Tales of the Gold Monkey

[Thorfinn]

Have mentioned this in the other forum I monitor and they apparently didn't give a hoot, so I thought I would mention it here as a courtesy. I have been watching a Bellisario series called "Tales of the Golden Monkey" that he did in '82 and the reason Mac had to die because he was a big part in this series. Unfortunately, it only lasted 2 seasons, but it had numerous MPI actors including Marta Du Bois (Michelle) and it seems every episode has an actor who has played in a Magnum. The one last night had Pamela Shoop who played his buddy's sister in "Don't Eat the Snow in Hawaii". Also just saw an episode that featured the fellow who "killed Magnum" and who eventually was exchanged for a POW in my favorite Magnum episode called "Unfinished Business".

Anyway, there it is...it didn't win any awards, but it is entertaining and there is that connection to Magnum to consider. There is another movie I have probably already mentioned somewhere in this forum that has a Magnum connection called "Guns at Batasi". It is the movie that Bellisario modeled Higgins after. The Regimental Sgt Major in the movie was Higgins that is for sure and one of the reason I don't belief Higgins was Robin. Anyway, this old Maghead collects everything including the #1 heavy "team ring" and the #5 pendant that Michelle wore in the series. If you decide to take the plunge on "Tales..." you will surely enjoy seeing "Mac" again now that he has left us. Oh, Higgins was in the first episode.

[J.J. Walters]

Hi Thor,

Absolutely love Tales of the Gold Monkey, although I havn't seen it since the original broadcasts. It was just released on DVD (finally) in the U.S. I can't wait to get my hands on it!

BTW, it only aired for one season, not two; 21 episodes.

[Thorfinn]

Hi Thor,

Absolutely love Tales of the Gold Monkey, although I havn't seen it since the original broadcasts. It was just released on DVD (finally) in the U.S. I can't wait to get my hands on it!

BTW, it only aired for one season, not two; 21 episodes.

Aloha J.J.
I didn't get a chance to see any of the original series because I was winding down my 25 years in the military by that time and was quite busy. Making up for that now...trying to only watch 2 episodes a night to stretch out the series a little.

This is a nice set...they also have about 4 of the episodes with commentary as well. I usually watch the episode first than go back and do the commentary. Tonight I watched a very good episode called "Last Chance Louie" and discovered some interesting tidbits. Won't share them now because I don't wish to spoil it for you. I will mentioned you see a whole lot of Marta Du Bois in this series and I mean a WHOLE lot. Woo-woo!

It is too bad the series couldn't have gone forward a couple of more seasons so we could find out what happened to everyone once the Japanese got serious with their empire building in the area where this series was supposed to be located...do get a kick out of seeing "Chinaman's Hat" in numerous shots (It is an island located in Kaneohe Bay on the windward side of Oahu. Robin's Nest and TC's chopper pad are located down the coast just past the community of Waimanalo (I take visitors and grand kids there to snorkel and swim in the tidal pool at the "estate")

Anyway, I got my copy at Amazon because I couldn't wait for Costco or Sam's Club here in the islands to finally carry it.

Aloha from paradise my friend

[Jake]

When I initially read this post I didnt recall the show, but after looking for more info on the web it now seems to ring a bell. I seem to remember being excited to see "Mac" & "Michelle" on another TV show. I am tempted to pick up the series DVD and check it out as I doubt I will ever see it in TV reruns. I dont even get any MPI reruns on TV any more - TV Land, Sleuth, etc. have all stopped running the show in my area (Detroit). Glad I bout the MPI DVD's, so I will never have withdrawls again. Thanks for the tip on the "Tales of the Golden Monkey".

[SelleckLover]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the title was: Tales of the Gold Monkey!

[Styles Bitchley]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the title was: Tales of the Gold Monkey!

When I was a kid we used to refer to it as Brass Monkey Balls. This sort of joke NEVER gets tired for an eight year old kid!

I haven't seen a episode since its first run, but I remember it being cool. I seem to remember it reminding me of Raiders of the Lost Ark. Anybody remember if there's a similar feel? Maybe I'm just mis-remembering.

[J.J. Walters]

It appears that Jack the Dog is the same dog that was used in MPI's Season One episode "The Ugliest Dog in Hawaii"? They look identical and the dog's trainer (Karl Lewis Miller) was the trainer on MPI for "TUDiH". I can't say for certain, but it's more than likely the same dog.



His real name was Leo the Dog, a mix between a Staffordshire Bull Terrier and a Smooth Fox Terrier. He appeared in MASH and Kung Fu, also. He lived to be 21!

http://www.tvacres.com/dogs_terriers_jack.htm

[Thorfinn]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the title was: Tales of the Gold Monkey!

When I was a kid we used to refer to it as Brass Monkey Balls. This sort of joke NEVER gets tired for an eight year old kid!

I haven't seen a episode since its first run, but I remember it being cool. I seem to remember it reminding me of Raiders of the Lost Ark. Anybody remember if there's a similar feel? Maybe I'm just mis-remembering.

