J. Fred Muggs (b. March 14, 1952, French Cameroon) is a chimpanzee that was the mascot for NBC's Today Show from 1953 to 1957. j. ... is the 73rd day of the year (74th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1952 (MCMLII) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Motto (French) Peace - Work - Fatherland Anthem (French) O Cameroon, Cradle of our Forefathers 1 Capital Yaoundé Largest city Douala Official languages French, English Government Republic  -  President Paul Biya  -  Prime Minister Ephraïm Inoni Independence from France and the UK   -  Date 1 January 1960, 1 October 1961  Area  -  Total 475,442... Type species Simia troglodytes Blumenbach, 1775 distribution of Species Pan troglodytes Pan paniscus Chimpanzee, often shortened to chimp, is the common name for the two extant species in the genus Pan. ... Millie, once mascot of the City of Brampton, is now the Brampton Arts Councils representative. ... Today, commonly referred to as The Today Show to avoid ambiguity, is an American morning news and talk show airing weekday mornings on the NBC television network. ...

The show debuted in 1952, with amiable host Dave Garroway. The show was in trouble initially; the addition of J. Fred Muggs boosted ratings and helped win advertisers. Muggs, dressed like a baby in diapers, first appeared on the show on January 28, 1953, and became a regular feature on February 3, 1953. David Cunningham Garroway (July 13, 1913 – July 21, 1982, suicide) was the founding host of NBCs Today from 1952 to 1961, whose easygoing, relaxed and relaxing style belied a battle with depression that may have contributed to the end of his days as a television bigtimer and, in due... is the 28th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1953 (MCMLIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 34th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1953 (MCMLIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

In the 1950s, the Russian newspaper, Izvestia, described J. Fred Muggs, as "a symbol of the American way of life", and said, "Muggs is necessary in order that the average American should not look into reports on rising taxes, and decreasing pay, but rather laugh at the funny mug of a chimpanzee." This does not cite any references or sources. ... Modern Izvestia logo Old Izvestia logo. ...

Mr. Muggs was originally bought from Henry Trefflich, an animal dealer based in New York. As of January 23, 2004, the fifty-two-year-old Muggs and his "live-in girlfriend" Phoebe B. Beebe (who also made appearance on the Garroway show) are still alive in Citrus Park, Florida, in the care of Gerald Preis. In 2004, Joe Hagan of the New York Observer reached Gerald Preis, 60, at his home where Preis said that Muggs "has a little gray, mostly in his beard." J. Fred Muggs, copyright expired File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Henry Trefflich (January 9, 1908–July 7, 1978) was an animal importer and dealer. ... is the 23rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Phoebe B. Beebe (b. ... Citrus Park is an unincorporated census_designated place located in Hillsborough County, Florida. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Many sources refer to Garroway as jealous of Muggs. Hagan notes, without attribution, that "Legend has it that ... Mr. Garroway grew jealous and began spiking Muggs' orange juice with Benzedrine to make him misbehave and deliver his human co-host back to center stage." Many sources suggest that Muggs did not have a good disposition. He has been described as "a nasty little monkey" and as "throwing legendary tantrums." At the press conference announcing his addition to the show, Muggs yanked Garroway's glasses off. Many sites refer to Muggs as having bitten comedienne Martha Raye on the arm. Preis, however, told Hagan that this story, which Hagan referred to as a 50-year-old tabloid rumor, "was bullshit—just plain bullshit." This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Muggs was also an artist. In 1958, one of his finger paintings was used as the cover of Mad #38, and Muggs was the first celebrity to be featured on the cover of the magazine. Mad is an American humor magazine founded by editor Harvey Kurtzman and publisher William Gaines in 1952. ...

The feisty chimp was associated with Mad in another way, when the magazine ran an article titled "The Dave Garrowunway Show." This article focused on the chimp, whom writer Harvey Kurtzman named "J. Fred Gluggs," and his apparent ambition to take over "Garrowunway's" spot as anchor. Sure enough, by the end of the article, with "Garrowunway" rapping rudely on the window from outside the building, "Gluggs" appears in Garroway's familiar closing pose, in suit, glasses and lavalier microphone, saying "vootie" in place of the anchor's tagline "Peace," with his right palm thrust forward. The caption reads, "By George...we've warned Garrowunway to watch out..."

