"Ark II" (1976) TV series 1976-1979

Creator:

Martin Roth
(more)

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

11 September 1976 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Sci-Fi

Plot:

Three young scientists travel around the country in the 25th century after the world has been ravaged by pollution. In their hi-tech RV (called Ark II), they study the land and help out those in need.

Plot Keywords:

Chimpanzee | Post Apocalyptic | Jet Pack | Teen | Future

Cast

Terry Lester	...	Jonah / ... (15 episodes, 1976)
Jean Marie Hon	...	Ruth (15 episodes, 1976)
José Flores	...	Samuel (15 episodes, 1976)
Adam	...	Himself - The Chimp / ... (15 episodes, 1976)
José Flores	...	Samuel (15 episodes, 1976)
Lou Scheimer	...	Adam's voice / ... (13 episodes, 1976)

Series Directed by
Ted Post		(8 episodes, 1976)
Hollingsworth Morse		(6 episodes, 1976)

Series Writing credits
Martin Roth		(15 episodes, 1976)
Robert Specht		(5 episodes, 1976)
Len Janson		(3 episodes, 1976)
Chuck Menville		(3 episodes, 1976)

Series Produced by
Norm Prescott	....	executive producer (15 episodes, 1976)
Richard M. Rosenbloom	....	producer (15 episodes, 1976)
Lou Scheimer	....	executive producer (15 episodes, 1976)

Series Original Music by
Ray Ellis		(15 episodes, 1976)
Norm Prescott		(15 episodes, 1976)

Series Cinematography by
Robert F. Sparks		(15 episodes, 1976)

Series Film Editing by
Jim Gross		(9 episodes, 1976)
Marshall Neilan Jr.		(6 episodes, 1976)

Series Casting by
Fran Bascom		(15 episodes, 1976)

Series Art Direction by
Michael Baugh		(12 episodes, 1976)

Series Makeup Department
John Norin	....	makeup artist (15 episodes, 1976)

Series Production Management
Dale Henry	....	executive in charge of production (14 episodes, 1976)
Bill Moore	....	post-production supervisor / post-production manager (14 episodes, 1976)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Henry J. Lange Jr.	....	assistant director (8 episodes, 1976)
Gary Credle	....	assistant director (3 episodes, 1976)
Lee Rafner	....	assistant director (3 episodes, 1976)

Series Art Department
Eugene Booth	....	property master (15 episodes, 1976)

Series Sound Department
William Randall	....	sound (15 episodes, 1976)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Bill Kahlo	....	key grip (15 episodes, 1976)
Drain M. Marshall	....	gaffer (15 episodes, 1976)
Robert M. Stevens	....	camera operator (8 episodes, 1976)
Robert T. Simpson	....	camera operator / assistant camera (7 episodes, 1976)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Thalia Phillips	....	wardrobe (15 episodes, 1976)

Series Other crew
Gordon L. Berry	....	educational advisor (15 episodes, 1976)
June Gilham	....	film coordinator (15 episodes, 1976)
Darrell Keener	....	animal trainer (15 episodes, 1976)
Steve Nicolaides	....	production coordinator (15 episodes, 1976)
Dr. James R. Sackett	....	educational advisor (15 episodes, 1976)
Robert Specht	....	executive story editor (15 episodes, 1976)
Wendy Atterbury	....	script supervisor (7 episodes, 1976)
Jill Murphy	....	script supervisor (6 episodes, 1976)
Karen Hale Wookey	....	script supervisor (2 episodes, 1976)

Production Companies

• Filmation Associates

Distributors

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)

Other Companies

• Horta-Mahana Corp.  music and sound effects
• Shermley Music Co.  music publisher

Runtime:

USA:25 min (15 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

Malibu Creek State Park - 1925 Las Virgenes Road, Calabasas, California, USA

Company:

Filmation Associates

Trivia:

The Ark II was built on the chassis of a dump truck. The truck was notorious for constantly breaking down between shots. It was also reportedly hard to operate in crowded areas safely because the placement of the windows was such that the driver of the Ark was unable to see clearly. The other vehicle, the Ark Roamer, was built on a Volkswagen van chassis from a modified "Brubaker Box" kit, and while it ran well, it had a limited range. The Brubaker group built both vehicles for the show.

Goofs:

Continuity: The rear wheels of the Ark are a different design when the Ark is moving, than when it is not moving.

rescuing civilization

This Saturday morning TV series was set in the 25th century of earth.The world has been ravaged by wars & ecological pollution.One group of survivors who were technologically superior wanted to help out the rest of humanity.An immense vehicle called Ark II was constructed to go out into the world with a highly trained team & bring aid,comfort,& education to those less fortunate.Critics have found this show moralistic,preachy,& cornball.It could be those things at times,but I'm a sucker for a show that is about helping other people with no hidden agenda by the good guys.The Ark II group risked their lives each week in a world that could be hostile & unknown.They carried no weapons,tho they had hand held devices that could temporarily blind an opponent.As with many Sat a.m. series we were saddled with a kid sidekick & an animal,Adam the chimp.Neither a plus to the show.The Ark was futuristic & formidable looking,with hi-tech labs & gadgetry onboard.They also had use of a jet-pack.There was plenty of location filming that gave the series a sense of really being out in the world.It was not a perfect show & did not have the mature scripts we would come to see on such later Sat morning shows as Captain Power & Hypernauts.But it was a series that said there is both good & evil within mankind,here was a community that wanted to perform positive,humane works to benefit others.It spoke to our nobler nature,instead of being just another action/adventure program with little thought behind it.Can we ever have too many of these kind of shows?