Cheetah, RIP

[SamuelKhan]

PALM HARBOR, Fla. (AP) - A Florida animal sanctuary says Cheetah the chimpanzee from the Tarzan movies of the 1930s has died at age 80.

The Suncoast Primate Sanctuary in Palm Harbor announced on its website that Cheetah died on Dec. 24 of kidney failure.

Sanctuary outreach director Debbie Cobb on Wednesday told The Tampa Tribune that Cheetah was outgoing, loved finger painting and liked to see people laugh. She says he seemed to be tuned into human feelings.

Cheetah was the comic relief in the Tarzan series starring American Olympic gold medal swimmer Johnny Weissmuller. Cobb says Cheetah came to the sanctuary from Weissmuller's estate sometime around 1960.

Cobb says Cheetah wasn't a troublemaker. Still, sanctuary volunteer Ron Priest says when the chimp didn't like what was going on, he would throw feces.

 

[milagros317]

I've seen that movie, Tarzan the Ape Man (1932) and, in my opinion, Cheetah played his part very well. I guess it was type-casting.

Rest In Peace, distant cousin Cheetah.

 

[Bugman]

Cheetah is now reunited with Johnny Weissmuller and Maureen O'Sullivan. I loved those films as a child and had a hugh crush on Ms. O'Sullivan. She was one of the great beauties of the silver screen. May they all R.I.P.

 

[AmishTickler]

Dayum, I had no idea that chimps lived that long.

R.I.P. Cheetah.

 

[Wildtime]

When I encounter something I don't like, I'll throw feces in your honor, Cheetah!

 

[GEORGIATKLER]

I wonder if he will be stuffed like Trigger? I believe he had to compete with Lon Chaney, Sr. for the part. 😉 Throwing feces seeems to be theraputic, like throwing pots...... Did he or any of the other animal actors( Trigger, Lassie, Rin-tin-tin, etc) get a star on the Hollywood walk of fame? I remember watching those old movies on Saturday afternoon. I wondered if they "trained" Cheetah or just wrote his actions/vocalizations into the script.

 

[TklDuo-Drew]

My intial reaction upon hearing this was......"He was still alive?????"



Drew

 

[kwildoctr]

Dayum, I had no idea that chimps lived that long.

Generally, they don't. It's very unusual for chimps to live to be 70. 80 is essentially unheard of.

There is some serious debate going on between those who would like to believe that the chimp from the Tarzan movies has just passed away and the skeptics who believe that, yet again, someone is trying to cash in somehow by claiming that their "Cheetah" is the one from the movies. Given the life expectancy of chimps, I kind of find myself in the latter camp.

(There have been several other deceased chimps over the years whose owners/caretakers have claimed that they were the chimps from the movies).

Having said that, RIP "Cheetah", whether you're the real chimp or not.

R

 

[GEORGIATKLER]

Chimp pimps. Anything for the almighty dollar! I do wonder how many different Cheetahs were used in the films and also in the 1960's television series?

 

[♡AimLEE♡]

80 years old? Damn.

 

[TklDuo-Drew]

Cheetah actually worked for a secret organization, some video footage has been uncovered:

<object width="420" height="315"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/WV9Y0Qy0U20?version=3&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/WV9Y0Qy0U20?version=3&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="420" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>


Drew

 

[paracarl44]

I didn't know that they lived so long. RIP Cheetah.

 

[TklDuo-Drew]

It's a Cheetah conspiracy!!!!



Drew

 

[venray]

It's a Cheetah conspiracy!!!!



Drew

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTWmYHCk33BtLRqn-omlMpcs41LniOtBfbHQZSDRJWvqv2Uv3hBqcmtYLHS