J. Fred Muggs facts for kids
J. Fred Muggs in 1954
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| Species | Common chimpanzee |
|---|---|
| Sex | Male |
| Born | March 14, 1952 French Cameroon |
| Occupation | Television personality |
| Years active | 1953–1975 |
J. Fred Muggs, born on March 14, 1952, is a famous chimpanzee. He was born in French Cameroon, which is now part of Cameroon in Africa. Before his first birthday, he came to New York City. Two former NBC employees bought him.
J. Fred Muggs became a television star. He appeared on many NBC shows, including the Today Show. He was the show's special mascot from 1953 to 1957. Muggs also worked on other TV shows, toured the world, and performed at Busch Gardens in Tampa, Florida. He officially retired when he was 23 years old. As of 2018, Muggs was still alive. Chimpanzees can live up to 70 years, but 50 years is more common for them.
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Becoming a TV Star
Muggs was born in French Cameroon. He first became popular at a pet store in New York. A contest was held to name him, and he was called Mr. Muggs. The Today Show later added "J. Fred" to his name.
Carmine "Bud" Mennella and Leroy "Roy" Waldron, who used to work for NBC, bought Muggs for $600. He was only 10 months old at the time. Mennella then trained him. Muggs appeared on the Perry Como Show. Pat Weaver from the Today Show saw how special he was.
Mennella had an audition for Muggs with NBC executives. He missed the meeting, but Muggs' funny actions in a coffee shop caught the attention of the network president. Muggs was offered a contract anyway! He first appeared on the Today Show on February 3, 1953. He was dressed in diapers, just like a baby.
Muggs Boosts Today Show Ratings
The Today Show started in 1952 with Dave Garroway as the host. At first, the show was not doing very well. When the chimpanzee was introduced, Jim Fleming, the original newsreader, decided to leave. Frank Blair replaced him.
However, adding Muggs to the show made its popularity soar! It helped the program get more viewers and attract advertisers. The show's producer, Richard Pinkham, once said that Muggs brought in about $100 million for the network.
Muggs often sat on Garroway's lap. He learned to understand more than 500 words. He also had a huge wardrobe of 450 different outfits! He would pretend to "read" the daily newspapers, copy the cartoon character Popeye, and even play the piano with Steve Allen.
Muggs' Popularity and Antics
Many products featured J. Fred Muggs. These included books, comic books, and games. As a big star, he was asked to open new supermarkets and even help launch US Navy ships.
Some people said that Dave Garroway was jealous of Muggs. There were rumors that Garroway would give Muggs something to make him misbehave. This was supposedly to make Garroway the center of attention again.
Many people also said that Muggs could be a bit naughty. He was described as a "nasty little monkey" and known for having "legendary tantrums." He supposedly learned that if he misbehaved when the red light was on (meaning the show was live), he wouldn't get in trouble. At the press conference where he was announced for the show, Muggs pulled Garroway's glasses off!
Muggs was usually kept on a harness and leash. But sometimes, he would escape! During one live broadcast from a different location, he climbed a tree. People had to use bananas to get him down. In Beirut, a TV producer had to chase him down a hotel hallway while wearing her underwear!
Famous Incidents
Many websites today mention that Muggs bit comedian Martha Raye on the arm. Even though one person said this was just a rumor, news reports from 1954 confirm the story. An NBC representative even said that the network would not punish Muggs for biting Martha Raye and her understudy.
At one point, Muggs' handlers even sued Garroway on behalf of the chimpanzee. They claimed Garroway ruined Muggs' career by saying Muggs had bitten him on the face during live TV.
In 1955, Muggs appeared on a game show called Make the Connection. He was with Joanne Cottingham, who was his babysitter. The game was for the panel to guess her relationship to the chimpanzee. But after Muggs was introduced, he ran all over the set! The host, Gene Rayburn, finally stopped the game. Cottingham was given the top prize of $150 by default.
Muggs the Artist
Muggs was also an artist! In 1958, one of his finger paintings was used as the cover of Mad #38. It is said that Muggs bit the editor, Al Feldstein.
Mad magazine also featured Muggs in another way. They ran an article called "The Dave Garrowunway Show." This article focused on the chimpanzee, whom the writer Harvey Kurtzman called "J. Floyd Gluggs." The story showed Gluggs wanting to take over Garroway's job as anchor. By the end of the article, "Gluggs" was sitting in Garroway's spot, wearing a suit and glasses. He even copied Garroway's famous closing pose.
International Fame and Retirement
The Today Show used Muggs to promote the show around the world. In Japan, he was incredibly popular, second only to Marilyn Monroe! There, 15 geishas waited on him. In Russia, a newspaper called Izvestia said he was "a symbol of the American way of life." They joked that he was needed so Americans wouldn't worry about rising taxes.
In 1957, Muggs was replaced on the show by another chimpanzee named Kokomo Jr.. NBC said Muggs wanted to "extend his personal horizons." He briefly starred in his own show, The J. Fred Muggs Show. After that, he worked at Busch Gardens in Tampa, Florida. He also appeared on Good Morning America (on ABC) to celebrate his 23rd birthday. Then, he retired.
As of January 12, 2012, Muggs and his "live-in girlfriend," Phoebe B. Beebe, were still alive. Phoebe also appeared on the Today Show. They were living in Citrus Park, Florida, cared for by Gerald Preis, who is the son of Muggs' original trainer. In 2004, Preis said that Muggs "has a little gray, mostly in his beard."
Legacy and Impact
For many years, TV Guide magazine had a special yearly feature. It highlighted the most questionable TV programs and moments. They called these "The J. Fred Muggs Awards for Distinguished Foolishness."
In the 1994 movie Quiz Show, which was about a famous game show scandal, the character of Charles Van Doren is offered a job on the Today Show. He asks the Dave Garroway character, "I hope you're not firing the chimp!" This shows how memorable J. Fred Muggs was.
See also
- List of individual apes
