Zoos in the Movies

Part of Fierce Creatures starring John Cleese was filmed in Marwell Zoo. Apparently this film was the start of his interest in wildlife. In 2005 a species of lemur was named in his honour, Cleese's Wooly Lemur (Avahi cleesei).

There is a scene in American Werewolf in London filmed in London Zoo.

The 1980s BBC series One By One, which chronicled the life of zoo vet Dr David Taylor was filmed in Dudley Zoo (series 1), and Chester (series 2). A short piece of Edinburgh's Scimiter-horned Oryx was also used.

 

Some of 'Fierce Creatures' was also filmed at Jersey Zoo. John Cleese actually saw a daytime birth of a gorilla(to female Npongo) while he was there.

'One by One' was mainly the story of David Taylor's experiences at the Belle Vue Zoo, Manchester (which was closed by then). At least one episode was partly filmed at Jersey- for any of you OZ readers, it featured the female Gorilla 'G-Anne' who is now a resident of Melbourne Zoo.

'Morgan,A Suitable Case for Treatment' was a 1960's thriller- some scenes were shot at London Zoo including a chase through the old Monkey house and the opening shot of the film where the slide is raised to let Guy the Gorilla into his indoor cage.

 

Harry potter had some clips from london zoos reptile house.

 

Some parts of Santa Clause were shot at the Toronto Zoo! The reindeers starred beside Tim Allen!

 

Anchorman (with Will Ferrell) - Had a long scene at the end that was supposed to be at the San Diego Zoo. I believe it was shot at L.A. Zoo though. Not San Diego.

Roar (with Tippi Hedren & Melanie Griffith) - Not positive on this one, but I think it was shot on location at her big cat rescue site named Shambala.

 

Part of Tim Allen's "The Santa Clause" was filmed in the Toronto Zoo, and the reindeer used in the movie was also from the Toronto Zoo.

For a more obscure film, a part of "Lions for Breakfast" was filmed in African Lion Safari.
Lions for Breakfast (1975)

 

An American Werewolf in London had a scene in London's old wolf enclosure.

Some rom-com (I think it was About a Boy) had a few scenes at London Zoo (including shots of the old Sobell pavillions and old penguin pool)

 

Anchorman was shot in Los Angeles, but not at the current Los Angeles Zoo. The shots of the bear grotto were of the old griffith park zoo that predated the current zoo.

 

Ah, thanks for clarifying. I didn't know that

 

Who can trace this exhibit to real life?

In a movie it looked like giant indoor hall, with landscaped rocks, suspended bridge, piranha pool and some mock figures of African natives rebuilding another suspended bridge over painted sky. There were free flying birds and many animals, including apes and big cats.

In the movie, when you look carefully, you can see parts of a sign "Woodland Park Zoo", but website of real Woodland Park Zoo has nothing like it. Where it was filmed?

 

It was Woodland Park, it was a new indoor exhibit (new at the time of filming) similar to Tropicworld in Brookfield.

 

I believe the movie Tomy Yum Goong showed the inside of Taronga zoo for a short period of time,

 

Also other TV series included:

A Starsky & Hutch episode where one of then was held captive in "The Old Zoo"-not sure which one that would be-anyone in the US know?

A Touch Of Frost featured an illegal animal trade episode set in what was supposed to be someones private collection that included Pygmy Hippos and Tigers but I could not identify the zoo.

 

Thats because it`s a private zoo thats not normally open to the public,it goes by the name of Heythrop.

 

Glasgow Zoo appeared in two Taggart shows, also in Chew'n The Fat Comedy show, numerous children's shows and was used for the Asistic Black Bear documentry with david Attenborgh. The Poison Arrow Frog shots were filmed at Glasgow Uni - zoolab animals.

 

The very old film "one of our dinosaurs is missing" had some scenes filmed in London Zoo, showing an old bear cage, and a camel giving rides to children.

 

"Dead man's shoes" had scenes shot at Riber Castle Zoo - after it shut.