Lancelot Link, Secret Chimp is an American action/adventure comedy television series originally aired Saturday mornings on ABC from September 12, 1970, to January 2, 1971, and rebroadcast the following season. The live-action film series featured a cast of chimpanzees given apparent speaking roles by overdubbing with human voices.

Production

Lancelot Link, Secret Chimp had a "seven-figure budget"

According to The Believer, "to make the dialogue fit the chimps’ lip action, Burns and Marmer went to ridiculous lengths. 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." on the drums. "SweetWater Gibbons" (in fringed vest and granny glasses) was credited for playing Farfisa organ, in the bubblegum pop style then in vogue; Hoffman received "voices" credit along with the various character actors. A Lancelot Link record album was released on ABC Records, Steve Barri, who is listed as producer on the album, was the co-creator and long-time producer of The Grass Roots as well. Gold Key Comics published a Lancelot Link, Secret Chimp comic book series which ran for eight issues from April 1971 to February 1973.

Syndication

Reruns aired for one season on Nickelodeon's Nick at Nite during the late 1980s; it includes a reunion between the show's two creators and was "shot in shlocky Hi-8 video, and [featuring] an entertaining juxtaposition of anecdotes from Burns and Marmer and some of the show's finest moments." Additional subjects included Sealab 2020.

References

  • TvParty page
  • Evolution Revolution Album Copy provided by producer Bob Emenegger
  • Lancelot Link at Grand Comics Database Lancelot Link comic books
  • Lancelot Link on Amazon