The Chimp (1932)

Two bumbling circus performers inadvertently help drive the circus into ruin and then end up in possession of a flea circus and an oversized chimp.

Director:

James Parrott

Writer:

H.M. Walker (dialogue)

Stars:

Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Bobby Burns

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Stan Laurel	...	Mr. Laurel
Oliver Hardy	...	Mr. Hardy

Storyline

In lieu of back wages, the defunct circus that Stanley and Oliver have been working for pay them off with a flea circus and a trained chimpanzee named "Ethel." Unfortunately, that's also the name of their landlord's wife, and after the boys sneak the ape into their room, the jealous man draws some unfortunate conclusions when he overhears Oliver ordering Ethel to "come to bed."

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Plot Keywords:

circus | flea | flea circus | lion | animal in title | 

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Taglines:

Mr. Hardy's aesthetic nature thrilled at the beauties of circus life-Mr. Laurel never got any further than the monkey cage.

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Genres:

Short | Comedy

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Certificate:

TV-G

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 May 1932 (USA)

Also Known As:

Il circo è fallito

Filming Locations:

Hal Roach Studios - 8822 Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hal Roach Studios

Technical Specs

Runtime:

25 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Lois Laurel, cast as an uncredited audience member in the circus, is Stan Laurel's real-life daughter.

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Goofs

The picture of "Ethel" the landlord is holding, and the actress portraying her are two different people.

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Quotes

intertitle: The night was dark - They usually are.

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Connections

Spoofs The Champ (1931)

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Soundtracks

"The Stars and Stripes Forever"
(1896) (uncredited)
Music by John Philip Sousa
Played for Destructo's Act

User Reviews

Sub-standard circus short from Hal Roach and Laurel and Hardy...

Only true Laurel and Hardy addicts will appreciate this sub-standard short that has the boys doing their best to demolish a circus tent with explosive gun powder, after which STAN LAUREL is given a flea circus for a parting gift, and OLIVER HARDY, a chimp called Ethyl.

Naturally, when they decide to look for lodgings they get a hard time from landlord BILLY GILBERT who refuses to have them under his roof when he spies the chimp. Gilbert is already in a dither because his wife hasn't come home yet--his dear Ethyl.

The rest of the short has the boys getting into one sticky situation after another, but the laughs are meager and the obvious use of a man inside an ape costume takes a lot away from the gags. Funniest line has Stan sighting a loose lion on the prowl and Oliver asking him what's the matter. "I've seen MGM," is his straight answer.

But the slapstick happenings are not on par with the duo's best comedy shorts. This is strictly an early Laurel and Hardy featurette from Hal Roach that needed a much better script. At least BILLY GILBERT gets to do his customary energetic job as the irate husband who overhears Hardy telling the chimp, "Come to bed, Ethyl."

Good potential material, but it should have been a lot funnier.