On one hand I can understand why no one would want to be credited for its hideous design, but on the other hand that monkey’s outrageously long legacy is something to be proud of
So a note about the uniform: Performing monkeys in outfits were a thing well before the 20th century. One of the common styles of monkey costume was a knockoff of popular military uniforms of the 19th century--shiny buttons, gold braid, useless hat, etc. This style was very popular for certain service and performing professions; marching bands still use it today, of course, probably as an offshoot of military bands. The staff at hotels and movie houses often wore similar uniforms, so if you look up, say, an usher's uniform, you'll find someone who looks like a bellhop, and they BOTH look like a doorman at a fancy New York building or someone playing trombone at halftime. The idea was to make these workers look anonymous but impressive to the public. So it wasn’t that monkeys were dressed like bellhops, it was that monkeys, bellhops, ushers, and doormen all dressed like they were about to play John Philip Sousa.
Holy shit, me too. Especially the way the phone woody talks to about the monkey has a jigsaw like mannerism about it. At least, that’s the way I remember it.
4:00 Devil's Gift itself was later recycled over a decade later as part of a wraparound film from the same director, called Merlin's Shop of Mystical Wonders, which is best known as being the final aired movie for the original (pre-Netflix reboot) run of Mystery Science Theater 3000. It's a great episode and I implore you to go check it out, as the movie is an absurd mashup of family whimsy and morbid stuff, and Ernest Borgnine is in it too.
why was the most disturbing version of this also the one that stayed in production the longest? Were there actually people who wanted this horrifying thing in their homes or were they only buying this ironically?
Granted, that was a common cartoon trope in the 90s (inspired by old Tex Avery cartoons, and such from the 60s) where a character's eyes would stretch/bulge outward to show shock/surprise, or being scared. Also happens in the intro to Wario Land for Gameboy, so it's not just a DK trope. And oddly DK doesn't do it in the Retro Studios era DK games, though Smash Brothers brought it back in the K.Rool reveal trailer.
really nice video here, i love learning about weird novelty toys. as a suggestion i think a video about billy bass (those singing fish plaques) would be cool
So originally that loud screeching monkey used to be a cute monkey in the beginning but over time he evoluted into a scary screeching manic of a monkey!
My guess is he's just meant to mimic a monkey in distress. Monkeys were generally very popular subjects for toys and even ones that are visibly sad were a thing. He's nasty looking but you'd be surprised how many kids in the 70s and 80s loved this thing. They saw something in them we don't.
It's not the first time I've seen a toy from back then that looks creepy. But when I say it's creepy to my older relatives and friends, they don't seem to think so.
I want to go back in time and show these 50s toy designers a modern day cute monkey beanie boo plush or something and see how they react. Would it be seen as genius or foolish because it “doesn’t even look like a monkey”? 🤔
My personal favorite appearance of the Naughty Suzy version is from episodes 33 & 34 of Ultraman Taro in 1973 where it's used as a dispatcher relaying orders for the villainous Alien Temperor. Very bizarre.
I own one myself, they were pretty popular during the 70s and 80s! I found quite a few ads from the time for them being sold in various department and toy stores up to around 1985.
The fact that chimpanzees are extremely terrifying through their vicious habits of eating people's faces, limbs, and privates off makes this toy even more disturbing. 🐵☠️
before i watch the video my answer is hell that creepy mf must have come from hell look at him in toy story cmon after watching i am still convinced whoever thought that thing looked good mustve been inspired by hell itself
I love these terrifying chimp. I'd like to get one, an old one but part of me is scared. I don't know what I'd do if it goes off by itself in the night 😭
The only "jumpscares" I see in the video are ones that are already present in the original context of the associated clip. It's not like the video creator put some irrelevant and unexpected scary image on screen just to spook you.
![Megan Thee Stallion - Mamushi (Remix) [feat. TWICE] [Official Audio]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/5c0_u9PsrsQ/mqdefault.jpg)
"Electric Cheetah" is named after the chimp from Tarzan, presumably.
I'm glad that I looked, because I was about to write that same comment.
Thank you!! I knew I was missing something.
@@okso... Electric Cheeta toys were made when the first Tarzan tv show was dubbed into Japanese for Tv Asahi (then TV Net) in the late 1960s.
On one hand I can understand why no one would want to be credited for its hideous design, but on the other hand that monkey’s outrageously long legacy is something to be proud of
20th century: New fad involving fake monkeys that do something
21st century: New fad involving fake monkeys that do nothing
Also 21st century: New fad involving fake monkey that give us emotion and ask questions about what it is to be human
OH SHIT LANCER
22nd century: the monkeys rise up and make us do everything
It's fitting that a creepy monkey has a mysterious origin
So a note about the uniform:
Performing monkeys in outfits were a thing well before the 20th century. One of the common styles of monkey costume was a knockoff of popular military uniforms of the 19th century--shiny buttons, gold braid, useless hat, etc. This style was very popular for certain service and performing professions; marching bands still use it today, of course, probably as an offshoot of military bands. The staff at hotels and movie houses often wore similar uniforms, so if you look up, say, an usher's uniform, you'll find someone who looks like a bellhop, and they BOTH look like a doorman at a fancy New York building or someone playing trombone at halftime. The idea was to make these workers look anonymous but impressive to the public.
