In 1975, shortly after the Planet of the Apes TV series had been shown in the UK, Television Character Promotions (TVC) - a small and relatively inexperienced family-run PR and promotions company - secured rights from Twentieth Century Fox to arrange a string of personal appearances and public performances by Apes characters which occurred across the UK between 1975-1978. This live work was a lucrative proposition and the company excelled themselves. A deal was also reached to run a fan club endorsed by Marvel Comics, the publishers of the UK Planet of the Apes comic. Marvel's British Department (the comic was assembled in New York with only the letters page dealt with in London; it was only later that Marvel UK was set up as a separate entity) could barely process the sacks-full of Apes-r