Clarence, the Cross-Eyed Lion
MEMORIES:
Shane Stephens remembers...I remember seeing this movie when it first came out on TV during the Walt Disney shows, made in 1965, ... More »
Posted on 07/11/06
Cast:
Julie Harper...Betsy Drake
Rupert Rowbotham...Richard Haydn
Paula...Cheryl Miller
Carter...Alan Caillou
Juma...Rockne Tarkington
Gragory...Maurice Marsac
Sergeant...Robert DoQui
Husseini...Albert Amos
Dinny...Dinny Powell
Larson...Mark Allen
Tourist...Laurence Conroy
Tourist's Wife...Allison Daniell
Girl in Pit...Janee Michelle
Villager...Naaman Brown
Studio:
Release History:
Clarence, the Cross-Eyed Lion mixed goofball comedy with jungle adventure into a brew of African safari fun for the whole family.
The 1965 film began with animal behavior scientist Dr. Marsh Tracy heading for East Africa with his daughter. In Africa he captures a cross-eyed lion, whose vision issues have prevented him from hunting for his dinner. Paula, Dr. Tracy’s daughter, takes the lion - who has turned out to be a real softie - into her heart, and names him Clarence.
Dr. Tracy loses his own heart to Julie Harper, a lovely anthropologist who is studying gorillas. Clarence and the three humans start to form a family of sorts, but their contentment is rudely interrupted by a band of mercenary gorilla-poachers. Fortunately, our cross-eyed king of the jungle turns out to be truly lion-hearted, and defending the family gives him an opportunity to really earn his keep.
Though only moderately successful in theaters, Clarence, the Cross-Eyed Lion launched its human/animal family into a longer run on television, where Daktari, a popular CBS series rooted in the film, ran from 1966-1969.
