Tapok

Tapok is a fictional mummy and the main antagonist featured in the "The Grave Robber" episode of Tales from the Darkside. He was played by actor Arnold Stang in the episode.

Biography
Tapok was an Ancient Egyptian who had been cursed and made into a mummy. In 1987, an archaeologist named Doctor Harold Gormely and his assistant Aileen unwittingly awakened Tapok.

In most cases such as this, the mummy in question would likely throttle those who have desecrated their tomb, but in this case, Tapok actually challenged Gormley to a game of Strip Poker.

With each hand of poker that Tapok won, he would lose some of his wrappings. In converse, for each hand that Gormley lost, he would inherit a strip of Tapok's wrappings until finally, Tapok was able to transfer the curse from himself onto Gormley.

Notes & Trivia



 * Actor Arnold Stang is by and large a comedic actor. This is his first work in the horror genre, and even this episode had a comedic bend to it.


 * Another version of a comedic mummy is Ra Amin Ka, who appeared in the "Mummy, Daddy" episode of Amazing Stories in 1985.

Appearances

 * Tales from the Darkside: The Grave Robber