JACKIE CHAN'S MONKEY BUSINESS

ACTORS can only ever make one film at once but I've become used, over the years, to seeing them in two or three new movies during the intensive spells when we critics might see up to 18 movies in a three or four day spell.

This week, though, has added an even stranger twist to this phenomenon.

First, I saw Kung Fu Panda, starring Jackie Chan as 'Monkey'.

Then I watched The Forbidden Kingdom, a kung fu movie starring Jackie Chan alongside Jet Li who was playing 'The Monkey King'.

All this in a week when I read that the original Tarzan chimpanzee Cheeta is still alive! At the grand old age of... 76.

According to wenn.com, the Liberian-born ape has been signed up for a record and DVD deal with plans for a memoir to be published on his behalf.

Cheeta's last film was apparently Doctor Dolittle opposite Rex Harrison in 1967, and The Guinness Book of World Records reckons he's the world's oldest living ape.

Jackie Chan, still only 54, can keep monkeying around for a long time yet, then!

Read my review of Kung Fu Panda in the Birmingham Mail on Friday, July 4 - and Forbidden Kingdom on July 11. And don't forge to book early for Mamma Mia! It's going to be massive.