Shark Bytes

I used to watch this show with my grandparents on Sunday nights when I was a kid.THEY thought I was watching it for the animals; I was really much more interested in watching that hot hunk Jim Fowler in his cute little short shorts!

The show definitely jumped when Marlin passed away in June of 1986. I'm not that much of a fan of the new show because of the fact that they have an off-camera narrator. What I liked about the original program was that it had a human aspect to it, with Marlin appearing on-camera, narrating whatever adventure they were going on that day. I remember SNL did a parody of that show with Joe Piscopo impersonating Fowler in a supposed episode, "The Negro Republican".

I love the theme song that i heard on the commercial on TLC and i would like to have it to listen to all the time if someone could please email it to me. Thank you.

It was fun to watch but Marlin always made Jim do the dirty work. "Look at Jim wrestle with the anaconda, it sure has a hold on him, notice how the snake's body can completely constrict and kill its prey so effortlessly. And now, just a brief message from Mutual of Omaha."

The version most of us remember never jumped. We, too, always called it just "Mutual of Omaha." Most of my memories involve watching someone in dire straits running from something, and they would cut away to advertise life insurance. Also, I'm happy to say DVD Planet has two box sets of the original shows, and two more due out this summer. I ordered the available sets, and laughed my head off at one episode in the set where they attempt to catch lions and wildebeasts by shooting a net out of a cannon! Something about guys in khaki knee pants running to their jeep...

I too, loved Wild Kingdom growing up as kid. The only negative aspect for me was the show aired on Sunday nights and not being the greatest student in the world, usually did not do my homework and in the back of my mind, I knew I was going to catch hell from the nuns who taught us back in the early 70's.Back then, the nuns who taught Catholic school seemed to hate the boys who even did their homework. Looking back, I guess they were right. To the posted above who related Marlin to the pith helmet wearing cartoon character, I believe the cartoon was named " Commander McBragg ". I may not have done much homework back in the day, but I sure know my cartoons !

Great Show! I stopped watching when Marlin passed away. It wasn't the same. I can even remember Marlin' last words: "While Jim goes up the river, I'm going to play with this harmless water snake." All kidding aside, and as the above poster mentioned, I do remember Marlin pulling that 20 foot anaconda out of the water all by himself. I guess since he already paid his dues, he made Jim do most off the grunt work.

My favorite episode was the one in which they tried to rescue an anaconda. It appeared to be capable of drowning both Marlin and Jim. The cameraman seemed to be content to just watch. I loved this show.

It was great until the end. Marlin Perkins was the Alistair Cooke of the animal world. I remember in the early 1980's, some kid stole some poisonous snakes from a zoo. As he was carrying them home in a sack, one of the snakes bit him and he almost died as the anti-venom had to be flown in from Africa. The usual suspects were making excuses for the kid i.e. "He's just a poor black kid growing up in the ghetto." etc. A news reporter asked Marlin Perkins if he'd like to say anything to the "Poor young man." Perkins in his usual serious tone said "Sure, don't steal anymore snakes." A classic answer for all eternity. By the way, I hated "The Untamed World". Every episode was always about birds which translates into boring.

I have vivid and fond memories of various family members, myself included (I must've been around 10), watching this show almost every week. It had a weird, dated attraction even at the time, as I remember it. In particular that stands out to me is Marlin Perkins and that other guy working on trying to block a bat's hearing with a couple of cotton balls. My brother and I busted our collective guts over that one. Strikes me now as something I'd see Mr. Bean attempt!

Terrific show!! Loved how Marlin Perkins always seemed to have to dart the animals. Was it me or did it seem that he was like the animal kingdoms first drug dealer, turning animals into junkies. Picture two shaking water buffalo at the water hole. BUFFALO 1: Man, Where is that bush plane? I thought you said Marlin was going to be here. Buffalo 2: Don't sweat it dude, he always brings the stuff. Last time I got my hit off him I woke up two days later with a ear tag an a number tattooed on my ass!! He also let Jim Fowler do all the dangerous stuff. Marlin Voiceover: I will now stand back and watch from afar while Jim "WRESTLES THE CHARGING RHINO". I guess that is why we didn't see ol Jim to much. The poor sucker was probably always recuperating in a hospital somewhere. Honestly I really loved this show as a kid. It was a great lead in to The Disney show.

This is the show that has me working with animals today! I didn't know what the hell life insurance was when I was watching it, so it had no bearing on me to hear him pushing Mutual of Omaha, and some of the footage they had was great. It was always fun to watch Marlon make Jim do all the dirty work, and it reminded me of the cartoon with the old man in the pith helmet talking about his safari adventures. Never jumped. Too much of a classic.

It was a regular thing at my house on weekends. As one poster said (though they put it the opposite way), it's impossible to think of Mutual of Omaha without thinking of Wild Kingdom. People have brought up that joke about Jim Fowler doing all the dangerous things while Marlin Perkins relaxed (an exaggeration, of course), and Johnny Carson (who of course had Jim as a guest over and over) would make that joke a lot. But the best version I've heard was from a stand-up comedian (I wish I could think of who it was). In a very convincing voice, he imitated Marlin relaxing and narrating the scene, while Jim struggled with some dangerous animal. At the end he said, "That's great, Jim. Next, Jim will be bobbing for apples in the piranha tank."

This is one show that was so intertwined with its sponsor, that at my house, we never called it "Wild Kingdom", we called it "Mutual of Omaha", as in "It's time for Mutual of Omaha" or "Did you see those animals last night on Mutual of Omaha?"

I could watch this show week after week and never get bored of it. I felt the same way about The Untamed World (Canada), for the most part. But when Marlin Perkins croaked (was it in 1986?), it lost so much of its spark that watching paint dry was more fun. Wonder what he would have thought of Survivor?