A New Tattoo?! The SCANDAL That Brought Down Fantasy Island and ABC

[@billmoran3219]

Wasn’t this parodied on an episode of Taxi where the Reverend Jim helps a young TV executive pick and schedule shows for a network?

[@tvsbesteps]

Yes! “Jim Joins the Network” (S04E04) aired Oct. 29, 1981. Since it would have been written during the summer of 81, it’s safe to say it was inspired by this story. Good episode! Martin Short and Christopher Lloyd together!

[@mikeweber3685]

I wondered that too!

[@kenlompart9905]

I love that episode, Jim had to pretend he was a shoeshine boy, 😂😂😂

[@greenspiraldragon]

Didn't Regan have a psychic doing his schedules?

[@CC-uc4gq]

@@greenspiraldragon It was Nancy's astrologer, allegedly!

[@NoPastNoFate]

When I was a kid I had dinner as a guest at his table. He was polite, gracious, and quiet. Even though I was a child I could feel an incredible sadness in him. More profound than anything I had sensed in a person before.

[@seka1986]

What dinner was it?

[@NoPastNoFate]

@@seka1986 he sometimes ate at a restaurant my mom worked as a waitress. Occasionally, I would be in the break room waiting for my mom to get off work. I had met him a few times briefly. But we didn’t speak other than a brief polite greetings. I knew to not bother any customers. One day he decided to ask me to sit at his table and bought dinner. I don’t think he wanted to be alone. He was quiet and profoundly sad. But he did ask a few questions and seemed amused at my dumb kid answers. I just remember wishing I understood why he was so sad. I wished I had asked but I felt like he didn’t invite me to eat with him to ask him why he was sad. I think I was there so he didn’t have to think as much about whatever he was struggling with. This would have been around 1982 or 1983.

[@fabb5]

where was it?

[@Torgo-and-the-Lucifer-Cat]

He didn't like peanut M and M's....he liked the plain. The plain.

[@richardm3023]

Don't you mean, Da Plain! Da Plain!

[@Stratmanable]

Ugh. A joke so "dad" it gives unwanted grilling advice.

[@Torgo-and-the-Lucifer-Cat]

@@Stratmanable "ya know, you should really have marinated that and flipped it more...."

[@blacknapalm2131]

*OMFG hahahaha*

[@KasumiKenshirou]

Gilbert Gottfried talked about the Tattoo actor all the time on his podcast and did impressions of him. He also talked about his medical condition. Gottfried said he had a small body but that his internal organs were normal sized, which caused him to be in constant pain.

[@Maki-00]

I heard this. Sounds like an awful existence.

[@hunterericson6782]

you guys have to watch “my dinner with herve”

[@noelhernandez363]

" The plane, boss the plane"!! Iconic phrase!! Rest in peace "tattoo" 🙏🕊

[@timcross2510]

SCTV did the best parody ever! John Candy as a really tiny Tatoo makes me laugh just remembering it!

[@tvsbesteps]

Classic. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pKHVk3qroNadoZIsi=BEzVJlOGEP87AyQl

[@kenlompart9905]

I've been watching Fantasy Island again lately and I'm on season 5 when Tattoo was replaced, the show really lost something when he left, it just doesn't feel right.

[@ahhamartin]

The mere statement "...one of my favorite shows, Simon & Simon" earned a sub from me.

[@tvsbesteps]

A fellow fan! What do we call ourselves? Lol

[@RemoWilliams1227]

​@@tvsbestepsSimonites?

[@FIREBRAND38]

I remember an interview with Sonny Bono where he guested on _Fantasy Island_ in 1978 and mistakenly referred to Tattoo as "Pontoon" and got kicked in his shin by Villechaize. After asking himself, "Why am I doing this" he eventually quit acting and got into politics by running for (and becoming) Mayor of Palm Springs in 1988.

[@cricketstarr1489]

Nobody asked for any of this

[@teptime]

I saw Herve at a Las Vegas dog racing track around 1988. He had the angriest face I've ever seen.

