Monkey Business (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Monkey Business is a long-running TV series about the exploits of various primates who reside at Monkey World
, a rescue centre and sanctuary for primates in Dorset
, United Kingdom
. The series features Jim
and Dr. Alison Cronin, directors of Monkey World, as they travel around the world rescuing primates from lives of abuse , and returning them to Monkey World. Their goal is to rehabilitate the rescued primates and allow them to live in as natural a habitat as possible, being part of a group and living with friends of their own kind. The series was narrated by Chris Serle
.
Jim Cronin, MBE lost his short battle with cancer on March 17, 2007 at Cabrini Medical Center in Manhattan. Born and raised in New York Jim moved to England and worked at various animal parks/zoos, and then in 1987 he leased an old pig farm and converted it, with his long term friend Jeremy Keeling, into what is now a 65 acres (26.3 ha) sanctuary, Monkey World.
The series was made by Meridian Broadcasting
and ran for 9 series on both ITV Meridian and Animal Planet
. Previous season episodes can also sometimes be seen on National Geographic Channel
. After ten years of successful production of Monkey Business, first filmed by Tigress and then Meridian ITV, Monkey Business culminated in a 3-part series called 10 Years of Monkey Business.
MONKEY LIFE was created in 2006 by Primate Planet Productions Ltd. Shown on Five in the UK, and on Animal Planet and other channels worldwide, Monkey Life is now in its 5th series. The first series is narrated by Andy Serkis
, famous for his voice as Gollum in Lord of the Rings. Series 2, 3 and 4 are narrated by Ralf Little
.
Alpha male Butch leads the Bachelor Boys, an all male group of chimps. One of their most famous residents was named Charlie, died after a long, peaceful happy retirement. He was rescued by Jim Cronin from being a beach photographer's prop in Spain.
Paddy's group and Hananya's group are both family groups, and Bart is the youngest in Paddy's group. Politics within these groups determine how long each Male is leader.
Monkey World is also part of the international species breeding program for golden-cheeked gibbons, orang-utans and woolly monkeys.
Monkey World
Monkey World is a ape and monkey sanctuary and rescue centre near Wool, Dorset, England...
, a rescue centre and sanctuary for primates in Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The series features Jim
Jim Cronin
James "Jim" Michael Cronin MBE was the founder in 1987 of Monkey World in Dorset, England, a sanctuary for abused and neglected primates...
and Dr. Alison Cronin, directors of Monkey World, as they travel around the world rescuing primates from lives of abuse , and returning them to Monkey World. Their goal is to rehabilitate the rescued primates and allow them to live in as natural a habitat as possible, being part of a group and living with friends of their own kind. The series was narrated by Chris Serle
Chris Serle
Christopher "Chris" Richard Serle is a former BBC TV presenter, reporter and actor. Serle was educated at Clifton College and Trinity College, Dublin, where he studied modern languages...
.
Jim Cronin, MBE lost his short battle with cancer on March 17, 2007 at Cabrini Medical Center in Manhattan. Born and raised in New York Jim moved to England and worked at various animal parks/zoos, and then in 1987 he leased an old pig farm and converted it, with his long term friend Jeremy Keeling, into what is now a 65 acres (26.3 ha) sanctuary, Monkey World.
The series was made by Meridian Broadcasting
Meridian Broadcasting
Meridian Broadcasting is the holder of the ITV franchise for the South and South East of England. The station is owned and operated by ITV plc, under the licensee of ITV Broadcasting Limited....
and ran for 9 series on both ITV Meridian and Animal Planet
Animal Planet
Animal Planet is an American cable tv specialty channel that launched on October 1, 1996. It is distributed by Discovery Communications. A high-definition simulcast of the channel launched on September 1, 2007.-History:...
. Previous season episodes can also sometimes be seen on National Geographic Channel
National Geographic Channel
National Geographic Channel, also commercially abbreviated and trademarked as Nat Geo, is a subscription television channel that airs non-fiction television programs produced by the National Geographic Society. Like History and the Discovery Channel, the channel features documentaries with factual...
. After ten years of successful production of Monkey Business, first filmed by Tigress and then Meridian ITV, Monkey Business culminated in a 3-part series called 10 Years of Monkey Business.
MONKEY LIFE was created in 2006 by Primate Planet Productions Ltd. Shown on Five in the UK, and on Animal Planet and other channels worldwide, Monkey Life is now in its 5th series. The first series is narrated by Andy Serkis
Andy Serkis
Andrew Clement G. "Andy" Serkis is an English actor, director and author. He is popularly known for playing Gollum in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, for which he earned several award nominations, including the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in The Two Towers...
, famous for his voice as Gollum in Lord of the Rings. Series 2, 3 and 4 are narrated by Ralf Little
Ralf Little
Ralf Alistair J. B. Little is an English actor, writer and semi-professional footballer, working mainly in television comedy. He is best known for playing Antony Royle in The Royle Family and Jonny Keogh in the first six series of Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps.-Early life and work...
.
Human elements
Alison Cronin is owner of Monkey World. Along with running a zoo-like sanctuary, she also nurses and feeds the animals living there. However, the Animal Director is Jeremy Keeling.Chimpanzees
There are several chimpanzees, divided in three groups. The Nursery group, consisting of matriarch Sally and several young chimpanzees, including Bryan rescued from Cancun, Mexico.Alpha male Butch leads the Bachelor Boys, an all male group of chimps. One of their most famous residents was named Charlie, died after a long, peaceful happy retirement. He was rescued by Jim Cronin from being a beach photographer's prop in Spain.
Paddy's group and Hananya's group are both family groups, and Bart is the youngest in Paddy's group. Politics within these groups determine how long each Male is leader.
Orang-utans
There are 3 orangutan groups. Tuan's group, Gordon's group and the Nursery group, looked after by foster mum A-mei. They are part of the international breeding program.Other primates
At Monkey World, there are 16 different species of primates include woolly monkeys, capuchins, squirrel monkeys, marmosets, cotton-top tamarins, siamang gibbons, golden-cheeked gibbons and other gibbon sepcies.Monkey World is also part of the international species breeding program for golden-cheeked gibbons, orang-utans and woolly monkeys.