The Chimp
Encyclopedia
The Chimp is a Laurel and Hardy
short film made in 1932. It was directed by James Parrott
, produced by Hal Roach
and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
.
. They first appear in a pantomime horse
and then as assistants to Destructo, a strongman. The circus goes bankrupt after the Big Top is destroyed when Laurel and Hardy cause Destructo's cannonball-catching act to go wrong. The circus can't pay them their wages so Oliver is given a gorilla
called Ethel and Stan a flea circus
as a pay off. Despite the film's title Ethel isn't a chimpanzee
. She is dressed in a ballet tutu
and hat. Stan and Oliver need to find a room to stay in overnight and they go to a guest house. The landlord
gives them a room but refuses to let Ethel stay. A lion
named MGM after the MGM lion has escaped from the circus. Stan and Oliver try to smuggle Ethel into their room whilst avoiding MGM. They decide to leave Ethel outside for the night and go to bed. They sleep in the same bed as in all Laurel and Hardy films. Stan falls out of bed and decides to sleep in the spare bed. Ethel climbs in through the window and gets into bed with Oliver. Ethel steals the blanket from Oliver so he decides to use the spare bed as well as Stan. They both begin to itch
and find that the flea circus has escaped into the bed. Another guest at the house puts some music on and Ethel begins to dance
. The landlord has a wife called Ethel and when Oliver tells the gorilla to stop dancing the landlord thinks his wife is in the room with Stan and Oliver. The landlord confronts Stan and Oliver with a pistol
. At the end the gorilla gets hold of the pistol and begins to shoot, scaring everyone out of the room.
Laurel and Hardy
Laurel and Hardy were one of the most popular and critically acclaimed comedy double acts of the early Classical Hollywood era of American cinema...
short film made in 1932. It was directed by James Parrott
James Parrott
James Parrott , was an American actor and film director; and the younger brother of film comedian Charley Chase.-Early years:...
, produced by Hal Roach
Hal Roach
Harold Eugene "Hal" Roach, Sr. was an American film and television producer and director, and from the 1910s to the 1990s.- Early life and career :Hal Roach was born in Elmira, New York...
and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer...
.
Plot
The comedy duo are working at a circusCircus
A circus is commonly a travelling company of performers that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other stunt-oriented artists...
. They first appear in a pantomime horse
Pantomime horse
A pantomime horse is atheatrical representation of a horse or other quadruped by two actors in a single costume who cooperate and synchronize their movements...
and then as assistants to Destructo, a strongman. The circus goes bankrupt after the Big Top is destroyed when Laurel and Hardy cause Destructo's cannonball-catching act to go wrong. The circus can't pay them their wages so Oliver is given a gorilla
Gorilla
Gorillas are the largest extant species of primates. They are ground-dwelling, predominantly herbivorous apes that inhabit the forests of central Africa. Gorillas are divided into two species and either four or five subspecies...
called Ethel and Stan a flea circus
Flea circus
A flea circus refers to a circus sideshow attraction in which fleas are attached to miniature carts and other items, and encouraged to perform circus acts within a small housing...
as a pay off. Despite the film's title Ethel isn't a chimpanzee
Chimpanzee
Chimpanzee, sometimes colloquially chimp, is the common name for the two extant species of ape in the genus Pan. The Congo River forms the boundary between the native habitat of the two species:...
. She is dressed in a ballet tutu
Ballet tutu
A tutu is a skirt worn as a costume in a ballet performance, often with attached bodice. It might be single layer, hanging down, or multiple layers starched and jutting out.There are several types of ballet tutu:...
and hat. Stan and Oliver need to find a room to stay in overnight and they go to a guest house. The landlord
Landlord
A landlord is the owner of a house, apartment, condominium, or real estate which is rented or leased to an individual or business, who is called a tenant . When a juristic person is in this position, the term landlord is used. Other terms include lessor and owner...
gives them a room but refuses to let Ethel stay. A lion
Lion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
named MGM after the MGM lion has escaped from the circus. Stan and Oliver try to smuggle Ethel into their room whilst avoiding MGM. They decide to leave Ethel outside for the night and go to bed. They sleep in the same bed as in all Laurel and Hardy films. Stan falls out of bed and decides to sleep in the spare bed. Ethel climbs in through the window and gets into bed with Oliver. Ethel steals the blanket from Oliver so he decides to use the spare bed as well as Stan. They both begin to itch
Itch
Itch is a sensation that causes the desire or reflex to scratch. Itch has resisted many attempts to classify it as any one type of sensory experience. Modern science has shown that itch has many similarities to pain, and while both are unpleasant sensory experiences, their behavioral response...
