Skippy was the first Australian show I’d seen, when I was a child in the late-'60s. The show was about a ranger who maintained a park in the Australian bush, while raising his three sons. Skippy was a kangaroo that the kids adopted as a pet. Whenever one of the family got into a fix, Skippy saved the day! It was sort of a Down Under version of Flipper. (Animal programmes were popular back then. There was Flipper, Daktari – I just knew that when I grew up I’d have a zebra-painted Jeep – only I never did get one, Gentle Ben, and Lassie. Of course Tarzan had Cheetah the Chimp.)
Who else watched Skippy as a child? I can still remember the theme music. Those banjos are in my head now…
I understand the Aussies have remade Skippy for a new generation, but will not show the programs at home. Somehow, showing a 'roo doing things like opening doors and so on somehow offended them. They did want their kids thinking a kangaroo could do such things in real life.
Sonny: What’s wrong Skip?
Skippy: Tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk.
Sonny: Killing the wombats, Skip?
Skippy: Tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk.
Sonny: I’ll run and tell dad to get help, Skip
Skippy: Tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk.
Sonny: Of course you’re right, Skip. You go and get the helicopter - I’ll wait here.
*What’s that Skippy? The terrorists are holding out in the Isle of Sheppey, having worked out that the chemical formula they need is Dihydryl Oxyonucleic Methydradine? And they need only combine it with sublimated lithium to produce deadly–
tsk tsk tsk
–peridroxyl ammoniate in the ratio 3.5 to 1? Thanks, Skippy!*
Curse you, now they’re in mine! Of course, in my case I had to settle for a Spanish-dubbed version, but it was a nice introduction to things Australian.
I have a very vague recollection of the show. The only plot I remember (and again only vaguely) involved one of the indiginous people and what *may *have been an excorsism. I’m not really sure. I remember he was dieing, but I don’t remember why. I remember that they traveled to find what I *believe *to have been a shaman of some sort. OK, truth be told I don’t remember much. But I do remember the show.
When I was a child we visited the wildlife park where the television series was filmed on quite a few occasions. It was in the suburb of Terry Hills, about 30km from the city centre. If I looked hard enough I could probably turn up my old membership badge for the Skippy club.
Of course, in my case I had to settle for a Spanish-dubbed version, but it was a nice introduction to things Australian.