Old Cat Gossip

Posts Tagged ‘cheeta’

Image via Wikipedia

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. Add in his bizarre post-stardom life with trainer, Gentry, who stipulated in his will that Cheeta be euthanised after his death for fear that no one else could provide the proper care for him. Then we have Gentry’s subsequent reversal of that decision at the behest of a relative and fellow animal trainer, Dan Westfall, who runs the Palm Springs sanctuary to which Cheeta was eventually retired. Give me a break!

Great story. Great rumour too.

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

Must unravel the real story. Curiosity never killed a cat.