Manuel and Marita Viera

"and their Society Monkeys" / 1940s-60s



Make Mine Laughs (1949)

MPAA Ratings: Premiere Info: Los Angeles opening: August 11, 1949
Black and White Distributions Co: RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.

from Internet Movie Database comments:

"...Most of the acts were pretty corny by today's standards. ...However there were a couple of pieces which were very entertaining.
Primary among these were Manual & Marita Viera's Society Orchestra, a trained monkey act.
The two monkeys, dressed in suits, are playing bongos and piano when the curtain comes up.

The monkeys are subsequently seen doing hammily dramatic facial expressions, doing a headstand, tunelessly playing a ukelele & piano,
rapidly changing hats, playing a real tune on a touch activated electronic musical intrument, smiling, and finally engaging in a banana-eating
contest where their cheeks puff out dramatically on being stuffed with bananas. It's not classy or sophisticated entertainment,
and I'm embarrassed that I enjoyed it, but it's very funny even today."

Listings:

  • Billboard Mar 18, 1950:
         "Manuel and Marita Viera's Society Monkeys obtain excellent results with maracas,
         diminuative banjo and piano on a rumba tune. The ludicrous funsters are polished
         funsters and one of the monk's Solovox pounding of "People Will Say We're In Love"
         was a decided hit."

  • Billboard / May 27, 1950:
         "Manuel and Marita Viera, on in two, drew big laughs witht heir two-monkey act.
         The fact that one of the animals didn't follow cues, and blew a Solo-Vox bit,
         helped more than it hurt. The resultant laughs were wonderful.

  • The Milwaukee Sentinel - Jun 1, 1952:
    "Monkey Business As Usual"      "Two Sophistacated Simians, Tippy and Cobina, have good jobs - and mink coats - but are tempermental and don't speak to each other."


    - Cobina -

  • Page 21, Montana Standard, May 10, 1963:
         "Tippy and Covina, Popular Chimp and Monkey TV and Night Club Entertainers
    Presented by Their Owners Manuel and Marita Viera APPEARING FRIDAY NITE SATURDAY and Sunday

  • Sal Carson: The Life of a Big Band Leader By Jim Goggin
        shows ...the act listed in an ad for Commercial Hotel in Reno; "A Night In Paris" revue / December 1968

    1950 RKO Palace Theatre NYC Vaudeville-Film Flier

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