New Zoo Revue

New Zoo Revue
Format	Children's television series
Starring	Doug Momary Emily Peden Sharon Baird Larri Thomas Yanco Inone Hazel Shermet Joni Robbins Bob Holt Chuck Woolery Fran Ryan
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	196 www.newzoostore.com
Production
Running time	0:24 (per episode)
Broadcast
Original run	1972 – 1977

New Zoo Revue is an American half-hour children's television show that ran in syndication from 1972-1977. Stations usually broadcast the program in the early or middle part of the morning hours, when many pre-schoolers were watching, along with similar shows such as the franchised Romper Room and CBS's Captain Kangaroo.

Concept

The 196-episode musical comedy-format show conveyed the concepts of cooperation and guidance for living in contemporary society. Each episode dealt with a topic such as moving away, courtesy, bragging, or patience.

Though hosted by humans Doug (Doug Momary) and Emmy Jo (Emily Peden), who in real life were married, the show featured costumed adult-sized puppet characters, primarily Freddie the Frog (voiced by Joni Robbins), Henrietta Hippo (voiced by Larri Thomas), and Charlie the Owl (voiced by Bob Holt).^{[citation needed]} Other characters included Frieda the Frog; Mr. Dingle (played by a costumed Chuck Woolery), an elderly postman, store-keeper and Jack-of-All-Trades; and Mrs. Goodbody (played by veteran character actress Fran Ryan), a nosy neighbor who served as an advice columnist for The All-New Zoo Gazette.

The show was a recipient of awards and recommendations from the National Education Association and the National School Board Association.^{[citation needed]}

While the show all but faded away by the early 1980s, repeats of New Zoo Revue became in demand once again in the late 1990s, when the FCC's "E/I" rule went into effect.

The New Zoo Review property was acquired from O Atlas Entertainment and original creator, Barbara Atlas and the property is now managed by Media and Technology Solutions, Inc. based in Las Vegas, NV and the library continues to be licensed and broadcast by various networks across the US and episodes can be viewed and merchandise and DVD's of the original episodes can be purchased at www.newzoostore.com

Characters

• Henrietta Hippo is a tutu-wearing, genteel Southern Belle type, who is a bit shy.
• Charlie is a serious, know-it-all scientist/inventor owl who lives in a tall tree equipped with an elevator. He awards "One-Bell Prizes" on occasion (subtly making a pun on the "No-bel" Prize).
• Freddie the Frog is a fun-loving frog who is a bit naive. While the same size as the other adult-sized characters, Freddie is characterized (at least in some episodes) as a school-aged child.
• Mr. Dingle is a friendly elderly postman.
• Mrs. Goodbody is the nosy neighbor, who occasionally drops by.

Post-New Zoo Revue

The original creator of the series, Doug Momary, runs a company named Laguna Productions, which produces commercials, public service announcements and training films. He lives in Nevada with his wife, Emily Peden. In 2001, Peden became the vice president of Finance with Laguna Productions, which was developing a new children's show for PBS, The New Crusaders, that same year.

Guest stars

• Composer Henry Mancini, as well as Jim Backus of Mr. Magoo and Gilligan's Island fame, made cameos on the show.
• Jesse White, best known as the original Maytag repairman in Maytag's TV commercials, guest starred on a few episodes.
• June Lockhart, best known for her roles on Lassie, Lost in Space and Petticoat Junction, guest starred on one episode.
• Richard Dawson, host of Family Feud and co-star of The Running Man, guest starred in the "Time Travel" episode as a knight from medieval England.

External links

• New Zoo Revue at the Internet Movie Database
• New Zoo Revue at TV.com