Tuesday 28 February 2012

1966, Television: Skippy (The Bush Kangaroo)

Skippy The Bush Kangaroo was Australia's answer to the American series Lassie and Flipper. This Australian television youth series was created by John McCallum and produced from 1966 to 1968. It follows the adventures of a young boy, Sonny, and his intelligent kangaroo, Skippy. They live in the fictional Waratah National Park in Duffys Forest, near Sydney. Sonny's father, Matt Hammond, is the park's Head Ranger. Most of the stories are about events occurring in the park with the animals, dangers from natural hazards in the Park's environment, and actions of visitors to the Park.

Main cast:
  • Ed Devereaux as Matt Hammond, the Head Ranger of Waratah National Park
  • Garry Pankhurst as Sonny Hammond, Matt's youngest son
  • Ken James as Mark Hammond, Matt's oldest son
  • Tony Bonner as Jerry King, Flight Ranger (helicopter pilot)
  • Liza Goddard as Clarissa 'Clancy' Merrick
  • John Warwick as Sir Adrian Gillespie, Head of the NSW National Parks Board
  • Elke Neidhardt as Dr. Anna Steiner, a German doctor
  • Morgan Brain as Sgt. Bernard Gillies.
  • Skippy was played by at least nine different kangaroos
Liza Goddard
91 episodes were made over the three seasons of production. In 1969 followed a feature film "Skippy and The Intruders". The series was revived in 1992 as the short-lived "The Adventures of Skippy" using an entirely new cast.
  

Skippy Openening Sequence

1 comment:

  1. Loved this programme growing up, now I have my granddaughter loving it,she loves the music to it n she's only 4

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