Skippy the Bush Kangaroo
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Skippy The Bush Kangaroo was a popular Australian television series for children produced from 1966 to 1968. Ninety-one 30-minute episodes were made over the three seasons of production. Although at the time of first screening all Australian televisions were still black and white (colour TV broadcasting did not begin until 1975), the show was filmed in colour on 16mm film to increase its international marketability. As it was shot in colour its was also readily repeated after Australian television swiched to colour.
The stars of the show were:
- Ed Devereaux as "Matt Hammond", the head ranger
- Garry Pankhurst as "Sonny Hammond"
- Ken James as "Mark Hammond"
- Tony Bonner as "Jerry King", Ranger and helicopter pilot (exit #78)
- Liza Goddard as "Clarrissa 'Clancy' Merrick" (entry #9 exit #75)
- Skippy the bush kangaroo, played by at least three different wallabies
The star of the show was Skippy, an Eastern Grey Kangaroo. Skippy was a pet owned by the son of the Head Ranger of the fictitious Waratah National Park (based on, and shot in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park in northern Sydney), and the stories revolved around the park, its creatures and dangers and their adventures in the Australian bush. The series was screened in over eighty countries and its theme tune, compsoed by Eric Jupp is one of the best known and most recognisable Australian tunes.
The series was revived in 1992 as the short-lived The New Adventures Of Skippy using an entirely new cast, plot and location with several children as the stars.
The name "skippy" was coined by the Greek-Australian comedy series Acropolis Now to refer to Anglo-Celtic Australians.
See also
External links
- Skippy The Bush Kangaroo site which includes the theme tune and a video clip (http://www.sna.net.au/greatmoments/movies/skippy/skippy.html)
- Skippy Episode Guide (http://www.angelfire.com/retro/cta/Aus/Skippy1966.htm)