Chimpanzee newscaster?

March 1, 2016 5:20 AM

My brother and I can't remember this show, which was more like a short. We would have watched it on American TV from Canada in the late 70s or early 80s.There was a chimpanzee dressed in (I think) a plaid jacket as a newscaster. I don't know if it was something from Lancelot Link. I tried Googling, but either I get Lancelot Link or real chimps in the news. Does this show ring a bell?

My Googling also only turned up someone else asking the same question from 2011 that went unanswered :P TIA!

posted by Calzephyr to Media & Arts (11 answers total)

Canadian here - this absolutely rings a bell for me too, but I can't recall any further details.
posted by davebush at 5:40 AM on March 1, 2016 [2 favorites]

Any chance it was actually an orangutan who is a political advisor? That would be Mr. Smith.
posted by FencingGal at 6:09 AM on March 1, 2016

I think it was Lancelot Link: that rings one heck of a loud bell, newscaster and all.
posted by easily confused at 6:10 AM on March 1, 2016

Yeah, I am 98% positive that was from Lancelot Link. He was a Garry Owens-type newsreader/narrator sort who kept the story going.
posted by briank at 6:13 AM on March 1, 2016 [2 favorites]

Actually I think you're remembering something else. There was (briefly) a show about a team of chimps that did the news. I can't recall the title of it at the moment, but if I do I'll post.
posted by sardonyx at 7:17 AM on March 1, 2016

Yeah, I am 98% positive that was from Lancelot Link. He was a Garry Owens-type newsreader/narrator sort who kept the story going.

I'm not so sure. Google image and video searches aren't showing any evidence of this. My hazy memory places it within some sort of comedy sketch type show (similar to Laugh In or Hudson Brothers) - a very brief recurring segment.
posted by davebush at 7:18 AM on March 1, 2016

Response by poster: Hmm, I would have to watch Mr. Smith later. It's totally possible that I am conflating chimp with orangutan :) My brother texted me to say that the chimp newscaster reported on different animals. He is too years older than me, so his memory is only slightly less fuzzy :D

I appreciate the help!
posted by Calzephyr at 7:24 AM on March 1, 2016

Found something called The Chimp Channel, which featured newscasters.
posted by FencingGal at 7:25 AM on March 1, 2016

I think I got it: News from Zoos.
posted by cardboard at 7:36 AM on March 1, 2016 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I absolutely remember something like this too, and I'm pretty much 100% certain now that it was News From Zoos with Charlie the Chimp. The Youtube clip doesn't have the show's opening sequence, but I think maybe it had Charlie arriving at work in a car?
posted by Secret Sparrow at 12:24 PM on March 1, 2016

Response by poster: Awesome! I believe that is it Secret Sparrow. In the comments someone mentioned that he gets out of a limo and that seems familiar. I am kind of embarrassed that I thought it was American. We watched a lot of PBS from Spokane :D

Thanks so much! It's hard to know sometimes if it's something I just imagined.
posted by Calzephyr at 12:53 PM on March 1, 2016