CHILLY (40’S) BUT SUNNY AND it didn’t rain here yesterday at all. Continued my adventures in retail yesterday–house bound again. Worked on future London trip and my novel (research) in addition.

Fifty years ago this month, Jeopardy! came on the air. It seems that 1964 was a very good year for landmark TV shows.
(AARP BUlletin/Real Possibilities March 2014 Boomer TV by Carol Kaufmann)

Flipper: This was an “aquatic Lassie” filmed at Miami Seaquarium. “Flipper was a show about a game ranger named Porter Ricks, and his two sons, Sandy and Bud. The show centers around a precocious pet dolphin, named Flipper, and all their adventures… The series was a spin off of the feature film Flipper in 1963…The original Flipper was named Mitzi and she lived from 1958 to 1972. Flipper had a stunt double (Mr. Gipper) to do all of the tail walking.” http://www.tv.com/shows/flipper-1964/ The last episode aired April 15, 1967. It has continued on in returns and CDs as well of new shows and movies.

“While the TV show itself was not controversial, several controversies have spun off of it. Ric O’Barry, the head trainer of the Flipper Dolphins (and also Luke Halpin’s stunt double), became a world-renowned animal activist after the death of the dolphin who played Flipper most often. O’Barry stars in the Oscar award winning documentary The Cove, which features dolphin capture and captivity. Miami Seaquarium, the set of the Flipper show, has also received decades of bad publicity due to their controversial animal care, and their lone orca Lolita is currently the center of the “Free Lolita” campaign.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flipper_(1964_TV_series)

Flipper merchandise YOU MANY BE ON THE LOOK-OUT FOR (was generated for the juvenile market during the show’s first run) is now scarce and collectible. Flipper vintage collectibles include: (GOOGLE ITEMS)

1966 FLIPPER DOLPHIN ULLA STROMSTEDT TV MAGAZINE GUIDE (local paper’s guide) $25

FLIPPER SCUBA DIVER FILMING SCENE UNDERWATER ORIGINAL 1964 PHOTO $28 (7×9)

1966 Flipper Metal Thermos $80. I might note that this is the only item of this kind I found though there were many such (lunch boxes etc) that were sold.

Flipper View Master Packet 1966 $3-$15–about your best bet if you’re buying and there seems to be bunches, who knew?

1964 FLIPPER TV Series 18 Belgian Trade card $18 and a single card from Germany for $12

MORE EXPENSIVE ITEMS INCLUDES FLIPPER: KILLER WHALE TROUBLE (BIG LITTLE BOOK) $98, 1964 Fall Preview TV Guide which featured show (among others) $100

So is an aquatic adventure in your future?
Swim on….