Mystery Island is a live-action sci-fi adventure serial produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions that originally aired as a segment on The Skatebirds from September 10, 1977 to January 21, 1978 on CBS.
In the fall of 1979, Mystery Island continued to air on The Skatebirds when the show returned to CBS in a shortened half-hour version on Sunday mornings until January 25, 1981. In September 2005, episodes resurfaced on Boomerang and were rebroadcast as part of Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels.
Mystery Island! Where the scientific genius Dr. Strange lays his plans for world domination. In the aircraft Nimbus is P.O.P.S., the one key that can aid and give him the power to dominate the world. Above Mystery Island is Chuck Kelly, pilot; Sue Corwin, computer expert; and her brother Sandy. To force them down, Dr. Strange uses his projector beam ray. Dr. Strange offers our trapped trio freedom if they surrender P.O.P.S. They refuse. He then orders his men to capture P.O.P.S. Can our trio escape from the perils that surround them on Mystery Island?
The series follows the adventures of three young people: Chuck Kelly (Stephen Parr, born August 24, 1947 in Brooklyn, NY), a pilot; Sue Corwin (Lynn Marie Johnston, born February 25, 1953), a computer expert; her younger brother Sandy (Larry Volk, born July 15, 1951 in Bismarc, ND and died July 20, 2010) and their computer robot called P.O.P.S. (voiced by Frank Welker). The trio become stranded on a remote island after the evil mad scientist Dr. Strange (Michael Kermoyan, born November 29, 1921 in Fresno, CA and died September 21, 1994 in New York, NY) uses his projector beam ray to crash their plane. Dr. Strange hopes to capture P.O.P.S. and use it in his quest for world domination.
Mystery Island was very similar in scope to Sid and Marty Krofft's 1976 live-action series Dr. Shrinker (from The Krofft Supershow) which also saw a trio of humans on a plane brought down to the island of a different mad scientist. A total of sixteen episodes of Mystery Island were produced, each running ten minutes and included a cliffhanger that was resolved in the next installment.
The P.O.P.S. prop costume was a re-use of the original Robot B-9 from the 1960s television series Lost in Space, modified with a bubble on its shoulders, a cylindrical (rather than bubble) head, a blue-and-white paint job, and other minor changes (P.O.P.S. image.). It has since been restored to its original Robot B-9 appearance.
Main characters
Chuck Kelly (Stephen Parr) - a dedicated young pilot stranded on Mystery Island with Sue and Sandy Corwin and their robot P.O.P.S. He is determined to get the group safely back to civilization, and though sometimes prone to rash decisions, often sticks his neck out for the others.
Sue Corwin (Lynn Marie Johnston) - a pretty and feisty young computer expert whose scientist father created the robot P.O.P.S. Though she is skeptical about P.O.P.S.' claims of having feelings, she does care for the robot's well-being, as well as for her brother and Chuck.
Sandy Corwin (Larry Volk) - her likeable adolescent brother. Though he frequently argues with his sister, the two care for each other. He looks up to Chuck, and has a good rapport with P.O.P.S., often defending the robot's claims to feeling emotions. He is also an accomplished high school gymnast.
P.O.P.S. (Frank Welker) (voice) - the robot whose vast intelligence and ability to speak many languages has made him the target of Dr. Strange. He is similar to See-Threepio in that both function as comic relief, and have a prim and fussy British butler type of personality, and a tendency to fret whenever a dangerous situation arises. He claims to be capable of feelings.
Dr. Strange (Michael Kermoyan)- the principal villain of the series. He is a mad scientist obsessed with obtaining P.O.P.S. and using his vast knowledge to give him world domination. His full real name, if he even had one, was never revealed throughout the series' run; he should not be confused with the same-named Marvel Comics hero.
Krieg (actor unknown) - Dr. Strange's nasty but inept chief henchman. He wants very much to impress his boss but usually falls short.
Sly (actor unknown) - a shaven-headed oaf who is unofficially Krieg's second-in-command and somewhat smarter, usually the first to question his superior's dubious decisions.
Crunch (actor unknown) - another of Dr. Strange's thuggish henchmen, and their unofficial clown. He's usually the first to be "volunteered" whenever Dr. Strange needs a human "guinea-pig" to test a new weapon on.
(It should be noted that there are at least two other henchmen, but they are never named and never speak, and are played by two sets of actors who switch from episode to episode.)
The Mud People - mud-covered island natives who pursue P.O.P.S., believing the robot to be a god. They speak in some kind of primitive language that only P.O.P.S. and Titan can understand and translate.
The Bird Men - alien human-bird hybrids whose leader Wark (actor unknown), who can speak in English, is determined to turn Sue Corwin into a bird-woman to serve his people as their new princess and oracle.
The Lava Man (actor unknown) - a huge, hulking creature made of lava who befriends the Corwins and Chuck after they save his life. He communicates mainly in grunting, and a kind of gibberish which only P.O.P.S. can translate. He has a bit of a crush on Sue.
The Ape Men - super intelligent apes that are the result of an experiment in evolution by Dr. Strange to whom they are very loyal, as they wish him to advance them into human beings. Their leader is called Korba.
Titan (voice actor unknown) - a massive computer with artificial intelligence who considers all humans inferior, except possibly its creator Dr. Strange.
The Parrot - Dr. Strange's pet which appears occasionally. It seems to be the one thing Dr. Strange shows any affection for, similar to Blofield with his cat.
