You probably don’t recognize the name Donald P. Bellisario, but there is a good chance you’ve watched one of the television series he has created. Magnum P.I., Airwolf, Quantum Leap, JAG or NCIS ring a bell? He was also a writer-producer on the series Baa Baa Black Sheep and the original Battlestar Galactica. Yeah, he has that kind of pedigree. Like many successful TV series creators he also has a string of lesser known productions, shows that just didn’t last that long for a variety of reasons. One of those is Tales of the Gold Monkey. Premiering in 1982, Gold Monkey had a successful and highly-acclaimed season before being…well, everyone thought it was a shoe-in for a second season, but politics and a creator unwilling to dumb down the storylines saw the end of the show. Like many series with a core fan following, Tales of the Gold Monkey has remained a favorite for a lot of people and now Shout! Factory is releasing a DVD set of all the episodes that is both a tribute to a fondly remembered show and worthy of being in any fan’s collection.
Starring Stephen Collins (Private Practice, 7th Heaven), Caitlin O’Heaney (The Charmings), Roddy McDowall (Planet of the Apes), Jeff Mackay (JAG), Tales of the Gold Monkey aired on ABC from September of 1982 until June, 1983 and became a popular hit following the success of the Indiana Jones films. Set in 1938, this adventure series captures the ambiance and character of a mysterious romantic era and chronicles a young American adventurer Jake Cutter (Stephen Collins) and his ragtag group of friends as they become involved involved in death-defying hi-jinx, transporting people-on-the-run in a well-worn Grumman Goose seaplane.
I remember being instantly drawn to the series when it first aired as I had been wowed like everyone else by Raiders of the Lost Ark earlier in the year and was hoping for more. Years later, after becoming aware of who Bellisario was, I was mystified as to why he created a show that played off of the popularity of the Indiana Jones films. Fortunately, that wasn’t the case. The highlight of this set is a new thirty-six minute “Making of” Documentary featuring Stephen Collins (Jack Cutter), Caitlin O’Heaney (Sarah Stickney White), writer-producer Tom Greene and Harvey Laidman (one of the directors for the series). In this featurette the participants discuss the fact that Bellisario had been trying to get the series commissioned since the 1970s and had actually drawn from the 1939 film Only Angels Have Wings and the 1944 film To Have And Have Not as inspiration for the characters and setting. There is also fond remembrances in the documentary to both Jeff Mackay and Roddy McDowall who are both sadly no longer with us.
Also included is the original double-length pilot episode, notable for featuring Ron Moody as “Bon Chance” Louie, the role that would be played by Roddy McDowall in the rest of the episodes. Audio commentaries on select episodes, a Photo gallery, text-only series synopsis and biographies, Sarah Stickney White’s original costume gallery, an artifacts gallery and a great 24-page collector’s booklet round out this packed DVD set. The episodes also look and sound really good on DVD, despite being nearly thirty years old.
It’s obvious from the pilot that this show is different than the film series it is accused of ripping off and has its own unique charm. Bellisario creates heroes that always do the right thing, yet are haunted by dark incidents in their past. Jake Cutter is no exception, but, much like Thomas Magnum, Stringfellow Hawke, Sam Beckett, Harmon Rabb and Leroy Gibbs, he is the kind of rugged good guy many of us wish we could be. Thanks to this DVD set, we can all fly along with Jake and his trusty one-eyed dog Jack on all of their adventures.
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