"The Forest Rangers" (1963) TV series 1963-1966

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Directors:

Leslie Arliss
George Gorman

Writer:

George Salverson (writer)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3

Release Date:

7 December 1963 (Canada)

Genre:

Family

Plot Keywords:

Kids And Family

Cast

Graydon Gould	...	George Keeley (10 episodes, 1963-1965)
Ralph Endersby	...	Chub Stanley (9 episodes, 1963-1965)
Peter Tully	...	Mike Forbes (9 episodes, 1963-1965)
John Mackin	...	Johnson / ... (8 episodes, 1963-1964)
Rex Hagon	...	Peter Keeley / ... (7 episodes, 1963-1964)
Michael Zenon	...	Joe Two Rivers (7 episodes, 1963-1965)
Syme Jago	...	Gaby La Roche / ... (5 episodes, 1963)

Also Known As:

"Les Cadets de la forêt" (Canada: French title)

Runtime:

30 min (104 episodes)

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Gravenhurst, Ontario, Canada

Company:

ASP Productions

Trivia:

Much of the incidental music penned by John Bath for "Forest Rangers" originated in the TV series "Hudson Bay," as well as the 1958 film "Wolf Dog."

Great Show - The Best Closing Theme

This remains one of my all-time favorite TV shows. I recall it best when it ran as a feature of the CBC kids show, "Razzle Dazzle" with Al Hamel and Trudy Young. This kids show would feature other great kid's shows like "Skippy The Bush Kangaroo" and "Thierry La Fronde" too.

I can remember climbing off the homeward school bus one day and turning on my family's 19" black and white "Admiral" TV to see Rex Hagon (Pete Keeley) and Susan Conway (Kathy) appearing as guests of Razzle-Dazzle co-host Trudy Young. To that point in time, I really didn't know TFR was a drama! I was convinced what was on the show had to be reality! Being a kid you have strange perceptions - I thought people were only allowed to "act" in Hollywood, certainly not in the Canadian wilderness! When I realized that not only Americans could act, Canadians could too, I was so darned impressed!

The chemistry of the characters were what drew me to the show day after day. Pete and Chub (Ralph Endersby) always wanted to be the leader, but somehow, they'd eventually make up and get on with what had to be done. My favorite character was the wise native Joe Two Rivers (Michael Zenon), who always sent a chill up my spine with his familiar recant "Mebeeeee...mebee NAWT..." Of course, who could forget the stoic Sgt. Scott (Gordon Pinsent), a rather diminutive dude who still seemed to be able to scare us crapless even wearing a goofy hat, wide pants and a red serge.

I think everyone who ever heard it, loved the memorable theme music written and conducted by the great John Hubert Bath. The Forest Rangers always ended with that memorable flourish: Duh-duh-duh-dummmmmmm-dummmmmmmm-DAAAAAAAAAAA!!!! which concluded each episode. The same incidental musical pieces featured in TFR, also graced the 1958 movie "Wolf Dog," which I'll always love, but (sadly) you will probably never see.

My kudos to a Canadian gent named Clayton Self and his work on the TFR fansite - see the "miscellaneous" link at left. He also managed to put together a wonderful reunion for the cast and crew of the show. He was also instrumental in getting the series immortalized on an Imavision DVD series in 2007. Long live TFR in reruns.