Neanderthals

Neanderthals are a now-extinct species or subspecies within the genus Homo and closely related to modern humans. They are known from fossil specimens dating to the Pleistocene period and found in Europe and parts of western and central Asia. The term "Neanderthal", a shortening of "Neanderthal man", is sometimes spelled Neandertal, the modern spelling of the Neander Valley in Germany where the species was first discovered.

Due to improper beliefs concerning prehistoric humans, the term caveman has also been applied when referring to members of either Neanderthal or Cro-Magnon man. The term has also been vulgerized into the phrase ape man.

Neanderthals pop up occasionally in television fiction, though they are rarely seen in a positive light. A caveman being, armed with a stereotypical club was one of many antagonists to terrorize the Mystery, Inc. crew in the various Scooby Doo cartoon projects. Another Hannah-Barbera creation was Captain Caveman, who was a particularly hirsute humanoid who enjoyed shouting his name (he also brandished a club).

On the 1970s children's adventure series Land of the Lost, there existed a race of people called Paku, who resembled neanderthal humanoids, but had course hair that covered their entire body and were short in stature. The most notable member of this race was called Chaka, who befriended Holly Marshall and appeared in many episodes of the series.

A Cro-Magnon man is seen telling fantastic tales to members of his tribe in a cave in the opening credit sequence to the anthology series Amazing Stories.

Brassy investigative reporter Carl Kolchak once wrote a story about an ape man grown from preserved cells in a block of ice who ran amok in Chicago in November, 1975, killing four people.