On the set of Sheena, Queen of the Jungle (1955), Irish McCalla and her animal co-star Neal the Chimp (credited as "Chim") were a central duo. Their interaction was a key element of the show's charm, often captured in candid publicity photos at the World Jungle Compound in Thousand Oaks, California.
Neal the Chimp appeared in 21 of the 26 episodes produced for the series. He was trained by animal handler Howard Bryant specifically for the production. Many famous LIFE magazine photos feature the pair peering through jungle underbrush or McCalla holding Neal's hand.
Behind the scenes, the two were often seen having fun, with McCalla maintaining a natural rapport that helped ground the low-budget, pulp-adventure series. In the series, Chim was portrayed as Sheena's loyal companion, often participating in her missions to protect the jungle from poachers and treasure hunters.
For the first half of the series, McCalla performed nearly all her own stunts, including vine swinging and wrestling mechanical alligators. Her stunt work was so physically demanding that she eventually suffered a serious accident after grabbing an unsecured vine and slamming into a tree, resulting in a broken arm and a smashed knee.
Because of her unique height and athletic build, the production struggled to find a female stunt double; they eventually had to hire male stuntmen in blonde wigs and leopard-skin costumes to replace her after her injury.
