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Title: Fantasy Island (1977–1984)
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| Complete series cast summary: | |||
| Ricardo Montalban | ... |
Mr. Roarke
(154 episodes, 1977-1984)
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| Hervé Villechaize | ... |
Tattoo
(132 episodes, 1977-1983)
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Fantasy Island is a unique resort in the Pacific Ocean, where there is very little that the mysterious overseer, Mr. Roarke, cannot provide. Thus, we have visitors have adventures that should be impossible, but this island can accommodate them such as visits to any time period they want or meet absolutely anyone they want see to do something they request. However, what actually happens is often far more than they expect as they face challenges that test their character in ways they never imagined. Written by Kenneth Chisholm ([email protected])
When you set out to create a show like Fantasy Island you have to be well read on history and have one good imagination. Glad to say that Fantasy Island showed a good deal of both in their episodes.
One episode I well remember was a pair of women were real big into the Civil War and desired to go back and live the genteel life that Scarlett O'Hara and her family had on Tara. Fantasy Island brought them back all right, but showed them the downside of that era and I'll say no more on the story. The morale of that show was be happy in your own backyard.
Host and impresario of Fantasy Island was the mysterious Mr. Roarke played by Ricardo Montalban. In interviews Montalban said that he never got the real career role on the big screen that defined other of his contemporaries. But on the small screen Montalban got two of them, Mr. Roarke and Khan on Star Trek which went to the big screen also. What powers Roarke drew on to show his guests what they really thought was ideal was left open to the imagination.
For all but one season Montalban had his dwarf companion Herve Villechaize and these two had a gentle and playful repartee. Villechaize had a sad and tragic life, but Fantasy Island left him with a career role and an identity that will linger.
I could never see this show revived because Montalban and Villechaise had such a special chemistry for the small screen.