhere else.

The movie fairly long and kind of rambly, but very good if you like aviation and/or adventure in exotic locales. It's also the source of many jokes in old Warner Brothers cartoons, including the deadpan intonation of pilots on the radio saying, "Calling Barranca... calling Barranca...", as well as the name of the character "Barranca" in _Raiders of the Lost Ark._

-The Gneech - is not a film buff, but... ah, you know


HISTORICAL FACTS FROM JOHN HUDAK

This is in no way meant to detract from the fun of the show, however several historical facts are inaccurate. (It doesn't make me love the show any less!!)

  1. In Tales of the Gold Monkey, the year is 1938. Jake Cutter is an ex-Flying Tiger who saw service in China in 1937. His wounds rendered him unable to fly in combat.

    FACT: The Flying Tigers, also known as the AVG (American Volunteer Group), only operated from December 1941 to July 1942. They were officially absorbed into the US Army Air Corps on July 5th, 1942 and assigned to the 14th Air Force, 23rd Fighter Group.

  2. Corky constantly refers to "Zekes" during the show, and how Jake has tangled with quite a few. The plane that Corky is referring to is the Mitsubishi A6M 'Zero', which was never faced in combat by the Flying Tigers during their time with the Chinese Air Force. Corky's mistake could be passed off historically as there were many cases in which the real Flying Tigers misidentified aircraft as being Zeros. The Imperial Japanese Army and Navy operated several aircraft in China which closely resembled the Zero and Gregory 'Pappy' Boyington claims to have tangled with the Zero while with the Flying Tigers in China. (Boyington, of 'Baa Baa Black Sheep' fame, was a member of the original AVG under General Chennault. He later went on to fly Corsairs for the Marine Corps during WWII)

  3. Jake is shown during some of the flashback scenes as wearing a leather flight helmet type A-10, which was not of the standard type used by the Tigers and was not even in production at the time the Tigers were operating. The original Flying Tigers were issued with U.S. Navy flight gear that had been purchased from the U.S. by the Chinese government. One other note: When Jake is shown in the cockpit of his fighter plane, the earphones are missing from the flight helmet - either he didn't want to use his radio or his worked by osmosis.

  4. The fighter that Jake is shown flying is of the correct type, Curtiss-Wright P40, but the wrong model. The model that was flown by the Flying Tigers was the P40 IIB 'Tomahawk', which was a single seat fighter. It was an export model ordered by the RAF and was the basic equivalent of the domestic P40C, used by the USAAC. 100 were taken from an RAF shipment and diverted to China to be used by the Flying Tigers. In the beginning of 'Shanghaied', Jake is having a dream that Corky is flying with him in the back seat of a P40 - this would be impossible in the P40 IIB. The plane shown flying is actually owned by the 'Planes of Fame' museum and is a TP40N, a two seat trainer used by the Army Air Corps to help close the gap between the aging AT6 trainer and the high performance fighters being flown in combat such as the P51 Mustang, and the P38 Lightning. The TP40N was not in production in late 1941, let alone 1938. In defense of the producers of TOTGM, at the time that the series was filmed, there were no known P40 IIBs in existence. In 1992, several were discovered in Russia that belonged to the same batch of planes from which the AVG's planes were drawn. Several had been sent to Russia under lend-lease. Two are being restored to flying condition. There are no original Flying Tiger P40's in existence today.

    FUN FACTS

  5. The patch on the back of Jake's model A-2 flight jacket is known as a 'Blood Chit', and was issued to the Flying Tigers by the Chinese government to keep them from being mistaken for enemy pilots by the locals. The 'Blood Chit' consists of a Chinese Nationalist flag, and the promise of a reward (written in Chinese) for helping to save the pilot's life and providing for his safe return to his airfield. It is also emblazoned with the personal signature ('chop') of Chiang Kai Shek, the leader of Nationalist China.

    cap device

  6. The hat that Jake wears is a U.S. Army summer issue officer's service cap. Many bomber and transport pilots took the stiffener out of the hats so that they could wear earphones over them, thus giving the hats a 'crushed' look. As a result, they gained the nickname '50 Mission Crush' caps. Jake's hat is unique in that it is actually a type of service cap called a 'crusher' because it was made with a flexible bill, thus allowing the hat to be rolled up and stuffed into a pocket or belt when not in use. (Standard military service caps had stiff, two-ply bills that were stitched together and could not be bent)

    Chinese Air Force Wings

  7. In some of the flashback episodes, you will notice Jake wearing a type of winged insignia on his cap. This is a Chinese Air Force officer's insignia and was worn by the Flying Tigers in place of the U.S. insignia which they were forced to remove before going to China. (The U.S. government did not want to be 'officially' involved in China.) Jake removed the emblem from his cap when he got to Boragora. If you look closely, you can see a round spot on the front of his hat that is lighter in color than the rest of the cap, thus showing the spot where the insignia had been attached.

