A cymbal-banging monkey toy (also known as Jolly Chimp) is a mechanical depiction of a

monkey Monkey is a common name that may refer to most mammals of the infraorder Simiiformes, also known as simians. Traditionally, all animals in the group now known as simians are counted as monkeys except the apes. Thus monkeys, in that sense, co ...

holding a

cymbal A cymbal is a common percussion instrument. Often used in pairs, cymbals consist of thin, normally round plates of various alloys. The majority of cymbals are of indefinite pitch, although small disc-shaped cymbals based on ancient designs sou ...

in each hand. When activated it repeatedly bangs its cymbals together and, in some cases, bobs its head, chatters, screeches, grins, and more. There are both traditional wind-up versions and updated battery-operated cymbal-banging monkeys. The cymbal-banging monkey toy is an example of

singerie ''Singerie'' is the name given to a visual arts genre depicting monkeys imitating human behavior, often fashionably attired, intended as a diverting sight, using satire. The term is derived from the French language, French word for "Monkey Trick ...

and

kitsch ''Kitsch'' ( ; loanword from German) is a term applied to art and design that is perceived as Naivety, naïve imitation, overly eccentric, gratuitous or of banal Taste (sociology), taste. The modern avant-garde traditionally opposed kitsch ...

History

The earliest documented toy of a monkey banging cymbals is "Hoppo the Waltzing Monkey" by Louis Marx & Co. in 1932. The trope of a monkey using cymbals to perform dates back to organ grinders using

Capuchin monkeys The capuchin monkeys () are New World monkeys of the subfamily Cebinae. They are readily identified as the " organ grinder" monkey, and have been used in many movies and television shows. The range of capuchin monkeys includes some tropical fores ...

as part of their performances. Around 1954, a toy using the same concept named Musical Chimp was produced by the Japanese company Alps. A variety of toys using the same concept would pop up over the next decade by companies such as Russ and Yano Man Toys. In 1972, advertisements started appearing for a toy named "Jumbo Jolly Chimp" or "Musical Jolly Chimp". Musical Jolly Chimp was originally released as "わんぱくスージー" ("Naughty Susie") in Japan and manufactured by Kuramochi Company in partnership with Daishin in the United States and Bandai in Japan. Musical Jolly Chimp was battery operated and would bug its eyes out and screech when hit on the head. Its chest was often constructed from recycled tin from food packaging. This specific design was featured in a variety of entertainment such as ''

Close Encounters of the Third Kind ''Close Encounters of the Third Kind'' is a 1977 American science fiction film, science fiction drama film written and directed by Steven Spielberg, starring Richard Dreyfuss, Melinda Dillon, Teri Garr, Bob Balaban, Cary Guffey, and François ...

'', ''

Toy Story 3 ''Toy Story 3'' is a 2010 American animated comedy-drama film produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures. The third installment in the Toy Story (franchise), ''Toy Story'' series, it was directed by Lee Unkrich, the editor ...

'' and ''

How the Grinch Stole Christmas ''How the Grinch Stole Christmas!'' is a children's Christmas book by Theodor "Dr. Seuss" Geisel written in rhymed verse with illustrations by the author. It follows the Grinch, a green cranky, solitary creature who attempts to thwart the pu ...

''. This design has switched companies over time as well as changes to its appearance; its most recent iteration is Yamani's "Curious Cymbal-kun".

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cymbal-Banging Monkey Toy Monkeys in popular culture 1950s toys Japanese inventions Mechanical toys Traditional toys Toy animals Cymbals Toy instruments and noisemakers