Me Cheeta
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wickedness, 134
Mansfield, Jayne, 164, 271–72
March, Fredric, 108, 140, 182
Mark of Zorro, The, 131
Marquis Chimps, 210, 269
Marx, Chico, 101
Marx, Groucho, 189
Marx, Harpo, xiii
Marx Brothers, 187
Mary the rhino, 97, 103, 163
Mata Hari (chimp), 269
Maurice the lion, 127, 164
Maxine the baboon, 283
Mayer, Louis B., 30, 42, 81, 86, 93, 118, 121, 125, 133, 138, 141, 163, 170, 185, 198, 200, 202, 212, 216, 217, 224, 298
McCain, John, 240
sexual relationship with Lupe Vélez, 151
McCourt, Frank, 84
McCrea, Joel, 108
McDaniel, Hattie, 189
McKim, Jo, 111
Me (Hepburn), xiv
Meet the Fockers, 261
Melville, Herman, 84
Merman, Ethel, xv
MGM (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) Studio, 95, 123
animals captured for, 30–31, 42
animals in films, 127
Central Casting Office, 70–71
Cheeta owned by, 17, 64, 81, 85
death of Carole Lombard and, 221
in Golden Age of Hollywood, 71
grooming of stars, 85–86
Johnny Weissmuller loaned to Billy Rose’s Aquacade, 177
Johnny Weissmuller’s marriage to Bobbe Arnst and, 141–42, 165
lets option lapse on Tarzan movies, 223, 224
lion (Jackie), 94, 124
Lupe Vélez and, 144
menagerie at, 104–5, 123, 186, 197, 214
motto, 93–94
publicist for, 48, 118, 134
publicity stunts, 118, 126
rape of Patricia Douglas coverup, 224–25
Stroheim and, 25
Tarzan movies, 97
use of live animals, 98 (see also specific movies)
Midsummer Night’s Dream, A, 148
Miller, Marilyn, 137
Mitchell, Duke, 263
Mitchum, Robert, 281, 297
Mix, Tim, 151
sexual relationship with Lupe Vélez, 150
Motion Picture Herald, 211
Mr. Moke (chimp), 269
Muggs, J. Fred (chimp), 210, 269
Murder, My Sweet, 77–78
National Enquirer, 287
National Geographic Channel, 139, 162
Navarro, Ramón, 123, 151
sexual relationship with Lupe Vélez, 151
Negri, Pola, 140
Nero the Great (chimp), 269
Newport Beach Yacht Club, 150, 171, 173
New York City, 47–69
in the Great Depression, 48–49
New York Times, 47, 211, 216, 227
Nicholson, Jack, 62
Niven, David, 123–30, 133, 136, 137, 150, 184, 186, 198, 223–24, 228, 286, 297
No Freaking Way: Drugs Are Wack, 283
No Reel Apes, xv, 57, 84, 138
foolishness of, 138
website, 85, 98, 139
Obama, Barack, 240
sexual relationship with Lupe Vélez, 151
Oberon, Merle, 119, 237
O’Hara, Maureen, 203, 223, 225–26, 233
denunciation by Cheeta, 226
mildly slighting remark about Weissmuller, Johnny, 225
Olivier, Sir Laurence, 237
O’Neill, Eugene, 7
Osmond, Donny, xii
O’Sullivan, Maureen, xvi, 108, 109, 212, 226, 272, 286, 298
character and personality, 28, 118, 156–57, 161, 187
complex relationship of Cheeta with, 28–29, 98, 101, 106, 107, 108, 110, 115–16, 118, 163, 233, 252
fan mail, 118, 209
publicity stunts, 118–19
semiretirement, 216
star on Walk of Fame, xii
in Tarzan and His Mate, 28, 87–88, 91–93, 111–12, 115
in Tarzan Escapes, 156–61
Palm Springs, California, xi, 57, 63, 84, 192, 222, 240, 255, 265, 280, 286, 294 (see also C.H.E.E.T.A.)
