Zany Zoo Theme and Intro
Characters
PLAYED BY BILLY VAN
OTHER HUMAN CHARACTERS
PUPPETS IN STARRING ROLES
OTHER CASTLE WEIRDOS
BWANA CLYDE BATTY
Somewhere in the depths of the darkest uncharted jungle, there stands… a ratty old film projector. And next to that there stands a chubby bloke by the name of Bwana Clyde Batty, stereotype of 19th century British explorers of the African wilds, and host of Zany Zoo. Zany Zoo is one of the main sketches of the show, but of all the main sketches it is probably the one that appears in the fewest episodes. Zany Zoo opens with Bwana Clyde Batty’s face appearing from the jungle foliage, announcing in a cheesy Cockney accent: “It's Zany Zoo time!”, while tribal drums beat in the background. As he fades out, he makes his long moustache dance by swelling his fat cheeks. The camera switches to a full body shot, and we see our host in his entirety, decked out in the standard explorer’s uniform - khaki jacket and shorts, with pith helmet on top; plus the added features of binoculars and a camera around his neck. 
We soon discover though, that this is an explorer with a difference — when he goes on safari, the trophies he brings back are not heads, but films (Dr. Pet Vet probably wouldn’t have tolerated him otherwise). BCB welcomes us to his little jungle clearing, then heads for the projector when the phone inevitably rings with someone requesting a wacky bird call, which he croaks out rather unfunnily. The film comes through with the aid of Chroma-Key on the purple wall map at the back (that projector couldn’t show a thing), and what we see usually is a filmstrip-type series of still shots of an exotic wild animal, ranging from buffalo to kookaburra birds to lemurs and on and on (pretty much any animal that Dr. Pet Vet couldn’t drag in). BCB gives us a little bio of the animal — where it is found, etc., and like Igor he fawns over the cute ones. The film ends, and BCB sends us off with his signature Swahili catchall phrase: “Oooga booga, which means…” anything he wants it to.
Photo: Dave Cremasco
Vincent Price — Bwana’s Introduction
Bwana — Definately over...
Bwana — Move the plumbing...
Bwana — The Mistake Bird
Bwana — That’s a Koala bear...
Bwana — The call of the clap-board...
Bwana — The call of the clap-board...
Bwana — Our Film Festival
Bwana — Unbelievable!
Bwana — Projector!
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