Skippy STARS 55 YEARS ON 'THE SHOW CHANGED OUR LIVES!'

It caused a worldwide sensation when it hopped onto screens

- Craig Bennett.

It's been 55 years since the iconic Aussie TV series Skippy hopped off into the sunset, but for co-stars Tony Bonner and Ken James, the show's enduring success remains a mixed blessing.

“Skippy was terrific to work on. The cast and crew became a second family. I was 16 when I auditioned, beating out hundreds of hopefuls to play Mark Hammond,” recalls the eternally exuberant Ken, 76. “I'd done a meat pie commercial and appeared in the 1964 series The Adventurers, so Skippy was my big break”.

Ken's close friend, Tony Bonner, who played hunky helicopter pilot Jerry King, says there was “a great vibe on the set”.

“We had a blast making Skippy, and yes there was an on-set romance, but my lips are sealed,” smiles Tony, 81.

“I was offered the role after appearing in the now classic '60s movie They're A Weird Mob, which starred Ed Devereaux, who was to play Skippy's Matt Hammond.”

KANGAROO TALES

Skippy ran for three seasons and 91 episodes, with the last airing in 1970. The National Film & Sound Archive notes it was screened in 128 countries and seen by over 300 million viewers.