So it wasn’t that monkeys were dressed like bellhops, it was that monkeys, bellhops, ushers, and doormen all dressed like they were about to play John Philip Sousa.
i didn't know what an "organ grinder" is and got so concerned like: Are they grinding monkey organs????
Same tbh, I think a lot of us would recognize the long gone profession yet not know the name of it
Like an church organ that you play like a meat grinder
@@myonlyfriendtheend4958fun for the whole family!
That Monkey in scene in Toy Stroy 3 gave me Nightmares when I was 6 years old and watched that shit for the first time.
Holy shit, me too. Especially the way the phone woody talks to about the monkey has a jigsaw like mannerism about it. At least, that’s the way I remember it.
You were too young to watch Toy Story.
And then made funnier when Slinky beat his ass with literal tape.
I'm glad you're not just the food fight guy
lmao thanks
4:00 Devil's Gift itself was later recycled over a decade later as part of a wraparound film from the same director, called Merlin's Shop of Mystical Wonders, which is best known as being the final aired movie for the original (pre-Netflix reboot) run of Mystery Science Theater 3000. It's a great episode and I implore you to go check it out, as the movie is an absurd mashup of family whimsy and morbid stuff, and Ernest Borgnine is in it too.
Oh shit. I didn't know we would get movie sign.
I loved watching it on MST3K.
Honestly, that Merlin movie felt like a failed pilot for a "Twilight Zone" style anthology show, but with Merlin.
why was the most disturbing version of this also the one that stayed in production the longest? Were there actually people who wanted this horrifying thing in their homes or were they only buying this ironically?
he makes great horror fodder
gonna say the latter, guess once people realized it was horrifying they bought it as more of a novelty toy
Somehow it took us a longgggg time to realize that maybe kids want cute toys and not horrifying uncanny realistic-but-not ones 😬
I was born in 83, and remember being scared by a "Monkey Shines" ad when I was a little guy.
Oh that's why Donkey Kong's eye will pop out like that
I think that's because the Battletoads' also do... And they were created (in DK's case, redesigned) by the same guy at Rare
@@thestripedmenace yeah, I'm talking about DK country
Granted, that was a common cartoon trope in the 90s (inspired by old Tex Avery cartoons, and such from the 60s) where a character's eyes would stretch/bulge outward to show shock/surprise, or being scared. Also happens in the intro to Wario Land for Gameboy, so it's not just a DK trope.
And oddly DK doesn't do it in the Retro Studios era DK games, though Smash Brothers brought it back in the K.Rool reveal trailer.
The "musical chimp" actually looks pretty chill, I would buy that one lol
jumpscares:
2:59 (happens pretty fast)
4:44 (not as bad as the last one but still worth noting)
Fantastic video. What a thorough explanation of a weird topic! Excited to watch more videos from your channel!
By the way what’s the music?
Its at the end of the video! It's the toy store theme from 102 Dalmatians for the PS1.
@@okso... Amazing! Do you have IG by the way?
@@JJMcCullough I don't. I have Twitter though! x.com/OkSoEssay
Oh hello JJ!
really nice video here, i love learning about weird novelty toys. as a suggestion i think a video about billy bass (those singing fish plaques) would be cool
@@pashedmotatoes877 oooh that's a good idea. I'll keep that in mind. (nice dead leaves pfp btw)
Cheeta is Tarzan’s chimp friend in MGM’s Tarzan film franchise, so that’s likely the connection.
Why did Disney change it to Terk then? Not like they didn't have the rights if they had the main character.
@@Roadent1241 Character does not appear in the books, just the MGM films.
@@captainrigby7473 OK, that makes sense.
“Oh look! It’s the picture of a Monkey-Bomb!”
So originally that loud screeching monkey used to be a cute monkey in the beginning but over time he evoluted into a scary screeching manic of a monkey!
honestly just seeing the real cymbal monkey hurt. his eyes looked so heartbroken...
Gotta love a good video on a obscure interesting topic
My question is…Why’d they make him so creepy? Like…this for meant for children, right? Why is it so creepy?!
My guess is he's just meant to mimic a monkey in distress. Monkeys were generally very popular subjects for toys and even ones that are visibly sad were a thing. He's nasty looking but you'd be surprised how many kids in the 70s and 80s loved this thing. They saw something in them we don't.
