Me Cheeta

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by Cheeta


  chimpanzees, 25–26 (see also Cheeta; Stroheim)

  deaths of, 133, 186, 199, 253, 298

  dogs, 86, 117, 224, 243 (see also Rin Tin Tin)

  elephants, 127, 158, 193, 208, 221

  fate of, 127, 133, 164, 186, 208, 253, 275–76, 298

  horses, xii, 17, 186, 199, 224, 266, 298

  MGM and, 30–31, 104–5

  MGM lion, 94

  snakes, 42–43, 224

  animals in research labs, 79–80, 83, 86, 92, 163, 279

  in space research, 269–70

  Aquacade, 177, 197, 200–201

  Arcadia studio, 225, 227, 230

  Archibald the Boa Constrictor, 224

  Last Slither, The, 224

  Shirley and Archibald, Slithering Sleuths, 224

  Slithering Sleuths and the Grand Coulee Dam Mystery, 224

  Slithering Sleuths, Trouble in Heaven, 224

  Arlington, Martin, 100, 102, 103, 107, 110, 157

  Arnst, Bobbe, 141–42, 165, 245

  Ashley, Lady Sylvia, 128, 129, 130, 135

  Asta (dog), 86

  Astaire, Fred, 80, 187, 298

  Astor, Mary, 108, 140, 178

  Attenborough, Dickie, 3–10, 299

  Atwill, Lionel, 128, 177, 198, 207

  Autry, Gene, xii, 150

  Axelrod, George, 18

  Bacall, Lauren, xv, 85, 171, 297

  Baer, Max, 151

  sexual relationship with Lupe Vélez, 151

  Balboa Boy Club, 150

  Bankhead, Tallulah, 140

  Barker, Lex, 192

  Barrymore, John, xv, 107–8, 113, 115, 198

  Barrymore, Lionel, 107–8, 140, 171

  Barstow, California, 270, 275–76, 282

  bears (various species), 219, 298

  Bed of Roses, 136

  Beery, Wallace, 17, 106, 113, 114, 186

  Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla, 83, 263–64

  Benchley, Robert, 80, 83, 150

  Bennett, Constance, 33, 135–41, 150, 168, 286

  Bergman, Ingrid, 242

  Berlin, Irving, 136

  Beverly Management Corporation, 239

  Bickford, Charles, 127

  B’nai B’rith Temple, Wilshire Blvd., 185

  Bogart, Humphrey, xv, 63, 149, 150, 167, 168, 169, 170, 281, 286, 297

  Bogart, Mayo Methot, 150, 167, 169, 170

  Bond, Ward, 150, 167, 168, 172, 245

  Bonzo, 39, 40–41, 44, 53, 57, 66, 71, 75, 76, 78, 79, 82

  Borzage, Frank, 199, 230, 245

  Bow, Clara, 115, 221

  Boyer, Charles, 108

  Brando, Marlon, 162

  Brian, Mary, 118

  Bringing Up Baby, 86

  Broder, Jack, 263

  Bruce, Nigel, 17–18

  Burns, George, 62

  Burton, Richard, 4

  Buscemi, Steve, 299

  Cabot, Bruce, 151

  sexual relationship with Lupe Vélez, 151

  Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas, 272–74, 293

  Cagney, James, 85, 203–4, 281

  Calhern, Louis, 18, 101

  Californian Country Club, 132

  Carroll, Earl, 123

  Casting Couch, The, 134

  Castle Combe, Wiltshire, England, 3–10

  Catalina Island, 150, 230, 271

  Catholic League of Decency, 111, 119

  Celeste, Olga, 86

  CGI (Computer Generated Imagery), 85, 98, 138–39

  Champion the Wonder Horse, xii, 17

  Chaplin, Charlie, 63, 65, 96, 125, 151, 189, 205, 216, 263, 271

  autobiography of, xiii

  Cheeta and, 176–84

  mansion of, 176

  salons in Beverly Hills, 7–8, 176–82

  sexual relationship with Lupe Vélez, 151

  Charge ofthe Light Brigade, The, 133, 186, 199, 298

