Sunday, April 26, 2009

From Richard Reynolds

JOHN DANIEL - - Since 1918 this gorilla had been a London pet of an animal loving British lady, Miss Alyce (or Alyse) Cunningham.

She kept him in her apartment and from time to time showed him to the public in the London zoo. He proved that gorillas could survive given proper care and attention. Through trial and error, patience and perseverance Miss Cunningham learned the nuances of gorilla keeping.

Miss Cunningham’s methodology was later replicated by the original owners of both Gargantua and Toto.

In 1921 John Daniel was sold. His owner claimed that she did not know he was headed for a circus. But he was. Animal dealer and exhibitor John T. Benson, an Englishman by birth, made the arrangements that saw John Daniel delivered to Ringling-Barnum at the old Madison Square Garden in March 1921. He was the very first gorilla with an American circus

Right away he began to deteriorate and failed to survive the Garden date, dying there during April. His remains went to the American Museum of Natural History where they were received on April 18, 1921 and assigned catalogue no. 54084. However, that was not the end of Miss Cunningham’s gorilla story.

JOHN DANIEL II - - In 1923 she got another young male from Gabon. He was initially named Sultan and later John Daniel II. He too came to America and toured with Ringling –Barnum throughout its 1924 season.

This time Miss Cunningham came as well. She literally lived with him throughout the tour. That seems to have been a key to his good health, thus avoiding the fate suffered by his namesake.

The circus did not own this animal. He belonged to Miss Cunningham throughout. He traveled with her on a sleeper on the fourth section of the train, was taken by automobile each day to the showgrounds

He was shown to the public in the menagerie within a tall mesh enclosure that looked like an aviary. He was often in the backyard being photographed with the likes of clowns. Sometimes, between performances, he was allowed to play in one of the performing wild animal arenas (big cages) in the big top. At season’s end Miss Cunningham took him back to England.

He appeared that following winter (1924-25) with the Bertram Mills winter show in London’s Olympia. For that he came into the ring on a light lead, marking the first time a gorilla had ever appeared in a circus performance though it does not appear that he did any “tricks” in the circus context of that word. John Daniel II died in London in 1927.

Cole Bros. merely ursurped the John Daniel name for its chimp. At least they did not try to pass him off as a gorilla. There have been many instances of that in circus history.

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