Interview 2817 – Caption Index: 4

Can I curate it?… Read More

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I’d like to get a turtle.” And he would say, “Sure,” he said, “Will you take it over to Reptile House and you tell the curator at the, well, the head keeper at the Reptile House that you want a turtle and I’ll call over there.” And so I’d go… Read More

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What’d your parents do?… Read More

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My mother was a registered nurse and my father was in charge of the sanitation department in the District of Columbia in Washington, DC. In fact, I have a letter from John F. Kennedy for his inauguration, where there was a huge, I don’t know if anybody remembered the inauguration… Read More

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My name is William Albert Xanten. I was born in Washington, DC in 1937. I grew up, I spent most of my life in Washington and since then I’ve lived in Virginia, Maryland, now, I live in Maryland. Read More

Interview 2817 – Caption Index: 1

What was your childhood like?… Read More

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I had a really good childhood. I was the oldest of all my siblings and I’d like to think that I was born liking animals, particularly reptiles and amphibians. And I can remember as a youngster and my mother would take me to the zoo pretty much 2 or 3… Read More

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And the other thing was when I reached, I guess I was in my 8, 10, 11 years old, I would go to the zoo. And at that time, Dr. William Mann was director. And I don’t know if he had an open door policy, but every time I would… Read More

Interview 1738 – Caption Index: 581

I love warthogs. Most people who go on safaris love warthogs. Of course, Disney in the “Lion King” made the warthog a real character, with Pumbaa and everything. This is a little sculpture of a warthog from a friend of mine in Africa, but there’s a fabulous little poem about… Read More

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Whatever they are seeking, you can be sure it won’t be found. But if you want to reach them, I suggest that you leave word with the message-taking service of the secretary bird. Read More

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I would not like to be remembered as a generic Gary Clarke. By that I mean, and my family knows this, whatever, I don’t want a funeral as such, ’cause I’m gonna be already, my wife has even agreed I’d be cremated. And some of my buddies are gonna take… Read More

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However it is. Some people know me as the zoo guy. Some people know me as a safari guy. Some people just know me as a crazy guy with stupid jokes. My family knows me as a husband or father, or whatever. And I would just like to leave it… Read More

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Gary, I see you have a warthog there. Read More

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Can you tell me something about it?… Read More

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How would you like to be remembered?… Read More

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How would I like to be remembered?… Read More

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So what do you know about the profession that you’ve devoted so many years of your life?… Read More

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What do I know about the profession I devoted so many years of life to?… Read More

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It’s a great profession. It was exhilarating and rewarding for me personally. One of the greatest things was the association with all my colleagues, all the zoo people, who I think are very special people, because they’re passionate and they’re dedicated. I think the zoos and our profession have had… Read More

Interview 1738 – Caption Index: 574

And she volunteered, she said, “My husband is a terminal cancer patient. And he wants to come out to the zoo every day, and particularly here in the rainforest and just sit here because this place exudes life. And it just lifts his spirit.” Well, when we built the rainforest,… Read More