  8. During the episode "Legends Are Forever", Corky is guarding the plane with a British rifle - a Lee Enfield MK IV. Jake carries a British Webly service revolver. They probably picked these up in China, as the Tigers were constantly in contact with the RAF in Rangoon and flew some sorties with them. The only small arms available for the American pilots in China were predominantly of British manufacture. Many Flying Tigers complained of the lack of pistols and rifles in China in 1941. Everything was in short supply, and some sold the extra leather flight jackets that they had brought along in order to equip themselves with side arms.

  9. Sometimes Jake wears the bottom half of the U.S. Army officer's 'Class A' uniform from the 1920's and 30's. It consists of khaki riding breaches and tall brown leather riding boots. This style of uniform was dropped by the Army at the outbreak of WWII. An example of it can be seen being worn by Gary Cooper in 'The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell.'

THE EMMYS

Here's the list of the show's Emmy nominations from 1983 (the only year it was eligible). The series received four nominations and one Emmy (a .250 batting average - not bad). This information was gathered from "TV Facts" by Cobbett S. Steinberg, Facts on File Publications © 1985. I'll list the nominees names for Tales of the Gold Monkey only. If the other nominees want proper credit, let them get it on their own show's web page.

OUTSTANDING ART DIRECTION FOR A SERIES
Tales of the Gold Monkey 'Pilot' ***WINNER***

John W. Corso (production designer), Frank Grieco, Jr. (art director), Robert George Freer (set decorator)
Casablanca 'Jenny'
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers 'The Rescue'
Fame 'Not in Kansas Anymore'
St. Elsewhere 'Pilot'
Cheers 'Give Me a Ring Sometime'
Dynasty 'Fathers and Sons'

OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN FOR A SERIES
Tales of the Gold Monkey 'Naka Jima Kill'

Jean-Pierre Dorleac
Wizards and Warriors 'Dungeon of Death' ***WINNER***
Mama's Family 'Wedding-Part 2'
Dynasty 'La Mirage'
Filthy Rich 'Town & Gown'

OUTSTANDING FILM SOUND EDITING FOR A SERIES
Tales of the Gold Monkey 'Honor Thy Brother'

Sam Shaw (supervising editor), Bernard P. Cabral, John Detra, Sam Gemette, Donlee Jorgensen, Mark Roberts, Erik Schrader, John Stacy, Bob Weatherford, Paul Wittenberg, William Shenberg
Hill Street Blues 'Stan the Man' ***WINNER***
St. Elsewhere 'Working'
Knight Rider 'Pilot'
M*A*S*H 'Goodbye, Farewell and Amen'

OUTSTANDING FILM SOUND MIXING FOR A SERIES
Tales of the Gold Monkey 'Pilot'

John Kean (production mixer), Michael Casper, Stanley H. Polinsky, B. Tennyson Sebastion II (rerecording mixers)
Hill Street Blues 'Trial By Fury' ***WINNER***
Cagney and Lacey 'Recreational Use'
The A-Team 'Pilot'
Magnum, P.I. 'Did You See the Sunrise?'
St. Elsewhere 'The Count'


THE GALACTICA/GOLD MONKEY CONNECTION

There are many things that Battlestar Galactica and Tales of the Gold Monkey had in common. Besides being called "rip-offs" of George Lucas films, they both shared the same network (ABC), studio (Universal), a writer-producer (Donald Bellisario) and even a script. Check it out for yourself.

Battlestar Galactica - 'The Lost Warrior' (08-Oct-1978)
Writer: Don Bellisario Story: Don Bellisario, Herman Groves
APOLLO crash lands on a PLANET that resembles a frontier town and befriends a widow and her young son, who is obsessed with killing the dreaded LUPUS. The inhabitants live in fear of a renegade CYLON who goes by the name of "RED EYE". APOLLO has a shoot-out with RED EYE and wins. He is then rescued by his friends. He bids a tearful farewell to the woman and her son. The boy comforts his mother. "Don't worry, he said he'll come back. He promised." However, APOLLO was unable to keep his promise as ABC cancelled the show at the end of the season.