[@richardm3023]

Which dog was he riding?

[@cricketstarr1489]

You mom

[@richardm3023]

@@cricketstarr1489 "your" as in 'your mother'. Example : Your mother is so fat, she uses the driveway to iron her clothes.

[@UrbanGardeningWithD.A.Hanks14]

Sometimes, you have to understand that a character IS the show.

[@TheChrisHype]

Francine becoming the new Tattoo sounds like an actual episode premise for American Dad.

[@elessartelcontar9415]

Poor Herve had terrible GI problems that were so horrible that he unalived himself to escape the horrible suffering. I have life threatening GI probs too and understand.

[@tinatepe2078]

Tattoo is who pops in my mind when I think of the show Fantasy Island. Yes they fucked up by screwing him over.

[@johnkalap9314]

How exactly did they "screw him over"? By not caving into his demands to be paid as much as Ricardo Montelban, who had been a Hollywood legend for decades? What did Herve do, besides playing the same type of role in he Bond movie 'The Man with the Golden Gun'?

[@tinatepe2078]

@@johnkalap9314 Seeing as he's the most memorable character of the show, I guess it doesn't matter what he did while one it.

[@johnkalap9314]

@@tinatepe2078 Mr. Roarke is the most memorable character, not Tattoo. He was the comedic sidekick, nothing more.

[@writeralbertlanier3434]

The whole Beverlee Dean scandal seems strange to me. I dont think psychics are real and i dont buy that Dean had any powers or otherworldly intuition. Dean after all was a budding producer and thus clearly knew the business.she simply made some saavy picks.

[@richardmark9161]

I was about to say the same thing. It’s too bad she got frozen out of the business. She was obviously more talented than these executives.

[@silvialittlewolf]

I must admit that I haven't watched any Fantasy Island reruns for ages but from memory, the storylines after "Tattoo" had left just weren't really good anymore. I liked Christopher Hewett but the stories were a little underwhelming. But then again, I might decide I was wrong if I do decide to rewatch FI. 😁

[@kenlompart9905]

I've been re-watching Fantasy Island and I'm currently on season 5 when they replaced Tattoo and you're right, the fantasies got quite silly. The show went from being well written and acted to childish fantasies like a 90 lb weakling becomes the strongest man on earth after drinking a potion Mr. Roarke gives him or a nerd who can't get a woman becomes a stud who women can't resist. I'm actually surprised it lasted another 2 seasons after that.

[@jbdragon3295]

I must of blocked it all out. I just don't remember Tattoo being replaced.

[@tonycrabtree3416]

Chances are writers didn’t like it and really wrote garbage.

[@georgiabigfoot]

@@jbdragon3295I have Tatoo’s Queso recipe.

[@petebutler5139]

Another well investigated story! I’m hooked. Now I’m binge watching your shows!

[@tvsbesteps]

Thanks!

[@r.williamcomm7693]

Excellent video. Was in middle school then so never knew anything about this. Hervé Villechaize kind of messed up his career when he should’ve just cashed his checks & enjoyed his life.

[@mikeweber3685]

I remember watching a behind-the-scenes special or something about Herve and he had a lot of problems with his health.

[@r.williamcomm7693]

@@mikeweber3685 Yes it was sad. He was miserable in the end. Poor guy.

[@keepgrindingup7661]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/nZXanmqJn96soJosi=vEE-YD2t-rqYWMHw Opie and Anthony go over the details when his life was spiraling down the drain it was pretty sad bro

[@Number6_]

A lot of people have that problem. It's ego and wanting more.

[@Number6_]

​@@r.williamcomm7693he got a lot of jobs just because of his size. Was even in a bond film.

[@hunterericson6782]

Herve Villechaize is one of the most amazing people to walk through hollywood. his physical size was not to be mistaken - he was a true gangster with balls of steel and didnt take shit from anyone. also he was a mack daddy. and a mess. but damn i love that guy !!!

