The Peacock's Celebrity Chimp

 

J. Fred Muggs (1952-) is a chimpanzee born in modern-day Cameroon. Muggs rose to stardom as the mascot on NBC's Today show from 1953-57. A New York pet store offered a "name that chimp" contest which led to his being named Mr. Muggs. Two former NBC pages bought him when he was 10 months old and the Today show simply added "J. Fred" to his name. Despite his off-set tantrums or violent behavior, he was a rating boost in the early years of the show. Muggs was a sensation with children, and later their parents. Muggs received countless letters from fans and, for a time, was more popular than the show's host, Dave Garroway (above). For saving the floundering Today show, he was given a monthly salary of $2000. Stuffed dolls were created of Muggs and those still in excellent condition, have become collector items. But by the end of the 1950s, the chimpanzee fad fell out of favor with television audiences and executives.

Note: Muggs worked in several television shows, toured the world and worked at Busch Gardens in Tampa, Florida. He officially retired at age 23. Shown above in the left photo with Muggs is his "girlfriend" Phoebe B. Beebe. As of March 2018, Muggs was still living in Citrus Park, Florida.

Television Talkers

 

Dave Garroway (1913-1982) was an American television personality best known as the founding host and anchor of NBC's Today show from 1952 to 1961. Garroway began his broadcasting career at NBC as a page in 1938 before landing a job at Pittsburgh radio station KDKA in 1939.  He became known as the "Roving Announcer" with a reputation for finding a good story, even in unusual places. After WW2, His fellow disc jockeys voted him the nation's best in the 1948 and 1949 Billboard polls. He won the award again in 1951.

Garroway's relaxed, informal style, as well as his humor, became part of his television trademark, to say nothing of his eyeglasses and bow tie. He possessed no false jollity or witticisms. On the contrary, he was pleasant, serious, and scholarly-looking. Trustworthy. His popular "cohost" on Today was a lovable chimpanzee by the name of J. Fred Muggs who helped take the edge off some more serious news moments. Garroway was one of the broadcasters who introduced conversational style and tone to television, beginning some broadcasts as though viewers were sitting in the studio with him. As an example, "And how are you about the world today? Let's see what kind of shape it's in; there is a glimmer of hope." His ability to clearly explain abstract concepts earned him the nickname "The Communicator" and eventually won praise from critics and viewers alike. Garroway was known for his signoff, saying "Peace" with an upraised palm. Many late sixties hippies owed him a debt for that.

More at Garroway at Large.

Note: Unknown to viewers, Garroway's easygoing and relaxed style -- the epitome of poise -- hid his lifelong battle with depression, which is better diagnosed today.