Is that you, Cheetah?

Gossip has it the famous performing primate who starred alongside Johnny Weissmuller in the Tarzan films and Rex Harrison in Dr. Doolittle, is not who he claims to be.

I’m not surprised. His story always did sound too good to be true.

Shall we consider his history? There’s his abduction from the wilds of his native Liberia and his fabled stardom in Hollywood. Then you have his bizarre post-stardom life with trainer, Gentry, who stipulated in his will that Cheetah be euthanised after his death for fear that no one else could provide the proper care for him.

When Gentry died, there was a press release saying that CHeetah had NOT been put to sleep at all!

This story was put out by a relative and fellow animal trainer, Dan Westfall, who claimed that Gentry had reversed his decision to euthanise the by now incredibly old chimpanzee.

Westfall just happened to run a Palm Springs sanctuary where, he says, Cheetah was eventually retired. Give me a break!

Great story. Pull the other one.

Dan Westfall refuses to admit anything but has updated his information at Cheeta to read :” This will almost certainly remain a Hollywood mystery“.

Come on, even the name is different!

The Cheetah who performed in the Tarzan films was born about 1933. How long do these chimps live? I’m not sure, but I can tell you clearly that it’s not for 76 years or so. The animals cared for in zoos, under the very best of conditions, last about 40 -50 years.

Is this animal sanctuary owner telling me that a tippling, chain-smoking chimp is alive and well and finger-painting in his backyard?

Are you game to pay the hefty entrance fee to see a geriatric chain-smoking old celeb?

Anyone puffing on cigars for years is guaranteed not to get a telegram from the Queen, why should this alleged Cheetah be any different?

I must unravel the real story. Curiosity never killed a cat.