Thursday, November 06, 2008

Zoo Chimps #1 1955


Scan10921, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

I think you will find these post cards interesting.

Posted by Buckles at 11/06/2008 06:23:00 AM

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

In 1955 Mike Kostial was the head trainer for the chimp show. His father, Mike Kostial, Sr., was the Zoo's first big cat trainer (1933 - 1942). "Big Mike" didn't want his son to follow in the animal training business and sent him to school for commercial art. "Little Mike" did come back from the service to work with chimps but used his artistic talent to create some great show back grounds. (Note the drawings on the side walls.)

Leon Smith (trainer 1937 - 1944) began the pony work and many tricks for which the show became famous. Mike, an excellent trainer and presenter, kept the tricks and added his art talent to add to the quality of the show. Shows between 1955 to the early 60s were probably the greatest.

This shot shows some of the two moats that surrounded the stage. A few chimps managed to leave the stage by taking a run, bouncing off the wall and joining the audience.

06 November, 2008 08:55
Anonymous said...

More chimp stuff: Director George Vierheller was an unapologetic showman, no pseudo-scientist. His main love was the chimp show and he took full credit for selecting chimps, creating tricks, and directing the whole production. Actually Mike trained and created the show from year to year. Mike was a skilled "office politician" and knew to keep his mouth shut. Vierheller took credit and Mike just smiled, and got some extra trips and other deserved bonuses. (Jules Jacot never had that talent.) The chimp show would get its own carpenter and whatever maintenance men they needed. It made for a great show, and the show brought in money, but wasn't too popular with the rest of the Zoo.

Selecting chimps: Vierheller would pay $600 for a chimp, $1,000 if it would walk to him, and $1,500 if it smoked a cigar. Mike said he got stuck with some stupid cigar smoking animals that at best were seat warmers.

06 November, 2008 10:02

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