Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom

I would like to second Huck's comments.

"Wild Kingdom" was my first show and the beginning of my career. I was one of those guys in the the offices on Chicago's Miracle Mile. I was a young lad, hired as an apprentice sound editor by the late, great Jim Bourgeois, my mentor and Master. Jim's company, Sync Marc, which included editors Richard Albrecht and Denny Hough was subcontracted by Don Meier to do sound editing.

"Wild Kingdom" was very well done, and in a way spoiled me because I thought all shows would be that good, both technically and creatively. It set my standard. Production was, in deed, a well oiled machine and post followed suit.

I fondly remember my frequent trips to Zenith for mag transfers of SFX, BGs, and MX. We are in the digital age with many advances, but "Wild Kingdom" taught me about the power of FILM, physical FILM, in my hand.

The toss I always liked was, "Just like the Giant Antellope, you too need protection. Mutual of Omaha..." well....I think he said that....Or did I just cut a new one from trims?

Here's to a great show and a personal milestone.

I have fond memories of the original series, not just because it was so well done but because I worked for Don Meier Productions, in Chicago, c. 1977-78. It was a great place to work for a first job out of college. (At the wages they paid, though, I was pretty much forced to move on.)

The show had been in production for 15 years at that point, and was a well-oiled machine. The ever-dapper Don Meier had cinematographers scattered around the globe shooting raw footage. The footage was sent to the offices on Chicago's Magnificent Mile, where very experienced editors would piece together each show. Then, the writer (Allan Eckert?) would create a script that conformed to the visuals -- just the reverse of how fictional stories are shot and produced (although this may still be the method used with wildlife and other documentaries).

One of my jobs was to edit in the commercial segues, usually spoken by Marlin Perkins ... "Just as the mother lion protects her cubs, you can protect your family with Mutual of Omaha ..."

It was a treat to watch these pros at work, and to learn from them. Animal Planet and all the animal-related shows on the Discovery Channel owe much to these pioneers. Though it would be great to see the old shows (and Marlin, Jim, Stan) on TV again, I believe the advances in animal photography and documentary production make that, sadly, unlikely.

If you, like myself. enjoy watching well-produced wildlife/nature shows, then the super-thrilling "Wild Kingdom" TV series, which successfully ran from 1963-1988, should be of some real interest to you.

So, sit back, relax, and see why this Emmy award-winning series, which was hosted by zoologist Marlin Perkins (with co-hosts Jim Fowler and Stan Brock), is so highly praised and credited for increasing ecological and environmental awareness wherever it was televised.

These informative episodes from Wild Kingdom take the viewer right across the globe to study the fascinating behavior of animals and their endless struggle to survive as man continues to encroach on their dwindling territory.

Excellently photographed in living color, Wild Kingdom is truly an exciting look at animals in their natural habitat.

This show's episodes have running times that vary from 30-90 minutes.

I remember sitting around the TV with my family and watching this. It was educational and entertaining family entertainment that simply doesn't exist anymore. Merlin of course did the in studio while Jim was in the field wrestling whatever animal was the subject. Truly miss it. Jim being on Johnny Carson was great as well.

I remember this one when it was broadcast in French in the TVA Network in the 70s-80s. It was one I watched among many animal shows of that era.

Host Marlin Perkins (dubbed in French by late Quebec actor Roland Chenail) told how he managed to film and sometimes rescue animals in their natural habitats. Cameras went around the world to see how the animal wildlife survives in its habitats.

Assistant Jim Fowler (dubbed by the late Roger Beaulu in French) added interesting facts in the description.

Sad that Mutual of Omaha has full ownership of this. Even if it was shot in the 60s and beyond, it is still a great encyclopedia of animal wildlife on TV, before the "Animal Planet" and Disovery Channel.

And as Mutual of Omaha did business in Canada, even the french version plugged it in the end. (The show in syndication was broadcast in English version on ABC's WVNY 22, Burlington, Vermont)