Not recently, or course, since both have been in the Happy Hunting Ground for many years. But I just read an article about The American Sportsman tv show that stated that these two did at least one show with Kurt Gowdy every year for sixteen straight years. The article referred to at least one of the Crosby/Harris shows being filmed in Africa.

Now, I used to love it when these two got together for a hunt on The American Sportsman. Their banter back and forth was "classic" television. What made it so good is their interaction was that of two good friends who genuinely liked (dare I say loved) each other's company. You never felt that anything they said was scripted for the camera. The hunting was the catalyst that made for fantastic viewing.

But, somehow, I missed the Africa episode (don't know how, as I thought I saw every one ever produced). Do any of you old folks remember this American Sportsman episode? What were they hunting and where? Does anyone know if you can get a complete collection of The American Sportsman series anywhere?

Sorry, I'm waxing nostalgic tonight. Guess I'm getting old.

quote:

Originally posted by GAHUNTER:
Sorry, I'm waxing nostalgic tonight. Guess I'm getting old.

Waxing nostalgic is not a sign of getting old. You'll know when it happens when you tell a good friend you're having an affair and he asks if its being catered.

Bill Quimby

August 1967 - Bing and Phil Harris in Africa where they film an American Sportsman program about sand grouse in the Northern Highlands (near the rim of the Serengeti plain) in Tanzania.

Jan 28, 1968 - 'The American Sportsman' show with Bing and Phil Harris hunting sand grouse in Tanzania is transmitted.

BIRDS!!!! Dang, I thought they were really huntin'

quote:

Originally posted by billrquimby:

quote:

Originally posted by GAHUNTER:
Sorry, I'm waxing nostalgic tonight. Guess I'm getting old.

Waxing nostalgic is not a sign of getting old. You'll know when it happens when you tell a good friend you're having an affair and he asks if its being catered.

Bill Quimby

Very Good!

Watched one with Phil Harris and Kurt Gowdy that fueled my young mind on hunting. Every episode was a treasure and I would buy the cds if someone made them available.

Bing and Phil truely enjoyed seeing the other pull off a good shot and were genuine friends. Sadly we have no programs that mimic that one today.

SFC E7 (retired)

GA There is was a two volume set of the AM sportsman programs, one of which was the big game (Robert Stack making a fabulous shot on a Lion,) and the Bird hunting video which also has a super section of Curt with Bear Bryant and quail. Look them up and enjoy, it was a grand era.

oh chit - i remember seeing that show - they MUST have rerun it much latter cause i know i'm not that old

Sako,

If I buy that collection, I wonder if I can get it without the Bear Bryant segment.

I went to Auburn and we never forget or forgive!

Additional information:

I'm sorry but I don't know the answer to that. The DVD's that is...

I have the VHS set, and well here is what is on their title cover:


abc sports
The American Sportsman
the Classic Series
Bird Hunting
Hosted by: Curt Gowdy
Volume 1. No. 1

Back cover:
Ducks, Yucatan 1966
Snow Geese, Texas 1970
Sand Grouse, Tanzania 1968
Pheasant, Iowa 1973
Quail, Alabama 1973

The American Sportsman, the Classic Series produced by: ABC Sports in association with Jack Nicalaus Productions.

Write to: King of the North, Inc.
10034 Buchanan
Stanwood, MI 49346

or call: 1 - 800 - 654 - 8771



Ditto + Big Game Hunting
Volume 1 No. 2

Grizzly Bear, British Columbia 1966
Polar Bear, Alaska 1967
Cape Buffalo, Africa 1967
Caribou, Newfoundland 1966
Whitetail, Texas 1966
Lion, Africa 1965
Moose, Alaska 1968

Looks like a new version is here:
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D05E7D6...35A3575AC0A9649C8B63

My Dad and Uncle hunted Moose out of the same camp with Crosby and Harris for 10 days in 1949 in BC.

At the end of the hunt they all stayed the evening in a Hotel in Clinton BC. Crosby and Harris picked up the room tab for my Dad and Uncle and also picked up the tab for everyone in the Restaurant and Bar for the evening.

My Dad says that by 10 PM there were around 200 people packed into the Bar. Probably the biggest thing to ever hit the town.

My Dad says they were great guys and good hunters. Included were some impromtu songs and skits around the Camfire.

Walt Disney was a member of the MT.y Kenya Safari club...

There were many memorable episodes of the American Sportsman. Lee Wulff, Ted Williams, etc., but the one I have always remembered the most was William Shatner bow-hunting for brown bear in Alaska.

First shot: a beautiful bear is totally in the clear, Shatner shoots, bear runs a country mile up a mountain all in the clear, before he stops and looks back. "I hit him, I him him" shouts Shatner. "Nah, you missed", says the guide. And then he finds the arrow, picks it up and shows it to the insistent Shatner.

Later on, another huge bear just outside a very heavy patch of brush and alders. Shatner shoots quckly, the bear turns and runs into the almost impossible to see into brush.

"I missed him, I missed him" says Shatner. "Nah, you hit him" says the guide quietly...."And now we both have to go in and get him."

The look on the most reluctant, hesitant Shatner's face: Priceless.

My how things have changed. This show, one of the best ever, was aired on Sunday afternoons on a major national network (ABC?).

Today, to get to see a decent big game hunting show, you have got to watch paid cable and endure dozens of hours of "that dang buck walked right up to that dang pile of corn and I whacked him right behind his dang shoulder... Dang!" (Hey, I'm a dang southerner, so I'm allowed to make fun of my own -- you're not.)

308, the 800 number isn't any good, but maybe the address is Ok but I doubt they are still in existance. Damn

Tough break on DVD, but VHS still has a vintage feel to the adventures.

Many of todays famous people - sportsmen, actors, etc - do enjoy hunting and go on safari quite often.

They just like to keep it off the media. As they fear their "sponsors" might not like to be associated with "blood thirsty" individuals.

I know some who have built in shooting ranges in their own homes - after visiting AR and seeing how great an underground shooting range is

billrquimby( Bill)

This truly old man laughed out loud (unusual for me on a Sunday afternoon and being alone -they say it's a sign of madness to laugh aloud when alone)but your remark about telling a friend about an affair and he asking if it was catered was what did it. Not much to do with the thread but thanks for a as good a wisecrack as I have heard in a long time.

quote:

Originally posted by gerrys375:
billrquimby( Bill)

This truly old man laughed out loud (unusual for me on a Sunday afternoon and being alone -they say it's a sign of madness to laugh aloud when alone)but your remark about telling a friend about an affair and he asking if it was catered was what did it. Not much to do with the thread but thanks for a as good a wisecrack as I have heard in a long time.

I'm 71 years old, and all my affairs are catered.

BQ

Yeah, why would anyone want to watch a couple guys shooting sand grouse, other then for historical interest/nostalgia?

billrquimby:

. General Charles De Gaulle is supposed to have said (upon commuting to life house arrest) the sentence of death imposed on Marshal Petain) " Old age is a shipwreck"

Gerry

I have a friend who was a Catholic missionary in Tanzania. One Sunday he went to the church for mass and in the front row was Bing Crosby. They had a very nice chat and from that point forward every year till his death Bing Crosby would send a generous contribution to the mission school.

quote:

Originally posted by LJS:
I have a friend who was a Catholic missionary in Tanzania. One Sunday he went to the church for mass and in the front row was Bing Crosby. They had a very nice chat and from that point forward every year till his death Bing Crosby would send a generous contribution to the mission school.

How Cool

Anyone remember the one of Redd Foxx hunting pheasants? I about laughed my self sick. I will have to see about getting copies of those shows.
C.G.B.