Lancelot Link, Secret Chimp is one of those shows that came out of left field. Lancelot Link was created by Mike Marmer and Stan Burns, which had runs on both The Carol Burnett Show and Get Smart. The link to Get Smart would be the greatest influence on Lancelot Link, as the C.H.U.M.P. (Criminal Headquarters for the Underworld’s Master Plan) went up against the valiant APE.
The show had its original run from September of 1970 to September of 1972, and was a live-action show featuring chimpanzees. Actors provided the voices for these apes; Dayton Allen (known as a man on the street on The Steve Allen Show) did many of the male voices, while Joan Gerber (DuckTales, 1978’s Fantastic Four, Dynomutt) took up the voicing of the females. While the episodes were largely spy fare aimed for the younger set, performances by The Evolution Revolution (the all-chimp band) punctuated the show a number of times. The fullness of the cast is perhaps the most surprising side of Lancelot Chimp, as 12 characters rounded out the forces of good and evil.
The Film Chest release has an incredibly sharp transfer considering the age and obscurity of the show. Film Chest has already said that the proceeds from these DVD sales will go to keeping Lance well in eir twilight years. If you liked the 1990s Monkey-Ed Movies or of absolutely trippy shows from the seventies, search out a copy of the Complete Special Collector’s Edition of Lancelot Link, Secret Chimp. Here’s to hoping that Film Chest can continue to release these forgotten titles and provide them with all of the glory that they deserve.
Rating: 8.0/10
Lancelot Link, Secret Chimp: Complete Special Collector’s Edition (DVD Set) / 2012 Film Chest / 600 Minutes / http://www.filmchest.com