The mercenary known only as the Monkey Man kept to the shadows of Cairo's alleys in the 1930s, perched atop his sputtering motorcycle like a one-eyed falcon. Monkey Man reported what he saw to the highest bidder, aided by his furry little accomplice, a trained Capuchin monkey.

Most often, the Monkey Man worked for shady businessmen or those trafficking in illegal goods. He was suspected of being involved in smuggling ancient Egyptian artifacts from a treasure hunter out of the country. No doubt he had his fingers in many illegal activities around Cairo.

In 1936, Monkey Man worked for the Nazis, keeping tabs on American interlopers Indiana Jones and Marion Ravenwood, who had come to Egypt to seek out the lost Ark of the Covenant. His pet proved adept at gaining entry to otherwise inaccessible places. The monkey was especially effective with young women, like Marion Ravenwood, who found the creature's charm hard to resist. The monkey often acted as a tracker following marks from rooftops or by jumping from bazaar stall to stall.

The monkey had insinuated itself as a pet to Ravenwood and Jones, following their progress. Following orders from the Germans, Monkey Man attempted to kill Jones by poisoning a plate of dates destined for the American. Ironically, it was the monkey that first ate of the poisoned fruit. The monkey's dead body served as a warning to Jones of the danger.

With his principal accomplice dead, Monkey Man disappeared.