Eldercare Center, 240, 260
Pal the collie (Lassie), 224, 243
Paramount Pictures, 107, 227, 244
Parsons, Louella, 108, 133
Pelzer, Dave, 84
Penn, Sean, 297, 298, 299, 300
Petrillo, Sammy, 263
Pfaelzer, Marjorie L., 225
Photoplay magazine, 143–44, 156, 165
Pickford, Mary, 130, 151
Pidgeon, Walter, 18
Pirate Shack, 230
Portrait of Jennie, 298
Powell, Dick, 77
Powell, William, 106, 222
Quinn, Anthony, 151
sexual relationship with Lupe Vélez, 151
Raft, George, 26
Rainforest Detective Agency, 283
Rathbone, Basil, 17, 106, 113
rats, 238
Raye, Thelma, 29
Redford, Robert, 299
Remarque, Erich Maria, 151
sexual relationship with Lupe Vélez, 151
Rex the Wonder Dog, 117, 164, 209
Rex the Wonder Horse, 17
Richardson, Edward Robins, 173–74
Rin Tin Tin, 117, 224, 243
RKO, 25, 64, 85, 245
acquires Tarzan movies, 223, 224
longevity of Tarzan movies at, 242–43, 244
scriptwriters at, 225
Robbins, Tim, 298
Robinson, Edward G., 108, 151, 189
sexual relationship with Lupe Vélez, 151
Rogers, Ginger, 140, 187
Rogers, Roy, xii, 187–88, 224
Roland, Gilbert, 137–38, 151
sexual relationship with Lupe Vélez, 151
Romanoff’s restaurant, 18
Rooney, Mickey, 46, 64, 85, 148–49, 189–90, 286, 298
Roos, Bö, 150, 152, 164, 230, 234, 236, 239, 244, 245, 273, 274, 292
close friendship with Hollywood clients, 230
close friendship with Weissmuller, Johnny, 230
exploitation of clients’ignorance, 164
habit of using clients’funds to make investments of his own, 274
Roosevelt, Franklin D., 244
Rose, Billy, 177, 200
Roulien, Tosca, 127
not “killed”by Clark Gable, 127
“killed”by John Huston, 127
Roy Rogers & Dale Evans Museum, 266, 282
Russell, Jane, 222
Sanctuary. See C.H.E.E.T.A.(Casa de Cheeta)
Sanders, George, 29–30, 108, 110, 112, 113–14, 115, 116
caddishness of, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116
Sarandon, Susan, 300
Sardi’s, 63, 271
Schenk, Joe, 136
Scott, Randolph, 150
sexual relationship with Lupe Vélez, 150
Screen Dreams magazine, 101
seals, 219
Selig Park Zoo, 224, 234, 253, 254, 262, 265
snow falls at, 255–56
Seltzer, Margaret, 84
Selznick, David, 125, 298
Selznick, Myron, 136
Shearer, Norma, 30, 101, 271
Sheffield, Johnny, 47, 148, 190, 235, 247
Skelton, Red, xvi, 64, 150, 151, 152, 196, 205, 230, 245, 263
sexual relationship with Lupe Vélez, 151
unfunniness of, 64, 150, 151, 152, 196, 205, 245, 263
Smith, C. Aubrey, 108
Sports Illustrated, xi
Squeakers the orangutan, 283, 296
Stanwyck, Barbara, 204
Stein, Gertrude, 140
Sten, Anna, 43
Sternberg, Josefvon, 107
Strickling, Howard, 48, 118–19, 126, 134, 147
Stroheim (chimp), 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 19, 22, 24, 25–26, 30, 33, 34, 39–42, 43, 72–73, 74, 75, 76–78, 81, 82, 83, 86, 88, 95, 264, 275–76
Swanson, Gloria, 17, 48, 97, 108, 159, 186
“Talk to the A
nimals,” 4, 6, 7
Tarzan and His Mate, 28, 29, 91–93, 94–105, 118, 148, 157, 163, 169, 259, 295
nude swimming scene, 111–12
screening at Lombard’s, 109–13
Tarzan and the Amazons, 242–44, 259
Tarzan and the Huntress, 244, 248, 276
Tarzan and the Leopard Woman, 109–10, 242, 244, 296
Tarzan and the Mermaids, 245–53
Tarzan Collection, The, 294
Tarzan Escapes, 97, 156–66, 178, 185, 212, 296
Tarzan Finds a Son!, 127, 175, 184, 187–95, 196, 208, 209
Tarzan movies
Boy, xii, 9, 47, 148, 190, 192, 202, 208, 214–17, 224, 229, 247
Cheeta in, 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
decline in quality, 228–30
dialogue of, 131, 185–86
filming locations, 92, 94, 98, 100–101, 102–3, 156, 214, 225, 227
final frame, 170
foreign sales, 223
Jane, 9, 187–88, 192–94, 207–8, 212, 214–17, 224, 225, 228, 243–44, 247, 272
Jane’s Law, 29, 256, 287–93
jungle family of, xii, 47, 91–93, 112
Lesser and, 223, 224, 227
number of Weissmuller-Cheeta movies, 97
Tarzan movies (cont.)
