After arriving in Bombay, India to live with his father, Montana teenager Jay North (as Terrance "Terry" Bowen) receives some tragic news. The young man's father is reported to have been eaten by a tiger while big game hunting. He is advised to leave India, but Mr. North runs away and goes undercover. He believes his father may still be alive. Hopping a train, North meets Indian teenager Sajid Khan (as Raji), an orphan traveling with his beloved elephant "Maya". Mr. Khan considers Maya his adoptive mother. The penniless lads will face much danger as they search India for information concerning the disappearance of Hugh Bowen, North's father...
This TV series follow-up to the feature film "Maya" reunites original co-stars North and Khan. The NBC-TV show would be a massive hit if today's media market applied, but it was dead last among the big three television networks in 1967-1968 and was canceled after only 18 episodes. A strong entry in the series, this first episode re-boots the situation; most importantly, the fate of North's father is re-categorized as unknown. The series was adapted by Stirling Silliphant and this first episode is quite nicely directed by Marvin Chomsky...
"Maya" was no ordinary children's show. The stories contain atypical violence, like this episode's bloody ending. There were adult situations added to the usual adventure mix. This enables the series to hold more interest, today. It's also filmed entirely on location, in the picturesque "cities, villages and jungles of India." The Indian culture adds to the series' appeal. North seems to be a secular-minded Christian, while Kahn's prayers to "Krishna" are treated with dignity; this is not how US television depicted religious views, at the time...
North and Khan became "teen idol" pin-ups. Due to the "foreign" appeal rejuvenated by The Beatles, plus a friendly and cooperative relationship with teen magazine editors, Khan superseded North and extended his popularity by several years after "Maya" left the airwaves. The attractive young actors' rapport is obvious. In this episode, they have several bonding moments, including one where Khan rubs a muddy concoction on North to help him pass as a native. Fortunately, North abandons the color and simply wears a tan make-up. Formerly bleached blond for his role as "Dennis the Menace", North's hair is also darkened; soon, that washes out.
****** Blood of the Tiger (9/16/67) Marvin J. Chomsky ~ Jay North, Sajid Khan, Jairaj, Ursula Prince
This TV series follow-up to the feature film "Maya" reunites original co-stars North and Khan. The NBC-TV show would be a massive hit if today's media market applied, but it was dead last among the big three television networks in 1967-1968 and was canceled after only 18 episodes. A strong entry in the series, this first episode re-boots the situation; most importantly, the fate of North's father is re-categorized as unknown. The series was adapted by Stirling Silliphant and this first episode is quite nicely directed by Marvin Chomsky...
"Maya" was no ordinary children's show. The stories contain atypical violence, like this episode's bloody ending. There were adult situations added to the usual adventure mix. This enables the series to hold more interest, today. It's also filmed entirely on location, in the picturesque "cities, villages and jungles of India." The Indian culture adds to the series' appeal. North seems to be a secular-minded Christian, while Kahn's prayers to "Krishna" are treated with dignity; this is not how US television depicted religious views, at the time...
North and Khan became "teen idol" pin-ups. Due to the "foreign" appeal rejuvenated by The Beatles, plus a friendly and cooperative relationship with teen magazine editors, Khan superseded North and extended his popularity by several years after "Maya" left the airwaves. The attractive young actors' rapport is obvious. In this episode, they have several bonding moments, including one where Khan rubs a muddy concoction on North to help him pass as a native. Fortunately, North abandons the color and simply wears a tan make-up. Formerly bleached blond for his role as "Dennis the Menace", North's hair is also darkened; soon, that washes out.
****** Blood of the Tiger (9/16/67) Marvin J. Chomsky ~ Jay North, Sajid Khan, Jairaj, Ursula Prince