Though Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom feels like a television institution today, it took more than a few tries to bring the series from a dream to a reality.
Wild Kingdom was responsible for educating countless audiences about animals from all corners of the world. During an interview with the Omaha World-Herald, Jim Fowler, zoologist and co-host of the series, admitted that the show’s beginnings were certainly a wild ride. “It took a year to get the pilot filmed and sponsored,” said Fowler. “It was crazy.”
However, the effort was well worth it. Fowler’s show provided an educational program mixed with just the right amount of entertainment that kept audiences tuning in. “We can say we were one of the first reality shows,” said Fowler. “It was real.”…