  Chasen’s, 33

  Cheeta

  adopted by Don Westfall, 277–80, 282

  in the African wild, pre-capture, 11–27

  age and longevity of, 173, 222, 280–82, 295, 296

  bananas and, 33–34, 37–38, 76

  at Barstow, California with Tony Genry, 270, 276–80

  in Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla, 263–64

  Beryl Weissmuller’s antipathy toward, 213–14, 217, 231–39

  birth date, official, 46

  biting by, 29, 51–52, 74, 101, 188, 203, 223–24, 225, 226, 233, 252

  black mamba incident, 42–46, 79

  caged in Gentry’s care, 264

  caged in MGM menagerie, 140, 197, 199, 214

  caged in Selig Park zoo, 224, 234, 253–56, 262, 265

  capture of, 26–27

  Charlie Chaplin and, 176–84

  at C.H.E.E.T.A.(Casa de Cheeta), 280–86, 294–97 (see also C.H.E.E.T.A.)

  chimpanzees captured with, 30–31

  chimpanzees working with, post-Tarzan career, 260–61, 262–63, 267, 270

  cocaine and Constance Bennett, 138, 140, 168

  compared to Chaplin, xiii

  compared unreliability of, 3–302

  at Constance Bennett’s home, 135–41

  depression of, 254–56

  diabetes of, 109, 281–82

  in Doctor Dolittle, 3–10, 270, 276, 288

  drinking alcohol, 18, 19, 33, 39, 62, 64, 109, 113, 114, 135, 167–69, 180, 210, 230, 233, 248, 250–51, 284

  end of entertainment career, 276

  exported to America, 30–36, 37–46

  Fairbanks’Rolls-Royce and, 122–30

  fame of, xii, 224

  fan mail, 117–18, 209, 243

  fantasy Oscar acceptance, 297–301

  fear of water, 119, 122, 201, 251–52

  during filming of Doctor Dolittle, 3–10

  final Tarzan movie, 249–53

  hospice visits, 63, 173, 222

  as Jiggs, 52, 74, 81, 105

  Johnny Weissmuller and, 29, 88, 99, 101, 105, 106–16, 122–30, 132, 135–41, 149, 152–53, 155–56, 166, 169–75, 191–94, 195–96, 205–6, 213, 225, 231–39, 245–50, 271–72, 287–93, 295, 296

  at Lombard party, 106–16

  love for, 3–302

  at Marion Davies’party, 17–19

  Maureen O’Sullivan and, 29, 98, 101, 106, 107, 108, 110, 115–16, 118

  MGM and, 17, 64, 81, 85

  Mickey Rooney and, 46, 64

  movie career begins, 71–88

  movie reviews and accolades, 47, 113, 178, 211–12, 216, 227, 243

  in New York City, 47–69

  number of Weissmuller-Cheeta movies, 97

  offspring, 198, 224, 242, 254, 260, 282

  paintings by, xv, 241, 249, 259–60, 279, 280, 284, 294

  post-Tarzan career, Tony Gentry and, 256, 262–74, 297

  at sailing party, 166–73

  Cheeta (cont.)

  sees snow, 255–56

  sexual maturity and activity, 176–84, 198 (see also Del Río, Delores)

  smoking, 3–4, 6, 39, 62–63, 64, 107, 108, 135, 156, 167, 179, 183, 198, 224, 233, 240–42, 249, 253, 265, 278, 281, 284, 296

  as a survivor, 25, 83, 127, 144, 188, 209, 236

  taken out of cage by celebrities, 140, 177, 198–200, 222, 230

  in Tarzan movies, 29, 47–48, 91–93, 94–105, 109–13, 148, 156–66, 170, 178, 187–95, 201, 206–12, 214–17, 225–30, 243–44, 245–53, 276, 292, 294, 297, 301–2

  “Tarzo the Jungle Kings” show, 264–69

  training of, 34–36, 37–40, 51, 64, 74–76, 79, 103, 162–63, 216, 249–53

  tricks and mannerisms, 6, 64, 96, 100–101, 130, 148, 162, 169, 180, 216–17, 226, 261, 280

