Last week, the man who introduced the baby boomer generation (and their parents) to the “Wild Kingdom” of animals and nature, JIm Fowler, passed away at the age of 89. For more than 20 years, the show he co-hosted with Marlon Perkins, brought the “wonders of the natural world to millions of couch-bound Americans, mixing entertainment and adventure with storytelling that raised awareness of the planet’s biological diversity and environmental woes.” At its peak, the show reached 30 million people each week and won four Emmys. Fowler was also known for his appearances on the Today Show and the Tonight Show, where the exotic animals he took on stage brought out the best in TV personalities like Johnny Carson (you gotta watch the clip below for true Americana). Wild Kingdom spawned many similar shows and helped to inspire the boomer generation to preserve the natural world, and for that, he will be fondly remembered by many like me (Monica).
May 20, 2019 » conservation, Jim Fowler, Johnny Carson, Wild Kingdom, wildlife