You're quite correct with your thought about "Raiders...". As I finished the all too short series, I watched the extras and it appeared that this series was brought before the powers-to-be but was rejected. Then "Raiders..." came out and they decided to allow "Tales..." to be shown. Unfortunately, between the idiots at Universal and the TV folks, they were always at loggerheads with Bellisario during the course of that first season. Although the show was top-rated and expected to last at least seven years...the idiots decided to cancel it. Surprised everyone. Although it has been a week since I finished the series...I still think of it often. Will probably go through it again next month.

By the way, they also talk about the dog as well. Evidently the original dog was killed just before shooting and they found this mutt (Jack) at a kennel just prior to the shoot. Most of the cast didn't think "Jack" would work, but the trainer got him up to snuff in short order.

[SelleckLover]

LMAO @ Brass Monkey Balls!

[Thorfinn]

LMAO @ Brass Monkey Balls!

Wanted to mention a myth that has been floating around for years now. In Naval terms "Brass Monkey" was supposedly a brass triangle that held the cannonballs of ships dating back to the 18th century. However, if one thinks about that notion a second, they would realized iron cannonballs would not be stored in a pyramid fashion because as we all know, sailing ships do move either in fore and aft or sideways motions and for us who sail...usually both at the same time. Don't think a Captain would want heavy cannonballs rolling around the deck. Cannonballs were usually stored below decks and on planks with holes drilled in them to prevent the "balls" from moving while out at sea.

There are other tidbits out there about hot cannonballs being carried to the guns so as to start fires in the opposing ships. These "hot" cannonball were carried in a brass contraption by young (very young) sailors who were called "monkeys" because they were always "blackened" while working below decks.

Anyway, just wanted to mention this before some well-meaning fellow/gal would comment using the myth.

[Frodoleader]

Thorfinn is correct about the pyramid. Naval vessels of the age carried their cannon balls in troughs, so that they would not roll away due to the pitching and rolling of the ship at sea. On land however, artillery crews did stack their cannon balls in pyramids.

FWIW, I never saw a single episode of Tales of the Gold Monkey back in the day. Considering the wife & I were such big MPI fans, I really cannot recall why we did not watch the show?

[J.J. Walters]

By the way, they also talk about the dog as well. Evidently the original dog was killed just before shooting and they found this mutt (Jack) at a kennel just prior to the shoot. Most of the cast didn't think "Jack" would work, but the trainer got him up to snuff in short order.

Are you sure? The DVD (and TVAcres, IMDb, etc.) credits "Leo the Dog" as the dog who played "Jack" in Tales of the Gold Monkey. "Leo" appeared in a bunch of other TV shows/movies prior, including MASH, King Fu, Shampoo, and, what appears, MPI.

And this site adds this:

Another fondly remembered ally on the series was its canine co-star. Leo the terrier played Jack, the cranky old dog with an eyepatch. "That dog had more brains than any of us," Jeff MacKay reports of his scene-stealing comrade. "He was brought out of retirement to do the show when the dog who originally got the part died on the trip to L.A. Leo was very old when we did the series and there was no back-up for him. The fact of the matter is he was a house dog who would have preferred to sleep on his owner's bed all day, and he was brought out of retirement at a very old age to sit on this show. You hear about actors getting jealous of scene-stealing critters like children and animals, but this dog was a consummate professional and a total sweetheart."

So it appears that he was brought out of retirement at the last minute as a replacement. Love it!

[Thorfinn]

By the way, they also talk about the dog as well. Evidently the original dog was killed just before shooting and they found this mutt (Jack) at a kennel just prior to the shoot. Most of the cast didn't think "Jack" would work, but the trainer got him up to snuff in short order.

Are you sure? The DVD (and TVAcres, IMDb, etc.) credits "Leo the Dog" as the dog who played "Jack" in Tales of the Gold Monkey. "Leo" appeared in a bunch of other TV shows/movies prior, including MASH, King Fu, Shampoo, and, what appears, MPI.

And this site adds this:

Another fondly remembered ally on the series was its canine co-star. Leo the terrier played Jack, the cranky old dog with an eyepatch. "That dog had more brains than any of us," Jeff MacKay reports of his scene-stealing comrade. "He was brought out of retirement to do the show when the dog who originally got the part died on the trip to L.A. Leo was very old when we did the series and there was no back-up for him. The fact of the matter is he was a house dog who would have preferred to sleep on his owner's bed all day, and he was brought out of retirement at a very old age to sit on this show. You hear about actors getting jealous of scene-stealing critters like children and animals, but this dog was a consummate professional and a total sweetheart."

So it appears that he was brought out of retirement at the last minute as a replacement. Love it!

I was just going on what was said in the interview with Stephen Collins in the extras.

[Styles Bitchley]

Just watched the pilot. What a great show...it's all coming back to me now.

The Raiders connection is really obvious now after watching it.

Maybe the reason it didn't continue was budget. Looks like it would have cost a fortune to produce all those explosions, flying sequences, etc.

[Thorfinn]

Just watched the pilot. What a great show...it's all coming back to me now.

The Raiders connection is really obvious now after watching it.

Maybe the reason it didn't continue was budget. Looks like it would have cost a fortune to produce all those explosions, flying sequences, etc.

You'll be surprised when you find out "why" it wasn't renewed and it wasn't budget problems.