# Daktari

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American TV series (1966–1969)

For other uses, see [Daktari (disambiguation)](/source/Daktari_(disambiguation)).

Daktari Clarence and Judy Genre Children's drama Adventure Created by Art Arthur Ivan Tors Written by William Clark Meyer Dolinsky Lawrence L. Goldman Alf Harris John Hogan Jack Jacobs Robert Lees Robert Lewin D.D. Oldland S.S. Schweitzer Stanley H. Silverman Malvin Wald Directed by Paul Landres Andrew Marton Otto Lang Starring Marshall Thompson Cheryl Miller Hari Rhodes Erin Moran Yale Summers Hedley Mattingly Theme music composer Shelly Manne Henry Vars Composers Herbert Doerfel Shelly Manne Henry Vars Country of origin United States Original language English No. of seasons 4 No. of episodes 89 (list of episodes) Production Executive producer Ivan Tors Producer Leonard B. Kaufman Cinematography William A. Fraker Fred Mandl Paul Ivano Richard Moore Editor George Hively Running time 45–48 minutes Production companies Ivan Tors Productions Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Television Original release Network CBS Release January 11, 1966 (1966-01-11) – January 15, 1969 (1969-01-15) Related Clarence, the Cross-Eyed Lion

***Daktari*** ([Swahili](/source/Swahili_language) for "doctor") is an American family drama series that aired on [CBS](/source/CBS) between 1966 and 1969. The series is an [Ivan Tors](/source/Ivan_Tors) Films Production in association with [MGM Television](/source/MGM_Television) starring [Marshall Thompson](/source/Marshall_Thompson) as Marsh Tracy, a [veterinarian](/source/Veterinarian) at the fictional Wameru Study Center for Animal Behavior in [East Africa](/source/East_Africa).

## Concept

The show follows the work of Tracy, his daughter Paula ([Cheryl Miller](/source/Cheryl_Miller_(actress))), and his staff, who frequently protect animals from poachers and local officials. Tracy's pets, a cross-eyed [lion](/source/Lion) named Clarence and a [chimpanzee](/source/Common_chimpanzee) named Judy, were also popular characters.[1]

*Daktari* was based upon the 1965 film *[Clarence, the Cross-Eyed Lion](/source/Clarence%2C_the_Cross-Eyed_Lion)*, which also stars Thompson as Tracy and Miller as his daughter. The concept was developed by producer [Ivan Tors](/source/Ivan_Tors), inspired by the work of Dr. [Antonie Marinus Harthoorn](/source/Antonie_Marinus_Harthoorn) and his wife, [Sue](/source/Susanne_Hart), at their animal orphanage in [Nairobi](/source/Nairobi).[2] Dr. Harthoorn helped invent the capture gun, and was a tireless campaigner for animal rights. Daktari means 'doctor' in the local Swahili language.

On the series, Clarence did not do all his own stunts; he had a stand-in. Leo (previously known as Zamba), another lion trained by [Ralph Helfer](/source/Ralph_Helfer), doubled for Clarence whenever any trucks were involved because Clarence was frightened of large motorized vehicles. Leo had his own makeup artist apply cosmetic scarring like Clarence's so that he would resemble Clarence in closeups. An inside joke from the preview trailer for the film *[Clarence, the Cross-Eyed Lion](/source/Clarence%2C_the_Cross-Eyed_Lion)* was that Leo [the MGM logo](/source/Leo_the_Lion_(MGM)#Leo_.281957.E2.80.93present.29) was not related to Clarence (in addition to similar appearances, the lions had similar temperaments).

Another less friendly lion, also named Leo, doubled for Clarence in some scenes. He was used only for the snarling scenes and scenes not involving proximity with humans. His ferocity was genuine, the result of physical abuse by his previous captors.

In the show's final season, [child star](/source/Child_actor) [Erin Moran](/source/Erin_Moran) joined the cast as Jenny Jones, a seven-year-old orphan who becomes part of the Tracy household.

