Published on: October 2, 2024, 03:20h.
Last edited on: October 2, 2024, 03:44h.
Lots of performances took place in Las Vegas during the ’70s and ’80s that are unlikely to happen today. Bobby Berosini’s Orangutans barely made it through that era.
Berosini trained orangutans in Las Vegas to mimic human behavior in a stage act where he acted as the straight man. The dialogue was vaudevillian, which means it doesn’t elicit humor today. Here’s a snippet…
“For your information, folks, that’s not an orangutan. That’s a mean hooker. I picked her up at the bar last night. She washed her makeup off and this was underneath it. What do you expect for $1.98?”
But it wasn’t the cringeworthy jokes that ended Berosini’s career. We’ll delve into that shortly.
Orangutan Crazy
Berosini, born Bohumil Berousek, hailed from a long line of circus performers stretching back to 1756. The Berousek family circus was founded in 1920 by fourth-generation member Hynek Ignac Berousek, a bear-tamer. His son, Antonin, took over the circus, becoming Berosini’s father.
Berosini and his father moved to the US in 1964, eventually settling in Las Vegas, where they utilized their circus expertise to train a plethora of wild animals. Due to their remarkable intelligence and expressive capabilities, the orangutans stood out as the best candidate for comedic performances.
“Bobby Berosini’s Orangutans” debuted at Circus Circus in 1972, garnering immense success that led to opportunities in Hollywood. One of Berosini’s orangutans, Manis, even starred alongside Clint Eastwood in the 1978 film “Every Which Way But Loose.”
In 1984, the Stardust recruited Berosini, making his act a highlight of its “Lido de Paris” showgirl/variety performance.
A typical performance looked like this…
Apes**t Hits Fan
In 1989, Stardust dancer Ottavio Gesmundo captured footage of Berosini physically mistreating one of his orangutans while aides restrained the animal.
Concerns about abuse surfaced in 1972, with Circus Circus employee Linda Faso noting disturbing sounds prior to Berosini’s performances. Faso reported her worries to management, but was informed that the animals belonged to Berosini to treat as he pleased.
Gesmundo and other dancers also suspected mistreatment. Despite facing resistance at the Stardust, Gesmundo filmed footage that confirmed the abuse, which was shared with PETA and PAWS.
A PAWS member brought the footage to “Entertainment Tonight,” which broadcasted it worldwide on July 27, 1989. The ensuing backlash resulted in over 1,000 protest calls to the Stardust. While the USDA found no evidence of harm, Berosini and his orangutans were briefly removed from the show before returning following the investigation.
However, the damage to Berosini’s reputation had been irreversibly done.
Monkey Trial
Berosini sued Gesmundo, PETA, and PAWS for defamation and privacy invasion in 1989, claiming the footage depicted him merely “correcting” his co-stars. Initially awarded $4.2 million in damages, Berosini’s judgment was overturned by the Nevada Supreme Court four years later, citing the footage as a portrayal of his actions and thus protected opinion.
By then, opinions had shifted concerning the use of wild animals for entertainment. Berosini recounted receiving death threats and altering his routines due to fears of poisoned food for the orangutans.
Seeking a fresh start, Berosini took his act to Branson, Missouri. However, his return to Las Vegas in 1997 was cut short due to PETA’s pressure on the Tropicana to terminate his contract.
Berosini and his wife eventually left the US and are believed to be living in Costa Rica.
Before departing, they relocated their orangutans to an undisclosed Hollywood training facility.
One of the orangutans, Popi, featured in films and TV shows, now resides at the Center for Great Apes sanctuary in Florida, celebrating her 53rd birthday in April.