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Hans Zarkov
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Dr. Hans Zarkov is a fictional character appearing in the Flash Gordon comic strip and the following serials, films, television shows and comic books. Zarkov is a brilliant scientist who creates a rocket and forces Flash and Dale Arden to come with him to the planet Mongo, and fight against Ming the Merciless.By the second storyline in the strip, Zarkov becomes a more sympathetic character who works with the heroes to become a regular companion.
Zarkov was first portrayed in the Flash Gordon film serials by Frank Shannon. He is identified as "Alexis Zarkov" in the 1938 serial Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars.
The character was portrayed by Joseph Nash in the 1954 Flash Gordon TV series.
In 1977, Zarkov appeared as a scientist bent on saving the Earth and introducing immense alien powers to the Earth in the Super Friends season 2 episode 11 titled "Forbidden Powers." In this episode, Flash Gordon and Dale Arden are replaced by Batman and Wonder Woman who journey to space in order to rescue Zarkov and his assistant. The assistant is kidnapped much like he attempted to do to Munson in the 1980 Flash Gordon film.
Alan Oppenheimer provided the voice for the character in the 1979 Filmation animated series. The issue of Zarkov forcing the heroes to accompany him to Mongo is avoided by changing the story by having Flash and Dale come to his underground laboratory during a dangerous meteor shower that sets off a deadly volcanic eruption that traps the visitors even as it threatens to kill them. Thus Zarkov's rocket is the only means to escape certain death and they board willingly. After which, Zarkov apologizes that he cannot drop the pair off before continuing to Mongo and they immediately agree to help him once he explains his mission.
In 1980, Chaim Topol (billed only as "Topol") portrayed the character in the film Flash Gordon produced by Dino De Laurentiis. This version of Zarkov is a former NASA scientist, who was fired and dismissed because of his "mad" theories about an alien attack on Earth. After capturing him Ming reveals the only reason the Earth is being destroyed is because Zarkov recognised the catastrophes as a deliberate attack. The quick flashbacks during his memory wipe scene revealed some further information about his past. He is Jewish and was born in Eastern Europe. His family moved to the United States fleeing from the Holocaust. Zarkov worked in the United States space program (including the Apollo program), before being removed. Also, at one point in his life he had a wife, who died by drowning in a pool. He is able to nullify the memory wipe by remembering all he can (songs, events, anything) during the process.
Jody Racicot portrayed the character in the 2007 Flash Gordon television series. He assists Flash, Dale, and Baylin by monitoring rifts that open. He seems very nervous constantly and Baylin describes as a "strange, fidgety little man". His nervous attitude came from the fact that after Doctor Gordon disappeared in the rift experiment, he was hounded by FBI agents to cover up the truth.
In the original comic strip, he was first thought to have died when his ship crashed into the planet Mongo. It is later revealed that Ming's minions pulled him out of the wreckage. Zarkov's character in the 1980s DC comic was handled the same way.
Best films
(1980)Played by the actors
Filmography of Hans Zarkov (6 films)
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Flash Gordon Classic (2014)
, 4minutesThemes Space opera
Actors Eric Johnson, Joe Whyte, Gina K. Bowes, John Newton
Rating20%
Star quarterback Flash Gordon and his girlfriend Dale Arden are kidnapped by scientist Hans Zarkov and forced to join him on an intergalactic voyage to the planet Mongo. There, the trio are quickly captured by the forces of Ming the Merciless. As Ming holds Dale captive, he sends Flash and Zarkov into the Tunnel of Terror, where they must engage in a gladiatorial battle against a giant monster. Flash uses a stone like a football to fend off the monster, but as it has him pinned to the ground with its claw, Princess Aura throws a ray gun, which Flash uses to kill the monster. Ming calmly reprimands his daughter for her actions, but she insists for him to keep Flash alive for her.
