Lancelot Link, Secret Chimp facts for kids

Lancelot Link, Secret Chimp was a fun American TV show. It was an action and adventure comedy series. It first aired on ABC from September 12, 1970, to January 2, 1971. This Saturday morning show was unique because it featured real chimpanzees. Human voices were added later to make it seem like the chimps were talking!

The Secret Agent Chimps' Story

This show was a funny take on spy stories, a bit like the TV show Get Smart. The main characters were Lancelot Link and his partner, Mata Hairi. Her name was a playful twist on the famous spy Mata Hari. Lancelot and Mata were secret agents working for A.P.E. This stood for the Agency to Prevent Evil. Their job was to stop the bad guys from C.H.U.M.P., which meant Criminal Headquarters for Underworld Master Plan.

The head of A.P.E. was Commander Darwin. He would give Lancelot and Mata their missions. He often had a funny "theory" about each crime. This was a joke about Charles Darwin's theory of evolution. The main villain was Baron von Butcher. He always had a new plan to cause trouble for the world. The Baron had a team of silly bad guys. These included his driver Creto, the crazy scientist Dr. Strangemind, the bossy Dragon Woman, sleepy Wang Fu, singing Ali Assa Seen, and the fancy Duchess. At least one of these villains would appear in every episode.

A regular part of the show was a chimp TV host named Ed Simian. He was a funny copy of the real TV host Ed Sullivan. Ed Simian would introduce a musical performance by an all-chimp band called "The Evolution Revolution." This band even released an album of their songs! There were also Lancelot Link comic books and other toys. Another funny part of the show was short comedy sketches. These showed a chimp sneezing, which would lead to a silly event.

Lancelot Link and Mata Hairi had a secret base. In their apartment, their sofa had a hidden entrance or exit. You could open it just by lifting one of the cushions! The whole show was narrated by Malachi Throne. He used a serious, mock-spy voice, which made it even funnier.

Meet the Characters

The show had many memorable characters, both good and bad.

A.P.E. Agents

• Lancelot Link (played by Tongo, voiced by Dayton Allen): He was the main hero. His voice sounded like the famous actor Humphrey Bogart. His last name, "Link," might be a joke about the "Missing Link" in evolution.
• Mata Hairi (played by Debbie, voiced by Joan Gerber): Lancelot's smart and funny partner. Her name was a play on the real spy Mata Hari.
• Commander Darwin (voiced by Dayton Allen): The leader of A.P.E. He was named after Charles Darwin.
• Bruce: The official messenger for A.P.E.

C.H.U.M.P. Villains

• Baron von Butcher (voiced by Bernie Kopell): The main bad guy. He wore a monocle and was a lot like the character "Siegfried" from Get Smart.
• The Dragon Woman (voiced by Joan Gerber): A tough villainess. Her name was inspired by a character from the "Terry and the Pirates" comic strip.
• Creto (voiced by Bernie Kopell): The Baron's clumsy chauffeur. His name sounds like "cretin," meaning a silly person. It's also a play on "Kato," the Green Hornet's driver.
• Wang Fu (voiced by Bernie Kopell): Another one of the Baron's henchmen. His name sounds like Kung-fu.
• The Duchess (voiced by Joan Gerber): A fancy but evil character.
• Ali Assa Seen (voiced and sung by Dayton Allen): A singing sheikh whose last name sounds like "assassin."
• Dr. Strangemind (voiced by Dayton Allen): A mad scientist. His name was inspired by the movie Dr. Strangelove.

Other Fun Characters

• Marty Mandrill: A former songwriter for The Evolution Revolution who became a spy for C.H.U.M.P.
• Unnamed Orangutan: This orangutan often appeared in the background. Lancelot sometimes called him "that weirdo."
• Blackie: The drummer in The Evolution Revolution band.
• Ed Simian: The chimp TV host, a parody of Ed Sullivan.
• Parnelli Smith: An auto racing champion who supplied cars to A.P.E. His name was a take-off on the real racer Parnelli Jones.
• Bart Sparks: The host of the Miss Globe contest, a funny copy of Miss America host Bert Parks.
• Herman: A henchman who worked for C.H.U.M.P.

The Evolution Revolution Band

"The Evolution Revolution" was a super cool all-chimp band. They wore colorful, hippie-style wigs and clothes. Lancelot Link (played by Tongo) played the guitar, and Mata Hairi (played by Debbie) played the tambourine. Blackie was the drummer, known as "Bananas Marmoset." Another chimp, "SweetWater Gibbons," played the organ.

In one episode, it was revealed that the band's music was used for a secret purpose. They used their songs to send coded messages to other A.P.E. agents! The songs were usually written and sung by Steve Hoffman. They were in a popular style called Bubblegum pop. The band even released a record album and a single song called "Sha-La Love You." Their music had a strong guitar riff sound, showing the rise of hard rock music. One of their songs, "Wild Dreams, Jelly Beans," was even covered later by a Spanish rock band!

Episodes of Adventure

The first season of Lancelot Link, Secret Chimp had hour-long episodes. These episodes also included Warner Bros. cartoon shorts. For the second season, they showed repeats of the first season's episodes, but without the cartoons. When the show first aired, it had a laugh track, but this was removed for later versions.

Here is a list of the episodes:

• There's No Business Like Snow Business
• The Lone A.P.E. / Missile Beach Party
• The Mysterious Motorcycle Menace / The Great Beauty Contest
• C.H.U.M.P. Takes A Holiday / To Tell The Tooth
• The Great Brain Drain / The Great Double Double Cross
• Lance Of Arabia / The Doctor Goes A.P.E.
• The Surfin' Spy / The Missing Link
• Bonana / The Greatest Chase In The World
• The Reluctant Robot / The Royal Foil
• The Great Great Race / The Great Plane Plot
• Landlubber Lance / The Temporary Thanksgiving Turkey Truce
• The Dreaded Hong Kong Sneeze / The Great Bank Robbery
• The Sour Taste Of Success / The Baron's Birthday Ball
• The Golden Sword / The Chilling C.H.U.M.P. Chase
• The Spy Who Went Out In The Cold / Too Many C.H.U.M.P.s
• The C.H.U.M.P. Code Caper / Weather Or Not
• The Evolution Revolution / The Great Water Robbery