Perkins was the host of Zoo Parade, a television program that originated from the Lincoln Park Zoo on NBC station WNBQ-TV (now WMAQ-TV) when he was the director there. During a rehearsal of Zoo Parade, he was bitten by a timber rattlesnake, one of several bites from venomous snakes Perkins suffered throughout his career (over the years he was also bitten by a cottonmouth and a Gaboon viper). Although the incident occurred during a pre-show rehearsal and was not filmed, it has become something of an urban legend, with many people "remembering" seeing Perkins receive the bite on television.
As a result of his work on Zoo Parade Perkins was offered the job in 1963 for which most North Americans remember him: host of the nature show Wild Kingdom. The fame he gained in his television career allowed Perkins to become an advocate for the protection of endangered species, and through Wild Kingdom he gave many Americans their first exposure to the conservation movement.
Perkins also helped establish The Wild Canid Survival and Research Center (WCSRC) near St. Louis in 1971. This wolf sanctuary has been instrumental in breeding wolves for eventual re-placement into their natural habitats.
Perkins retired from active zookeeping in 1970 and from Wild Kingdom in 1985 for health reasons. Perkins remained with the Saint Louis Zoo as Director Emeritus until his death on June 14, 1986, when he died of cancer.
16 comments:
I sure do, watched it many a time as a kid.
Same here. Big family tradition.
Loved watching wild kingdom when i was a kid
It was as Sunday staple after dinner at Grandma & Grandpa's house.
What a great guy. Thanks for reminding me.
Grandpa carved the roast beef so thin you could read the Sundsy funnies through it.
I remember watching this. Simpler times. I wasn't allowed to watch TV until my homework was done. And my mom and dad controlled what we kids watched. This was an approved show.
Loved that show!
Ditto, we watched it too. Seeing some replays from Seattle, Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago....
Yep for me too
We watched it every Sunday. I recently purchased a 1951 kinescope of Zoo Parade. The warm feelings and memories come flooding back when I recall those times. Thank you for this story.
I sure do remember him. I also remember his side kick Jim. I believe Jim passed last year. I wish there were shows like that on TV today.
Jim was wrestling crocodiles, while Marlin played with baby monkeys.
After a day of family time (Sunday) a final sitdown as a family to close out the Sunday evening watching Wild Kingdom.
Simpler times indeed.
Super show , Perkins made it interesting and you could tell how much he loved the animals, one of the best shows ever.
Yup, Grandpa didn't watch much TV, but when he did it was this and Jacques Cousteau, Loved watching it with him when I was a kid !
Post a Comment