Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom Nostalgia Before the annoying Australian on "Animal Planet" became the standard bearer for goading wild animals into attacking, Marlin Perkins, Jim Fowler, and Peter Gros ruled the roost on "Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom." From 1963 to 1971 in prime time and until 1990 in syndication, this seminal nature show provided thrills and chills to armchair safari enthusiasts who enjoyed watching septuagenarian Perkins wrestle a 200-pound anaconda or Fowler jump from a helicopter onto a running elk—all to background music ominous enough to accompany "The Creature From the Black Lagoon." The classic video clips here represent a fine sampling of the show's man-against-nature, Saturday-morning movie-serial feel. Just how spontaneous were these encounters? Some suspension of disbelief is required. (in Classic TV)
