Me Cheeta (39 page)

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

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 Animals,” 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