Halcyon days indeed.

The BBC had a great tradition of Sunday teatime classic serials. Wonderful adaptations of the works of writers like Charles Dickens served up as sumptuous feasts in 12 or 13 half hour episodes each.

The good children watched them whilst the rest of us, having nothing against the classics of course, but we looked for something a bit brighter and more exciting.

So, Sunday teatime in the Hutchinson household in South Leeds would usually bring the smiling face of an in-vision continuity announcer (remember them?), such as David Hamilton on ABC (your weekend television in the North) telling it was time for 'adventure for all the family'. This could have introduced "The Adventures Of The Seaspray", "Skippy" or "The Terrific Adventures Of The Terrible Ten". All great shows.

But,in my view, none of them was as good as my abiding lifelong favourite "The Forest Rangers".

The series was produced by CBC in Canada. It was their first series to be produced in colour, and it was also their first palpable worldwide hit. It was the first of a sequence of outdoor themed programmes for young people which they sold around the world, and would later include such memorable shows as "Adventures In Rainbow Country" and "The Beachcombers".

No fewer than 104 exciting half-hour episodes of the adventures of this energetic bunch of fresh-faced environment-friendly youngsters were produced between 1963 and 1965, and they were shown right through the sixties and seventies (latterly revived on satellite and cable channels). Based at their fort in Indian River, the Forest Rangers included Peter Keeley (leader of the Junior Forest Rangers and younger brother of Chief Ranger George Keeley), Chub Stanley (the orphaned city kid trying to make a new life for himself in the country), Gaby La Roche (later replaced by Kathy), the only girl in the group, the enthusiastic and resourceful Mike Forbes, and others such as Zeke and Johnny O'Reilly.

Joe Two Rivers was a nearby woodsman whose deep knowledge of Indian folklore and the outdoor life was often called upon by the youngsters in their adventures.

But if the youngsters of the Indian River Junior Branch of the Forest Rangers appeared to be children acting on their own initiative in an adult environment, they could not do so without adult authority (although they often flouted it!). This was provided by the firm but friendly Chief Ranger, George Keeley, and his team of officers at Indian River and, above George, Sergeant Scott of the RCMP.

Severe battles against the elements, especially fire and water, formed the backbone of most of the Forest Rangers adventures, but thieves, spies, dog rustlers and other ne'er do wells often put in an appearance, and always got their comeuppance,always courtesy of the Forest Rangers (often in spite of orders not to do anything from Ranger Keeley, or Sergeant Scott, or both). But, as a recent rewatching of some of the episodes has revealed to me, one of the foremost concerns of the Rangers was always the conservation of the environment which provided them with such an exciting lifestyle.

Courage, knowledge of the outdoors and good-natured humour characterised the adventures of the Forest Rangers, and it is perhaps these elements which have ensured that the series remains so fondly in the memories of viewers the world over. A catchy theme tune always helps, too.

Recently the Canadian "TV Guide" ran a feature on what had happened to stars of various past series in response to reader requests. It didn't surprise me to see that Forest Rangers was high on that list. The feature revealed that Rex Hagon (Peter Keeley) now runs a media training business, Ralph Endersby (Chub Stanley) is a successful director and writer, Syme Jago (Gaby La Roche) spent many years touring the world working in the pyrotechnics industry, Michael Zenon(Joe Two Rivers) now works as a movie director, and Susan Conway (Kathy) is a university student!

Additionally, Gordon Pinsent (Sgt Scott) has rarely been off TV screens worldwide, still working costantly in Canada and perhaps most familiar to present day UK audiences for his appearances in "Due South". Graydon Gould, who also provided the voice of Mike Mercury in Supercar before going on to assume the role of Chief Ranger George Keeley, was a guest at Cult TV 2000 and is still busy with his acting career.

And now the series has a fabulous website run by Clayton Self which can be found at http://www.geocities.com/ forestrangers1965 - it is widely admired by fans and former cast and production team members alike. The guestbook there reveals the whereabouts of Peter Tully, who played Mike Forbes, as Peter himself sent a message to say that he is alive and well and working as a lecturer in electronic engineering in Dublin.

Sadly, many of the character actors who filled the supporting roles have passed away since the series first appeared, but I am happy to note that to the best of my knowledge all of the actors who played main characters in the Forest Rangers are still very much alive and well and after almost 40 years!

The Forest Rangers is not currently scheduled on any UK TV channel but it lives on in its homeland, courtesy of channels like APTN and TVLand.

Cultivator: John Hutchinson