Marlon Perkins was born in Carthage, MO on this date.  He was an effective and popular head of the St. Louis Zoo and his national television show, “Wild Kingdom,” ran for 23 years.

This post was contributed by Ross Malone. A historian and a retired school teacher, Ross has authored many books about Missouri’s history, weird facts, and folk tales. He has also written children’s historical fiction. Visit his website, and buy his books in the Missouri Life store.