J. Fred Muggs (born March 14, 1952) is a chimpanzee born in the African colony of French Cameroon that forms part of modern-day Cameroon. Brought to New York City before his first birthday, he was bought by two former NBC pages and eventually appeared on a host of television shows on that network including NBC's Today Show where he served as mascot from 1953 to 1957. Muggs worked in several television shows including a short-lived eponymous series, toured the world and worked at Busch Gardens in Tampa, Florida. He officially retired at age 23.
Life and career
Muggs was born in French Cameroon. He first became popular when he was in Henry Trefflich's pet store in New York; a "name that chimp" contest led to his being named Mr. Muggs, to which the Today Show later added "J. Fred". Carmine "Bud" Mennella and Leroy "Roy" Waldron, former NBC pages, bought him for $600 when he was 10 months old, and Mennella trained him. He appeared on the Perry Como Show and Pat Weaver of the Today Show saw potential in him; Mennella had an appointment with NBC executives for Muggs to audition for the Today Show, but missed it; however, Muggs' antics in a coffee shop led the president of the network to offer him a contract anyway.
thumb|left|Muggs (left) and companion, Phoebe B. Beebe, with [[Dave Garroway, 1954]]
The Today Show had begun in 1952, with Dave Garroway as host, but was doing poorly. The introduction of a chimpanzee caused Jim Fleming, the original newsreader, to quit; he was replaced by Frank Blair. However, the addition of Muggs boosted ratings and helped win advertisers; the program's producer, Richard Pinkham, once estimated Muggs had brought the network $100 million. Muggs sat in Garroway's lap, mastered more than 500 words, and had a wardrobe of 450 outfits. He "read" the day's newspapers, imitated Popeye and played the piano with Steve Allen. as a star, he was called on to open supermarkets and commission US Navy ships. and as "throwing legendary tantrums". At the press conference announcing his addition to the show, Muggs yanked Garroway's glasses off. He was restrained in a harness and leash, but sometimes escaped: during one remote broadcast he climbed a tree and had to be lured down with bananas, and in Beirut an associate producer had to chase him in her underwear down a hotel hallway. Though Gerald Preis told Hagan that this story was a "tabloid rumor" and "just plain bullshit.",
Muggs's handlers at one point sued Garroway in the chimp's name for allegedly ruining Muggs's career by claiming to have been bitten by him; Supposedly, Muggs bit editor Al Feldstein.
Muggs was associated with Mad in another way, when the magazine ran an article titled "The Dave Garrowunway Show". This article focused on the chimpanzee, whom writer Harvey Kurtzman named "J. Floyd Gluggs", and his apparent ambition to take over "Garrowunway's" spot as anchor. Sure enough, by the end of the article, with "Garrowunway" rapping rudely on the window from outside the building, "Gluggs" appears in Garroway's familiar closing pose, in suit, glasses and lavalier microphone, saying "vootie" in place of the anchor's tagline "Peace," with his right palm thrust forward. The caption reads, "By George...we've warned Garrowunway to watch out..."
Today interrupted its coverage of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation (which involved slightly delayed still pictures and BBC radio audio) with foolery and advertising for tea, featuring Muggs.
Muggs went on a world tour to promote Today; in Japan, where his popularity was second only to that of Marilyn Monroe, 15 geishas waited on him, He then worked at Busch Gardens in Tampa, Florida, and appeared on Good Morning America (on ABC) to celebrate his 23rd birthday, before retiring. And in the 1994 film Quiz Show, chronicling the infamous quiz show scandal of the late 1950s, actor Ralph Fiennes as Twenty-One champion Charles Van Doren—shown being offered a regular job on Today—says to the Dave Garroway character (played by Barry Levinson), "I hope you're not firing the chimp!"
See also
- List of individual apes