Arabian Knights - Characters

Characters

• Prince Turhan (voiced by Jay North): A young teenaged boy, a Prince and rightful heir to the throne of the Sultan; he is the de facto leader of the Knights. Brave and handsome, he is the driving force behind fighting Bakaar and ending the usurper’s reign. He has acrobatic agility and quickness, he is also skilled in swordplay enough to best Vangore in a contest, and he owns a magic scimitar that he can be thrown and returns like a boomerang, in unique ways

• Princess Nida (voiced by Shari Lewis): A lovely teenaged girl, cousin to Turhan and daughter of the Caliph; she is far from your typical ‘damsel-in-distress’ (though she can be and is captured often during the series). She can fight, but her real talent comes from her ability to disguise herself and alter her voice to mimic others. She uses this talent often to confuse Bakaar’s men and throw them off their guard.

• Raseem (voiced by Frank Gerstle): A tall, muscular man — shown wearing a brief costume and fez — who is the token ‘strongman’ of the Knights; also called ‘Raseem the Great’, he first meets Turhan when he and Fariek hide in a cavern he occupies. He mistakes them for Bakaar's men and attacks them. When asked to be friends states "I have no friends". However upon learning they are against Bakaar he befriends them, and together he goes with them to find the Caliph (to get his aid against Bakaar). He often boasts of his strength saying he is as strong as 30 men. At one time he said he was as strong as seven elephants. Strong enough to shatter stone walls, lift and catch boulders, catch and throw back cannonballs and fight off scores of Bakaar’s soldiers at a time. Raseem’s power makes for a good equalizer in the Knight’s battles. He also has a companion in Zazuum; a small donkey (see entry below).

• Fariek (voiced by John Stephenson): A short, tubby little man who is a somewhat skilled practitioner of the mystical arts; he is the first to offer aid to Turhan after the Prince is deposed by Bakaar. A jolly soul, Fariek is somewhat portrayed as a bit of a bungler when it comes to casting spells or using magic against the Knight’s foes, but he always comes through in the clutch. His magic can cast illusions, make objects fly and change one thing into another, etc., but it can be disrupted by either counter-spells or when he himself is interrupted (having his eyes covered, getting a conk on the head, etc.). He often provided the transportation (a flying carpet, flying pillows or flying chairs) for the knights. Sometimes, magic is getting very difficult, it can take a lot of energy out of him.

• Bez (voiced by Henry Corden): A dark-skinned man who is often portrayed as wearing a turban and green clothing; he is also known as ‘Bez the Beast’, for his ability to transform his body into the form of any animal known to man. Often, he triggers this ability by speaking the phrase “Size of a-!” and speaking the name of the animal he wished to turn into. If the creature is small enough he can turn into multiple versions of them such as turning into a million bees. Bez is known to turn into some larger animals which often serve as alternate modes of transportation for the knights. He can also transform into mythical creatures like Winged Horses and Rocs. His shapeshifting makes him a handy spy for the knights.

• Zazuum (voiced by Don Messick): A small donkey with long ears, who was Raseem’s companion before the muscle-man joined Turhan’s crusade against Bakaar. Often just a cute sidekick, Zazuum proved to be a bit of a secret weapon, because if one pulled his tail, it would make the little donkey go berserk; spinning and kicking out like a miniature tornado which can defeat any enemy or destroy any object struck. This mistake was often made by Bakaar's men who triggered Zazuum's secret ability. Zazuum often was shown as having some intelligence, as he would at times give aid to his fellow Knights (often by distracting guards, getting keys to unlock prison doors, etc.).

• Bakaar (voiced by John Stephenson): The principal antagonist of the series who usurps the throne of Turhan’s father and takes control of Baghdad. Clearly wishing to command all of the kingdom that bows to Baghdad, he sets all of his forces to the goal of capturing Turhan (and later all of the Knights) to secure his place on the throne. While cruel, Bakaar does not usually involve himself directly in the fight against the Knights; preferring to let his soldiers and minions to do the job (often with much failure). When he does try to do it himself, he is met with the same failure.

• Vangore (voiced by Paul Frees): Bakaar's main henchman and captain of his guards. Often hatches plots to capture the Knights with no real success. He is often blamed and punished for his failures by Bakaar. Apparently, Vangore's father was a camel driver.

• Sundar: Bakaar's court magician.