## Cast

- [Marshall Thompson](/source/Marshall_Thompson) as Marsh Tracy

- [Cheryl Miller](/source/Cheryl_Miller_(actress)) as Paula Tracy

- [Hedley Mattingly](/source/Hedley_Mattingly) as [District Officer](/source/District_officer) Hedley

- [Hari Rhodes](/source/Hari_Rhodes) as Mike Makula

- [Yale Summers](/source/Yale_Summers) as Jack Dane (1966–1968)

- [Ross Hagen](/source/Ross_Hagen) as Bart Jason (1968–1969)

- [Erin Moran](/source/Erin_Moran) as Jenny Jones (1968–1969)

- Judy the Chimp as Judy

Clarence the Lion died at the age of 7 on July 14, 1969, six months after *Daktari* was last telecast on CBS. When he was not being filmed, the lion was booked as an attraction at expositions and died in [Peoria, Illinois](/source/Peoria%2C_Illinois), where he was scheduled to appear at the Heart of Illinois Fair.[3]

Notable guest stars over the years included [Louis Gossett Jr.](/source/Louis_Gossett_Jr.), [Sterling Holloway](/source/Sterling_Holloway), [Bruce Bennett](/source/Bruce_Bennett), [Virginia Mayo](/source/Virginia_Mayo), [Chips Rafferty](/source/Chips_Rafferty) and [Paul Winfield](/source/Paul_Winfield).

[Bruno the Bear](/source/Bruno_(bear_actor)) also appeared as a guest star before he became the main bear playing the title role in the later Ivan Tors series, *[Gentle Ben](/source/Gentle_Ben)*.

## Episodes

Main article: [List of Daktari episodes](/source/List_of_Daktari_episodes)

The series was broadcast in four seasons, the first in early 1966, and the last three each beginning in September 1966, 1967, and 1968.

Season Episodes Originally released First released Last released 1 18 January 11, 1966 (1966-01-11) May 17, 1966 (1966-05-17) 2 29 September 13, 1966 (1966-09-13) April 11, 1967 (1967-04-11) 3 27 September 5, 1967 (1967-09-05) March 12, 1968 (1968-03-12) 4 15 September 25, 1968 (1968-09-25) January 15, 1969 (1969-01-15)

## Broadcast history and Nielsen ratings

The original broadcasts in the US were on CBS.

Season Time slot (ET) Rank Rating[4] 1965–66 Tuesday at 7:30 pm 14 23.9 1966–67 7 23.4 (tied with Bewitched and The Beverly Hillbillies) 1967–68 33 19.7 1968–69 Wednesday at 7:30 pm 69 N/A

According to IMDB it was also broadcast on TV channels in the UK, the Netherlands, Yugoslavia (Croatia), Portugal, and (dubbed) in Germany, France and Romania.

## Production notes

### Location

According to the show's closing credits, it was "filmed in Africa and Africa USA", a 600-acre (2.4 km2) wild-animal ranch created by animal trainers [Ralph and Toni Helfer](/source/Ralph_Helfer) in [Soledad Canyon](/source/Soledad_Canyon) 40 mi (64 km) north of [Los Angeles](/source/Los_Angeles%2C_California).[5] Ralph Helfer was the animal coordinator of the show. Leonard B. Kaufman, the producer, wrote in liner notes for Shelly Manne's *Daktari* that he shot the series on location close to a ranch once owned by Antonio Pintos' father in [Mozambique](/source/Mozambique).[6] Indeed, the outdoor scenes involving the actors were shot in the Africa U.S.A. compound in California, with footage of African landscape and animals in between to get the African look and feel. Some of the animals shown were, however, at odds with the location – a tiger (not native to Africa) is shown in the starting credit sequence, as well as an Indian elephant.

Other indoor and some outdoor scenes of the animal hospital were shot in Ivan Tors' studios in Florida.

