September 19, 1964, with the series ending with the 28th episode of season three being broadcast on April 15, 1967, showing on NBC Saturday nights 7:30–8:00 pm, making 88 episodes in total. NBC continued broadcasts with repeats from season three until September 1967. One episode (episode three in season one, called "SOS Dolphin") was filmed earlier in 1964 as a pilot immediately after the filming of Flipper's New Adventure was completed. Brian Kelly appeared in all 88 episodes, Luke Halpin was in 85, and Tommy Norden was in 84. Later, reruns of the first two seasons aired January 1968 – June 1968, NBC, Sunday 6:30–7:00 pm and June 1968 – September 1968, NBC, Sunday 7:00–7:30 pm. In its debut season in the 1964–65 United States network television schedule, Flipper was a considerable ratings success, rating in the top 25, especially going up against the long-standing and popular The Jackie Gleason Show on CBS. Ratings declined only slightly in season two 1965–66 United States network television schedule buoyed by its proximity to NBC's popular new Saturday night shows I Dream of Jeannie and Get Smart. Ratings fell sharply in season three against a strong rise in ratings for Gleason's show. Characters and cast Animal cast Flipper is a bottlenose dolphin and the companion animal of the Ricks family. Flipper is an extraordinarily intelligent dolphin that helps enforce regulations in the preserve, assists Porter Ricks with rescues at sea, and keeps a watchful eye on Sandy and Bud, whom he has rescued or helped rescue from danger on numerous occasions. Flipper was portrayed by five different dolphins; the most commonly used ones were named "Kathy" and "Susie". Pelican Pete, a pelican, who was depicted in the original movie as Sandy's pet before he met Flipper, had a recurring role on the show, and appeared in several episodes. Other animals appearing on the show included a Chesapeake Bay Retriever named Spray (real name was Chobee from Okeechobee, Florida) (seen only in a few early episodes), a seal, a baby elephant, alligators, a female albino dolphin (whose baby Flipper fathered during her only appearance, in the "White Dolphin" episode), and another female dolphin, introduced at the end of the second season, dubbed "Lorelei" by the Ricks family. Lorelei became Flipper's "girlfriend". Human cast Porter Ricks: Brian Kelly fills the show's moral center with his portrayal of Porter Ricks, a loving father, conscientious government employee,