Following upon the success of his voice-over from 'Tales Of The Riverbank', Johnnie Morris seemed to get typecast as a latter-day Doctor Doolittle.
For a whole generation he gave voice to the other species in a gentle, humane and hilarious way. Some were presented as proud and arrogant, others as shy and nervous. He seemed to encapsulate a character in just one line. Many an accomplished Oscar-winner must have secretly envied his ability.
The naturalist Desmond Morris (a relative?) denounced his anthropomorphic interpretations, and clearly - despite his huge and enduring popularity, others evidently shared this view, or at least thought they knew better. Eventually, he was axed by a less gentle, more cynical generation of Thatcherite production managers. And television became that little bit poorer for his passing. As indeed it will when David Attenborough finally succumbs.
The only other contributor has summed the case up more succinctly than I, but such a wonderful program and its entertainer could hardly be allowed just a single mourner.
Johhnie Morris, the man who talked to and for a generation of animals. An irreplaceable treasure.
For a whole generation he gave voice to the other species in a gentle, humane and hilarious way. Some were presented as proud and arrogant, others as shy and nervous. He seemed to encapsulate a character in just one line. Many an accomplished Oscar-winner must have secretly envied his ability.
The naturalist Desmond Morris (a relative?) denounced his anthropomorphic interpretations, and clearly - despite his huge and enduring popularity, others evidently shared this view, or at least thought they knew better. Eventually, he was axed by a less gentle, more cynical generation of Thatcherite production managers. And television became that little bit poorer for his passing. As indeed it will when David Attenborough finally succumbs.
The only other contributor has summed the case up more succinctly than I, but such a wonderful program and its entertainer could hardly be allowed just a single mourner.
Johhnie Morris, the man who talked to and for a generation of animals. An irreplaceable treasure.