April 1,1933–Marlin Perkins, St. Louis Zoo, curator of reptiles.

Starting Sunday, we’ll begin a new feature online and in the paper that takes a look at some of the important events and people that have figured prominently in the St. Louis region’s history. It will be tied to a date in the upcoming week, and will give us the opportunity to photographically explore more facets of our subject.

Archive date April 1,1933–Marlin Perkins (left) on a snake hunt. This was around the time when Perkins would make snake hunting trips, collecting specimens to bring back to the St. Louis Zoo.

Oct. 31, 1932—-R. Marlin Perkins, chief herpetologist at the St. Louis Zoo, and his assistants, Jake Schoenberg and Moody J. R. Lentz, at work putting their pets away at the St. Louis Zoo for the winter months. Post-Dispatch staff photographer

Our first subject is renowned St. Louis zoo director Marlin Perkins, who also hosted the nationally syndicated show “Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom”. Mr. Perkins began working at the zoo in the 1920’s, and left in the late thirties to work at zoos in Buffalo and Chicago.

Here’s our significant dates this week for Mr. Perkins:

April 3, 1962—Marlin Perkins returns to the St. Louis Zoo as its director, succeeding George P. Vierheller, who held the post for over 40 years.

March 31, 1970—He retires as the zoo’s director

May 6,1962, St. Louis–Behind the bars of the empty lion arena, Marlin Perkins and Henry Sanders find a quiet spot to discuss zoo problems. The zoo's bird curator, Sanders is acting director until Perkins assumes the job. Post-Dispatch staff photo

March 4,1970, St. Louis–St. Louis Zoo director emeritus Marlin Perkins with Carmen, an orangutan. The Zoo named the young ape in honor of Mayor Alfonso J. Cervantes' wife, Carmen.

P-D staffer Tim O’Neil has written a short story on Perkins, and there is also an online gallery from the Post-Dispatch files.

NEXT WEEK: The famous Southern Hotel fire of 1877, and legendary firefighter Phelim O’Toole, whose heroic actions during the fire built his legacy. Photographer J.B. Forbes will also have an audio interview with Phelim O’Toole’s great-grandson, Thomas O’Toole, who talks about his famous ancestor and the fire.