Was dead chimp really Cheetah?

By ASSOCIATED PRESS A Florida animal sanctuary says Cheetah, the chimpanzee sidekick in the Tarzan movies of the early 1930s, has died at 80. But other accounts call that claim into question. Debbie Cobb, outreach director at the Suncoast Primate Sanctuary in Palm Harbor, said Wednesday that her grandparents acquired Cheetah around 1960 from "Tarzan" star Johnny Weissmuller and that the chimp appeared in Tarzan films between 1932 and 1934. During that period, Weissmuller made "Tarzan the Ape Man" and "Tarzan and His Mate." But Cobb offered no documentation, saying it was destroyed in a 1995 fire. Also, some Hollywood accounts indicate a chimpanzee by the name of Jiggs or Mr. Jiggs played Cheetah alongside Weissmuller early on and died in 1938. In addition, an 80-year-old chimpanzee would be extraordinarily aged, perhaps the oldest ever known. According to many experts and Save the Chimps, another Florida sanctuary, chimpanzees in captivity generally live to between 40 and 60, though Lion Country Safari in Loxahatchee, Fla., says it has one that is around 73. A similar claim about another chimpanzee that supposedly played second banana to Weissmuller was debunked in 2008 in a Washington Post story. Writer R.D. Rosen discovered that the primate, which lived in Palm Springs, Calif., was born around 1960, meaning it wasn't oldest enough to have been in the Tarzan movies of Hollywood's Golden Age that starred Olympic swimming star Weissmuller as the vine-swinging, loincloth-wearing Ape Man and Maureen O'Sullivan as Jane. While a number of chimpanzees played the sidekick role in the Tarzan movies of the 1930s and '40s, Rosen said in an email Wednesday that this latest purported Cheetah looks like a "business-boosting impostor as well." "I'm afraid any chimp who actually shared a soundstage with Weissmuller and O'Sullivan is long gone," Rosen said. Cobb said Cheetah died Dec. 24 of kidney failure and was cremated. "Unfortunately, there was a fire in '95 in which a lot of that documentation burned up," Cobb said. "I'm 51, and I've known him for 51 years. My first remembrance of him coming here was when I was actually 5, and I've known him since then, and he was a full-grown chimp then." Film historian and Turner Classic Movies host Robert Osborne said the Cheetah character "was one of the things people loved about the Tarzan movies because he made people laugh. He was always a regular fun part of the movies." In his time, the Cheetah character was as popular as Rin Tin Tin or Asta, the dog from the "Thin Man" movies, Osborne said. "He was a major star," he said. At the animal sanctuary, Cheetah was outgoing, loved finger painting and liked to see people laugh, Cobb said. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

HBO's 'Boardwalk' tops ASC TV noms

HBO's "Boardwalk Empire" led the TV nominations for the American Society of Cinematographers' 26th annual Outstanding Achievement Awards competition with lensers David Franco and Jonathan Freeman among the five nominees for one-hour episodic television. They were nominated for the "To the Lost" and "21" episodes, respectively. Rounding out the field were David Katznelson for the pilot of PBS' "Downtown Abbey," John Lindley for ABC's "Pan Am" pilot and David Stockton for the "Narco Part 2" episode of NBC's "Chase." For movie/miniseries, the contenders are Ed Lachman (HBO's "Mildred Pierce"), Kevin Moss (Showtime's "Chicago Overcoat"), David Moxness (for the "Moral Issues and Inner Turmoil" segment of ReelzChannel's "The Kennedys"), Martin Ruhe (PBS' "Page Eight") and Wojciech Szepel (Episode 2 of PBS' "Any Human Heart"). In the newly created half-hour episodic series or pilot category, James Bagdonas ("Bixby's Back" from ABC's "Modern Family"), Michael Balfry ("Brush with Madness" for the Hub's "R.L. Stine's The Haunting Hour"), Vanja Cernjul, ("Forget the Herring" from HBO's "Bored to Death"), Levie Isaacks ("Acceptance" from ABC's "Man Up") and Michael Weaver ("Suicide Solution" from Showtime's "Californication") will vie for top honors. "Narrowing down the field to these nominees was a tough task given the tremendous quality of work being done," said ASC prexy Michael Goi. "Innovation and technology has raised the bar for television viewers, and these nominees' imagery more than meets a new standard." The awards ceremony will be held Feb. 12 at the Hollywood & Highland Grand Ballroom. Contact Steve Chagollan at steve.chagollan@variety.com

