Produced by Rankin/Bass, this version of King Kong was a friend to all, and at the top of that list was the young boy Bobby Bond.
Bobby had a special connection with the sixty-foot-tall gorilla, and the two of them would get involved in a myriad of different adventures.
Along for the ride on their home of Mondo Island (in the Java Sea) were Bobby’s father, American scientist Professor Bond, who had established a base on Mondo Island in the Java Sea, and his sister, Susan.
Most of their adventures involved the attempts of the evil power-mad scientist Dr Who (no, not that one!) to capture Kong and his eventual defeat by the simian and his human friends.
One of the most memorable aspects of this show was its theme song, which addressed the legend of the mighty Kong:
King Kong/You know the name of/King Kong/You know the fame of/King Kong/Ten times as big as a man!
King Kong also featured a segment called Tom of T.H.U.M.B. Tom was a mediocre secret agent who was accidentally shrunk – along with his Oriental martial arts expert friend Swingin’ Jack.
In his diminutive state, Tom became a major resource to T.H.U.M.B. (Tiny Humans Underground Military Bureau). Under the supervision of Chief Homer J. Chief, Tom and Jack battled the agents of M.A.D. (Maladjusted, Anti-Social and Darn mean).
While short-lived, both King Kong and Tom of T.H.U.M.B are remembered fondly by those who saw them. Each 20-minute episode featured two King Kong stories and one Tom of T.H.U.M.B adventure.
A live-action tie-in movie – King Kong Escapes – was produced by Rankin/Bass in cooperation with Toho Studios in Japan in 1967.
Bobby Bond Billie Richards
Professor Bond
Carl Banas
Susan Bond
Susan Conway Other voices John Drainie
Alf Scopp
Paul Scoles
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One of the most memorable aspects of this show was its theme song, which addressed the legend of the mighty Kong:
