A Look back at 'TALES OF THE GOLD MONKEY' 1982

Hoping to capture of, and capitalize on the success of 1981's RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, ABC brought viewers TALES OF THE GOLD MONKEY.

Set in the South Pacific in 1938, the series is about an ex-Flying Tigers pilot named Jake Cutter (Stephen Collins). Now the operator of an air cargo delivery service based on a South Seas island. Jake's best friend is his mechanic Corky (Jeff MacKay), a good-hearted alcoholic whose memory is hazy. Jake also has a one-eyed Jack Russell terrier named Jack, who barks once for "no" and twice for "yes"and wears an eye patch.

Jake has a love interest/U.S. Government spy contact is Sarah Stickney White (Caitlin O'Heaney). She sings in the Monkey Bar as a cover for her espionage activities. The Reverend Willie Tenboom (John Calvin), a phony man of the cloth who likes to "bless" the female natives in private "prayer", is in actuality a Nazi spy named Willy, with interests in both sides.

Other characters include "Bon Chance" Louie, the owner of the Monkey Bar and the French magistrate for the island. A Japanese princess Koji , her devoted bodyguard is Todo.

TALES OF THE GOLD MONKEY lasted just one season (21 episodes) and was tried in three different time slots. It premiered on Tuesday, September 22, 1982, at 8;00pm. It stayd in that slot until March, where it was moved to Fridays at 10:00pm for a few weeks. after taking the month of May off, it was back on Wednedays, but at 9:00pm. Come July, 1983, it was pulled from the schedule for good.