  C.H.E.E.T.A.(Casa de Cheeta), 62, 94, 168, 240–42, 259–60, 265, 280–86, 294–97

  Cheetarium, 285

  Chevalier, Maurice, 106

  chimpanzees in captivity, 9. See also C.H.E.E.T.A.(Casa de Cheeta)

  care of, 238

  chimpanzee-related entertainment, 210–11, 263–70


  masturbation, 55, 76, 104, 140, 182, 183, 271, 275, 288

  paintings by, 294

  pant-hoot behavior, 40, 56, 64, 77, 116, 130, 198, 203

  in research labs, 79–80, 83, 86, 92, 163, 279

  roadside zoos, 275–76

  stress behaviors, 73, 83, 104, 140

  training of, 74–76, 79, 103, 162–63

  using American Sign Language (ASL), 274

  at work for Tony Gentry, 260, 263–64

  chimpanzees in the wild, 11–17, 19–27, 222

  alpha males, 13, 16, 24, 30

  characteristics of, 14

  mating, 19–20

  pant-hoot behavior, 13, 15, 23

  Christian’s Hut, 230, 271

  Citizen Kane, 63

  Clift, Montgomery, 97

  Clinton, Hillary, 240

  Clooney, George, 298

  Clyde the orangutan, 253

  Cocoanut Grove, 230

  Cocteau, Jean, 80

  Cohn, Harry, 93, 117

  Colbert, Claudette, 109, 110, 113

  Colgate Comedy Hour, 263

  Colgate Variety Hour, 263

  Colman, Ronald, 18, 19, 29, 125, 140

  Columbo, Russ, 151

  sexual relationship with Lupe Vélez, 151

  Combe, Lady, 3, 4, 5, 9

  Conway, Jack, 92, 96, 97, 101, 102, 103, 107, 111, 112, 140, 156, 251

  Cooper, Gary, 36, 63, 106, 144, 151

  sexual relationship with Lupe Vélez, 151

  Cooper, Jackie, 113

  Cotten, Joseph, 63, 133–34, 173–74

  Crabbe, Buster, 200

  Crawford, Joan, 17, 93, 106, 125, 134–35, 162, 196, 197, 203, 226, 232, 233

  Crosby, Bing, 245

  Culver City Studios, 92, 98, 100, 101, 102, 214

  Davies, Marion, 17

  Davis, Bette, 63, 97

  Davis, Mildred, 66

  de Acosta, Mercedes, 108, 113–15

  de Havilland, Olivia, 133

  del Pablo, Juanita, 157

  del Río, Delores, 92, 107, 233, 267, 286, 298, 299

  the “trapdoor”incident, Cheeta’s refusal to discuss, 92

  Dempsey, Jack, 151, 152, 153

  sexual relationship with Lupe Vélez, 151

  De Niro, Robert, 261–62

  Desert Regional Medical Center Hospice, 63, 173, 222

  DiCaprio, Leonardo, 297

  Dickens, Charles, 84

  Dietrich, Marlene, vii, 93, 107, 111, 113, 114–15, 116, 124, 137, 139–40, 223, 225, 226, 233, 286, 298

