Clarence, the Cross-Eyed Lion

Clarence, the Cross-Eyed Lion is a 1965 light comedy-adventure film, produced by Ivan Tors, Leonard B. Kaufman, and Harry Redmond Jr., directed by Andrew Marton, and starring Marshall Thompson and Betsy Drake.[1] The film was shot at Soledad Canyon near Los Angeles, California, and in Miami, Florida. It became the basis for the television series Daktari.

Clarence, the Cross-Eyed Lion
Theatrical release half-sheet poster
Directed byAndrew Marton
Written byArt Arthur, Alan Caillou and Marshall Thompson
Produced byIvan Tors
Leonard B. Kaufman
Harry Redmond Jr.
StarringMarshall Thompson
Betsy Drake
Richard Haydn
Cheryl Miller
Alan Caillou
CinematographyLamar Boren
Music byAl Mack
Distributed byMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date
  • August 4, 1965 (1965-08-04)
Running time
92 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Plot

Paula Tracey (Cheryl Miller), an adventurous and fearless girl, is the daughter of veterinarian Dr. Marsh Tracey (Marshall Thompson). Dr. Tracey is the director of East Africa's animal hospital and nature preserve. He fights to protect all African wildlife, while studying and caring for injured animals and endangered species. Paula and her father find Clarence, a wild African lion who is cross-eyed which makes hunting in the wild impossible, and they adopt him as a new member of their wildlife preserve. Clarence later saves the day when Julie Harper (Betsy Drake) and her research gorillas are threatened by animal poachers.

Additional Information

The story of Julie Harper may remind modern viewers of Dian Fossey, (portrayed by Sigourney Weaver in "Gorillas in the Mist"), but Fossey did not begin her work with gorillas until 1966 (also personally threatened by poachers).

Clarence was cross-eyed in real life and lived at Africa USA near Los Angeles. He was so tame that he would purr when his back was rubbed.

Ivan Tors had previously made the movie "Flipper", which also became a TV series.

Betsy Drake had retired from acting 6 years previous, but agreed to play this one role before returning to retirement.

Marshall Thompson was bitten for real during the scene in which he rescues a woman from a leopard; they left the scene in as filmed.

The film has no relation to the 1962 John Wayne film "Hatari!", also set in Africa but not a comedy.

Cast

Animals
  • Clarence The Lion
  • Doris The Chimpanzee
  • Mary Lou The Python

Production

The film was followed by the CBS TV series Daktari (1966–1969), with Marshall Thompson and Cheryl Miller reprising their film roles.[2]

References
  1. Thompson, Howard (August 5, 1965). "Clarence the Cross-Eyed Lion' Arrives". New York Times.
  2. "Marshall Thompson; TV Star of 'Daktari'". Los Angeles Times. May 23, 1992.
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