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Sun 13 Apr, 2003 11:42 am
Cheeta lives in the resort town of Palm Springs, California like a lot of old movie stars, painting, playing the piano and watching his old movies. But as one of Palm Springs' only retired chimpanzees, he stands out.
The last actor to have played the lead chimpanzee role in the Tarzan movies of the 1930s and 1940s, Cheeta is 71 now, the oldest chimp in the world, according to the Guinness Book of Records.
"He's just part of the family," said Dan Westfall, who saved Cheeta's life when he adopted him from Tony Gentry, an animal trainer who worked in Hollywood.
Gentry, Westfall's uncle, originally left instructions in his will to have Cheeta euthanized after his death because he worried that the 142-pound chimp would wind up in a research lab. His nephew talked him out of that by promising he'd always take care of Cheeta.
Westfall and Abe Karajerjian care for Cheeta nd other animals, includinmg orangutans and monkeys, at a house they have nicknamed Casa de Cheeta.
71?! Thats amazing, and good to know Cheeta is still alive and well, even if not in the jungle.
That's cool....in a strange twist of fate, I am currently watching Tarzan vs. the Amazons while typing. Every weekend they show the old Tarzan flicks on digital cable, and I watch, and laugh my ass off. Good stuff. So far, my attempts at learning how to say "Ungawa" have been futile at both controlling animals, and Africans. Just kidding, but those old flicks were a bit racist, no? Good to hear that Cheeta is enjoying the easy life.
"Ungawa, Boolie" (Boolie was the elepant)
Is it true one of the Tarzan's was an Olympix swimmer?
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