Muggs was featured in advertising stings which interrupted the (pre-recorded) coverage of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation when it was shown in the United States. This caused considerable controversy in the United Kingdom, where the introduction of commercial television was being debated at the time, and the anti-commercial-TV lobby felt that it strengthened their case. It was arguably a key factor in the strong regulation of ITV (by the Independent Television Authority) written into the Television Act 1954. Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor; born 21 April 1926) is Queen of sixteen sovereign states, holding each crown and title equally. ... Commercial broadcasting is the practice of broadcasting for profit. ... Independent Television (generally known as ITV, but also as ITV Network) is a public service network of British commercial television broadcasters, set up under the Independent Television Authority (ITA) to provide competition to the BBC. ITV is the oldest commercial television network in the UK. Since 1990 and the Broadcasting... The Independent Television Authority (ITA) was a body created by the Television Act 1954 to supervise the creation of Independent Television (ITV), the first commercial television network in the United Kingdom. ... The Television Act 1954 was a British law which permitted the creation of the first commercial television network in the United Kingdom, ITV. Royal Assent was given to the Act on 30 July 1954. ...

For many years, TV Guide ran an annual feature highlighting its takes on the year's most dubious television programs, episodes, activities, and issues, "The J. Fred Muggs Awards for Distinguished Foolishness." And in the 1994 film Quiz Show, chronicling the infamous quiz show scandal of the late 1950s, actor Ralph Fiennes as Twenty-One champion Charles Van Doren---being shown offered a regular job on Today---shyly asks the Dave Garroway character, "You're not going to fire the chimp, are you?" TV Guide is the name of two North American weekly magazines about television programming, one in the United States and one in Canada. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar). ... Quiz Show is a 1994 film which tells the true story of the Twenty One quiz show scandal of the 1950s. ... The American quiz show scandals of the 1950s were the result of the revelation that contestants of several popular television quiz shows were secretly given assistance by the producers to arrange the outcome of a supposed competition. ... This does not cite any references or sources. ... Ralph Nathaniel Fiennes, (IPA: ), born 22 December 1962) is a Tony Award-winning, Academy Award-nominated and Genie Award-nominated British actor. ... 21 (twenty-one) is the natural number following 20 and preceding 22. ... David Cunningham Garroway (July 13, 1913 – July 21, 1982, suicide) was the founding host of NBCs Today from 1952 to 1961, whose easygoing, relaxed and relaxing style belied a battle with depression that may have contributed to the end of his days as a television bigtimer and, in due...

External links

• [1] Trainer of famed chimp J. Fred Muggs dies at 80 St. Petersburg Times story
• Joe Hagan column from 1/26/2004 edition of The New York Observer Legend of spiked orange juice; Muggs and Phoebe still alive; Martha Raye elbow-biting incident denied
• Television heaven "a nasty little monkey"
• TV Acres "biting comedian/actress Martha Raye on the elbow during an April 1954 program..."
• Entertainment Weekly "The sometimes vicious simian once took a nip out of Martha Raye"
• TV Party "...eventually J. Fred Muggs started throwing legendary tantrums on the set. Being a reasonably intelligent creature, Muggs noticed that, as long as the red light was lit on the camera, he couldn't be punished for acting up. He took to striking out at Garroway and his guests, then running for cover when the camera light went out. As J. Fred got older, he got even meaner. The anthropoid was finally dropped in 1957 after he went berserk one too many times and viciously bit comedienne Martha Raye on the arm."
• Book excerpt (ISBN 0-7881-6042-7), Steven D. Stark, "Glued to the Set: The 60 Television Shows and Events That Made Us Who We Are Today" (ISBN 0-7881-6042-7), "Muggs appeared in skits, and pretended to read the morning papers. It was said that he was added to the cast in order to appeal to children, but the undeniable effect was to convert Today almost overnight from an iffy proposition into a network institution. "His charm," said Garroway, "is his unpredictability--same as any animal's." To his credit, Muggs did once bite Martha Raye."
• [2], J. Fred Muggs' MAD Magazine cover painting.