# Cheetah dead at 80! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 28, 2011, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheetah-dead-at-80/607616 "2011-12-28T12:42:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheetah-dead-at-80/607616/1 "2011-12-28T12:42:10Z")
[http://news.yahoo.com/chimp-1930s-us-tarzan-films-dead-80-093119035.html](http://news.yahoo.com/chimp-1930s-us-tarzan-films-dead-80-093119035.html) Although, in reality, there’s some confusion and doubtless deliberate obfuscation – several chimps played the role in the movies, and some aren’t as old as they’re claimed to be: > **[Cheeta](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheeta)** > > Cheeta (sometimes billed as Cheetah, Cheta, and Chita) is a chimpanzee character that appeared in numerous Hollywood Tarzan films of the 1930s–1960s, as well as the 1966–1968 television series, as the ape sidekick of the title character, Tarzan. Cheeta has usually been characterized as male, but sometimes as female, and has been portrayed by chimpanzees of both sexes. > While the character of Cheeta is inextricably associated in the public mind with Tarzan, no chimpanzees appear in the original Ta... ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheetah-dead-at-80/607616/2 "2011-12-28T12:48:47Z")
Missed the edit window: > [@](#): > > a male chimpanzee born about 1960, formerly owned by Tony Gentry and now residing at the C.H.E.E.T.A. Primate Sanctuary (Creative Habitats and Enrichment for Endangered and Threatened Apes) in Palm Springs, California. Claimed by Gentry to have been born in 1932 or later in the 1930s and to have portrayed Cheeta in most of the Johnny Weismuller and Lex Barker Tarzan films, and for that reason long celebrated as the longest-lived chimpanzee. Both claims were debunked by journalist R. D. Rosen in 2008 in an article that settled the animal’s true age and established that he had not appeared in any movies, let alone in the role of Cheeta.[1] If you go to the cite you get this fascinating article (that I’ve read before): [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/25/AR2008112500939.html?hpid=features1&hpv=national](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/25/AR2008112500939.html?hpid=features1&hpv=national) ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheetah-dead-at-80/607616/3 "2011-12-28T14:20:47Z")
_“In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you just throw poop.”_ ---
**Author:** ![2gigch1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/2gigch1/32/3313_2.png) [@2gigch1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2gigch1)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheetah-dead-at-80/607616/4 "2011-12-28T14:25:58Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > _“In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you just throw poop.”_ That memorial thread will be in The Pit. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheetah-dead-at-80/607616/5 "2011-12-28T14:39:52Z")
From an obit I sent out this morning, I hope making a monkey out of several news agencies: > [@](#): > > Cheeta the chimp, costar of several Tarzan films, was reported to have died at the age of 80 on December 24 at the Suncoast Primate Sanctuary in Palm Harbor, Florida. But these claims were debunked by writer R.D. Rosen in The Washington Post in 2008. Chimps rarely live beyond the age of 45, and, Rosen wrote, “As Cheeta’s claims to fame were springing leaks, I began spending hours in front of my television, freeze-framing on close-ups of various Cheetas in MGM Tarzan movies . . . I was turning into the Inspector Javert of simian mysteries, > obsessed with my small cause.” The recently-deceased Cheeta, Rosen learned, was actually born in 1960 or ’61, and “was never in any picture, much less a Johnny Weissmuller picture.” Nonetheless, this Florida “dauphin” or “Tichborne claimaint,” if you will, gives us a chance to look back on the actual performing chimps of movie fame. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheetah-dead-at-80/607616/6 "2011-12-28T14:46:00Z")
I already started a thread on this: > **[Cheetah dead at 80!](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=636445)** > > http://news.yahoo.com/chimp-1930s-us-tarzan-films-dead-80-093119035.html Although, in reality, there’s some confusion and doubtless deliberate obfuscation – several chimps played the role in the movies, and some aren’t as old as they’re claimed to... My vote – No. See the articles I linked. ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheetah-dead-at-80/607616/7 "2011-12-28T14:55:08Z")
