Daktari

Daktari is based on the film Clarence, the Cross-Eyed Lion (1965), in which Marshall Thompson and Cheryl Miller already played the same roles. The concept was developed by producer Ivan Tors, inspired by the work of Dr. Antonie Marinus Harthoorn and his wife Sue in their animal orphanage in Nairobi.

Dr. Harthoorn, the source of inspiration for the series, contributed to inventing the capture hypodermic rifle and was a staunch advocate for animal rights.

In the final season, young actress Erin Moran joined the cast in the role of Jenny Jones, a seven-year-old orphan integrated into the Tracy family.

The lion Clarence did not perform all his own stunts: another lion named Leo (formerly called Zamba), trained by Ralph Helfer, doubled for him whenever a motorized vehicle was involved, as Clarence was afraid of heavy machinery.

To resemble Clarence in close-ups, the stunt lion Leo had his own makeup artist who applied fake scars imitating those of Clarence.

A second lion, also called Leo but more aggressive, also doubled Clarence, only for scenes involving growling or those not requiring close proximity to humans; his ferocity was real, the result of mistreatment by his previous owners.

The lion Clarence died at the age of 7 on July 14, 1969, six months after the last broadcast of Daktari on CBS, in Peoria, Illinois, where he was supposed to perform at the Heart of Illinois Fair as an attraction.

According to the end credits, the series was "filmed in Africa and at Africa USA", a 600-acre ranch for wild animals created by trainers Ralph and Toni Helfer in Soledad Canyon, 64 km north of Los Angeles; outdoor scenes with the actors were filmed there, mixed with footage of African landscapes and animals to give the impression of Africa.

Despite the claimed African setting, some animals shown were inconsistent with the location, such as a tiger (absent from Africa) visible in the opening credits, as well as an Indian elephant.

The opening music and background music, blending jazz and African influences, were composed and conducted by American jazz drummer Shelly Manne, who released the associated album on Atlantic in 1967; it includes notably a "tack" piano played by Mike Wofford to evoke an African sound, as well as percussion such as ankle and wrist bells, Thai mouth organs, angklungs, ocarinas and various marimbas.

Bruno the bear appeared as a guest star in Daktari before becoming the main bear in Ivan Tors' later series, Gentle Ben.