LOCATION SHOT - BARAT > BARAGA > BARACQ

KING JONETTA of BARAT

Today's focus shifts overseas to the Middle East of Toobworld, to the kingdom now known as Baracq.  It was last seen around 1986, a war-torn yet oil-rich country that served as the backdrop to the petty family squabbles of the McCandless and Clegg families.

KING RASHID of BARAT
with General Shafari

But it was not always known as Baracq.  Until the early 1960s, it had always been the kingdom of Barat, situated in a strategic location between the powers of the East and the West.  In 1959 it was ruled by King Rashid who was assassinated by General Shafari.  

The assassination was covered up as an attack by an angry mob, but Shafari had plans to rule the country himself so that he might make a fortune by playing one super-power off of the other.  If Rashid's brother Jonetta carried through with his plan to ascend to the throne upon the death of his brother, then Shafari would kill him as well.  

KING JONETTA with GENERAL SHAFARI

But he never counted on the unseen assistance of Peter Brady, the invisible man, to protect "Johnny".

King Jonetta ruled wisely for several years, with the help of the tribal leaders.  But there must have been a falling out with his most trusted advisor, Sheik Hassan.  It looks like Hassan did away with Jonetta and perhaps even disposed of his sister if she was allowed to rule the country.  

TRIBAL LEADER HASSAN (LEFT)

with General Shafari and Colonel Fayid

Hassan then took the crown of Barat for himself, and decreed that the country should be renamed to reflect this great change.  From that point on it would be known as Baraga.

TRIBAL LEADER HASSAN with KING JONETTA

By 1972, King Hassan was an elderly man but one who still had an eye for the ladies.  He already had many wives but planned to take one more as his bride - movie star Diana Maitland.  (There was a hitch in the wedding plans when a three million dollar piracy plot "stole" away with the wedding coach, but an insurance investigator named Thomas Banacek saved the day.)

DIANA MAITLAND

Unfortunately, King Hassan was not able to keep up with the voracious sexual appetites of his new bride and he eventually succumbed to heart failure... but with a smile on his face.

Afterwards, the kingdom once again underwent political upheaval and the new ruler, King Hussein (son of Hassan?), changed the country's name once again... this time to Baracq.  

KING HUSSEIN

And as far as I know, it continues to be known by that name to this day, probably under the rule of King Ali (whom I believe is the son of Hussein).

KING ALI of BARACQ

Barat > Baraga > Baracq - what each of them means in the native tongue is unknown to this cunning linguist, but it looks as though they all have the same root word as their base: "Bara".

Should any other Middle Eastern countries appear with that prefix in some TV show, I think we can assume there was yet another regime change!

SHOWS CITED:

• 'H.G. Wells' The Invisible Man' - "Man In Power"
• 'Banacek' - "The Three Million Dollar Piracy"
• 'Capitol' (1986-1987)

BCnU!