Words Johnny Morris, music Douglas Coombes. Performed with The Bristol Schools Senior Orchestra. From the 24 February 1981 edition of Animal Magic, the song is about Terry Nutkins' California sea lion, named Gemini.
This is so beautiful, I loved watching Johnny, Terry, Gemini & all the animals. Gemini just so beautiful..... Made me cry, wish they were still with us xxx
What a great song, with Added orchestra I sat my pup ""ABBY GRACE"" on my knee while we watched it together,,,,and Abby Loved it! Thanks for a great presentation,,,,Lynda.
I have watched this several times,,, I used to work with Terry at the Dolphinarium/Cable cars at Woburn when he was Manager. Geminii used to sit in his offie, he adored her. Terry was one of a kind, slightly mad but a true gentleman . My dad did carpentry work for him. Happy, wonderful days.....Makes me so sad to see him as he was so full of life and mischeviousness...we lost him far too soon.
I worked with Terry on some wildlife projects in Scotland when he was living on Skye. Got to say he was one of the kindest, gentlest, people I have ever met.
Been looking for this for years! The song was also issued as a single...and there was also a programme dedicatd to the recording of it. I last heard it when Tony blackburn played it on junior choice back in the spring of 1981!
Makes me feel quite emotional hearing this again. I could have sung you the first lines but didnt have a clue about the rest of it. Didnt remember Johnny singing it either. Makes me feel all nostalgic for my childhood... RIP Terry. And Gemini. And Johnny!
Thank you so much for this clip. I believe there is no footage of Gemini the Seal Lion remaning as the BBC wipped the Animal Magic seires in the early 1990s'. Such a part of my youth, our youth gone. Long live Johnny and Terry. PS If you have the rest of the episode or more please post. It may be all that remains.
Quite a lot of late 1970s editions of Animal Magic were indeed wiped (along with many other children's programmes of the era) - with most of the programme's early b&w years having gone before that - but by 1981, when this clip is from, it does all exist. It didn't have long to go by then of course ...
... and should anyone think Douglas Coombes is familiar, he was the producer/presenter of many schools radio music programmes (Time and Tune, Singing Together etc.) over a twenty-year period.
I'd completely forgotten about this song until I looked up Terry Nutkins just now. Ah echoes of innocence - mind you I feel sorry for the poor creature being forced to play to camera.
