I have been trying to find the lyrics for the original "The American Sportsman" With Curt Gowdy theme song. I remember some of it from when I was a boy watching the show (40 years ago). It is a great mystery and no information is available on the web. If it can be found, I have no doubt it is here. It gos something like this. "Follow me to find adventure, follow me to ___ streams. Theres a ____ that embraces free open places, come and follow me"

Is this even close? Does anyone know all of the words?

http://www.videouniversity.com/articles/curt-gowdy


Scroll down to comment 26 for the words. I remember watching this every Sunday as a kid.

Then of course, Disney, Marlin Perkins and Bonanza. It was a Sunday ritual.

Thank you Kathi, your talents never cease to amaze me. This sounds corny, but reading those words brought a tear to my eyes. Remeber when Marlin would stand back as Jim did ALL the dangerous work? Wonder what happened to Jim? Did he go on to become a PH

+1, Kathy.

I loved that show. I remember one episode about a caribou hunt. First time I ever heard of or saw a caribou. It served as the kindling to go to Alaska to work for an outfitter at age 15. I worked for room and board and a free caribou hunt. The rest is history.

The one I remember most was a Sable hunt.

I remember several of them but one that sticks out was Fred Bear shooting a Grizzly in BC.

quote:

Originally posted by Jerry Huffaker:
I remember several of them but one that sticks out was Fred Bear shooting a Grizzly in BC.

Was that the one where he missed the Bear completely the first try?

I would love to have the original series with Curt Gowdy on DVD. If anyone hears of its availablility, please let me know.

I would love the original series on DVD.

I remember Andy Devine hosting a quail hunt using his Purdey .410, if I remember correctly. The show then morphed into a more politically correct hang-gliding, wind-surfing, no-hunting program with a little fishing added in. Thankfully we have TAA, Dangerous Game, A with CB, and UWS's.


Dutch

When I was young, all of the hunters in the family would sit down together on Sunday afternoon to watch the show. That's where I got part of my desire to go to Africa. It's too bad that the Outdoor Channel or Versus doesn't re-run the shows. They would have huge viewing audiences!

quote:

It's too bad that the Outdoor Channel or Versus doesn't re-run the shows. They would have huge viewing audiences!

Let me see if the Outdoors channel would be interested in that. Might not be able to get the rights to the original series. Hey, all they can say is NO. Right?

You might also remember when Bing Crosby and Phil ??? would go pheasant & bird hunting.
The show was not so "daramtised" with all the hi fiving and such. A much more mature group.
My dad and I watched the show every week together.
There was also a movie way back in the days (Alaskan Safari). Wish I had a copy of that.

EZ

Dutch! I thought I was the only one to remember the Andy Devine episode with the .410. It made me realize my .410 single shot was a capable gun...in expert hands.

The one I remember best involved John Connally, who had been Governor of Texas, and an assortment of other cabinet level jobs in various administrations.

He was shown flying into camp somewhere in Africa, being shown a .460 Weatherby, asking what it was, having it explained to him and then taking it out and downing a tusker with a frontal brain shot, all apparantly with no preparation. The viewer was left with the impression that the shot at the elephant was the first (and last) shot he ever fired with the rifle.

John Connally was not shown actually shooting the rifle, but the shot of the elephant, with the dust flying off its head on the impact of the bullet, was spectacular. I always wondered who really shot the elephant.

This was the same John Connally who was in the open car with John Kennedy in Dallas when he was assasinated.

Now don't start crying when you read the words to the American Sportsman theme. I can hear the music clear as a bell in my head when I read them.

Follow me to the highest mountains.Follow me to rippling streams.Find a land that embraces wide open spaces. Come and follow me.
Follow me and find contentment.Follow me thru times gone by.Find a land that embraces wide open spaces.Come and follow me.
Follow me on a grand adventure.Follow me to another world.Find a memory we are sharing of times that were caring come share your world with me.Follow me to the highest mountains. Follow me to the deepst seas.Find a land that embraces wide open spaces. Come and follow me
Follow me on a grand adventure.Follow me to another world.Find a memory we are sharing of times that were caring. Come share your world with me.


FINALE.
Follow me to the highest mountains. Follow me to rippling streams.Find a land that embraces wide open spaces come and follow me. Follow me to where your heart leads you.Follow me throughtout the land.Theres a world to discover.A world like no other Come and share your world with me.
Follow me.Follow me!!!

Thanks again Kathi !

375LVR, sorry to get off topic on your thread.

quote:

Posted 30 December 2010 17:58 Hide Post
You might also remember when Bing Crosby and Phil ??? would go pheasant & bird hunting.
The show was not so "daramtised" with all the hi fiving and such. A much more mature group.
My dad and I watched the show every week together.
There was also a movie way back in the days (Alaskan Safari). Wish I had a copy of that.

EZ

EZ,

I have a VHS copy of Alaskan Safari. The movie was broadcast on a local Chicago station I am guessing in the late 80's. Judging by how bad the commercials are, I am assuming in the middle of the night.

Either call me or send an e-mail to kathi@wildtravel.net as to who and where you want the tape sent. You do NOT have to return the tape.

Hope you enjoy this Alaskan classic.