SKIPPY : The Bush Kangaroo Story

A perennial TV favourite from a distant cultural time, a show that on a pop culture level, took Australia’s Bush Landscape and sold its beauty and glamourised living there to a world wide audience.
Yes of course we have Kangaroo’s hopping down the main streets, if they’ve escaped from a sanctuary or you’re just on the fringe of a wildlife park.
I never knew that Kangaroos are dumber than sheep !
That might explain some of situations this hopping marsupial got itself into.
I visited Waratah Park, saw and walked through the Rangers Headquarters.
There was the Skippy/Sonny jigsaw puzzle you see in the collectors segment here, I think mine eventually ended up in landfill ... whoops.
I had a little stuffed Kangaroo at one point and thought life would be a great adventure living in a National Wildlife Reserve but I was a soft city boy so, that wasn’t going to happen.
I remember countless repeats on Channel 9, well into the 70’s.
This TV documentary looks back in quite a bit of detail as to how Australia’s well known favourite marsupial Kangaroo export was conceived and the almost ridiculous lengths and trauma associated to make this dumber than sheep animal look like a superstar !
In terms of cultural politics, the behind the scene stories of how animals were handled and how women were treated on the set, would’ve had a lot of its creators in a bit of trouble in todays world.
The show reflected cultural morays of 1950s- 60s and the rise of feminism, equality and that political awakening was a few years off yet.
Boys were boys and Girls did girly things and were hapless, outside of the usual domestic domain as was portrayed on screen.
I liked it I suppose because it was a simple (corny) premise show with situations that were not too far fetched, except for a Kangaroo that could play drums, use a CB radio, learn Italian, go get help and tsk tsk it’s messages in a way that humans could understand !!
Hmmm maybe someone’s been smokin too much special wildlife park herbs hey lol
It was a different more simple surface time, where the complexity of today was a distant concept in that ole analogue world when people politics were black & white, like Australian TV which eventually switched to colour on 1st March 1975.
Still in a vague distant memory, I guess Skippy is in essence still, a friend ever true.
Skippy Intro - Outro
• Skippy the Bush Kangar...
Australian Icon Skippy the Kangaroo star of exhibition | Nine News Australia
• Australian icon Skippy...
NFSA - National Film Sound Archive
www.nfsa.gov.a...
Scott chats with Gary Pankhurst
• Scott chats with Gary ...
Skippy The Bush Kangaroo - In French !
• Video
Skippy - WiKi
en.wikipedia.o...
Fast Forward - Comedy Send Up Skippy
• [FAST FORWARD] Skippy ...
• [FAST FORWARD] Skippy ...
• Fast Forward - Skippy ...
• Fast Forward - Skippy ...
• [FAST FORWARD] Best Pe...
Skippy the Bush Kangaroo - An Australian Icon
• Skippy the Bush Kangar...
Celebrating 50 Years Of Skippy
• Celebrating 50 Years O...
• Australia's most iconi...
Sonny Hammond (Garry Pankhurst) - My Pal Skippy
• Sonny Hammond (Garry P...
Skippy Montage
• SKIPPY montage

[@jamesmeagan870]

Canonical programme. Part of my childhood in late 60s early 70s ireland

[@simonkeyse8185]

I watched Skippy as a child and loved it. Watching this documentary has shattered those nostalgic elusions, and the animal abuse glossed beautifully. The only saving grace was Lisa Goddard. Thank you.

[@davidcarr2649]

Thanks for uploading this. Having attended the Ranger's Headquarters at Duffy's Forest as a child, this brought many fond memories back.
When was this documentary made? My guess is 2006. Maybe earlier.

[@hebneh]

“Lassie, what’s the matter? Are you trying to tell me something?” / “Flipper, what’s the matter? Are you trying to tell me something?” / “Skippy, what’s the matter? Are you trying to tell me something?”

[@davidcarr2649]

Wilbur is stuck with little Timmy down a well?
Mr. Ed. What do you think we should do?

[@per-arnemoa103]

Did you know they used sawed off paws in many closeups of Skippy?

[@James-kv6kb]

Yes I'm sure most Australians are aware of that and of course they did mention that in the film

[@RogerMitchell-ef8wb]

Is it true that Skippy was Gentle Ben in a suit?