The Alphabet Club_Saturday Detention for S
IS FOR SKIPPY,
THE BUSH KANGAROO
"Skippy the Bush Kangaroo (known commonly as Skippy) is an Australian television series created by Australian actor John McCallum, produced from 1967–1969 (airing from 1968–1970) about the adventures of a young boy and his intelligent pet kangaroo, and the various visitors to the fictional Waratah National Park in Duffys Forest, near Sydney.
The show's star was Skippy, a wild female eastern grey kangaroo befriended by Sonny Hammond, younger son of the Head Ranger of Waratah National Park. The stories revolved around events in the park, including its animals, the dangers arising from natural hazards, and the actions of visitors.
The series was shot in northern Sydney at the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and the adjacent Waratah Park (now known as Waratah Park Earth Sanctuary). Permission to film and build structures in the park was given by the then NSW Minister for Lands, Tom Lewis, before shooting of the series began in 1967, to showcase the new NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service government department he had just established.
The clicking sounds made by Skippy are vocal sound effects, rather than the natural vocalisations of a kangaroo, with chocolate, chewing gum or grass and in some cases, an elastic band around the lower jaw, used to make Skippy move her mouth. Between nine and fifteen kangaroos were used for each show. The apparent manual dexterity was often achieved by using separate arms in the hands of human operators."
[As a child I did always wonder how Skippy managed to be so clever, now I know - lol!]
SOURCE: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skippy_the_Bush_Kangaroo
Nearly any Aussie child of the 1960s would remember the beloved Skippy, and if you just mention his name they will instantly sing you the theme song as per the video ....
Aaah! The memories!
hugs,
Comments
Barbara x
A great S post, Kaye.