Tales of the Gold Monkey - 'The Lady and the Tiger' (08-Dec-1982)
Writer: Don Bellisario
JAKE crash lands on a ISLAND that resembles a frontier town and befriends a widow and her young son, who is obsessed with killing the dreaded TIGER. The inhabitants live in fear of a renegade JAPANESE SOLDIER who goes by the name of "BUCK JONES". JAKE has a shoot-out with BUCK JONES and wins. He is then rescued by his friends. He bids a tearful farewell to the woman and her son. The boy comforts his mother. "Don't worry, he said he'll come back. He promised." However, JAKE was unable to keep his promise as ABC cancelled the show at the end of the season.




OFFICIAL FACTS 'N STUFF

BIBLE (November 8, 1982)


THE YEAR: 1938

Japan is at war with China.
General Chennault and his Flying Tigers are fighting for the Chinese.
In the U.S.A. the Depression is still on.
FDR is President.
The population is about 127 million.
Wrong Way Corrigan flew to Ireland.
Howard Hughes flew around the world in under four days.
The Yankees won the World Series in four straight over the Cubs.
California beat Alabama in the Rose Bowl.
Mount Everest is still unclimbed.
Hilter has entered Austria.
It is the last year of relative peace before World War II.


THE LOCATION: THE MARIVELLAS

The Marivellas is a South Pacific volcanic chain consisting of hundreds of mysterious and tropical islands. Within this chain we might find any known species of animal and a few unknown ones. The tribes inhabiting the islands are equally varied, ranging from African pygmies to beautiful Amazons.

(Note: Since the Marivellas are in the South Pacific, the presence of any exotic animal or peoples not indigenous to that part of the world should be justified, such as in the pilot where the Tibetan monkeys were brought to the islands by Chinese monks whose ship was blown off course in a great typhoon a thousand years earlier.)

The islands are split into two territories: the northern half is a Japanese mandate and the southern half, French. The key ports in the French section of the islands are Tagataya and Boragora. Tagataya (the larger of the two) is approximately four hours by plane and 48 by boat from Boragora. The China Clipper stops briefly at Tagataya and overnight at Boragora on its flight from Hawaii to Hong Kong.


THE MONKEY BAR

This two-story structure, famous for its wood-carved monkeys climbing all over the front and back bar, has the only accommodations in Boragora, several rooms on the second floor with doors to both an exterior colonnade and a balcony in the bar. When the China Clipper lands each Wednesday (it flies East one week and West the other), the Monkey Bar is filled with passengers from the flight, the people ranging from Europeans to Orientals...from business travelers to wealthy tourists, and, of course, mysterious strangers. When the Clipper isn't in port, the Monkey Bar is jammed with locals: natives, sailors, expatriates from all corners of the globe.

Electricity for the Monkey Bar and a few other buildings is supplied by a gasoline generator at the rear of the structure. There are no telephones...the only communication with the outside world is via shortwave radio or mail.

Meals are served both in the bar and on the exterior porch overlooking the Boragora waterfront.


THE DOCK

The Goose is tied up at the end of the dock where Jake and Corky have an open shed to store goods and make oft-needed repairs on the plane. The dock is customarily crowded with cargo and locals. Further around the lagoon is another landing, where the Clipper docks.


CAST

JAKE CUTTER

The hero of our story was born in 1901, the bastard son of a famous aviation pioneer who now owns a large aircraft corporation in San Diego. His mother, deceased, was a famous Broadway actress; a turn-of-the-century Vanessa Redgrave type who didn't worry about public convention.

While Jake was educated by his father at Cornell from 1920-24, he has never been officially recognized by him, something which Jake desperately wants.

Jake is still in love with a beautiful East Coast socialite whose parents stopped the wedding when they discovered Jake's parentage. He keeps in his desk an oil-skinned packet containing love letters and photographs from his sweetheart. Should there be a fire, the first thing that Jake would reach for would be this oil-skinned packet.

Jake's flying career began in the Army Air Corps, where he flew the mail in the Alleghenies. Following his discharge in 1931, he barnstormed and flew cargo until he landed a co-pilot position on the China Clipper in '33, where he met Corky. Jake did a short stint in '37 with the Flying Tigers under Chennault. He's credited with five Japanese aircraft and two probables. He was badly wounded and sent back to Hawaii to recover. On the way, he and Corky heard of a Grumman Goose that had crashed while being ferried to Australia from Hawaii. They found it, claimed salvage, and repaired it. Theoretically, when they get enough money, they'll return to the mainland of the U.S., but it's not really money that's keeping Jake away -- it's not being able to marry his girl and not being legitimized by his father. He finds that Sarah is very much under his skin, but out of respect to his "fiancee," keeps his relationship with Sarah clean. Just barely sometimes. He misses the States badly, but it's something he keeps to himself, Jack, or Corky.

