The Hathaway family consisted of two humans, Elinor (Peggy Cass) and her husband Walter (Jack Weston), and three chimps – the Marquis Chimps, Charlie, Enoch and Candy – who all lived in a modest home at 148 Magnolia Drive in Los Angeles, along with their housekeeper, Amanda Allison (Mary Grace Canfield).
The chimps appeared on shows with Ed Sullivan, Jack Benny and Al Jolson, and had their own segment (in which they clowned around) on Barney Holt’s Merchandise Showcase.
Elinor treated the chimps like children and also served as a booking agent for the trio in their show biz act.
Enoch was easily impressed and copied Walter’s mannerisms and gestures. Charlie, the oldest, was the mischievous one. He had a mind of his own and often cost the “family” jobs (he blew raspberries to producers he didn’t like). Candy was the baby of the family and clung to Enoch for comfort.
Walter, a real estate agent, had mixed emotions about this arrangement wondering if his wife thought more of the chimps than him.
The neighbours also had problems with the “children.”
Walter had a development called Desert Charm Estates (‘Home Sites for People with Foresight’) that he could never seem to unload.
Jerry Rogers (Harvey Lembeck) was the chimps’ agent.
Elinor Hathaway Peggy Cass
Walter Hathaway
Jack Weston
Amanda Allison
Mary Grace Canfield Jerry Rogers
Harvey Lembeck
Thelma Brockwood
Barbara Perry
Bert Brockwood
George Ives