[@eugenekozma2697]

Herve villechaize complained about having a small part on the show and wanting a bigger role.yet he complained about exhaustion,health problems,and the need for a stand in.which is more important.if his health is so delicate be happy that your part is minor if working taxes your health so.

[@NoPastNoFate]

Why would he be happy to have have a minor role? It made the limitations of his health more psychologically distressing, not less. He was an actor and an artist trying to have a career that was not limited by his size, and a life that was more than living in the margins of his pain and struggling health.

[@eugenekozma2697]

@@NoPastNoFate you do make a good point.i didn't think of it that way.but still his health matters.he was an artist but some artists they put their health in the shade for a career.and that does lead to tragic results.ones health comes first.take care of your health and you can share your artistic talent longer for years.artists like herve villechaize must remember that.too many artists have died too soon because they put their health in the shade.sadly we lost herve too soon.he shot himself.i think it was due to poor health and his depression over it.

[@cricketstarr1489]

Spoken like someone who will never understand what it is to be important

[@eugenekozma2697]

@@cricketstarr1489 I don't know if you were referring to me or not.but some of these celebrities and stars I do not understand their demands,wants,and needs at times.

[@HeroJournalism]

Another best video from Best Eps! Great work!

[@tvsbesteps]

Wow, thanks!

[@HeroJournalism]

@@tvsbesteps - you are welcome. I really appreciate the thorough research and citing your sources. Well done

[@toonguyfry1819]

I *just* subscribed to your channel, on the strength of one just video: your recap of the history of "Hash". Your stuff is great, well-researched and entertainingly presented. I also enjoy your references to various books that offer insight to the topic you're addressing. I've written all that so you'll know my tiny criticism of the Villechaize video is not mean-spirited, just obsessive-compulsive: at about 13:47 you refer to Silverman, Littlefield, et al as "pop culture figureheads". I'm not entirely sure that's what you meant, since "figurehead" literally means a person who appears to be in charge, but who actually holds no power. Otherwise---great work!

[@tvsbesteps]

Thanks!

[@uptonogood1893]

It didn't sound like the psychic was a psychic, just had good judgement on what shows would be popular.

[@stephenspackman5573]

This makes no sense at all! Villechaize' ambitions aside, the entire scandal hinges on Dean's fanciful claim of being a psychic. But she seemingly actually did have an ear to industry scuttlebutt, she actually did have a sense of popular taste apparently missing from the executive stratum, and she actually did do the work. Did no one think of uttering the words “it's a joke” when it could not conceivably have been anything else?

[@tvsbesteps]

Executive ego, I suspect.

[@daywithdave]

My last name is Roark. I went through hell as a kid. Hated this show

[@WinstonSmith19847]

Is that the Irish Rourke it's a different spelling ? I would just have thought Micky Rourke that's OK he's pretty cool.

[@daywithdave]

@@WinstonSmith19847 no, Mr Roark on fantasy Island my last name is the same

[@WinstonSmith19847]

@@daywithdave Oh dear kids can been cruel.

[@cricketstarr1489]

Good

[@cricketstarr1489]

But who are you?? Nobody

[@jsEMCsquared]

Tattoo went on to make movies like The Forbidden Zone. Enough said.

[@stickman-1]

The only character I recall from the show was Tattoo. So it's clear, he was the show's draw. As for the psychic, all they had to do was put her down as a "creative consultant" and leave it at that. If they had any balls at all, they would have defended her. "Sure she has a schick on the side, but we hire her for her insight into the shows, not the crystal ball." But Hollywood and especially TV is gutless. Use them up, toss them out, find a new one.

[@tvsbesteps]

Yeah I mean if Fred Silverman called himself a psychic, everyone would have laughed him out of town. But call him the Man With the Golden Gut and he’s a genius. Smh

[@cricketstarr1489]

Oh yeah…cuz you matter

[@stickman-1]

@@cricketstarr1489 As much as any body. It's just an opinion on a silly TV show. The only fact that I was trying to make is that Hollywood is gutless and ruthless at the same time. Feel free to disagree.

[@jerrypeacock2234]

Did nobody notice she was actually picking some huge winners?