I saw an article that seems to differentiate this (now dead) Cheetah from Gentry’s Cheeta at the CHEETA sanctuary in Palm Springs (the one Rosen’s WP article is about). It seems like the Yahoo article in your first post is making the same differentiation. So it’s possible that this (now dead) Cheetah really was one of the Cheetahs - I’m not sure. I thought exactly the same thing as you did, **Cal** , when I heard the story in NPR - “yeah, right!” - but it’s possible this is legit. ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheetah-dead-at-80/607616/8 "2011-12-28T14:56:23Z")
Crossposting: I saw an article that seems to differentiate this (now dead) Cheetah from Gentry’s Cheeta at the CHEETA sanctuary in Palm Springs (the one that Rosen wrote about in his article). It seems like the Yahoo article in **Cal** ’s first post in the other thread is making the same differentiation. So it’s possible that this (now dead) Cheetah really was one of the Cheetahs - I’m not sure. I thought exactly the same thing as you did, **Cal** , when I heard the story in NPR - “yeah, right!” - because of that Washington Post/Rosen article, but it’s possible this is legit. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheetah-dead-at-80/607616/9 "2011-12-28T14:59:46Z")
As I noted, there seems some confusion – the Wikipedia article gives the same recent death date for two different Cheetas – that can’t be right. But I also have a hard time believing in an 80 year old chimp. All goes to show that it’s not always true that Cheetas Never Prosper. (ducks flung feces and runs) ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheetah-dead-at-80/607616/10 "2011-12-28T15:08:14Z")
I guess you could say Rosen’s article kinda tars and feathers the others. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheetah-dead-at-80/607616/11 "2011-12-28T15:31:26Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > I already started a thread on this: > > [Cheetah dead at 80! - Cafe Society - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=636445) > My vote – No. See the articles I linked. Ooop, I searched in Cafe Society, not MPSIMS, even though this was a \*fake \*performer. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheetah-dead-at-80/607616/12 "2011-12-28T15:33:04Z")
Not that this will be a three-page thread or anything, but can someone move this to Cafe Society and/or merge it with my thread on the same topic? ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheetah-dead-at-80/607616/13 "2011-12-28T15:57:20Z")
So, I guess at this point, the oldest documented Cheeta is. . .[Cheeta Rivera](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0729234/), who will turn 79 next month? ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheetah-dead-at-80/607616/14 "2011-12-28T16:18:05Z")
He died penniless because Cheetas never prosper. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheetah-dead-at-80/607616/15 "2011-12-28T16:18:24Z")
Woo-hoo–I got got a call from the _NY Times_ about my fake Cheeta obit, and he asked if he could quote me when I said, “All chimps look like George Burns to me.” ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheetah-dead-at-80/607616/16 "2011-12-28T16:20:45Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > Not that this will be a three-page thread or anything, but can someone move this to Cafe Society and/or merge it with my thread on the same topic? Done. ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheetah-dead-at-80/607616/17 "2011-12-28T16:23:30Z")
Any news on Tamba from the [Jungle Jim](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047747/) TV show ? ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheetah-dead-at-80/607616/18 "2011-12-28T16:27:11Z")
Or Judy from Daktari? ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheetah-dead-at-80/607616/19 "2011-12-28T16:44:44Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > He died penniless because Cheetas never prosper. Here is the reason- If they prosper, some journalist says they are not Cheeta. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheetah-dead-at-80/607616/20 "2011-12-28T17:16:14Z")
I hope Lindsay Lohan and Miley Cyrus are taking notes. 😃 This chimp sat in Maureen O’Sullivan’s lap. Lucky guy. He had a heck of a long life. > [@](#): > > “When he didn’t like somebody or something that was going on, he would pick up some poop and throw it at them,” Ron Priest said. “He could get you at 30 feet [9m] with bars in between.” > **['Tarzan's chimpanzee' Cheetah dies aged 80 in Florida](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-16344309)** > > Cheetah the chimpanzee, who acted in Tarzan films in the 1930s, has died aged 80 in Florida, his primate sanctuary says. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheetah-dead-at-80/607616.md?page=2)