Saturday, November 22, 2014

St. Louis Zoo #16


Posted by Buckles at 11/22/2014 05:25:00 AM

1 comments:

Jim Alexander said...

Leon Smith's chimp act had several tricks/ behaviors that would continue with Ben F. and then Mike K. Leon not only the teeterboard routine but the band and especially the chimps riding ponies. Leon was the first trainer at the Chimp Arena that opened in 1941. Never heard a reason but leon was terminated before the end of the 1944 season. Director Vierheller used his connections to get Pvt. Henry Ternes, Leon's asst., out basic training to come back to the Zoo for the last weekend to present the Chimp Show. Hank would return to the Zoo after the Army to work with Ben and then Mike. Never interested in presenting the show, he was a great trainer and man in the background that made the "World Famous Saint Louis Zoo Chimpanzee Show" possible. The STL Zoo chimp show ended the last Sat. of August 1976 when Mike died suddenly of heart attack. Hank retired in 1978. From 1977 to 82 Greg and Carol Lille presented their chimp act at the Zoo.

22 November, 2014 09:39

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