[@Eiraart]

Brings back so many great memories from my childhood

[@PungiFungi]

To be fair, Villachaize leaving introduce the US to Hewitt, who lead to Mr. Belvedere.

[@VinnieGRandomVlogs]

Nice video. Loved Fantasy Island back in the day. Still watch episodes on DVD. Subscribed👍

[@tvsbesteps]

Thanks!

[@VinnieGRandomVlogs]

@@tvsbesteps you're welcome.

[@boxer71c55]

I'm actually very glad the show went belly up.. It's what the producer's and Ricardo get for doing Herve that way..He was the brightest star on that show.

[@chappj3tr]

The picture of that stand in looks just like a young Amy Rolloff. Could it be?

[@TimothyCollins]

You know one sentence in this sent me on a mental rabbit hole... Actors of smaller stature like this must have a much harder on set. It has to be really hard to get a stand in for them so they more than likely have to do a lot of their own stunts. And granted, its not like Tattoo was doing a lot of stunts but I am talking about other movies and shows here... I never even really thought about that before today.

[@kenlompart9905]

Stand ins aren't just for stunts, they fill in when the star is shown from an angle that you can't really see their face, mostly from behind. Don't forget one scene can take hours to get right so they like to have a stand in for scenes when the actor can be replaced so they can take a break.

[@TheAyeAye1]

Huh. I was alive during all of this but didn't remember any of it. It does make me nostalgic for the days before Disney owned ABC and everything else and the press reported on the establishment instead of working for it.

[@cricketstarr1489]

Huh??? Who are you??? Nobody

[@kendallrivers1119]

​@cricketstarr1489 actually you're the nobody if you want to attack a person for stating their opinion

[@teflon5821]

This is my tattoo, there are many like my tattoo but this tattoo is mine😂 welcome to Fantasy Island

[@DIDYOUSEETHAT172]

Interesting stuf. I am a journeyman actor / stunt performer. It is such an age old story of popular actors as characters being under valued. The adage everyone is replaceable does not always ring true in Hollywood. After all Fan is just short for Fanatic. And fans do not like change in their shows. Not that familiar with Fantasy Island, although I am familiar with the story of actor Hervé Villechaize, Peter Dinklage played him in 'My Dinner with Hervé' 2018. Peter is very good value. Keep it up, and resist the click bait title urge so many BS channels are reverting to.😁😁👍👍

[@Miguel-mp7uz]

EVERYONE is absolutely replaceable. It's called the circle of life

[@DIDYOUSEETHAT172]

@@Miguel-mp7uz Always amazes the hopeless foolhardiness of some people too stupid to grasp the concept of context. With an IQ roughly that of Tinker Bell’s shoe size this may be too hard to clasp onto. So let me explain. I was referring to the fanaticism of people who watch these TV shows, and will not allow their favorite characters to be replaced. Reflected in the sharp (as per the narrator) drop in ratings when Hervé Villechaize was on hiatus, and the demise of the show when he was fired for good.

[@lozzassoc]

Veteran Beverly Hills publicist Edward Lozzi at one time represented Herve Villachaize and was very good friends with beautiful actress Melinda Naud.

[@deniseboldea1624]

I was kind of bummed out when the new Fantasy Island only lasted 2 season's. I thought it was Better written than the original, but yet paid homage to the original series.

[@tvsbesteps]

Yes it showed some promise.

[@michaelmcfarland1716]

Did you catch the 90s version with Malcolm McDowell as Roarke?

[@deniseboldea1624]

@@michaelmcfarland1716 No, nor did I watch the movie.

[@michaelmcfarland1716]

​@@deniseboldea1624movie wasn't that good, but the remake was more invested with how Roarke was able to do what he did.

[@kendallrivers1119]

Yeah I'm not a fan of reboots and people are getting tired of these cash grabs so I'm not surprised it didn't work. Trying to replace Ricardo Montablan and Herve Villichaze is insane!

[@cabellero1120]

When they fired Tattoo, The show went downhill....quickly.

