Me Cheeta
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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