New Zoo Revue facts for kids

New Zoo Revue was a fun American TV show for kids. Each episode was about 30 minutes long. It first aired in 1972 and continued until 1977.

About the Show

New Zoo Revue was a musical comedy show with 196 episodes. It taught important lessons about getting along and living in today's world. Each episode focused on a different topic. These topics included moving to a new place, being polite, bragging, or having patience.

The show had two human hosts, Doug and Emmy Jo. They were played by real-life married couple Doug Momary and Emily Peden. The show also featured amazing animal characters. These characters were played by actors in full-body costumes. The main animal friends were Freddie the Frog, Henrietta Hippo, and Charlie the Owl.

New Zoo Revue was recognized for its quality. It received awards and good reviews from groups like the National Education Association. This shows how helpful and educational the program was for young viewers.

Even though the show stopped airing new episodes in the late 1970s, it became popular again. By the late 1990s, people wanted to watch repeats of New Zoo Revue. Today, you can still find episodes online. You can also buy DVDs of the original shows.

Meet the Characters

The show had a cast of memorable characters, both human and animal. They helped teach valuable lessons in a fun way.

• Doug (played by Doug Momary)
  • Doug is a kind human who is great friends with Freddie, Charlie, and Henrietta. He often helps them understand new ideas.

• Emmy Jo (played by Emily Peden)
  • Emmy Jo is Doug's helpful partner. She also joins in the adventures and learning with the animal friends.

• Freddie the Frog (performed by Yanco Inone, voiced by Joni Robbins)
  • Freddie is a fun-loving frog. He can be a bit innocent and sometimes doesn't understand things right away. Even though he's the same size as the other adult characters, Freddie often acts like a school-aged kid.

• Charlie the Owl (performed by Larri Thomas, voiced by Bob Holt and later Bill Callaway)
  • Charlie is a very serious and smart owl. He lives in a tall tree that even has its own elevator! Charlie is a scientist and an inventor. He sometimes gives out "One-Bell Prizes" for special achievements. This is a fun play on the famous Nobel Prize.

• Henrietta Hippo (performed by Sharon Baird, voiced by Hazel Shermet)
  • Henrietta is a gentle hippopotamus who wears a tutu. She has a sweet, polite personality, like a "Southern Belle." Henrietta can be a little shy sometimes.

• Mr. Dingle (played by Chuck Woolery)
  • Mr. Dingle is a friendly postman. He is also a shopkeeper and can do many different jobs. He's a true "Jack-of-All-Trades."

• Mrs. Goodbody (played by Fran Ryan)
  • Mrs. Goodbody is a neighbor who likes to know what's going on. She sometimes visits the New Zoo. She even wrote an advice column for The All-New Zoo Gazette.

Special Guests

Many famous people visited the New Zoo Revue during its run.

• The well-known composer Henry Mancini made a special appearance.
• Actor Jim Backus, famous for Mr. Magoo and Gilligan's Island, also appeared.
• Jesse White, known as the original Maytag repairman in TV commercials, guest starred in a few episodes.
• June Lockhart, who starred in Lassie and Lost in Space, played a very shy woman named Penelope Potter in the "Shyness" episode.
• Richard Dawson, known from Hogan's Heroes and game shows like Match Game, appeared as a knight from medieval England in the "Time Travel" episode.
• Jo Anne Worley played a talk show host named Vanessa Gramcracker.

After the Show Ended

Doug Momary, who helped create New Zoo Revue, now runs a company called Laguna Productions. This company makes commercials, public service announcements, and training films. Doug lives in Texas with his wife, Emily Peden. In 2001, Emily Peden became the Vice President of Finance at Laguna Productions. At that time, the company was working on a new children's show called The New Crusaders for PBS.