| Duke Mitchell | |
|---|---|
 | |
|
Real Name |
Duke Mitchell |
|
First Appearance |
Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla (1952) |
|
Original Publisher |
Realart Pictures Inc. |
|
Created by |
Tim Ryan and William Beaudine |
Origin[]
Duke as the Brooklyn Gorilla
Duke Mitchell and Sammy Patrillo are a pair of night club performers who were on a flight to Guam on a USO tour. They were forced to ditch the plane midair, but were fortunate to land on the island of Kola Kola. The island's friendly natives helped the pair recover, and lead them to the island's only other resident, the reclusive scientist Doctor Zabor.
Things take a turn for the worse when Duke begins falling for Nona, the daughter of the island's chief. Zabor had eyes for Nona, and out of jealousy he uses advanced scientific knowledge to transform Duke into a gorilla. Sammy and Nona realize what Zabor has done, and try to free Duke from the Doctor's lab. The Doctor chased down the group with his hunting rifle.
Just as the doctor was about to shoot them, Sammy awakens in a night club. It was all a bad dream, Duke is all right, and they are on in just a minute. To Sammy's surprise, the nightclub owner looks just like Doctor Zabor.
Notes[]
- The movie Bela Lugosi meets a Brooklyn Gorilla has entered the public domain.
- Duke Mitchell and Sammy Patrillo's characters are impressions of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, the popular comdey duo of the era.
- Jerry Lewis tried to have the movie shut down, and for years after used his influence to keep the pair (especially Sammy) from working in the industry.
- The pair remained an act until 1956 when Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis ended their partnership.