The memories you forgot you had ...
In 1976 I knew little about the glam-rock movement that took place a couple of years earlier. That stuff happened in New York City and other cosmopolitan places, not up the holler.
But, I sure knew about Kaptain Kool and the Kongs.
Fronted by Michael Lembeck (Kaptain Kool), Kongs Superchick (Debra Clinger), Turkey (Mickey McMeel), Nashville (Louise Durat) and Flatbush (Bert Sommer, who left after the first season) put on glitter and belted out tunes in between their main duties, introducing Saturday morning cartoon shows.
And the shows they introduced! We're talking Wonderbug. Those groovy superchicks, Electra Woman and Dyna Girl. And Bigfoot and Wildboy, my all-time favorite!
Brilliant shows, when you are eleven.
Lembeck had the most career success, I suppose. He co-starred later in One Day At A Time, and directed lots of sitcoms for TV. Superchick's career in show biz seems to have fizzled out around the Hart To Hart years. Turkey hasn't been heard from since 1980, and Nashville continues to work doing voice-overs. Flatbush, who may have been the smartest Kong (in that he bolted after the first season), apparently went into some other line of work besides acting. He has no other credits listed on his bio.
Where did 30 years go?
