New Star

J. Fred Muggs, Africa-born one-year-old, is the current rage of morning TV audiences. J. Fred, a cheerful little chimpanzee in rubber pants, is Dave Garroway's romping sidekick on NBC's 7 a.m. news show Today. Garroway uses J. Fred during lulls on the two-hour program, and since Muggs showed up fan mail and the show's rating have been boosted considerably. Explains Garroway: "Muggs's charm is his unpredictability--same as any animal's."

One Brooklyn woman wrote in and invited Muggs to spend the weekend; another offered the chimp use of her limousine, if J. Fred would let her come along too. Wrote one young televiewer: "I've been wanting a baby sister for quite a while and never got one. Since I've seen you . . . I'd rather have a sister like you."

This week, like any big-time celebrity, J. Fred was whisked off to Chicago for a round of publicity-making: a suite at the Palmer House, press parties, guest appearances, etc. Soon he was back at NBC's Manhattan studios, mugging for the cameras, playing with toys (including a game of Russian roulette with an empty pistol), and sometimes merely looking like a weary-eyed, simple simian. He need do no more to earn his $250 a week, but Garroway has bigger plans afoot. "As soon as he can take direction properly," says Dave, "we plan to have J. Fred carry copy to the news desk."

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