and find that the flea circus has escaped into the bed. Another guest at the house puts some music on and Ethel begins to dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
. The landlord has a wife called Ethel and when Oliver tells the gorilla to stop dancing the landlord thinks his wife is in the room with Stan and Oliver. The landlord confronts Stan and Oliver with a pistol
Pistol
When distinguished as a subset of handguns, a pistol is a handgun with a chamber that is integral with the barrel, as opposed to a revolver, wherein the chamber is separate from the barrel as a revolving cylinder. Typically, pistols have an effective range of about 100 feet.-History:The pistol...
. At the end the gorilla gets hold of the pistol and begins to shoot, scaring everyone out of the room.
Cast
- Stan LaurelStan LaurelArthur Stanley "Stan" Jefferson , better known as Stan Laurel, was an English comic actor, writer and film director, famous as the first half of the comedy team Laurel and Hardy. His film acting career stretched between 1917 and 1951 and included a starring role in the Academy Award winning film...
(Himself) - Oliver HardyOliver HardyOliver Hardy was an American comic actor famous as one half of Laurel and Hardy, the classic double act that began in the era of silent films and lasted nearly 30 years, from 1927 to 1955.-Early life:...
(Himself) - Tiny SandfordTiny SandfordStanley J. "Tiny" Sandford was a tall, burly actor who is best remembered for his roles in Laurel and Hardy and Charlie Chaplin films. He was usually cast as a comic heavy, and often played policemen, doormen, prizefighters, or bullies.Sandford was born in Osage, Iowa. After working in stock...
(Destructo) - Billy GilbertBilly GilbertBilly Gilbert was an American comedian and actor known for his comic sneeze routines. He appeared in over 200 feature films, short subjects and television shows starting in 1929. He is not to be confused with silent film actor Billy Gilbert Billy Gilbert (September 12, 1894 – September 23,...
(Landlord) - Charles GemoraCharles GemoraCharles Gemora was a former Hollywood makeup artist renowned as "the King of the Gorilla Men" for his prolific appearances in many Hollywood films while wearing a gorilla suit.-Biography:...
(Ethel the gorilla) - Jimmy FinlaysonJimmy FinlaysonJames Henderson "Jimmy" Finlayson was a Scottish actor who worked in both silent and sound comedies. Bald, with a fake moustache, Finlayson had many trademark comic mannerisms and is famous for his squinting, outraged, "double take and fade away" head reaction, and characteristic expression...
(Ringmaster) - Martha SleeperMartha SleeperMartha Sleeper was a silent film comedienne of the 1920s and Broadway actress of the 1940s.-Family:Martha Sleeper reputedly spent her first years on a sheep ranch in Wyoming. Her father, William B. Sleeper, was an official of the Keith-Albee-Orpheum vaudeville circuit in New York City...
(Ethel, landlords wife) - Belle Hare (Laid-off Circus Performer)
- George MillerGeorge Miller- Arts :*George Miller , Australian film and television screenwriter, film director, and producer*George T. Miller , Australian film and television director and producer*George Bures Miller , Canadian artist...
(Circus owner) - Bobby BurnsBobby BurnsBobby Burns was an American film actor and director. He appeared in 201 films between 1908 and 1952 as well as directing 13 films between 1915 and 1916....
(Tenant) - Jack HillJack HillJack Hill is an U.S. film director, noted for his work in the exploitation film genre. Despite this, several of Hill's later films have been characterized as feminist works.Hill was born in Los Angeles...
(Audience) - Lois Laurel (Audience)
- Baldwin CookeBaldwin CookeBaldwin Cooke, also known as Baldy Cooke , was a comedic American actor. Born in New York, Cooke and his wife, Alice, toured in vaudeville with Stan Laurel, remaining close friends over the years. He appeared in some thirty Laurel and Hardy comedies...
(minor role) - Dorothy LaytonDorothy LaytonDorothy Layton was an American film actress of the early 1930s.Born as Dorothy Ann Wannenwetsch in Cincinnati, Ohio, Layton was selected as one of the "WAMPAS Baby Stars" for 1932. Layton had a promising acting career and starred in eight films in 1932 and 1933, notably appearing several times...
(minor role)