Monday, June 27, 2016

Celebrities & Other Animals I Met at the Zoo

nature documentary national geographic, I came to San Diego in the '60s without an occupation - and ended up working in their well known zoo, meeting both human and creature stars from Lassie and King Tut to Art Linkletter, Jimmy Stewart and the incredibly famous "chimp woman" from Africa, Jane Goodall.

Being near Hollywood, numerous stars throughout the years wore dull glasses and popped into visit our zoo in disguise, including Andy Griffith, Shirley Temple, Jerry Lewis and Cary Grant (who regularly halted by when he was around the local area for a few days of tennis).

nature documentary national geographic, Amid my seven years as the zoo's PR chief, I had event to lunch with, or by and by visit, twelve or so famous celebs. Every so often, I drew in one, for example, radio-TV remarkable Art Linkletter, a San Diego local, to cut a lace for another show or ride.

A few, including Arte Johnson, of the '60s TV hit, "Snicker In," and long-term humorist, Phyllis Diller, got to be close to home companions. I observed them to be warm and truly clever individuals. I hence traded calls and Christmas cards with both. Also, years after the fact, they even supported my first book of silliness.

nature documentary national geographic, One evening, I drove a zoo auto to the airplane terminal to get TV/radio star, Arthur Godfrey when he arrived in his private Lear Jet. A conceded long-term San Diego Zoo fan, he had consented to judge my "youngsters' zoo workmanship challenge" and present the top prize for our very own fragment syndicated TV appear, "Zoorama." His kindred judges were Linkletter and San Diegan, Ted Geisel, otherwise called "Dr. Seuss."

The dubious Godfrey had once recorded a "live" fragment of his top of the line show from our Children's Zoo. An un-diapered newborn child orangutan he held had enthusiastically wet on his shirt. Mike close by, Arthur remarked to his national gathering of people, without thinking twice: "Nectar, thousands have needed to do that - however you are the first to succeed!"

A major name in the book world in the '60s was Dr. David Rueben, top of the line creator of "All that You Wanted to Know About Sex (But Were Afraid to Ask)." He called me one day, saying he wanted to make a ten-thousand gift to the zoo for another primate show. I figured out how to get a lot of press scope for his magnanimity - yet was hesitant to put forth the few individual inquiries I had as a main priority.

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