Recollections of some memorable movie monkeyshines
As the old year was ending, we learned of the passing of a motion picture legend.
Perhaps you read, as well, that Tarzan’s sidekick in at least a score of films had passed away to join the other now-deceased stars of those famous flicks: Johnny Weissmuller, Maureen O’Sullivan and Johnny Sheffield.
This latest deceased wasn’t a person at all. He was a scene-stealing chimpanzee by the name of Cheetah, and he died in retirement in Palm Beach, Fla, where he had spent the past 50 years or so. They say he was 80 years old, but without a birth certificate, the precise date remains a matter of conjecture.
Certifiably, Cheetah was old at the time of his passing. And, as people said, the older he got, the meaner he got.
Mia Farrow, the actress and daughter of Maureen O’Sullivan, recalled often and ruefully her mother’s days on the Tarzan set, where she played Weissmuller’s significant other, Jane Parker. O’Sullivan, says Farrow, was frequently bitten by the chimp, whom she called “the little bastard.”
While Cheetah obviously loathed Jane, he apparently adored Weissmuller, tugging repeatedly at his loincloth, leading Jane to wonder (non-judgmentally) about the chimp’s sexual orientation.
But Debbie Cobb, a spokesperson at the retirement facility where Cheetah spent his final days, had a different take on the chimp’s personality. She claims that the animal was outgoing, loved finger-painting and liked to see people laugh. To Cobb, he seemed to be tuned into human feelings. Others at the facility said that Cheetah was quite friendly, except for those times when he would lose his temper and fling feces at people.
If you recall the Tarzan movies or have seen them recently on Ted Turner’s classic movie channel, you’ll agree that Cheetah looked like he’d be a wonderful pet, as he performed his signature backward somersaults and jumped on Tarzan’s back for one of those famous vine-swings through the jungle.
He was a crafty little scene-stealer all right, even grabbing the attention from one of Hollywood’s greatest character actors, Barry Fitzgerald, in one notable Tarzan flick. Any rude behavior, biting or feces-throwing, had been expertly removed and left on the cutting room floor. Fitzgerald’s feelings about playing second banana to a mean-tempered chimp are unrecorded.
The Tarzan movie people were no chumps in the chimp department. They knew that Cheetah was box-office gold for their productions. Many critics remarked that his acting surpassed that of the rather wooden Weissmuller, who won swimming medals in the Olympics but was never remotely considered for an Oscar.
Youngsters and grownups alike flocked to the nabes to watch Tarzan and Cheetah take on Nazis and other assorted villains, providing a nice diversion from the Depression and the war. We kids dreamed of having a pet just like that clever little chimp up there on the silver screen.
But would you really want a pet chimp that would attack without apparent cause and mutilate your face? That’s exactly what happened a couple of years ago to a Connecticut woman.
Chimps, on the evolutionary scale, are the animals most similar to ourselves, at least genetically.
They are bright enough to respond to many commands and possess some endearing traits: they express friendship and love by kissing, hugging and picking lice from a partner’s hair. Anthropologists tell us that they are closer in genetic makeup to humans than gorillas.
They are often used as surrogates for humans in medical research, to the chagrin of groups promoting animal rights. And you might remember that a chimp named Ham made a successful sub-orbital flight into space in 1961, three months before Alan Shepard’s historical mission.
Yes, chimps do much to instruct and entertain us, but it’s wise to remember that they are creatures of the wild, sometimes capable of violent and rude behavior. Even the prestigious Jane Goodall Institute, where the study of primates has achieved international acclaim, warns us not to treat them as pets.
One final factoid: chimps are not monkeys, despite some similarities. If a chimp hears you calling him one, make sure you are standing farther away than his throwing range.
In fact, that’s not bad advice as we enter a new year that features another presidential campaign: As stuff is thrown by chimps of every political stripe, be sure to keep your distance and avoid getting hit.
Dick Rossé is a 36-year veteran of Mutual and NBC News and is currently a member of the Delaware Speakers’ Bureau. He can be reached at drosse@aol.com.
