Character Relationship Map: The Chimp

Characters

• Stan (played by Stan Laurel) — protagonist

  One of the two main clowns employed at the circus. Receives a flea circus as compensation and joins the chaotic efforts to hide the gorilla and deal with the landlord's threats.

• Ollie (played by Oliver Hardy) — protagonist

  One of the two main clowns. Assigned the gorilla Ethel as unpaid wages compensation. Partners with Stan in the guest house misadventures and the final standoff with the landlord.

• Ringmaster (played by James Finlayson) — supporting
• Joe the Landlord (played by Billy Gilbert) — supporting

  The guest house owner who refuses to house the gorilla. Mistakenly believes his wife is in the room due to the noise, confronts the duo with a pistol, and triggers the climax when the gorilla grabs it...

• Ethel the Chimp (played by Charles Gemora) — supporting

  A gorilla compensated to the main duo, dressed in a tutu and hat. Her presence drives the guest house conflict, as she dances to music and eventually grabs the landlord's pistol, causing panic.

• Laid-off Circus Performer (played by Dorothy Layton) — supporting

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Ringmaster → Joe the Landlord (Professional Authority Figure) — Both Ringmaster and Joe are authority figures
• Laid-off Circus Performer → Ringmaster (Professional Former Employee) — Laid-off performer used to work for Ringmaster
• Ringmaster → Ethel the Chimp (Professional Owner) — Ringmaster owns Ethel the Chimp
• Joe the Landlord → Laid-off Circus Performer (Professional Landlord) — Joe the Landlord is dealing with the Laid-off Circus Performer who can't pay rent
• Ollie → Ringmaster (Professional Circus Performer) — Ollie has some connection to the circus as a performer
• Stan → Ringmaster (Professional Circus Performer) — Stan has some connection to the circus as a performer
• Ollie → Joe the Landlord (Professional Tenant) — Ollie is a tenant of Joe the Landlord
• Stan → Joe the Landlord (Professional Tenant) — Stan is a tenant of Joe the Landlord

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Ringmaster → Ollie (Conflict Pursuer) — Ringmaster pursues Ollie to retrieve Ethel
• Ringmaster → Stan (Conflict Pursuer) — Ringmaster pursues Stan to retrieve Ethel
• Joe the Landlord → Ethel the Chimp (Conflict Disapprover) — Against having pets in the building
• Ethel the Chimp → Laid-off Circus Performer (Social Companion) — Ethel the Chimp has some connection to the Laid-off Circus Performer
• Ollie → Ethel the Chimp (Alliance Helper) — Ollie tries to help Ethel escape
• Stan → Ethel the Chimp (Alliance Helper) — Stan tries to help Ethel escape
• Stan → Ollie (Alliance Comedy Partner) — Stan and Ollie work together as a comedy duo

Story Analysis

A disastrous circus settlement forces Stan into an escalating night of concealment, infestation, mistaken identity, and armed chaos.

Plot Progression

1. Circus Misfortune — Stan works at a struggling circus and performs in a pantomime horse act. A mishap during a cannonball-catching routine destroys the Big Top and leaves the circus financially ruined.
2. Unusual Compensation — Because wages remain unpaid, Stan receives ownership of a flea circus, while a gorilla is assigned as compensation. The unusual settlement creates a new practical problem after the circus collapses.
3. The Lodging Problem — Stan seeks refuge at a guest house but the landlord refuses to accommodate the gorilla. An escaped circus lion further complicates the attempt to find a safe place for the night.
4. A Sleepless Night — Stan tries to conceal the gorilla and eventually leaves it outside. Falling from bed and discovering fleas in the bedding prevent any peaceful rest.
5. The Armed Misunderstanding — Music draws the gorilla into the bedroom, where its dancing causes more confusion. The landlord mistakes the situation, produces a pistol, and loses control of the weapon when the gorilla seizes it.