It's not the first time I've seen a toy from back then that looks creepy. But when I say it's creepy to my older relatives and friends, they don't seem to think so.
Grotesque toys will always have at least a bit of a market, some kids enjoy creepy looking stuff
As a retired cymbal monkey this is true
Were you one of those that were used in the "Hooked on Phonics"program?
@@caucasoidape8838 No, that's a bit too sophisticated for my tastes
How did you recover from automation taking your job?
@@braquen it couldn’t be going worse
I want to go back in time and show these 50s toy designers a modern day cute monkey beanie boo plush or something and see how they react. Would it be seen as genius or foolish because it “doesn’t even look like a monkey”? 🤔
Great video! I've seen these guys at a lot of antique stores near me. So, it's nice to know their story.
Oh thats why the murder monkeys from dark deception where hotel staff
Seeing the thumbnail right before sleep was a freat experience.
Good video👌
The toy store music from 102 Dalmatians on the ps1, I remember that game
It originated at Waffenfabrik Der Riese, Near Breslau in Germany during the 40's iirc
based cod zombies player
That stupid PSA scared the crap out of me as a child.
Where did the cymbal monkey come from that's an easy queastion.
It's called HELL.😊
I saw the remains of one of those cymbal monkeys on the road a couple days ago across some gas station. It was kinda sad to look at
That sounds both terrifying and fascinating
I didn’t watch Toy story three as much because of that scary looking monkey
What an interesting video, I also always wondered where the hell that thing was from.
My personal favorite appearance of the Naughty Suzy version is from episodes 33 & 34 of Ultraman Taro in 1973 where it's used as a dispatcher relaying orders for the villainous Alien Temperor. Very bizarre.
102 Dalmatians on the PS1 toystore music? Hell yeah
I knew I recognised it XD I'm gonna need to replay it.
I wish they still sold these
oh good, lore for my sleep paralysis demon
the real mystery is why the hell anyone would willingly subject themselves to putting one of these in their home
I have one on my bookshelf next to my bed LOL
@@okso... LOL how do you sleep 💀😭
@@DanteButtrey like a baby
i want one
Love the whole video, gotta get one for my desk here soon
Having only seen this thing in media, I was always curious about how common it really was.
I own one myself, they were pretty popular during the 70s and 80s! I found quite a few ads from the time for them being sold in various department and toy stores up to around 1985.
Very interesting! one of those things that's been a trope so long that you don't necessarily think of the origin. Great video.
Some pretty cool monkey's
I love your video topics!
Lucky I never had these kind of toys…
I love these creepy little things
Another great video, I really appreciate your channel
Its obscurity adds to its charm. A seemingly creatorless creation (clearly created but uncredited).
Excellent video! Glad to have helped out.
My best friend had one in their living room and I actually used to be scared of it whenever we would have a sleep over. I’m such a wuss.
There’s even a Spirt Halloween Animatronic of this called “Monty”.
This is mentioned in the video! Lol
@@okso... they also sell a smaller variant called monkey chimes
The fact that chimpanzees are extremely terrifying through their vicious habits of eating people's faces, limbs, and privates off makes this toy even more disturbing. 🐵☠️
They only do that when provoked tho don’t they? Same with humans
@@SorryImKindaShy like humans. They're very unpredictable.
1:05 "Mr. Russo cranks his organ..."
Heh heh...
I remember my cousin having one of these freaking things and traumatizing my 3 year old self
2:55 that's scared the absolute crap out of me
Seen this a long time ago looking up creepy commercials. Scared me for a long time. Second I saw this comment I had a huge feeling it was that
great video. always good to get based monkey lore
It's CRAZY how THIS SICKENING ABOMINATION came from the SAME COMPANY who makes those Kawaii Anime plushies now (Bandai)! 💀
before i watch the video my answer is hell that creepy mf must have come from hell look at him in toy story cmon
after watching i am still convinced whoever thought that thing looked good mustve been inspired by hell itself
I love these terrifying chimp. I'd like to get one, an old one but part of me is scared. I don't know what I'd do if it goes off by itself in the night 😭
I didn’t even t watch the vid. I just wanted to say the monkey makes a cool pfp
i have so many questions on who tf thought this was a good idea and over more, who tf kept buying it to last as long as it did.
Unpopular opinion: These monkeys are cute
I hate that thing so much.
he came from toy story 3
Why did they feel the need to give it bloodshot eyes
Why am I watching this at 12 am
American cultural victory lol.
Okay. Jumpscare me once shame on you, jumpscare me twice and I'm clicking the fuck off the video.
The only "jumpscares" I see in the video are ones that are already present in the original context of the associated clip. It's not like the video creator put some irrelevant and unexpected scary image on screen just to spook you.