passed from MGM to RKO, 223
Weissmuller-Cheeta relationship in, 29
Tarzan’s Desert Mystery, 226–30
Tarzan’s New York Adventure, 47, 212, 214–17, 221, 292, 297
“hotel room”sequence, 216–17
Tarzan’s Secret Treasure, 121, 201–2, 206–12, 214, 292
“drunk/postage-stamps-on-foot-then-hand sequence,” 210
Tarzan the Ape Man, 87, 123, 301–2
Tarzan Triumphs, 222, 225–26
“Tarzo the Jungle Kings”show, 264–69
Taylor, Elizabeth, 299
Taylor, Robert, 204
TCM (Turner Movie Channel), 242
Temple, Shirley, 17, 224
Thalberg, Irving, 30, 31, 32, 42, 43, 95, 121, 131, 140, 163, 170, 185–86, 252
Three Stooges, 186
tigers, 217, 219, 220, 267
Tone, Franchot, 108
Toots Shor’s restaurant, 175
Toronto Star, 211
Tracy, Spencer, 150, 164, 226
Trefflich, Henry, 48, 50–56, 67, 69, 76, 79, 211, 262
animals imported by, 54
Trigger, xii, 188, 224, 266, 282
overratedness of, 224
Trocadero Restaurant, 186
Tropics on Rodeo Drive, 230
Tucker, Forrest, 150
Turner, Lana, 192, 245
Twain, Mark, 222
Twelvetrees, Clark, 203
Twelvetrees, Helen, 203, 235
Twentieth Century-Fox Studio, 127
20th Century Limited, 71
Tyrone (chimp), 12, 21, 26, 30, 31, 33, 34, 57–58, 66, 71, 72, 73–74, 76, 78, 80, 82, 83
Universal Studios, 133
Van Gogh, Vincent, 84
Vanities, 123
Variety, 178, 211–12, 243
Vélez, Lupe, 106, 109, 141, 142, 143–75, 177, 185, 195–96, 204, 214, 226, 244, 245, 271, 292
Walk of Fame, xii, 286
“Walk of Stars,” xii
Walsh, Raoul, 150
WAMPAS (Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers’), 176–77, 198
Warner, Harry, 117
Warner, Jack, 35, 93, 117, 243
Warner Brothers Studio, 42, 85, 93, 148, 186, 199
Rin Tin Tin and, 243
War of the Worlds, 176
Watts, Naomi, 138
Wayne, John “Duke,” xvi, 93, 150, 221, 230, 245, 286
yacht “sailed” to Las Vegas, 150–52
Weissmuller, Allene, 245, 246–47, 248, 249, 293
Weissmuller, Beryl Scott, 56, 196–97, 201, 202–6, 212, 217, 244, 245, 292
Weissmuller, Heidi, 234, 273, 292
difficult, brieflife of, 239
Weissmuller, Johnny, 17, 18, 93, 109, 196
aging and last years of, xi–xii, 214, 225, 249, 287–93
alcoholism, 244
background, 99–100, 114, 120–21, 131, 145, 231
in Billy Rose’s Aquacade, 177, 197, 200–201
business failures, 273, 292–93
at Caesar’s Palace, 272–74, 293
character and personality, 131–33, 136, 148, 149, 165, 214, 223, 226, 239
Cheeta and, 29, 87–88, 99, 101, 105, 106–16, 122–30, 132, 135–41, 149, 152–53, 155–56, 166, 169–75, 177–82, 191, 195–96, 205–6, 213, 217, 231–39, 245–50, 271–72, 287–93, 295
childish handwriting of, 132
daughter, Heidi, 234, 273, 292
daughter, Wendy, 212, 223, 231, 234, 235
dog, Otto, 147, 159, 166, 167–68, 170, 172, 174, 175, 188, 209
earnings, 131, 164, 200
fan mail, 118, 209
first major stroke, 293
gives swimming lessons, 119–21
heart, broken by, see Roos, Bö;Vélez, Lupe;Weissmuller, Allene and Weissmuller, Heidi
home in Brentwood, 196
home in Mandeville Canyon, 132–33
home in Playa Mimosa, Acapulco, xi
home on Rockingham Avenue, 202–3, 206, 212, 217, 223, 231–39
home on Rodeo Drive (Casa Felicitas), 143, 165, 172, 175, 187
Hotel Los Flamingos and, 244, 245–50, 288–89
immigration to America, 37
jungle call, 91, 130, 204, 228, 252, 266
as Jungle Jim, 268–69
as lifeguard, 118, 121–22
marriage to Allene, 245, 246–47, 248, 249, 293
marriage to Beryl, 56, 196–97, 201, 202–6, 212–14, 231–39, 244, 245, 292
marriage to Bobbe, 141–42, 165, 245
marriage to “Legs”Lanier, 245
marriage to Lupe, 141, 142, 143–75, 177, 195–96, 204, 214, 239, 245, 271, 292
marriage to Maria, 287–93
number of Weissmuller-Cheeta
movies, 97
physique of, 101–2, 111, 295
pranks and jokes by, 100, 122–30, 159
product endorsements, 121
son, Johnny, 197, 212, 223, 231, 234–35
star on Walk of Fame, xii
in Swamp Fire, 244
in Tarzan and His Mate, 87–88, 91–93, 295
in Tarzan and the Amazons, 242–43
in Tarzan and the Huntress, 244
in Tarzan and the Leopard Woman, 242, 244
in Tarzan and the Mermaids, 245–53
in Tarzan Escapes, 156–66
Weissmuller, Johnny (cont.)