### Music

The show had distinctive theme and incidental music, a fusion of [jazz](/source/Jazz) and [African](/source/Music_of_Africa) influences, conducted by American jazz drummer [Shelly Manne](/source/Shelly_Manne). Manne released the associated record, *[Daktari: Shelly Manne Performs and Conducts His Original Music for the Hit TV Show](/source/Daktari_(album))*, on the [Atlantic](/source/Atlantic_Records) label in 1967. On the album, [Mike Wofford](/source/Mike_Wofford) plays a [tack piano](/source/Tack_piano) to evoke an African sound, and Manne is joined by percussionists [Emil Richards](/source/Emil_Richards), [Larry Bunker](/source/Larry_Bunker), [Frank Carlson](/source/Frank_Carlson), and [Victor Feldman](/source/Victor_Feldman). According to the record liner notes, Manne and fellow percussionists play ankle and wrist [jingles](/source/Jingle_(percussion)), [Lujon](/source/Lujon_(musical_instrument)), Thai [mouth organs](/source/Mouth_organ), [angklungs](/source/Angklung), [ocarinas](/source/Ocarina), [vibraphones](/source/Vibraphone), [tympani](/source/Timpani), and different kinds of [marimbas](/source/Marimba).

### Vehicles

The series featured several [Land Rover](/source/Land_Rover) four-wheel-drive cars and also a [Jeep Gladiator](/source/Jeep_Gladiator_(SJ)) pickup truck with a zebra-striped paint scheme. [Corgi Toys](/source/Corgi_Toys) produced a green and black zebra-striped toy version of a Land Rover, available in several different action sets.[7]

## Home media

[Warner Bros.](/source/Warner_Bros.) has released all four seasons on DVD in [Region 1](/source/DVD_region_code#1) via their [Warner Archive Collection](/source/Warner_Archive_Collection) manufacture-on-demand series.[8][9][10][11]

## See also

- *[Cowboy in Africa](/source/Cowboy_in_Africa)*

- [Antonie Marinus Harthoorn](/source/Antonie_Marinus_Harthoorn)

- [Born Free](/source/Born_Free) (1966 movie)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Woolery_1-0)** 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. 135–136. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-8108-1651-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-8108-1651-2).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Hart_2-0)** Hart, Susanne (1969). *Life with Daktari: Two Vets in East Africa*. Atheneum. p. 35.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["TV Daktari's Clarence The Lion Is Dead"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=gL9scSG3K_gC&dat=19690715&printsec=frontpage&hl=en), *Pittsburgh Post-Gazette*, July 15, 1969, p1

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle (2007). *The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946-Present* (Ninth ed.). Ballantine Books. p. 1684. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-345-49773-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-345-49773-4).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Vasquez Rocks"](http://ponderosascenery.homestead.com/vasquez.html). Bonanza: Scenery of the Ponderosa. Retrieved on July 15, 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Leonard B. Kaufman, liner notes for Shelly Manne, "Daktari", Atlantic Records SD 8157

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** [CORGI GS7 & CORGI GS14 DAKTARI](http://corgitoys.free.fr/English/CORGI_GS7_GS14_DAKTARI.htm) *corgitoys.free.fr*, accessed 2021-05-04

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Lambert, David (November 15, 2011). ["Daktari - 'The Complete 1st Season' is Now Available from the Warner Archive"](http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Daktari-Season-1/16211) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20120918234955/http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Daktari-Season-1/16211) 2012-09-18 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine). TVShowsOnDVD.com.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Lambert, David (March 12, 2013). ["Daktari - Packaging Pics for 'The Complete 2nd Season' Shows It's 2 Half-Season Sets Bundled"](http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Daktari-Season-2/18184) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20130315105116/http://tvshowsondvd.com/news/Daktari-Season-2/18184) 2013-03-15 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine). TVShowsOnDVD.com.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** [MOD Release for 'The Complete 3rd Season' is Now Available](http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Daktari-Season-3/19969) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20140627145004/http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Daktari-Season-3/19969) 2014-06-27 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** [The 4th and Final Season is Coming to DVD Very Soon](http://tvshowsondvd.com/news/Daktari-Season-4/21129) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20150527041831/http://tvshowsondvd.com/news/Daktari-Season-4/21129) 2015-05-27 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Daktari](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Daktari).

- [*Daktari*](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059977/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier))

- [*Daktari* Episode Guide](https://web.archive.org/web/20060712015641/http://aa.1asphost.com/CTVA/US/Adventure/Daktari.htm)

- [Vehicles as listed at imcdb.org](http://www.imcdb.org/movie.php?id=59977)

- *[Daktari](https://www.discogs.com/master/359277)* at [Discogs](/source/Discogs) (list of releases)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Daktari](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daktari) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daktari?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.