Marlin Perkins Was A TV Star On ‘Mutual Of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom’

I guess it was actually and technically called simply 'Wild Kingdom'.  But for those of us that grew up with it, it was 'Mutual Of Omaha's Wild Kingdom'.  Perhaps it was a throwback to when businesses would sponsor an entire show (Remember when cigarette shows would sponsor TV shows and TV News programs?? Gee, those days are gone!).

Marlin Perkins would come into our living rooms every weekend beginning in 1963 and we'd sit back and watch him tell his trusty assistant Jim to go ahead, get in that cave with the badger and bring him out so we all can see him!

Well, maybe it wasn't quite like that, but it did seem like Jim did most of the, ah, physical work.  And well he should, he was after all quite a bit younger than Marlin.

I loved those old 'nature' shows, like 'Mutual Of Omaha's Wild Kingdom' or when Disney would have a nature show narrated by Rex Allen.

'Mutual Of Omaha's Wild Kingdom' ran from 1963-1988 and was revived in later years.  But it was the original us old timers remember.

Marlin Perkins wasn't just a 'TV guy", he was a zoologist and passed away from cancer in 1986 at the age of 81.

His assistant Jim was Jim Fowler, now 81 years old, and see often through the years on The Tonight Show and other programs.