THE HONORED PIRATE OF THE ODESA PORT
As part of the project “Incredible Port”
If you think a seaport is only about containers, cranes, and ship horns, then you simply haven’t met Pirate. Yes, that Pirate - not a seafaring robber, but a real film star, a cheerful and restless chimpanzee who turned the entire New Mole of the Odesa Port upside down back in 1960!
At that time, the legendary film Striped Trip was being shot on the port’s territory, and Pirate was cast to play one of his best roles. For filming inside Warehouse № 25 on the New Mole (today’s Marine Station area), an entire “animal pavilion” was built - complete with cages for tigers, a lion, and even a special “apartment” for the monkey. But Pirate quickly made it clear: he was not just an actor but a full-fledged port worker! He only slept in his cage - the rest of the day he spent among people: crane operators, drivers, warehouse weighers, reception clerks.
They say that in the mornings, before leaving for work, port workers reminded their families: “Don’t forget to pack a couple of candies for Pirate.”
While someone operated a forklift, Pirate would ride along, waving his arms happily. He even helped weigh oranges: removing one weight, adding another…
But Pirate’s mischief wasn’t always harmless. Once, while the workers were on lunch break, the tailed performer managed to “mark” the entire asphalt on the quay with special industrial paint — so thoroughly that the whole crew spent the rest of the day scrubbing it off. The warehouse chief, Heorhii Kuvshynov, was so furious he grabbed Pirate by the collar, dragged him to the edge of the quay, and threatened:
“If you keep causing trouble – I’ll throw you into the sea!”
One day his caretaker, Valentina Karpel, an employee of Warehouse № 25, decided to teach the troublemaker a lesson for yet another prank – she locked him in the warehouse with lemons so he could “calm down.”
“You’re not letting people work! Sit here and find yourself something quiet to do!”
When she returned, she saw the following scene: an absolutely delighted Pirate was hurling tropical fruit at the opposite wall. A giant yellow stain covered the wall, and a mountain of smashed “balls” lay beneath it.
“And who is going to pay for all this?” the caretaker asked in a defeated voice. It was a rhetorical question.
Pirate also had an enemy – the cleaning lady, Baba Natalka. She would never let him come near her, chased him with a broom, and called him a “mon-kay” – her own grumbling mispronunciation of “monkey.” But one day Pirate took humorous revenge: he waited until the old lady fell asleep after cleaning and gently… pulled a bucket over her head. When she woke up, she nearly lost her mind. The next day she demanded that the “mon-kay” be locked in a cage, but no one listened to her. By that summer, the port workers had grown fond of Pirate – despite his petty tendencies.
But even the best stories have an ending. When the filming was over, the actors left. Dressed in his smart sailor suit, Pirate walked down the gangway of the Fryazino steamer, holding the trainer’s hand. The port workers shouted:
“Pirate! Pirate! Come over here!”
But he didn’t turn around. His dignified, focused expression showed he was ready for new adventures…
The following year, 1961, the comedy Striped Trip became the box office leader. The film was watched by 45.8 million viewers. And in that success, the contribution of the Odesa port workers was undeniable — they provided the film crew with all the conditions needed for smooth work.
They say an old legend still circulates among veteran port workers: if at night a box of tropical fruit suddenly disappears somewhere in the port – it means the restless, Honored Pirate of the Odesa Port is once again up to mischief nearby.