[@CordellPotts]

The best episode was The Werewolf episode. Saw it when I was 5 and instantly became a fan thinking that werewolves or monsters would be par for the course.

[@cricketstarr1489]

It wasn’t

[@jsEMCsquared]

Tattoo had a bigger head than body, he wanted the same pay as Khan.

[@gbonkers666]

Simon and Simon rocked

[@carolynw3602]

The psychic looks identical to Sylvia Brown, another so called psychic from the Montel Williams show.

[@megs4193]

I wish they'd put happy days back on in Australia, my eldest grandsons were really learning good thing from fonzie, already being fans of Adam Sandler, they happily took the good things from happy days. Now tv is garbage, background noise while people watch youtube, it's miserable. If the best shows we still have is Becker and Frasier, that's about it 😒🥴❤️.

[@michaelguerrieri3486]

Executives producers are jerks.

[@blacknapalm2131]

*I'm as blue as a new Tattoo*

[@bryanfish7303]

Great video. They should have kept Deen on. They could have just said her psychic thing was separate to her work for them and emphasised how good she was at picking out hit shows. I think the whole process of green lighting shoed must have a strong component of gut instinct, which isn't that much different what Deen was doing anyway.

[@tvsbesteps]

Thanks! Yeah I think they could of just kept the psychic thing under wraps. She seemed to have the golden gut herself. Thanks for the comment.

[@sammydingdong4540]

I know which Tattoo I would like to wake up to .............Da plane ...Da plane...........

[@Thomaszmccormick]

Co-starring Francine Smith as Tattoo 2.0

[@SDandRnRoll]

Great video

[@tvsbesteps]

Thanks!

[@writeralbertlanier3434]

Im a bit of Wendy Schaal fan but she wasnt right for Fantasy Island.

[@teresapflaumer5717]

Fred Silverman should have used Dean's predictions on NBC's new shows during his tenure. She would have never picked Hello, Larry as a winner! 😅 (And Dean should have warned him not to leave ABC because NBC was going to be a nightmare)

[@thedarksideoftheforce6658]

The plane boss da plane lol.

[@RemoWilliams1227]

Danny Bonaduces book "Random acts of Badness" had a section about Mr Villachez. Edit: a word

[@Shiirow]

I mean he literally fights the devil... Mr Roarke was essentially god at that point, even if its not specifically stated.

[@pilbomags488]

Tattoo was an evil little bastard.

[@MondoBeno]

I liked this show as a kid, but looking back on it I think it was inappropriate. Tatoo's character was childlike and childish. He wasn't even a second banana, more like he was there just to be a stupid child.

[@ughmazing8073]

I don't buy that "psychic" thing. Simply sounds like an ABC insider or something.

[@JonnyMack33]

Ridiculous to think they all started to take the mickey out having a psychic the payroll.. but the shows were hits!..🤷‍♂️ soooooo..... she was a good psychic!🔮

[@robertrootes]

Those producers were the devil

[@purefoldnz3070]

why did he just pay her under the table? Problem solved.

[@derekhobbs1102]

So we now know that signing a contract with NDA means nothing.

[@tvsbesteps]

I think the NDA part was a verbal agreement. Not embedded in the contract.

[@derekhobbs1102]

My old workplace had jobs with NDA's attached, but I never signed such thing.

[@raheemhamilton8624]

Hey remember when they did Fantasy Island horror movie back in 2020.

[@tvsbesteps]

Yeah I thought they probably miscast Michael Peña; as good as he is normally.

[@johnpenguinthe3rd13]

I saw that film during February 2020 (it was one of the final films I saw in theaters. Theaters shutdown for several months starting March 13th, 2020 and didn't reopen for a long while and my habit of going to the movie theater weekly fell off pretty hard as I got use to streaming). I thought the 2020 Fantasy Island film was okay. NOT great (the old TV show is so much better) but not the worse as I've seen far worse films. It was okay. I had a mixed reaction towards it. Somethings I like (I do like actress Lucy Hale, even if some others don't. I like her stuff) but somethings I didn't like (I normally like Michael Pena, but he felt miscast as Mr.Roarke) and while I thought the film was okay overall, it's NOT something I would recommend to loyalists of the old TV show due to the very significant differences between the TV show and movie.