Jake is a very frustrated baseball fan -- Washington Senators. He'd been a good pitcher at Cornell, was signed by the Senators' organization and played a year or two of Double A ball for the Duluth Dukes, before his arm froze up on him and he had to quit. He'd give anything to get the baseball scores, which are next to impossible to trace in Boragora. There is nothing that Jake wouldn't do for Corky, Jack, or Sarah. Jake is an old-fashioned hero...in a fight if the other guy's down, Jake lets him get up. If a girl's in trouble, Jake's there to help. Although he never goes looking for trouble, in fact he tries to avoid it, he is quite capable of handling himself. He can be vulnerable, and has a good sense of humor. If this was a 30's or 40's film, Jake would be one part Gable, one part Bogart, one part Spencer Tracy and two parts Jimmy Stewart.


JACK

Jack is a one-eyed eight-year old scarred fox terrier who fears nothing on the face of the earth...but he's not stupid, either.

Jack will never forgive Jake for losing his glass eye in that poker game on Tagataya. Jake would like nothing better than to recover Jack's eye; which will never happen. That eye will drift through the Marivellas as a talisman that grows more valuable and legendary as it moves from sailor to witch doctor to heiress to who knows who.

Jack must be treated as a co-star who Jake interacts with as he would to anyone else.

While Jack would look the other way if Jake was in a bar fight, the tough little dog would come to Jake's rescue and vice versa if it was truly a life-threatening situation.

Think of Jack as an eighty-year old man who's seen enough of the world and ridiculous things people insist on doing to pretty much know what's coming next. He doesn't hesitate to give his opinion...one bark for "no," two for "yes."


CORKY

Corky is the kind of friend everyone should have, a guy who would unhesitatingly lay down his life for yours. Corky is a pretty good mechanic sober and a helluva piano player drunk.

He used to be a chief mechanic for Pan Pacific Airways, which flies the China Clipper, until one of the Clippers went down, presumably due to mechanical failure, and was never found. On board that flight was Corky's sister and her baby. Corky has never forgiven himself. He felt responsible and hit the bottle until Jake pulled him out of a Shanghai gutter and took him on as his mechanic. Jake realizes that every time Corky gets the Goose flying again, it moves him a little further from the bottle.

While Jake would like to immediately dry Corky out, he knows it won't happen until Corky's ready for it. In the meantime, Jake made the rule that Corky can never work on the Goose while drinking, and in his off time he can only drink beer.

Corky's alcohol-soaked brain has a difficult time remembering things. He always has something important to tell Jake and never gets it out until a split second too late.

On the plus side, Corky has the common sense wisdom of a child and sometimes it's hard to tell who's taking care of whom; is Jake watching out for Corky or is Corky watching out for Jake?

Corky speaks fluent Spanish and was raised in Peru by his American father and Spanish mother.


SARAH

Sarah is an American spy, which only Jake knows. Her father was a world-renowned archaeologist and a U.S. intelligence agent. He was on a dangerous espionage mission in Egypt when he was killed under suspicious circumstances. Sarah thought his mission led to the Marivellas. To pursue the case she became an American agent. She likes to put on a tough front, but underneath Sarah's a very soft lady and in some ways naive. Sarah is in love with Jake and furious with herself for it. She knows Jake has somebody back home that he's still in love with so that nothing will probably ever happen between them. Besides, war is coming and Sarah has a job to do.

Her best friend in the islands is Corky, who accompanies her on the piano. Sarah is probably a virgin, a graduate of Vassar and a border-line singer.


BON CHANCE LOUIE

Louie is the Magistrate de Justice for the French Mandate in the Marivellas.

Prior to Louie, the last two government officials the French sent into the islands returned with their pockets picked and in fear of losing their lives. So the French sent in a thief to rule the thieves.

Louie is a rogue, but a lovable one...he might kill you, but he'd never embarrass you. He has a habit of rubbing his neck where a guillotine scar is supposed to be, something we will never know for certain, for Louie will never remove that neckerchief. He also is constantly revealing astonishing facts about his past...climbing Everest with Hillary, helping to build the Maginot Line...but only in passing and never with much detail.

