Green Monkeys (Late 90s Disney pilot produced by John K.)

masterofspank
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Posts: 4

Green Monkeys (Late 90s Disney pilot produced by John K.) Jan 10, 2019 18:23:02 GMT

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Post by masterofspank on Jan 10, 2019 18:23:02 GMT

This is something that's been that's been driving me crazy over nearly a year. So supposedly back in the late 90s Disney produced a pilot for an animated series called Green Monkeys. This pilot had the involvement of all people, outed-artist/predator John Kricfalusi and Spümcø. I can find little information about this pilot other than it was directed by then Spümcø artist Gabe Swarr. Also coming into account is the fact that Disney also optioned a creation by Betty and Michael Paraskevas also called Green Monkeys around the same time, so I'm not sure if this is meant to be based on their concept or not. John's infamous father also has what I believe is Green Monkeys concept art hanging at his house:

I mean considering this man's hatred for the company, it shouldn't surprising that he would design the characters as these cutesy-wutesy creatures. Why he would a Disney show is beyond me.

I would make an article about this, but I still know too little about this. Supposedly someone online has brought this unlikely collaboration up in detail, but I'm afraid that it's John K's blog, and don't want to hear an exaggerated and spiteful account on this from someone I despise as a person.

tydaze
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Posts: 54

Green Monkeys (Late 90s Disney pilot produced by John K.) Jan 17, 2019 23:21:33 GMT

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Post by tydaze on Jan 17, 2019 23:21:33 GMT

I found this New York Post article from 1999 which mentions John K and Spumco being brought on to the project

nypost.com/1999/12/21/kricfalusis-monkey-biz-disney-turns-to-creator-of-ren-stimpy-for-series/

On John K's blog I did find what appears to be concepts for the characters, they have "greenmonkeys" in the filename

1.bp.blogspot.com/_mJ4lc_Q9Q6k/SsGAbu4PPhI/AAAAAAAAhlY/sfaW_ADxy_c/s1600-h/greenmonkeys2.jpg

2.bp.blogspot.com/_mJ4lc_Q9Q6k/SsGAuproE2I/AAAAAAAAhlg/RlJW2lFmLzU/s1600-h/GreenMonkeys3.jpg

which were linked to in this blog post (WARNING: there are some drawings with explicit nudity there): johnkstuff.blogspot.com/2009/09/character-design-as-job-vs-character.html

though he doesn't actually mention Green Monkeys at all in that post.

You might not like John K and I don't blame you, I would indeed take any accounts from him with a grain of salt, as being likely to be very opinionated and biased. But he would be the most likely person to get any information at all from on this, as we probably won't get anything from Disney. Can you link to the sources that you mention as alluding to the post on his blog where he talked about Green Monkeys?

Last Edit: Jan 17, 2019 23:25:41 GMT by tydaze

masterofspank
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Posts: 4

Green Monkeys (Late 90s Disney pilot produced by John K.) Jan 18, 2019 14:09:58 GMT

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Post by masterofspank on Jan 18, 2019 14:09:58 GMT

Neat find on the press release, I wouldn't have gotten too far on the rabbit hole in terms of something like this. Same with those sketches. "Fly Trap" is the name of one of Paraskevas's monkeys so this indeed his take on those characters. I wouldn't necessarily say that John K. would be the only source for finding more details on the pilot, again this pilot seems to spearheaded by the younger people working at Spümcø at the time so they could be useful in delivering information, I do know that one other artist mentioned this as one of the things he did at the studio. Robyn Byrd was still working there at the time so she might know something about this I don't know. Michael Paraskevas could also be useful in giving out information as he help co-created the pilot to begin with. Also I never said that John K. wrote a blog post on Green Monkeys, I just feared he did and delivered a biased account on it.

teridaxxd001
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Posts: 427

Green Monkeys (Late 90s Disney pilot produced by John K.) Jan 25, 2019 6:25:09 GMT

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Post by teridaxxd001 on Jan 25, 2019 6:25:09 GMT

Don't bother contacting John K. After the recent revelations about him, he seems have two types of behavior: reclusive or abusive. He was always abusive, mind you, but last I heard, lately all he does is lash out at people, whereas before he seemed to be at least somewhat willing to talk to fans.

masterofspank
Lost Media Beginner

Posts: 4

Green Monkeys (Late 90s Disney pilot produced by John K.) Jan 25, 2019 13:15:12 GMT

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Post by masterofspank on Jan 25, 2019 13:15:12 GMT

Yup. I'm definitely not going to contact John K, because again, not only am I afraid to do so, he probably doesn't even want to talk about it to anyone or acknowledge it's existence.

Like I said, Green Monkeys isn't his creation, and other people who aren't John K worked on this also. If anything, Michael Paraskevas, who actually created the concept, and other people who worked on this at Spümcø would probably be more helpful in telling about the pilot than John K. ever would.

Green Monkeys (Late 90s Disney pilot produced by John K.)

Post by masterofspank on Jan 10, 2019 18:23:02 GMT

Post by tydaze on Jan 17, 2019 23:21:33 GMT

Post by masterofspank on Jan 18, 2019 14:09:58 GMT

Post by teridaxxd001 on Jan 25, 2019 6:25:09 GMT

Post by masterofspank on Jan 25, 2019 13:15:12 GMT

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