From the Archives: Police respond to a call of ‘drunk bear in beer parlor’

Muni, a trained bear, drank sugar water out of a bottle. That's a bad idea at a beer parlor.

Animal trainer C.W. Webber had taken Muni for a walk that ended up at a beer parlor at Avenue 58 and North Figueroa Street. Then the police call of “drunk bear at beer parlor” went out.

A June 30, 1935, Los Angeles Times story recounted: “Radio Officer Trippel and Button arrived with a perplexed stare, then glanced at C.W. Webber, animal trainer, who held the chain from the ring in Muni’s nose.”

Webber told the officers, “I was talking him for a walk,” according to the article. “He was thirsty and I gave him sugar water. He’s only sleepy.”

The Times explained that “somebody had seen Muni standing erect in a beer parlor drinking from a bottle held between his mighty forepaws.”

Muni later demonstrated his drinking trick for a Los Angeles Times photographer. This photo then appeared in the June 30, 1935, Los Angeles Times.