Captain America Creator Joe Simon Dies at 98

She may not have been born this way, but Lady Gaga was pop's top-earning woman in 2011.our editor recommendsTony Bennett's Nude Lady Gaga Sketch Available on EBayLady Gaga Reveals 'Dream' of Working With Woody AllenThe Scene at THR's 2011 Women In Entertainment Power 100 Breakfast PHOTOS: THR's 2011 Women in Entertainment Power 100 According to Forbes, Lady Gaga earned $90 million from album sales, touring and endorsements -- double the estimated earnings of Taylor Swift and Katy Perry, who made $45 million and $44 million, respectively. In Gaga context, that's over $5 million for each of the pop provocateur's nearly 17 million Twitter followers, or $2 million a piece for her Facebook little monsters. The numbers reflect earnings between May 2010 and 2011. COMPLETE LIST: 2011 Women in Entertainment Power 100 That calendar means Adele, who notched $18 million and ninth place with only a few months of record-keeping for her chart-ruling 21, may be tough competition for Mother Monster in 2012. Rounding out the top 10 list was Beyonce ($35 million), Rihanna ($29 million), Pink ($22 million), Carrie Underwood ($20 million), Celine Dion ($19 million) and Britney Spears, who tied with Alicia Keys at $10 million for the No. 10 spot. Overall, U2 was Forbes' top act in music, with the band notching $195 million. PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery 54th Annual Grammy Nominees: Kanye West, Adele, Bruno Mars, Rihanna, Katy Perry Related Topics Katy Perry Lady Gaga Taylor Swift

'Good Deeds' Trailer: Tyler Perry Doesn't Know How Much Milk Costs

For the time being, forget Madea. In 'Good Deeds,' Tyler Perry doesn't play his drag alter-ego, but rather a expected businessman named Wesley Deeds, the type of guy with an admirable job, pretty fiance and stable family -- none which fulfill him the means by which helping a less-fortunate cleaning lady at his company (Thandie Newton), just one mother whose child sleeps inside the supply closet, does. Sad! That is like 'Pursuit of Happyness,' along with the 1%! Watch a clip ahead. 'Good Deeds' involves theaters on Feb. 24. Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