  bitten by Cheeta, 223

  disdain for Weissmuller, Johnny, 110

  general awfulness of, 140

  ludicrous automobile of, 125

  omnisexual voraciousness of, 115

  DiMarco, Gabe, 37, 39, 40, 44, 45, 46, 48–49, 50, 53, 79

  Discovery Channel, 9, 19, 21, 36, 46, 139, 153

  Doctor Dolittle, 3–10, 270, 276, 288

  dolphin, 298

  “Don”. See Westfall, Don

  Don the Beachcomber’s, 230

  Douglas, Kirk, 84, 189

  Douglas, Melvyn, 18, 101

  Douglas, Patricia, 224–25

  Dressler, Marie, 102, 140

  Driscoll, Bobby, 163

  DuMart, Edna, 150

  Dunne, Irene, 222

  Durante, Jimmy, 123, 151

  sexual relationship with Lupe Vélez, 151

  Durbin, Deanna, 43, 133–34

  dwarfs, 123, 128

  East of Java, 127

  Ed Sullivan, 263

  Einstein, Albert, 178–79

  Eisenstein, Sergei, 177

  Emma, the elephant, 127, 158, 193, 208, 221

  Entertainment Weekly, 62

  Entwhistle, Peg, 163

  Every Which Way But Loose, 253

  Fairbanks, Douglas, 93, 106, 122, 127–30, 131, 133, 135, 136, 139, 151

  sexual relationship with Lupe Vélez, 151

  Fairbanks, Douglas, Jr., 150, 151

  Farrow, John, 156, 159, 187, 272

  Farrow, Mia, 28, 161

  Faulkner, William, 135

  Ferrer, Mel, 298

  Fields, W.C., 17, 244

  fish, 220–21, 299

  Fitzgerald, Barry, 121, 209

  Fitzgerald, F. Scott, 18, 140

  Fleming, Victor, 151

  sexual relationship with Lupe Vélez, 151

  Florey, Robert, 250, 251, 252

  Flynn, Errol, xvi, 123, 133, 149–50, 167, 169, 171, 186, 198–200

  cruelty to animals, 171, 199

  cruelty to women, 198–99

  decline into alcoholism, 200

  sexual relationship with Lupe Vélez, 151

  Fonda, Henry, 108, 150

  Fonda, Jane, xiii, 299

  Fox Hills Country Club, 249

  Francis, Kay, 93, 209–10

  Frederick (chimp), 11, 26, 30, 31, 39, 40–41, 50, 71, 75, 79, 80, 83, 87–88, 95, 98, 103

  Funky Jungle Disco!, 283

  Gable, Clark, 93, 115, 127, 135, 150, 221

  Garbo, Greta, xv, 109, 164, 259

  Garden of Allah, 80, 83

  Gardner, Ava, 85, 93

  Garland, Judy, 135

  Gately, Mr.(animal trainer), 74–75, 78, 81–83, 86–87, 95, 98, 99, 101, 103, 104, 105, 140, 156, 159, 162–63, 198, 210, 212, 216, 249, 252, 253

  Gaucho, The, 146

  Gentry, Tony, 26, 37, 38, 40, 41, 43, 44, 45, 48–49, 50–53, 54, 58, 65, 76, 81, 160, 256, 260, 262–80, 284, 297

