Lancelot Link Secret Chimp
April 15th 2010 00:37
I laughed, I cried, I wanted to chew gum!
APE's (Agency to Prevent Evil) key undercover agent - Lance (and his side kick Mata Hairi) owed considerable homage parodying the Bond films which in turn was parodied by the Get Smart series.
With a sevne figure budget - the plot was always played for laughs and featured Lancelot Link and his female colleague Mata Hairi in an ongoing conflict with the evil organization Criminal Headquarters for Underworld Master Plan (CHUMP).
In fact, two of the three producer/creators — Stan Burns and Mike Marmer — who had been writers for Get Smart, quit their jobs as head writers on top rating Carol Burnett Show to work on Lancelot Link, Secret Chimp.
Voiceovers were ad-libbed on the set, giving birth to beautifully absurd moments of the chimps breaking into songs at the end of sentences or spontaneously reciting Mother Goose rhymes just so it would look right."
Most episodes involved CHUMP's monocled chief Baron von Butcher inevitably hatching the latest plan to endanger the world.
The Baron's network of international fiends included his shifty chauffeur Creto, mad scientist Dr. Strangemind and imperious Dragon Woman, drowsy Wang Fu, singing sheikh Ali Assa Seen, and the cultured Duchess.
A regular weekly feature was chimp TV host "Ed Simian" introducing a musical number by an all-chimp band, "The Evolution Revolution." An album of these songs was released on the ABC/Dunhill record label. There were also Lancelot Link comic books and other merchandise, including Halloween costumes.
Try describing this show today to people, and they'll give you the look over.
Tell them that part of your cultural history is based on a program where a chimp in a high rise building, wearing a grey suit with a red tie, sitting in a leather chair, speaking English tries to save the world - and well . . . the cuckoo's start chiming as they look to beat a hasty retreat.
Perhaps it was for its time - perhaps we both were.
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Comment by Mountain Fog
Infognito
Screen Trek
QUOTE ME NO QUOTES!
smoking cigars!!!!
A great show that was a parody on all things spyish and silly...no wonder, I didn't realize the writers worked on Get smart and Carol Burnett!! (Loved her show too)
and the girl chimps, classic stuff!
Great memory old top!
cheers
fog