Hollywoo

A Studiocanal release of a LGM Cinema, Studiocanal, TF1 Films Prod., Lorette Prods., Comme Une Grande Prod., in association with Nexus Factory, Ufilm, with the participation of Canal Plus. (International sales: Studiocanal, Paris.) Produced by Cyril Cobeau-Justin, Jean-Baptiste Dupont. Co-producers, Sylvain Goldberg, Serge de Poucques, Adrian Politowski, Gilles Waterkeyn. Directed by Frederic Berthe, Pascal Serieis. Screenplay, Xavier Maingon, Florence Foresti, Pascal Serieis, based on an idea by Maingon.With: Florence Foresti, Jamel Debbouze, Nikki Deloach, Muriel Robin, Sophie Mounicot, Jeff Roop, Kirk B.R. Woller, John G. Connolly, Brian Fitzpatrick. (French, English dialogue)A Gallic voice actress travels to Tinseltown when the U.S. star she dubs unexpectedly ankles a popular TV series in "Hollywoo," helmers Frederic Berthe and Pascal Serieis' slick and sunny laffer. Tailored to the talents of standup comedians and occasional thesps Florence Foresti and Jamel Debbouze, this French fish-out-of-water comedy contains enough hilarity to offset the occasional misstep and some longueurs in the closing reels. Though phenom "Untouchable" still lives up to its name at the local B.O., this pretty much untranslatable title should appeal to Francophone auds. With the dubbing of non-kiddie fare a rarity Stateside and in many other territories, the pic has better commercial (and remake) potential in countries where the practice is more common. Jeanne (Foresti) is the French voice of Jennifer Marshall (Nikki Deloach), the Jennifer Aniston-like lead of worldwide ratings smash "L.A. Couples." Unlike her Yank counterpart, Jeanne is neither glamorous nor particularly approachable; from the first scene, it's clear this shrill unknown has more star hubris than the famous actress she dubs for a living. Jeanne's world falls apart, drama queen-style, when Jennifer unexpectedly quits as she's about to start filming the show's third season, on which Jeanne's hilariously blase agent (Muriel Robin) got her a significant raise. After consulting with her sister (Sophie Mounicot, in an underwritten part), Jeanne leaves for California on a fool's errand: Make Jennifer change her mind. In L.A., where she's a real nobody (as opposed to a nobody to everyone but French TV viewers with really good ears), Jeanne has trouble getting in touch with Marshall. Things start to look up when she bumps into Farres (Debbouze), a happy-go-lucky Frenchie who tries to help her wiggle her way onto the Paramount backlot and into Hollywood parties and mansions. The mismatched duo of nonentities is perfectly played by Debbouze and Foresti, and for each idea that falls flat -- such as Jeanne's creepy L.A. hotel -- there are at least a couple that'll make auds grin and occasionally guffaw. Crucially, Foresti suggests some humanity in an essentially unlikable role, and is aided by an unexpected hint of romance between her character and Debbouze's (better known Stateside for his serious roles in Rachid Bouchareb's work). As scripted by Serieis, Foresti and Xavier Maingon, with Debbouze credited as a further contributor (no doubt for his semi-improvised and often very funny Franglais), "Hollywoo" keeps the laffs coming fast. It also gently pokes fun at the impossible cliches of American TV and the perceived Hollywood lifestyle while ensuring the leads and the narrative itself remain sufficiently in awe of same, such as in a seaside rescue in Malibu that features Jennifer and her buff French-Canadian ex-b.f. (Jeff Roop). However, developments in the final reels -- featuring a car chase, flying bullets, the Hollywood sign minus the "d" (hence the title) and jail time -- stretch auds' suspension of disbelief and the running time, though the cast's credits-montage singalong to Musical Youth's "Pass the Dutchie" is a doozy. Bright lensing had some minor color and focus issues at the screening caught, though mostly the tech package is as bright and reliable as the California sun.Camera (color, widescreen), Ludovic Colbeau-Justin; editor, Elodie Codaccioni; music, Philippe Rombi; production designer, Franck Benezech; costume designer, Aurore Pierre; sound (Dolby Digital/DTS), Francois Maurel, Alain Feat, Thomas Gauder; line producers, David Giordano, Patrick Batteux; assistant director, Francois Ryckelynck. Reviewed at Gaumont Opera (Cote Capucines), Paris, Dec. 8, 2011. Running time: 106 MIN. Contact Boyd van Hoeij at news@variety.com

Mary Tyler Moore To Obtain SAG Existence Achievement Award

Mary Tyler Moore can get SAG’s Existence Achievement Award presented by former sitcom co-star Dick Van Dyke through the Screen Stars Guild Honours telecast Sunday The month of the month of january 29. Moore and Van Dyke increased being TV symbols inside the Dick Van Dyke Show. She ongoing to produce her production company MTM with Grant Mess and headinedThe Mary Tyler Moore Show, which produced several character spinoffs including Lou Grant. Other MTM shows incorporated The Bob Newhart Show, WKRP in Cincinnati, Hill Street Blues, The White-colored Shadow and St. Elsewhere. Nominations for SAG Honours will probably be introduced tomorrow at 9 AM on TNT.

Dominic Cooper Finds Summer time In Feb

Together with Ophelia LovibondHe's garnering lots of positive honours-focused buzz for his dual submit The Devil's Double, but Dominic Cooper is searching for something rather less evil for any future project. He's mounted on star for each other-triangular drama Summer time In Feb.Cooper will star alongside Ophelia Lovibond, Serta Stevens and Hattie Morahan within the story of Alfred Munnings, an associate from the decidedly bohemian Lamorna Group, who have been located in Cornwall round the beginning from the twentieth century.Munnings themself specialized in rural portraits, and seemed to be involved with The First World War. Though he volunteered for everyone, he was considered unfit for duty and wound up in civilian jobs, assisting to oversee horses being sent off into combat (shades of War Equine there, but we doubt the film covers that chunk of his existence).Christopher Menaul, that has largely done TV movies and series, but made his film debut with last year's First Evening, is onto direct, working from the script by Jonathan Cruz.Cooper, meanwhile, will next be observed in Abraham Lincoln subsequently: Vampire Hunter playing Henry Sturgess, the guy who trains Abe to battle the vampire menace.