in Tarzan Finds a Son!, 188–94, 196, 208
in Tarzan’s Desert Mystery, 226–30
in Tarzan’s New York Adventure, 214–17
in Tarzan’s Secret Treasure, 201–2, 206–12
in Tarzan the Ape Man, 123
in Tarzan Triumphs, 225–26
voice of, 131, 135
World War II and, 221–23
yacht, Allure, 149, 167, 171
yacht, Santa Guadalupe, 149
Weismuller, Johnny, Jr., 197, 212, 223, 231, 234–35
difficult life of, 239
“Weissmuller,” Lisa, 288, 289.291
mental difficulties of, 288, 289, 291
substance abuse issues, 288, 289, 291
dishonest adoption of surname
“Weissmuller,” 288, 289, 291
Weissmuller, Maria, 287–93
undignified exploitation of dying
husband’s celebrity for financial
gain by, 287, 288, 289, 291, 292, 293
Weissmuller, Pete, 120–21
Weissmuller, Wendy, 212, 223, 231, 234, 235
difficult life of, 239
Welles, Orson, 176, 245
; Welles, Rita, 245
West, Mae, 126
Westfall, Don, xv, 11, 26–27, 57, 62, 63, 84, 85, 94, 109, 138, 173, 181, 189, 192, 211, 217, 222, 227, 238, 240, 255, 259, 270, 277–80, 282–86, 294, 295–96
mother of, 240–42, 260, 262, 286, 295–96
We Were Strangers, 236
Wheaties, 121
Wheeler, Bob, 121–22
White, Merrill, 251–53
Whitman, Walt, 80, 83
Williams, Esther, xvi, 197, 201, 204, 234
egomania of,
ingratitude toward Weissmuller, Johnny,
invaluable swimming lessons given by Weissmuller, Johnny,
malicious gossip about ex-husbands, lovers, colleagues, etc.
nauseatingly self-justifying autobiography of,
unsubstantiated libel against
Weissmuller, Johnny, in autobiography,
vow of revenge taken by Cheeta,
web reviews of autobiography, see page 234
World War II, 221–23, 242
Young, Loretta, 118, 153
hyprocrisy of, 118, 153
Zanuck, Darryl F., 93
Zippy the chimp, 210, 269
Zippy the Chimp books, 245
Zukor, Adolph, 93, 117
Praise for Me Cheeta
“Mr. Lever puts on a dazzling performance, using his wild conceit to give us an incisive, hilarious study of Hollywood folkways. His Cheeta is a cigarette-smoking, booze-guzzling, name-dropping, washed-up actor who preens over his modest accomplishments, dreams of being awarded an honorary Oscar, and swears like one of the sailors on the ship that brought him from Africa with a load of exotic animals in 1933. In other words, except for the Africa bit, the famous chimp is just the sort of garrulous, thoroughly entertaining character you might hope to find in a Hollywood retirement home…. Worth the price of admission alone: the recurring theme of Cheeta’s animus toward Charlie Chaplin…. They are finally reunited not long before Weissmuller’s death in 1984, the wheelchair-bound former King of the Jungle and the elderly chimp who had been his most faithful friend. The scene is a marvel: completely idiotic and wholly, throat-catchingly convincing. A million celebrities typing on a million keyboards would be hard-pressed to top Me Cheeta.”
— Wall Street Journal
“A lyrical and profane memoir-cum-love-story. The book is hilarious, catty, melancholy, and, occasionally, deep.”
—Washington Post
“As a premise, Me Cheeta is glorious. What wouldn’t be entertaining about the memoir of a chimpanzee, ghostwritten by James Lever, who witnessed Hollywood’s golden age and is more than willing to spill? Cheeta is one articulate primate, and he’s not afraid to dish.”
— Denver Post
“Cheeta has typed a rude, hilarious, and infectious memoir of Hollywood’s golden age…. The Hollywood spoofing is certainly entertaining, but Me Cheeta evolves into something grander: a broad, cutting satire on the differences between man and beast. Cheeta expresses gratitude to mankind for our longstanding operation to rescue animals from the dangers of their native habitats. He sees global warming as a brilliant plan to protect baby seals from malevolent polar bears. By the time Cheeta delivers his fantasy Oscar acceptance speech, we recognize more than a vestigial trace of Jonathan Swift in this chimp’s tale.”