Komodo Dragon
Well-Known Member
Hal Gras (1919-1999) was an educator and media personality who worked for the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. According to their website:
"Hal Gras was the Desert Museum's Noah. He was hired in 1953 to produce and host the museum's weekly television show, Arizona Desert Trails. But he is most famous for driving the Desert Museum's collection of live animals to schools and organizations in a station wagon known as the Desert Ark."
Gras was a beloved celebrity figure in Arizona due to these many appearances, with the Tucson Citizen writing that 'If eight-year-olds could vote, Hal Gras would be a shoo-in for Mayor of Tucson.' Among the animals Gras used in his demonstrations where javelinas, gopher snakes, and ringtails.
Arizona Desert Trails was produced by the museum and broadcast on the local CBS station. The Museum claims that 1,551 installments where produced, with the series ending upon Gras' retirement in 1985.
I have not been able to find much footage of Arizona Desert Trails, but I located this episode on Youtube, broadcast in 1975. Not great quality, but better than nothing. I will post more if it comes to light.
"Hal Gras was the Desert Museum's Noah. He was hired in 1953 to produce and host the museum's weekly television show, Arizona Desert Trails. But he is most famous for driving the Desert Museum's collection of live animals to schools and organizations in a station wagon known as the Desert Ark."
Gras was a beloved celebrity figure in Arizona due to these many appearances, with the Tucson Citizen writing that 'If eight-year-olds could vote, Hal Gras would be a shoo-in for Mayor of Tucson.' Among the animals Gras used in his demonstrations where javelinas, gopher snakes, and ringtails.
Arizona Desert Trails was produced by the museum and broadcast on the local CBS station. The Museum claims that 1,551 installments where produced, with the series ending upon Gras' retirement in 1985.
I have not been able to find much footage of Arizona Desert Trails, but I located this episode on Youtube, broadcast in 1975. Not great quality, but better than nothing. I will post more if it comes to light.