fred bird
What ever became of Fred, Baretta's Cockatoo?
What,just for once in your life can't you be serious?
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Don't know, but I remember hearing that bird hated Robert Blake.
How interesting.
I named my Umbrella Cockatoo after "Fred". Umbrellas are very sweet and take to just about anyone but Baretta's Fred was a Sulfur Cockatoo. I know very little about Sulfurs. So maybe Fred didn't like Blake because Sulfurs may not be as gentle as Umbrellas or maybe he just got bad vibes from Blake, overall. Animals are often better than we are at sensing a person's "true" character.
I do know, almost all Cockatoos live to 75-90 years, if in good health. That is why I asked about Fred because he is likely still with us, somewhere.
What, just for once in your life can't you be serious?
There were four different cockatoos used on Baretta. One was named "Lala", another was named "Mr. White". A third was named "Weird Harold". I don't know what the fourth was named. They were owned and trained by a gentleman named Ray Berwick (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0078538/). He also trained many other animals for the movies and television. Why IMDB doesn't credit him with "Baretta" I don't know. Mr. Berwick was a masterful trainer and multi-talented gentleman. He left behind a brillant legacy.
The "Baretta" cockatoos specifically are Triton Cockatoos. Triton's are extremely loving and affectionate birds. It's possible one of the birds and Mr. Blake didn't get a long. You can never be positive who an animal will or won't take to.
Cockatoos do have a very long lifespan. Mr. White is still alive and lives at the San Diego Wild Animal Park. He still performs there. You can learn more about the SDWAP and the "Free Flight Bird Show" here: http://www.birdshow.net/
You can see a video of Mr. White and the Bird Show Manager Kent Mahaffey on You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAtsr98JzoI. Mr. White even performs some of the same tricks we saw "Fred" perform on "Baretta" in the video clip.
Last I knew, Lala is still alive and lives in San Diego as well. I'm not sure if she lives at the SDWAP or not. I don't know what happened to "Weird Harold" and the fourth "Fred" but I would assume they are still enjoying a long and happy life like thier co-stars.
JMG-6, Thank you so much for your reply/post on the (4) Freds of Baretta. I had no idea there were 4 birds used, though it makes sense that more than one bird would be used. "Fred", was frequently in the series. He was in almost every episode that I happened to watch, as a kid, and I was NOT a regular viewer of the show.
I appreciate the information to the links, too. From some of the information you provided (links), as well some searching with Google, I found some updated information. Lala (pronounced Lalah) was actually a male, and got his name because he liked to constantly repeat the phrase "la-la-la-la-la-la". Lala arrived in the USA, illegally imported from China, concealed in a cage with Chickens. He actually only spoke Chinese but after Ray Berwick started to train him, he quickly learned English, as well as, many tricks and stunts (riding a bicycle, running on a treadmill), as well as, imitating the sounds of a cat, and a dog. Lala is now deceased but lived to be about 70. He won a PATSY for "favorite Animal Star", and his intended "flying double", Weird Harold unfortunately died from Liver illness after the first season of Baretta. "Sweetheart" is/was the name of Weird Harold's replacement, and the name of the fourth bird. As you stated, Mr. White was also used for "Fred" but the article I found with the most information, doesn't mention him, though he's featured on Birds.net as being a "fred" bird from Baretta. There is a paragraph on the Birds.net page about Berwick Production and his free flight bird show. Unfortunately, the page doesn't seem to go into the background behind Berwick's work with birds, or his work with other animals, in fact, the page doesn't mention Ray Berwick, at all except in reference to his bird show. Shame! IMDB's bio on Ray says absolutely NOTHING him other than his DOB, place of birth, and DOD. And as you said, they don't credit him with Baretta.
Here is an interesting piece I found about Lala, where I found most of the detailed information about him: http://www.tvacres.com/news_may_2002_pet.htm
I had not heard of "Triton" Cockatoos but a few web pages state that they are a "sub-species" of the Greater Sulfur. The main differences between the Greater Sulfur and Triton Sulfurs are their coloring and the Tritons have a blue ring around the outer part of the eye. Like you said, they are very loving and affectionate birds, and apparently have a natural inclination to "performing", as they love to do tricks. In many ways, they seem to be very similar to Umbrellas, highly intelligent, are very loud, like lots of love and attention, which they reciprocate back to their owners. Tritons seem to be given more credit for their loving and affectionate ways than the Umbrellas, and there isn't any information about them being bitters, where the Umbrellas can tend to bite. (Especially males when mating, or when they reach adolescence). Unlike the Umbrellas, Tritons are supposed to be good talkers.