Bon Chance Louie is aware of everything that occurs on his islands and, if for example, a beautiful woman from the Clipper had her jewels stolen, Louie would be sure to see they were recovered. The lady, however, would probably pay a price...but not in cash.


THE REVEREND WILLIE TENBOOM

Willie is the son of a long line of Prussian generals and the Prussians were not too fond of Adolf. He was expelled from military school when he was caught under the covers with the Commandant's wife. His reward -- this mission of acting as a Dutch minister to become the German spy in the Marivellas. But, far from being the banishment his family intended, it suits Willie perfectly because it usually keeps him out of danger.

Willie might reluctantly lay down his life for his Fatherland, but never for Hitler. He has no use for the SS or the Gestapo. He is strictly a Wehrmacht (army) officer.

Willie loves the ladies, especially the native girls, and is always trying to give them his "blessing," something that the rest of our cast is very aware of, although Willie doesn't know it. They also probably suspect he might be a German spy, but he's so likeable they don't mind. If ordered by Berlin to kill one of the others on the island, Willie would find some way to avoid doing it. After all, they really are his friends.

It's hard to tell if Willie's religious oratory is due to his posing as a minister or was a natural speech pattern, which is why he chose to use a minister as his cover. In any case, he tends to preach a lot.

Willie will die in Stalingrad in 1944.


PRINCESS KOJI AND TODO

The stunning daughter of an Irish sea captain and a Japanese princess who was cast out by her family, Princess Koji holds rigid command over a vast fleet of trading ships which ply routes from Tokyo to Australia. Her island headquarters is in the Japanese Mandate on the island of Matuka, where she lives in an opulent estate.

She's like a chameleon, using whichever half of her bloodline that is most advantageous at the moment...But, always, she is the reptile...a villain to the tenth power...the mailed fist in the silk glove.

The most obvious manifestation of her personality is her penchant for any creature with too many teeth, too many claws or too much poison to be considered a household pet. She always seems to have something with her...piranha...cobra...cheetah...you'd rather she didn't.

Princess Koji is hot for Jake's body and perhaps his Goose, something which Jake might be induced to go along with. We'll see.

Princess Koji's 19th Century army is commanded by Todo, a Samurai-type warrior of great bravery and puffery who hates everything Occidental including the Irish half of Princess Koji. However, should anything happen to her, he would commit seppuku. He is as gullible as Princess Koji is jaded...a quality she likes in him.


THE GOOSE

The Grumman Goose is a remarkable aircraft that takes our heroes from one end of the Marivellas to another on their adventures. Due to the isolated location of the islands, parts are hard to come by and it's only Corky's improvisations that keep the Goose flying.

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While "Tales of the Gold Monkey" must have an adventure each week and good action, the key to the story is the relationships between the people, the humor, their caring for one another and good, honest adversaries that are worthy of our hero.

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TALES OF THE GOLD MONKEY

Jake Cutter Chronology
Born                1903

Attended
Cornell             1920 - 1924     4 years     Ages 17 through 21

Played Double
A Baseball          1924 - 1926     2 years     Ages 21 through 23

Army Air
Corps               1926 - 1931     5 years     Ages 23 through 28

Barnstorming        1931 - 1933     2 years     Ages 28 through 30

Clipper Co-pilot    1933 - 1937     4 years     Ages 30 through 34

Flew in China
for Tigers          1937                        Age 34

Present             1938                        Age 35

MCA INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM

DATE: September 9, 1982

TO: Gold Monkey Directors

FROM: Don Baer

SUBJECT: SERIES CONTINUITY

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. Even more specifically, think of Jack as a grouchy old man of 65 years of age. Jack is never to be seen being cute or performing tricks such as jumping on furniture, etc. Jack's bark answers "yes" and "no" questions only. All other situations are answered by a whine, a growl, or a body action.

Jack and the monkey should never be photographed interacting in the bar scenes; when Jack enters the bar, the monkey always leaves. Keep in mind that the monkey is only to be included in bar scenes when the Clipper is in for a stop-over.

When photographing Boragora in a full shot, the north side-line as you face Boragora, should not exceed the east edge of the lava bridge. In other words, from that point west and north should be regarded as ocean.

Due to the number of hand props that are used in the series, special attention should be paid to matching their use in coverage.

Scenes involving the interior of the Goose that are played inside the mock-up should include the use of the gimble.