[@RodCornholio]

Yeah. I liked it as pure, absurd, campy, shut-the-brain-off, entertainment. It never took itself too seriously. Sort of a _Maximum Overdrive_ feel, but without the director being out of his mind on cocaine and low budget.

[@rfjohns4452]

Psychics are they real ? My own Mother was said to be one. Funny people have said the same thing about me but it's more likely from body language I can sense what people are about to say or is it something deeper?

[@davidberry5156]

He was a LP w/accent

[@everardoaguilar8991]

Herve was asking for accommodations under the ADA

[@tvsbesteps]

Unfortunately not enacted until 1990.

[@dmzabo3914]

1:29 these types of people are the problem with Hollyweird, Ca.

[@mattayres5238]

Tattoo.....ant mcpartlin? 🤣🤣

[@cassandralibertywest4310]

I couldn't stand that show because not only did I find it stupid, Tattoo was such a creep!

[@rfjohns4452]

Tattoo considered all women to be prey including his stand-in who looked like one of the girls from Willy Wonka.

[@cassandralibertywest4310]

@@rfjohns4452 I've heard that some actresses hated working on that show because of him.

[@311superfly]

Julie from love boat. Damn

[@teddnagurski5583]

Everyone did Hervey dirty.

[@ladychucklefuck]

He did himself the most dirty

[@u43009035]

Herve villechaize took his life because of his illness. He had severe pain in his body. He is only Tattoo for me.

[@sullyb23511]

Francine!!!!

[@davidponseigo8811]

Herve Villechaize sounds like a horrible human being, he was greedy and had a lovely young lady who I really liked in the show fired because he felt threatened. I don't feel bad for him whatsoever.

[@mikeweber3685]

If memory serves, Herve had serious health issues and was addicted to pain killers.

[@Patrick-hm4eg]

When he was in the Man with the Golden gun he was constantly trying to pickup women.

[@ladychucklefuck]

@@mikeweber3685so?

[@RenanDavidSoriaAhumada]

3:21 just for clarify, a 4 some? cold just say double Date

[@tvsbesteps]

I was thinking more in the golf sense and didn’t want to infer there was romantic overtones as Pierce was married.

[@RenanDavidSoriaAhumada]

@@tvsbesteps ok its my dirty mind cant hear 3 some 4 some with out thinking about that

[@tvsbesteps]

Lol

[@mediaworldwide9848]

Wendy Schaal was so cute.

[@diviningrod2671]

Little known fact ,R2D2 was gunning for that part . But a scandalous trist with Twiki , culminating in a LAPD standoff at a toys r us dumpster in woodland hills, quickly brought that to an end .

[@keepgrindingup7661]

@12:27 wow that is sad no wonder he shot himself

[@tvsbesteps]

Well, Herve was also in a great deal of physical pain due to his size.

[@311superfly]

New tatoo.

[@jackthestripper-r4w]

very forgettable tv show just like most of them are

[@docsavage8640]

I thought it was brought down because it was total shit

[@thomasshaw61]

Unfortunitly,TATTOOwanted more andmoreandit gottohishead!Anybodyandeverybodycan andwillbereplaced,in hollywood,so allyoubuddingactorsandactreses,check youregoandturn itdown,anotch!GODBLESS-TATTOO!

[@johnbarroll1120]

who cares what goes on behind the curtain? most TV is low budget crap and always will be

[@tvsbesteps]

Thanks for the view!

[@Number4lead]

Sad but true. And all ran by unsavy and corrupt people.

[@justinamenta7241]

So he cried about not getting enough screen time and lines....then cried he didnt get a stand in and was working to hard? Wtf?

[@tvsbesteps]

Herve seemed to be a little… complicated.

[@dc9664]

His last words "the pain! The pain!"