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Entertainment & Media
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From TV Star to Florida Retiree: The Unbelievable Survival of J. Fred Muggs
J. Fred Muggs, the chimpanzee who saved NBC's Today Show in the 1950s, is not just a footnote in TV history. He is, incredibly, still alive. Now in his 70s, he lives a quiet life of retirement in Citrus Park, Florida, having outlived nearly all of his human co-stars.
The Unlikely Savior of Morning Television
In the early 1950s, NBC's fledgling morning program, the Today Show, was in trouble. Ratings were abysmal, and cancellation loomed. In a move of desperation, network executives introduced a new, unconventional co-host in 1953 to work alongside Dave Garroway: a baby chimpanzee named J. Fred Muggs. What happened next is one of television's strangest success stories. Audiences were instantly captivated. Muggs, dressed in tiny outfits and performing antics, became a national sensation. He was so popular that he is credited with saving the show from cancellation and generating an estimated $100 million for NBC through merchandise and appearances.
A Global Superstar
J. Fred Muggs was more than just a TV sidekick; he was a global icon. He had a wardrobe of over 450 outfits, a massive portfolio of merchandise including books and toys, and he embarked on a world tour where he met presidents and dignitaries. He attended the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, met the Shah of Iran, and his 'art' was featured on the cover of Mad Magazine. For a few years, a chimpanzee was one of the most recognizable faces on the planet.
Trouble in Paradise
Behind the scenes, however, the picture wasn't so rosy. As Muggs grew older, his primate instincts became more pronounced. He was known for his temperamental behavior, which included throwing objects, scrawling on studio walls, and occasionally biting staff members and guests, including actress Martha Raye. Host Dave Garroway, in particular, grew to resent his co-star's popularity and disruptive behavior. His disdain became a poorly kept secret, with Garroway famously stating on air after Muggs's departure:
It will be a pleasure not to have to work with a chimpanzee anymore.
By 1957, after four years of monkey business, NBC decided Muggs's time on the show was over. He was eased out, replaced by another chimp, but his career was far from finished. He went on to star in his own short-lived series, The J. Fred Muggs Show, before eventually retiring from the limelight.
A Quiet Retirement in the Sunshine State
This is where the story takes its most unbelievable turn. While most assume this relic of 1950s television is long gone, J. Fred Muggs is still alive. Born in 1952 in the French Cameroons, he is now in his 70s and has spent the last several decades living a quiet life of retirement in Citrus Park, Florida. He lives under the care of his original owners, Carmine and Gerald Preis, alongside his long-time chimpanzee companion, Phoebe B. Beebe. He reportedly enjoys painting (his works are known as 'Muggstractions') and lives a peaceful life far from the television cameras that once made him a star. He has outlived Garroway and almost every other human from his era on the Today Show, a living, breathing testament to one of the most bizarre chapters in pop culture history.