New Zoo Revue
| New Zoo Revue | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Comedy Family Musical |
| Created by | Doug Momary |
| Starring | Doug Momary Emily Peden Sharon Baird Yanco Inone Larri Thomas Chuck Woolery Fran Ryan |
| Voices of | Bob Holt Bill Callaway Joni Robbins Hazel Shermet |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Production | |
| Production locations | Burbank, California |
| Running time | 22 minutes |
| Production companies | Funco Corporation Stone/Bradshaw Productions |
| Release | |
| Original network | Syndication |
| Picture format | Color |
| Audio format | Mono |
| Original release | January 24, 1972 – 1977 |
New Zoo Revue is an American half-hour children's television show that ran in first-run syndication from 1972 to 1977.[1]
Concept[edit]
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 and Emmy Jo (married in real-life Doug Momary and Emily Peden), the show featured costumed full-bodied puppet characters, primarily Freddie the Frog, Henrietta Hippo, and Charlie the Owl.
The show received 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.
New Zoo Revue was acquired from O Atlas Entertainment and the show's original co-creator, Barbara Atlas; the property is now owned by Frank A. O'Donnell, who is based in Las Vegas. The library continues to be licensed and broadcast by various networks across the US. Episodes can be viewed, and merchandise and DVDs of the original episodes can be purchased on the internet.
Characters[edit]
- Doug (played by Doug Momary) - a human who is friends with Freddie, Charlie, and Henrietta.
- Emmy Jo (played by Emily Peden) - Doug's helper.
- Freddie the Frog (performed by Yanco Inone, voiced by Joni Robbins) - a fun-loving frog who is a bit naïve. While the same size as the other adult-sized characters, Freddie is characterized (at least in some episodes) as a school-aged child.
- Charlie the Owl (performed by Larri Thomas, voiced by Bob Holt and later Bill Callaway) - a serious, know-it-all owl who lives in a tall tree equipped with an elevator. Working as a scientist and an inventor, Charlie is known to give out "One-Bell Prizes" awards on occasion (subtly making a pun on the "No-bel" Prize).
- Henrietta Hippo (performed by Sharon Baird, voiced by Hazel Shermet) - a tutu-wearing, genteel hippopotamus with a Southern Belle personality who is a bit shy.
- Mr. Dingle (played by Chuck Woolery) - a friendly elderly postman who is also a shopkeeper and a Jack-of-All-Trades.
- Mrs. Goodbody (played by Fran Ryan) - a nosy neighbor who occasionally visits. She served as an advice columnist for The All-New Zoo Gazette.
Guest stars[edit]
- Composer Henry Mancini made a cameo appearance.
- Actor Jim Backus of Mr. Magoo and Gilligan's Island fame makes a cameo.
- Jesse White, best known as the original Maytag repairman in 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 in the episode "Shyness" as Penelope Potter a very shy woman.
- Richard Dawson, famous for acting in the series Hogan's Heroes and on the game shows Match Game, guest starred in the "Time Travel" episode as a knight from medieval England.
- Jo Anne Worley appeared as talk show host Vanessa Gramcracker.
Post-New Zoo Revue[edit]
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 Texas 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.[2][3]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ Woolery, George W. (1985). Children's Television: The First Thirty-Five Years, 1946-1981, Part II: Live, Film, and Tape Series. The Scarecrow Press. pp. 371–373. ISBN 0-8108-1651-2.
- ^ Mimi Brickmeyer (8 October 2001). "WHERE ARE THEY NOW? NEW ZOO REVUE STARS' 30 YEARS OF WEDDED BLISS!". Hollywood Investigator. Hollywood Investigator. Retrieved 23 May 2012.
- ^ Staff (May 2012). "Home". Laguna Productions. Laguna Productions. Retrieved 23 May 2012.
External links[edit]
- First-run syndicated television programs in the United States
- 1970s American children's comedy television series
- 1970s American musical comedy television series
- 1972 American television series debuts
- 1977 American television series endings
- English-language television shows
- American children's musical television series
- American television shows featuring puppetry
- Television series about birds
- Television series about frogs and toads