"Cheetah" Dies at 80

[Gaybutton]

Cheetah, Chimp from Tarzan Films, Dies

By Ashley Hayes, CNN
December 28, 2011

(CNN) -- Condolences poured in to a Florida primate sanctuary Wednesday after the death of Cheetah, a chimpanzee who starred in the Tarzan movies during the 1930s.

"I grew up watching Tarzan and Cheetah from a boy," a man identifying himself as Thomas from England wrote on the Suncoast Primate Sanctuary's website. "God bless you Cheetah. Now you and Tarzan are together again."

The chimpanzee died Saturday after suffering kidney failure the week before, the sanctuary foundation said on the site. He was roughly 80 years old, Debbie Cobb, the sanctuary's outreach director, told CNN affiliate WFLA.

Cobb recalled Cheetah as an outgoing chimp who loved finger painting and watching football and who was soothed by Christian music, the station said.

Cheetah appeared in the Tarzan moves from 1932 through 1934, Cobb told WFLA. According to the website Tarzanmovieguide.com, "Tarzan the Ape Man" was released in 1932 and "Tarzan and his Mate" in 1934.

Both movies starred Johnny Weissmuller as Tarzan. Weissmuller -- the first speaking Tarzan, according to the Internet Movie Database website -- died in 1984.

Cheetah came to the primate sanctuary from Weissmuller's Florida estate around 1960, Cobb told WFLA. He was the most famous of the sanctuary's 15 chimpanzees.

"He was very compassionate," Cobb said. "He could tell if I was having a good day or a bad day. He was always trying to get me to laugh if he thought I was having a bad day. He was very in tune to human feelings."

Cheetah was known for his ability to stand up and walk like a person, sanctuary volunteer Ron Priest told WFLA.

Another distinguishing characteristic: "When he didn't like somebody or something that was going on, he would pick up some poop and throw it at them," Priest said. "He could get you at 30 feet with bars in between."

Still, Cobb told the station, "He wasn't a chimp that caused a lot of problems."

Cheetah is not believed to have any children, Priest said.

Condolences on the sanctuary site were received from numerous countries and in several different languages. A few posters credited him with helping them develop a love for animals.

"Cheetah will remain forever remembered in history," wrote one man from Malta.

"This little man was almost human," an anonymous poster wrote. "Some of the antics he got up to used to make me laugh when I was in my teens many years ago. Thanks Cheetah for all the good times you had and made us all laugh. You will be a star that will be always remembered. I am in my 60s now and grew up with you."


http://www.cnn.com/2011/12/28/showbiz/o ... index.html

[bkkguy]

or alternatively:

Doubts Surround the Death of Cheetah, 1930s Tarzan Chimp

Death of ‘Cheetah’ the Chimp Called Into Question

Death Of Cheetah The Chimp A Hoax?

ah the joys of deciding on what constitutes a reliable news source these days!

bkkguy

[Gaybutton]

ah the joys of deciding on what constitutes a reliable news source these days!

I wonder whether any of these people are also among those who think Elvis is still alive. I also wonder whether these people might be confusing Cheetah with Ham, the chimp that was sent into space before the first Mercury missions. That chimp died in the early 1980's as I recall.

Maybe they ought to bring back a special edition of 'To Tell the Truth.' "Will the real Cheetah please stand up . . ."

[Captain Kirk]

I wanted to do a joke about tarzan being so upset on hearing the news that he yelled ....?? See that's the thing. No idea how to spell the tarzan call. Even googled it but none of the few answers looked convincing to me.
Anybody want a go?

[lvdkeyes]

Perhaps GB has a clip of Carol Burnett doing the Tarzan call.

[Gaybutton]

Perhaps GB has a clip of Carol Burnett doing the Tarzan call.

[lvdkeyes]

I knew it!!!!!!!

[Gaybutton]

I knew it!!!!!!!

What can I say? You've got the recipes. I've got the clips . . .

[lvdkeyes]

I am not sure which are better.

[Gaybutton]

I am not sure which are better.

I vote for the recipes.