Figure 1.--The boy appearing in Kapitein Zeppos wears lederhosen which I thought were not that popular in Belgium. None of the other boys in the film appear to wear lederhosen, although most wear short pants. The series was about Kapitein Zeppos--a James Bond 007 type character.

A reader has mentioned a television series called Kapitein Zeppos on Belgian (Flemish) television which appeared sometime in the late-1960s. The series was about Kapitein Zeppos--a James Bond 007 type character. Flemish children appeared in the various episodes. The boy here keeps rabbits and the plot seems to involve a gang of boys. This boy wears lederhosen which I thought were not that popular in Belgium. None of the other boys in the film appear to wear lederhosen, although most wear short pants.

Movie

A German reader reports that the Belgian TV program Kapitein Zeppos is based on the Belgian movie of the same name. It was a Flemish production in the Dutch language that was produced in 1964. He reports that there were three parts of the series: part one is called "Belderbos", part two "Eglantier" and part three "Tweng". In Germany these are called these parts "Staffel" It is the same story but it continues in a different way. In Dutch it is called "Reeks".

Plot from part one: One morning there comes a foreign rider into the village of Belder. His name is Jan Stephorst and he his known to everyone in Greece as Kaptein Zeppenos or Captain Zeppenos, because he had had a large ship to carry goods around. The foreigner has inherited the castle Belderbos from his uncle Nico. The People want a very high price for the ground of Belderbos. He befriends Ben Kurrel and Rita Mees the daughter of a baker. They find out, that there is oil under his ground. He tries to get it for himself, but his niece Ariane Despinal is against it.

Part two, that had lesser success that the first one. Meanwhile Capitain Zeppos and his former rivale Ariane have married. And Ben is studying geology. This time they are trying to help a medival shieldery called Eglantier (a place were you make shields) in which it seems to have a lot of money. The "bad" persons are this time Aunt Clara and nephew Clovis. In the last part Zappos has become the head of a organisation, that tries to keep the world peace. His supporters are again Ben and Ariane and Mizernak, a Rusian from the Moscowian circus, who looks after his familiy in Belgium. There his a organisation that tries to endanger the world peace called Sabos (from sabotage) and a secret organisation called Tweng (I don't know the use of the latter.)

Television Plots

We know little about the plots in the television series. There is little about a boy and a rabbit or a gang of children in the film. This appears to be a story line introduced in the Belgian TV production.

Costuming

This boy wears lederhosen which I thought were not that popular in Belgium. None of the other boys in the film appear to wear lederhosen, although most wear short pants--some with suit jackets. We also note some boys wearing sneakers.

Popularity

A Belgian reader reports, "Stunned is all I can say for bringing Zeppos to the www. it was indeed the series I grew up with. What a surprise it was to see an internet page. I literally grew up with those Wednesday afternoon series from BRT television. We viewed every episode after school with a bunch of friends. And I'm not only talking about Zeppos (which was the "fave"), but the others as well. I havre managed to get all of Zeppos, Midas and Axel Nort on video. Still have fond memories when I see it, even after 35 years." [Ron, May 7, 2002]

Created: June 5, 2001
Last updated: May 7, 2002