Growing up, everyone watched Mutual Of Omaha's Wild Kingdom and had their own little jokes about "While Jim wrestles the man-eating 20-foot saltie, I'll hide in the brush and nosh some corn chips."
He was one of the better guests on The Tonight Show We will miss you, Jim; thanks for all the memories!
Wasn't he the guy always dressed in kahki shorts, "safari" shirt, and boots? The MoOWK "leg man." Marlin Perkins used to stay put in that library/"gentleman's den" set while Jim did all the "gruntwork." Perkins was second only to Walter Elias Disney in keeping that pocket corner of his so crisp.
A couple of us lovingly riffed on the Mutual of Omaha concept in this deeply-troubled thread:
Marlin Perkins is the one I remember from "Wild Kingdom." However, I recently became aware of Mr. Fowler thanks to another of his contributions. His former home in New Canaan, Conn., has become part of a wonderful local nature preserve. It's just a mile from me and literally adjacent to the spot where our friend Preston Jones grew up. Thanks to the Fowler family for extending the man's legacy to future generations.