, 1h35Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Animation
Themes Space adventure films, Superhero films, Space opera
Actors Robert Ridgely, Bob Holt, Diane Pershing, Vic Perrin, David Opatoshu, Melendy Britt
Rating74%
The story takes place during World War II. Flash Gordon is on a mission in Warsaw, which is suffering heavy bombing. He arrives too late and his contact, who is near death, says he has a message for Doctor Zarkov, but can utter only one word, "Mongo," before he dies.
Flash Gordon (1980)
, 1h48Directed by Mike Hodges, Brian W. Cook
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Comedy, Fantasy, Action, Adventure
Themes Space adventure films, Monde imaginaire, Dans l'espace, Sur une planète fictive, Superhero films, Space opera, Films about extraterrestrial life
Actors Sam J. Jones, Melody Anderson, Chaim Topol, Timothy Dalton, Max von Sydow, Ornella Muti
Rating64%
Emperor Ming the Merciless declares that he will first play with and then destroy the Earth using natural disasters. On Earth, New York Jets football star "Flash" Gordon boards a small plane, where he meets travel journalist Dale Arden. Mid-flight, the cockpit is hit by a meteorite and the pilots are lost. Flash takes control and manages to crash land into a greenhouse owned by Dr. Hans Zarkov. Zarkov, who believes the disasters are being caused because an unknown source is pushing the Moon towards Earth, has secretly constructed a spacecraft which he plans to use to investigate. Zarkov's assistant refuses to go, so he lures Flash and Dale aboard. The rocket launches, taking them to the planet Mongo, where they are captured by Ming's troops.
Directed by Ray Taylor, Ford Beebe
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Action, Adventure
Themes Space adventure films, Superhero films, Space opera
Actors Buster Crabbe, Charles Middleton, Carol Hughes, Frank Shannon, Roland Drew, Herbert Rawlinson
Rating65%
A deadly plague is ravaging the Earth, known as the Purple Death because of the spot left on victims' foreheads. Ming the Merciless is suspected to be behind the plague and it is discovered that his spaceships have been dropping "Death Dust" in the Earth's atmosphere. Flash Gordon, along with Dr. Alexis Zarkov and Dale Arden, is sent to the planet Mongo to find a possible cure for the plague. They eventually find an antidote, called polarite in the Kingdom of Frigia. Flash and Zarkov distribute the antidote the same way the original Death Dust was spread. Ming sends an army of robot bombs after the three and he succeeds in capturing Zarkov for a short time before Flash frees him.
Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars (1938)
Directed by Ford Beebe, Robert Hill
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Action, Adventure
Themes Space adventure films, Mars in film, Films about extraterrestrial life, Superhero films, Space opera, Films about extraterrestrial life
Actors Buster Crabbe, Jean Rogers, Charles Middleton, Frank Shannon, Beatrice Roberts, Richard Alexander
Rating68%
When a mysterious beam of light starts disrupting and destroying the Earth's atmosphere, Flash Gordon (Larry "Buster" Crabbe), Dr. Zarkov (Frank Shannon), and Dale Arden (Jean Rogers) - accidentally accompanied by wisecracking reporter Happy Hapgood (Donald Kerr) - swing into action in Zarkov's rocketship, believing that it could be coming from the planet Mongo. Once in space, however, they discover that the ray is originating from Mars.
Flash Gordon (1936)
, 4h5Directed by Ray Taylor, Robert Hill, Frederick Stephani
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Action, Adventure
Themes Space adventure films, Dans l'espace, Superhero films, Space opera, Films about extraterrestrial life, Robot films
Actors Buster Crabbe, Jean Rogers, Charles Middleton, Priscilla Lawson, Frank Shannon, Richard Alexander
Rating69%
The Planet of Peril The planet Mongo is on a collision course with Earth. Dr. Alexis Zarkov takes off in a rocket ship to Mongo, with Flash Gordon and Dale Arden as his assistants. They find that the planet is ruled by the cruel Emperor Ming, who lusts after Dale and sends Flash to fight in the arena. Ming's daughter, Princess Aura, tries to spare Flash's life.