African Patrol

Lore & Background

African Patrol was created, directed, and produced by George Breakston, who had moved to Kenya in the early 1950s to film safari adventure features such as The Scarlet Spear and Golden Ivory. The series was a collaboration with American television producers Jack J. Gross and Philip N. Krasne, who also worked with Breakston on The Adventures of a Jungle Boy (1957). Filming took place entirely on location in Kenya over 15 months starting in January 1957, a departure from many contemporary series that used stock footage of African fauna.

Reader's Guide

African Patrol represents a specific moment in 1950s American television when independent production companies sought cheaper filming locations outside the United States, avoiding residuals and union wages. These 'runaway productions' gave audiences authentic backdrops, and the series was part of a popular genre nicknamed the 'Straw Hut Circuit.' Unlike most series that faked African settings, African Patrol was actually filmed in Kenya, lending it a documentary-like authenticity. The series starred John Bentley as Inspector Paul Derek, with Tony Blane as Parker and Glynn Davies as Lt. Greer. Its legacy lies in its pioneering use of real African locations for a syndicated television series, predating later trends in location-based adventure programming.

Did You Know?

• African Patrol was filmed on location in Kenya for 15 months beginning in January 1957.
• The series consists of 39 episodes.
• The unit's telephone number in the series is 1356.
• Producer George Breakston also filmed The Adventures of a Jungle Boy (1957) in Kenya with the same American producers.

A Place in South African Television

The South African television landscape has been documented since 1975, encompassing a vast catalogue of series both created domestically and imported from abroad. Within this broad ecosystem, programs like African Patrol find their context among the many productions that have aired on South African screens over the decades. The country's television history is not a single narrative but a layered one, reflecting the nation's complex social and political evolution. Series that have been produced or broadcast in South Africa span a wide range of genres and formats, and the official records that track them serve as a window into what audiences have watched and what creators have produced. African Patrol exists within this documented tradition of South African broadcasting, part of a continuum of storytelling that has shaped how the nation sees itself and the world around it.

Originals and Imports: A Dual Tradition

South African television has long operated on two parallel tracks: homegrown productions and foreign series brought to local audiences. The documented record of South African TV since 1975 reflects this dual heritage, with both locally created originals and imported foreign content forming the backbone of what viewers have watched. This means that a series like African Patrol is part of a broader conversation about identity in broadcasting — whether the stories told on screen originate from within the country or arrive from elsewhere. The inclusion of both categories in the same catalogue underscores that South African audiences have always had access to a diverse mix of narratives. Whether a show is a domestic creation or a foreign import, its place in the South African television canon is defined by its resonance with local viewers and its contribution to the cultural dialogue that unfolds through the medium.

Language as a Bridge

One of the defining features of South African television is the practice of dubbing foreign imports into local languages, making content accessible across the country's many linguistic communities. This tradition of localization means that series originally produced in other countries could reach South African audiences in languages they understood, from Afrikaans to the various Bantu languages. The documented history of South African broadcasting since 1975 reflects this commitment to linguistic inclusivity, with the catalogue encompassing not just English-language productions but content adapted for a multilingual audience. For a series situated within this landscape, the question of language and accessibility is central to its reach and impact. The existence of dedicated records for Afrikaans-language films alongside the broader television catalogue illustrates how language-specific content has always been a significant part of the South African media ecosystem, and African Patrol exists within that same tradition of making stories available across linguistic boundaries.

The Broadcast Ecosystem

The South African television industry has been shaped by a constellation of major broadcasters and platforms, including the SABC, Multichoice, and eTV, each contributing to the diverse programming available to viewers. These organizations have been the primary vehicles through which series — both local and imported — have reached South African households since the mid-1970s. The SABC, as a public broadcaster, has historically played a central role in shaping national programming, while Multichoice and eTV have expanded the landscape with satellite and digital offerings. The interplay between these broadcasters has created a competitive and dynamic environment in which series like African Patrol find their audience. The broader media ecosystem, which also encompasses film production in languages such as Afrikaans, demonstrates that television is one thread in a rich tapestry of South African storytelling, and the networks that carry these stories have been as important as the stories themselves in defining the nation's cultural identity.

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