I found this April 1982 back issue of British screen trade magazine SCREEN INTERNATIONAL in a second-hand book store and whilst flicking through its pages, I spotted this two-page advert for THE ENCHANTED PALACE, a slice of US kid-vid I'd never heard of.
Over the years, I've become familiar with the bulk of Marvel's small-screen projects but I've never seen this referenced anywhere. Even a quick Google search this morning reveals nothing relevant and it doesn't feature on either Adam West's nor Lou Ferrigno's IMDB entries.
It's a safe assumption that, despite this publicity, the show didn't drum-up enough pre-launch business (IE sales to local stations) to actually go into production. Reading the advert, that's not entirely surprising. It sounds pretty dire and pitched at very young (pre-school?) kids. Another example of Marvel's eighties management willing to license their characters to almost any project, no matter how inappropriate.
But, it sounds like it might have been a fascinating small-screen collision of Marvel and DC heroes. And any chance to see Adam West reprise BATMAN can't be sniffed at. Ferrigno would have been just coming-off the Universal INCREDIBLE HULK TV show, which wrapped-up the same year.
The other stills look like Marvel loaned the producers the costumes that they used for personal appearances by Marvel characters (although I've not seen the slightly-rubbish Thing one before).
But - the big question is - was any of this actually shot? Are they just publicity stills or were they taken whilst shooting a pilot episode? Is there a lost Marvel (and DC) show out there somewhere? Is there another chance to see West and Ferrigno in action? If there was a pilot shot, did Ferrigno participate? That still looks like ones I've seen before from the Universal show. West, on the other hand, does conceivably look like he's on-set.
Anyone know anything?
4 APRIL 1982
Hello! Yes, I know a lot as my dad Roy Freeman produced this and I was in an episode when I was five years old. Five episodes were filmed - one includes Adam West and another includes Lou Ferrigno. I do remember meeting them but what's funny is the person I remember the most on the set was Billy Barty who was also in the show. From what I recall the show was filmed but never picked up by a network. It was disappointing for my dad which I also remember. Anyhow, I have all five shows on film reels. Never been digitized, but kept safely in hard cases and in a bin in my garage for many years. I don't know what do with the reels. I have reached out to West and Ferrigno's Facebook pages but with no luck getting anyone from the family or otherwise to get back to me.
ReplyDelete