| Species | Orangutan |
|---|---|
| Sex | Male |
| Born | May 31, 1964 |
| Occupation | Animal actor |
| Known for | Clint Eastwood's sidekick inEvery Which Way but Loose (1978 film) |
Manis was a trainedorangutan that played Clyde,Clint Eastwood's sidekick in the1978 box office hitEvery Which Way but Loose. Its1980 sequel,Any Which Way You Can, did not feature Manis, as the "child actor" had grown too much between productions. In the sequel, two orangutans, C.J. and Buddha, shared the role. Manis also featured in the 1983 action comedy filmCannonball Run II as the 'limo driver'.
In a documentary produced byPeople for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), it was alleged, never proven, that Manis was beaten on the set by his trainer to keep him docile. The trainer would spraymace in his face and then beat him with an iron pipe wrapped in newspaper.[1] The source for this information wasVisions of Caliban, a book byDale Peterson andJane Goodall, but PETA referred to the wrong animal. Peterson and Goodall actually refer not to Manis but to Buddha, the orangutan used in the second film (Any Which Way You Can).
The book cites witnesses who stated that Buddha was badly beaten by his head trainer, who clubbed him with an axe handle, and that an autopsy after his death suggestedcerebral hemorrhage. Buddha's crime was stealingdoughnuts from the craft service table. The book states that a second orangutan, Clyde Junior or C.J., was brought in to do publicity in the wake of Buddha's death.[2] Makeup effects artist William Munns, though not witness to the events, expressed doubt regarding Buddha's treatment.[3]
Manis returned to working with his trainers' act inLas Vegas.[4]
 | This article about a film actor is astub. You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |
.png)