Jack has a tendency to wag his tail whenever responding with barks or growls. Please make every effort to avoid this motion wherever possible.

When photographing Jack, try and stay away from a straight-on shot. Attempt a side angle that doesn't make him appear indecently exposed.


CREW LIST

Here's the list of crew members from 10/27/82 and 12/3/82. This is not a complete list of people who worked on the show, but it should be pretty darn close.

Executive Producer - Don Bellisario
Assistant - Carol Gillson
Secretary - Harriet Marguiles
Producer - Donald A. Baer
Secretary - Joan Wrzala
Co-producer - Rick Dumm
Secretary - Sally Scovel
Prod. Asst. - Melissa Wells
Executive Script Consult. - George Geiger
Secretary - Terralinda Mair
Casting Director - Mark Malis
Asst. Casting Director - Mel Johnson
Casting Coordinator - Ralph Naveda
Prod. Manager - Burt Astor
Prod. Coordinator - Robert Haynes
Unit Prod. Manger - Gilles A. deTurenne (10/27)/Mitch Gamson (12/3)
Secretary - Tina Formica
1st Asst. Director - Richard Schor
1st Asst. Director - Nick Marck
2nd Asst. Director - Ryan Gordon
DGA Trainee - Cynthia Riddle
Script Supervisor - Al Pagonis
Art Director - William Tuntke
Asst. Art Director - Bill Taliaferro
Sketch Artist - Peggy McClellan
Set Decorator - Richard Goddard
Leadman - Ed Fitzgerald
Director of Photograpy - Jack Whitman
Camera Operator - Bill Battersby
1st Camera Asst. - George Dye
2nd Camera Asst. - Jeff Clark
Key Grip - Billy Simpson
Grip Best Boy - Leo Huntsman
Dolly Grip - George Triandos
Gaffer - Nick Brown
Electric Best Boy - Mike Porter
Propmaster - Richard Dinieri
Propmaster - John Faltis (10/27)/Jim Zemansky (12/3)
Assistant Propman - Danny Bernaducci
Special Effects - Frank Munoz
Costume Designer - Jean-Pierre Dorleac
Costumer-Women - Pat Zinn
Costumer-Men - Bob Chase
Set Costumer - Chuck Velasco
Make-up - Daryl McIntyre
Make-up - Joe Hailey
Hairstylist - Bunny Parker
Asst. Hairstylist - Sandra Henderson
Sound Mixer - John Kean
Boom Operator - Fred Miller
Recordist - Albert Morrone
Location Manager - Paula Wakefield
Driver Captain - Franz Pleth
Co-Captain - Dick Dye
Utility Driver - A.R. McLaughlin Sr.
Stunt Coordinator - Hill 'Diamond' Farnsworth
Craft Service - Louis Perna
Stand-by Painter - Ray La Porte (10/27)/Jami Bauder (12/3)
Greensman - Frank Mitchell
Supervising Editor - Leon Ortiz-Gill
Asst. Film Editor - Leo Acton
Film Editor - Bill Luciano
Asst. Film Editor - Ellen Jacobson
Film Editor - Mario DiGregorio
Asst. Film Editor - Francine Fleishman
Film Editor - Greg Wong
Asst. Film Editor - Henry Te
Film Editor - Jack Horger (10/27)/Bob Kimble (12/3)
Asst. Film Editor - Gene Foster (10/27)/Dick Williams (12/3)
Loop Editor - Eric Schrader
Asst. Loop Editor - Bill Clarke
Music Editor - Don Woods
Sound Effects Editor - Sam Shaw
Composer - Frank Denson
Flight Coordinator - David Jones
Dog Trainer - Karl Miller
Dog Trainer - Dennis Griscoll
Film Librarian - Pat Mees
Process B.G. - Marie Montagne
Lawyer - Elizabeth Shaw
Budget - Lou Muscate
Extra Casting - Karl Brindle
Extra Casting - Priscilla Shipstad
Stand-In - Wes Robinson
Stand-In - Jim Pruitt
Stand-In - Carol Ballew
Stand-In - Gene Lehfeldt
ABC Publicity - Rosalind Jarrett
Caterer - Michaelson's



This site is committed to keeping the memory alive for the early '80s action/adventure TV series, Tales of the Gold Monkey, starring Stephen Collins, Jeff MacKay, Caitlin O'Heaney and Roddy McDowall.



This WWW page is owned and operated by Patricia Annino gmonkey@goldmonkey.com