Gargantua (gorilla)

Gargantua (gorilla)

Gargantua (1929 - November 1949) was a captive lowland gorilla who was famous in his lifetime and has been credited with saving the Ringling Brothers circus from bankruptcy. An acid scar on his face gave Gargantua a snarling, menacing expression, and the circus management attracted attention to him by emphasizing, in their publicity, his alleged hatred of humans. He was also claimed to be the largest gorilla in captivity.

Gargantua was captured as a baby in Africa, and was known as "Buddy" for years. After he was sold to Ringling Brothers by his previous owner, Gertrude Lintz, he was renamed after the literary character Gargantua for his large size (the literary Gargantua was a giant) and because the name sounded more frightening.

He had a "mate" named Toto, but apparently never showed any interest in her. She was nevertheless advertised by the circus as "Mrs Gargantua".

The film Buddy, starring Rene Russo, is very loosely based on the early life of Gargantua/Buddy and another of Mrs Lintz's gorillas, Massa.