A CHIMPANZEE’S SUIT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18193, 14 September 1933, Page 9

A CHIMPANZEE’S SUIT

CLAIM AGAINST FILM CO PLAYED HIS PART BADLY PARIS, June 28. The Couseil des Prud’hommes, to which individual wage disputes arc often referred, will consider to-morrow the claim of a cinema artist for l,Boof. (about £ls at par) against a firm of film producers. The artist in question, a chimpanzee, was engaged to take part iu a scene on a desert island. His part was to climb a tree and hurl coconuts upon a marooned couplo below. The scene was staged upon the beach at Saint Tropez, and as only ordinary palms are to be found there they were garnished with coconuts for the occasion. The chimpanzee tried to climb a palm, but fell after getting half-way up, and it. was only after a ladder had been brought that he managed to reach the top of the tree. Arrived there, he ignored the nuts, and finally scrambled down, his task undone. The company refused the 1800 f. agreed upon on the ground that the contract had not boon properly performed. The ease for the plaintiff, expressed in the claim put forward by his manager, is as follows The company alleges that the artist, played his part badly, which is untrue. This very well-bred chimpanzee was notfurnished with trees suitable for the part. The false coco-palms wore trimmed with rotteu branches, and their tops were covered with spikes, and it was only after several attempts and some painful falls that the artist, severely hurt, was obliged to abandon his task.

The claimant will appear in person to-morrow to show his injuries.