Meet the ITX Chimps

Curious about the faces behind IT Xpress’ popular TV, radio and print commercials? Meet Jake and April, chimpanzees from Frazier Park, California. They are the frustrated computer-user stars of the IT Xpress commercials now airing in the Nashville, TN market.

Jake, age 8, and his sister April, age 6, were raised by Steve Martin’s Working Wildlife, an animal training center that boasts more than 100 animal actors. Nurtured and loved by their animal trainers from birth, they began “acting” at age 2. Since then, Jake and April have starred in national commercials that aired during the SuperBowl, a Fall Out Boy music video, and a German drama/comedy that has been running for 12 years. Their older brother Harry preceded them in show business, having also starred in the German series and many national commercials. Harry has since “retired.”

Jake, the more seasoned actor of the pair, is the star of most of the IT Xpress commercials, with April assisting him with jumper cables in “Booting Up.”

Jake and April rehearsed their roles for three full days before the commercials were shot in a Burbank, California studio. On shoot day, the chimps wore diapers underneath boys’ size 7 (Jake) and girls’ size 5 (April) clothing. They ate much of the same food that the film crew ate, and they played with their trainers at every break, climbing on them and even performing somersaults. Both Jake and April are warm and loving friends with their long-time trainers, Chris and Keith.

And as for Jake’s favorite scene? He definitely had the most fun banging on the keyboard with the oversized mallet!