  Gerguson, Harry F., 18

  Gibbons, Cedric, 87–88, 92, 97, 107, 112, 251, 299

  the “trapdoor incident,” 299

  Gilbert, John, xv, 108, 136, 150, 151, 164

  sexual relationship with Lupe Vélez, 151

  Gish, Lillian, 200

  Gleason, Jackie, 263

  Goddard, Paulette, 18, 19, 176

  Goldwyn, Sam, 43, 93, 133

  Gone With the Wind, 189

  Goodall, Jane, xv, 84, 85, 98, 138, 139, 230, 285

  gorillas, 219

  Grant, Cary, 87, 106, 176, 188, 189

  Great Dictator, The, 216

  Greenstreet, Sydney, 263

  Griffith Park zoo, 124, 125

  Guinness World Records, 62, 285

  Hanks, Tom, 297

  Hardy, Oliver, 187

  Hargitay, Mickey, 164

  Harlow, Jean, 101, 118, 222, 255

  Harrison, Rachel, 3–10

  Harrison, Rex, 3–10, 254

  Hawks, Howard, 85

  Hawn, Goldie, 299

  Hayward, Leland, 150

  Haywood, Rita, 286

  Healy, Ted, 186

  not murdered by Wallace Beery, 186

  Hearst, William Randolph, 18

  Heflin, Van, 286

  Henreid, Paul, 19

  Hepburn, Katharine, xiv, 86, 150, 167, 168, 169, 173, 188, 204–5, 286

  Heston, Charlton, 299

  Hitchcock, Alfred, 84, 298

  Holiday, 176

  Hollywood, 82

  child actors, 148

  film censorship, 111, 119, 127, 157

  Golden Age, 71, 85–86, 93, 98, 123, 133

  as a jungle, 253–54

  rule of, 104

  sailing set, 149–50, 167

  star hangouts, 230

  studios and studio heads, 93, 108, 117, 133

  Hollywood Athletic Club, 119

  Hollywood Canteen, 223

  Hollywood Film Daily, 211

  Hollywood Palace, The, 263

  Hollywood Reporter, 178

  Holt, Harry, 100, 103, 107, 157

  Hope, Bob, 263

  Hopkins, Anthony, 261

  performance as Bligh superior to Cheeta’s, 261

  Hopkins, Miriam, 207

  Hopper, Hedda, 108, 133–34

  Hotel Los Flamingos, Acapulco, 244, 245–50, 288–89

  Howard, Leslie, 242

  Howard, Trevor, 261

  performance as Bligh superior to Cheeta’s, 261

  Howdy Doody,
210

  Hudson, Rock, 245

  Hume, Benita, 29

  Huston, John, 127, 198, 236, 286

  Huxley, Aldous, 177

  iguanas, blue, 219–20

  Illinois Athletic Club, 131, 238

  Inherit the Wind, 164

  Intermezzo, 242

  It Ain’t No Sin, 126

  Jackie the MGM lion, 94, 124, 128, 130, 132, 137

  Jazz Singer, The, 243

  Jeeter (son of Cheeta), 242, 260, 282

  Jehlinger, Chris, 273

  Johnson, Jack, 151

  sexual relationship with Lupe Vélez, 151

  Johnson, Nunnally, 150, 168, 170, 171, 286

  Jones, Jennifer, 236

  Joyce, Brenda, xvi, 226, 244, 268

  Jungle Jim, 268–69

  Kelly, Grace, 250, 288

  Keyes, Evelyn, 140, 198, 236

  Kigoma, Africa, 27, 30–32, 36, 72

  King Kong, 59–60, 125, 169, 299

  Koko (chimp), 294

  Kubrick, Stanley, 181

  La Cava, Greg, 136

  Laemmle, Carl, 93

  Lahr, Bert, 151

  Lake, Veronica, 8

  Lakeside Country Club, 132

  Lamarr, Hedy, 18, 135

  Lamas, Fernando, 182, 207

  Lancelot Link the Secret Chimp, 210

  Lanchester, Elsa, 203, 206

  Landis, Carole, 8

  Lanier, “Legs,” 245

  La Perla restaurant, 248, 249, 250

  Lassie Come Home, 224

  Laughton, Charles, 164, 203, 206, 261

  sexual relationship with Lupe Vélez, 151

  Laurel, Stan, 187

  Lawrence, Florence, 163

  Leaves of Grass (Whitman), 80

  Leigh, Vivian, 237

  leopards, 163, 208, 219

  Lesser, Sol, 170, 223, 224, 225, 227, 246, 253

  “Let us with zest drink deep the draught”(Richardson), 173–74

  Levene, Warwick, 150, 151

  Lewis, Jerry, 263

  Liberchimpski (chimp), 210

  Lightning Warrior, The, 243

  Lightyear, Buzz, 84, 173

  Little Pierre (chimp), 269

  Lloyd, Harold, 65–67

  golfcourse at Greenacres, 65–66, 122

  Lolita, 181

  Lombard, Carole, 105

  death of, 221

  party thrown by, 106–16

  Loren, Sophia, 189

  Lorre, Karen, 150, 173

  Lorre, Peter, 150, 166–67, 173, 286, 299

  Los Angeles Country Club, 106

  Louis, Joe, 272

  Loy, Myrna, 18, 93

  Lugosi, Bela, 178

  Luna Park Zoo, 125, 186, 198

  macaques (rhesus monkeys), 54, 55–57, 58, 79, 80, 204, 209, 211, 260, 270, 284–85

  MacMurray, Fred, 230, 245

  Mannicher, Captain, 37, 39, 40, 41, 43, 44, 45, 46, 62

  Mannix, Eddie, 134, 141, 142, 147, 165, 175, 186

  bullying, 175

  cover-ups, 165

  deceits, 142

  lies, 142

  villainy, 186

 

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