Forest Rangers TV Show Lot

The Forest Rangers was a famed Canadian, children's tv series that ran in the 1960(a)s. Filmed at Kleinburg(a)s studio lot, there are some abandoned remants still there. It was the first Canadian tv show ever filmed in colour and starred Gordon Pinsent. It was shown throughout the world.

What Canadian kid growing up in the 1960s or 1970s could forget the immensely popular television series The Forest Rangers or the opening melodic theme? This ever-whistleable musical piece met the colourful backdrop of wilderness scenes set in Ontario's Great Outdoors. Here, a group of kids- Junior Forest Rangers- live, work and play in a large Hudson's Bay fort, while their older and wiser friends from the village of Indian River look on. (Indian River lies on the south-east side of Algonquin Park, north-east of Barry(a)s Bay, with a population of 317). The junior rangers were the envy of many kids the world over for they came complete with a fort, ham radios, canoes, walkie-talkies, horses, ranger t-shirts, a Smokey the Bear flag and most of all-- "ADVENTURE!!"

The rangers usually manage to become heroes by putting out forest fires, rescuing people and thwarting villains with the aid of an RCMP officer named Sergeant Brian Scott (legendary Canadian actor Gordon Pinsent), the Indian River "Department of Lands and Forests" Chief Forest Ranger, George Keeley (Graydon Gould), and the local Metis-Ojibway guide, Joe Two Rivers (Michael Zenon).

The Junior Forest Rangers live in a "Never-never land, unmarred by schools or parents, in which the only rules are the rules of conservation."

The show was filmed at the Toronto International Studios just north of Kleinburg in Vaughan. I have been on the studio grounds a few times and found one shack remaining that was used as Mr. McLeod(a)s cabin. It has since fallen over and rots away beside the Humber River. See photos below- included is one of Bob Marley, who made a surprise guest appearance.

For more info on the show go to my fan site here at its new location: The Forest Rangers TV Show Fan Site. You can order the show on DVD via this site(a)s links.

The map link will show you the exact spot where I found McLeod(a)s cabin. I was specifically looking for it as I knew where it was located by watching all the episodes. Nothing else remains from the series- not even the kid's huge fort.

There will be a a 2nd big reunion for cast, crew and fans here in June 2013. We will have Gordon Pinsent and 9 of the junior rangers attending---some flying in from Europe too.

To see a 1977 old super 8 film of the studio lot and abandoned, decaying fort check this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5M7S-L4afIU&feature=related