Cheeta the Tarzan chimp star turns 75
Cheeta the chimpanzee, the animal star of 12 Tarzan films in the Thirties and Forties, celebrated his 75th birthday yesterday.
Officially the world’s oldest chimp, Cheeta, who was ‘discovered’ by an animal trainer on a trip to Africa in the 1930s, is said to be in excellent shape at a primate centre in Palm Springs, California.
He has outlived both his human Tarzan costars. Johnny Weissmuller, who played the lead, died in 1984 aged 79, and Maureen O’Sullivan, who was Jane, died in 1998 at 87.
Funny, Cheetah was the only real actor from those films. E Entertainment should do a “Where are they now”, for animal actors. Benjie, Lassie, Mr. Ed, Bonzo, and oh George W. Bush.
I wonder if he already wrote a Shakespeare’s play by now.
No, silly, there’s only one of him.
I hope he still gets residuals.
He doesn’t look a day over 74.
I’m glad they’re taking good care of him. This is genuinely good news.
However, even if he had died younger, I bet he’d have had a better life in the wild. I also hate to think about all the other chimps that were killed to take a single wild chimp out of the wild. This can’t be done non-violently.
6…have you ever seen National Geographic shows on the lives of these chimps? It’s pretty damned violent all by itself. I’d say Cheetah is far happier knowing that he’s going to eat and knowing that he’s not going to be killed and eaten by the next alpha male.
7, chimps are what they are. We humans gets beat up by the alpha male everyday.
#7 – Olo Baggins of Bywater,
Yes. Chimps are as violent as humans. But, they’re not as good at it. Still though, would you like to live a nice peaceful life with no other members of your species around? After being traumatized by having your family killed by the only species with which you now have contact? I wouldn’t. And what about the loving parts of chimps lives. Having seen them in the wild I assure you that they are as bipolar as we are too. They can be extremely loving. And, no sex is a big drawback to not having one’s own species around as well.
Chimps are as violent as humans. But, they’re not as good at it.
They’re more violent than we are, and they’re quite a bit better at it.
Try going mano-a-mano against an 8 year old chimp and see how much of your face is left. You won’t be able to count past three, either, if you depend on your fingers.
Misanthropis Scott…..he’s been living at a primate center….having been to the center I can assure you he isn’t alone there. When I last went there were 22 other chimps and it was like a nice resort jungle. He even has an AARP membership…..so his car insurance is much cheaper than mine. 🙂
But on a serious note…..you are so right about what they do to each other in the wild and what man has done to our cousins in the wild and in Zoo’s and wild life preserves.
Scott…are you thinking he hasn’t gotten laid in a long time? Good question. That would suck. Then again, do old Chimps get lucky?
#12
That’s what masturbation is for.
Once again, Boy gets no respect. Johnny Sheffield was born in April 1931 and is soon to be 76. According to IMDB, Boy hasn’t appeared in a movie since 1955.
#10 – venom monger,
mano-a-mano (unarmed) against an 8 year old chimp, I’d get my ass kicked. They’re about 4 times as strong as an average adult male human. But, I’ll still take that over mano-a-mano against a nutcase with an assault weapon, grenade, tact nuke, etc., etc., etc.
We got to be what we are by being the meanest species on the planet. No large species alive today comes close. At current level of technology, probably the only real threats to H. Sapiens are H. Sapiens and bacteria.
So, yeah. As mean but not as good at is a statement I stand by.
Perhaps one day we can learn from bonobos, at least now that it’s safe enough (from humans) that some of the researchers are willing to go back there.
Thanks for posting this one, Uncle Dave. Made my day.
I dunno about the man-ape touching his noggin’, but his facial expression looks like he’s thinking, “What kinda dumbass photojournalist is this dweeb?”
I’m seen to exact same look on many a human Ph.D talking to journalists/reporters.
I break with thee, I break with thee, I break with thee, and then I throw dog poop on your shoes. :-p