Thanks again, JMG.
What, just for once in your life can't you be serious?
Tritons can be biters until they get used to you. One named Sam that was in the bird shop where I got my Amazon took 2 months to get used to me and once he was he was incredibly affectionate and loving. Sam sold for $2200 in 1998. As far as the cockatoo at Wild Animal Park he escaped or was stolen a few years ago but was found about 3 miles away sitting by the road. I knew of 3 birds but was unaware of the fourth. Each bird had a talent such as free flight, talking on the phone, drinking from the bottle of medicine in one show and so forth. Many of the large cockatoos would just as soon graft themselves to their owners. They are known as "love sponges" and usually have to be kept on a schedule of out of the cage and in the cage. They are known to develop nervous habits such as feather picking and destruction so they end up bald from their own nervous picking of their feathers if they don't get enough affection and attention. Beautiful birds but extremely loud. One Moluccan (pinkish feathers) had complaints from 2 blocks away in Hillcrest, a neighborhood of San Diego. They are easily traumatized also. I had a rescued Moluccan for a few months and I had to move slowly with arm movements and never raise a stick or broom around him. He was incredibly affectionate otherwise and never bit us. The previous owner ahd used a broom on him and he would not make a loud sound at all.Once he figured out we were safe he was all over us, just so grateful and love deprived. With attention his breast feathers grew back. I look forward to owning one of my own someday if I have the correct environment then.
shareHello Amazon423,
I truly was interested in the bird or birds that played "Fred" on Baretta. Your story of Sam(?) and other Cockatoos are interesting, and HEARTBREAKING! I have owned my Umbrella for 18.5 years, and he will be 20 in August. I named him "Fred" after the bird on Baretta. I too, know all about Moluccans and how Cockatoos, in general are traumatized and mistreated. I really think that a Rescue page or website, which has been created specifically for the purpose of raising awareness of the Neglect and Abuse of these beautiful creatures, is more APPROPRIATE for your post.
Let's remember the 4 beautiful creatures that gave their little lives to performing, and playing the role of "Fred", on this thread, shall we?
RIP Lala,Mr. White, Weird Harold, and Sweetheart!
What, just for once in your life can't you be serious?
That is true but for this fact. A lot of people think that the parrot family is really cute and buy them on impulse.When they find out what they are really like, as beautiful and loveable as they are, they dump them back at the pet shop, the animal shelter, or get rid of them anyway they can plus neglect them after the newness wears off. If, by my post I can sway people to think first before buying, maybe some birds will be saved from a horror of a life or moved from home to home to home which can result in a defensively "mean" bird. The bird isn't really mean. It is like a child in some placements in foster care. Who cares about me? When this show came out many of these beautiful birds were bought on impulse and like the dalmatian and other animals, resulted in hundreds being abused, neglected, or abandoned. The birds who played Fred were somewhat lucky except for the one that died of a liver disease which may have resulted from a diet too rich in fat or may not have.
shareAgain, you're spot on BUT this is NOT THE PLACE for these posts, damn it! There are also many cockatoos who are living modestly with their owners, and not being mistreated and that are happy! (Like, my Fred)
I started this post with inquiries about Fred, please respect my wishes and post these heart-breaking stories to a rescue site!
Thank you!
ERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!
What, just for once in your life can't you be serious?
You don't own this board. You started it and gave it life but that is it. Face reality.
shareI have a Triton who I had bred for me. He is now 15 years old. He is my son-very smart, talks, loves. kisses, dances, naps with me....I love him dearly...
I wanted one ever since I used to watch Barretta. I wouldn't have missed my little boy Calypso Jack for anything!
There was a video of a cockatoo dancing to "Billie Jean", on YT in honor of MJ when he died years ago. The pop star loved animals, it was cute. I wanted a cockatoo as well as a kid due to Fred. I did not know they hailed from Australia.
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