Cheeta

Cheeta aka Jiggs (probably born in 1932) is a male chimpanzee noted for appearing in numerous movies and television shows, most famously many Hollywood Tarzan films of the 1930s and 1940s, in which he portrayed a fictional chimp of the same name. Cheeta was bought from Henry Trefflich, a New York animal importer and dealer. He was born in the wild in Liberia some months prior to 9 April 1932, which is celebrated as his birthday because it is the date he arrived in the USA, in New York.^[1] Type species Simia troglodytes Blumenbach, 1775 distribution of Species Pan troglodytes Pan paniscus Chimpanzee, often shortened to chimp, is the common name for the two extant species of apes in the genus Pan. ... This article is about motion pictures. ... ... For other uses, see Tarzan (disambiguation). ... Henry Trefflich (January 9, 1908–July 7, 1978) was an animal importer and dealer. ... is the 99th day of the year (100th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1932 (MCMXXXII) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1932 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Motto: (traditional) In God We Trust (official, 1956–present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at the federal level; English de facto Government Federal Republic  - President George W. Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence - Declared - Recognized... This article is about the state. ...

While inextricably associated in the public mind with Tarzan, Cheeta as a character was a product of the movies, never appearing in any of the original Tarzan novels by Edgar Rice Burroughs. There are, in fact, no chimpanzees at all in the novels, the closest analog to Cheeta therein being Tarzan's monkey companion N'kima, who appears in several of the later books. Edgar Rice Burroughs Edgar Rice Burroughs (September 1, 1875 – March 19, 1950) was an American author, best known for his creation of the jungle hero Tarzan, although he also produced works in many genres. ...

Movie career

The role of Cheeta was originally played by a different chimpanzee, who appeared as such in the first two Johnny Weissmuller Tarzan films, Tarzan the Ape Man (1932) and Tarzan and His Mate (1934), and apparently also in a Tarzan serial starring Buster Crabbe, Tarzan the Fearless (1933), filmed simultaneously. In the serial there was also an uncredited human double for the Cheeta role, six year old American actor David Holt.^[2][3] Johnny Weissmuller (June 2, 1904 – January 20, 1984) was an American swimmer and actor who was one of the worlds best swimmers in the 1920s, winning five Olympic gold medals and one bronze medal. ... Tarzan the Ape Man (1932) is an action adventure film starring Johnny Weissmuller, Neil Hamilton, C. Aubrey Smith & Maureen OSullivan. ... Year 1932 (MCMXXXII) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1932 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Tarzan and His Mate is a Tarzan film based on the character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs. ... Year 1934 (MCMXXXIV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display full 1934 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Buster Crabbe Buster Crabbe (February 7, 1908 – April 23, 1983) was an American athlete turned actor, who starred in a number of popular serials in the 1930s and 1940s. ... Year 1933 (MCMXXXIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... David Jack Holt (mostly known as David Holt) (August 14, 1927 – November 15, 2003) was an American actor initially groomed at age seven to be the male Shirley Temple. ...

The first movie appearance of this chimpanzee was in the second Weissmuller film cited above, in which he appeared uncredited as a young chimpanzee riding on the back of the original Cheeta. He was then cast in the role of Cheeta himself in the other Weissmuller Tarzans that followed, such as Tarzan Escapes (1936), Tarzan Finds a Son! (1939), and Tarzan's New York Adventure (1942), as well as the Lex Barker Tarzan films that followed, such as Tarzan's Magic Fountain (1949). He appeared in twelve Tarzan movies in all. Tarzan Escapes is the third in the MGM Tarzan series to feature Johnny Weissmuller as the King of the Apes. Plot Captain Fry, a hunter, attempts to take Tarzan to civilization so he can be put on public display. ... Year 1936 (MCMXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Tarzan Finds a Son! is a Tarzan film based on the character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs It was the fourth in the MGM Tarzan series to feature Johnny Weissmuller as the King of the Apes. A plane flying to Johannesburg carrying a young couple and their baby, crashes in... Year 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Tarzans New York Adventure is a 1942 film, the sixth Tarzan film to feature actors Johnny Weissmuller and Maureen OSullivan. ... Year 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Lex Barker (May 8, 1919 - May 11, 1973) was an American actor best known for playing Tarzan of the Apes. ... Year 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Cheeta also appeared in roles as other chimpanzees, including Ramona the Chimp in Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla (1952) and Chee-Chee in Doctor Dolittle (1967) with Rex Harrison, the chimp's last role before retirement. Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla is a 1952 comedy film directed by William Beaudine and starring horror veteran Bela Lugosi. ... Year 1952 (MCMLII) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Doctor Dolittle is a 1967 musical film which tells the story of a doctor who learns from his pet parrot to talk to animals. ... Year 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. ... Sir Reginald Rex Carey Harrison, KBE (5 March 1908 – 2 June 1990) was an Academy Award- and Tony Award-winning English theatre and film actor. ...

On 31 March 1995, Cheeta's career was honored with a star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars. His star is at 110 South Palm Canyon Drive.^[4] Since 2004 there have been several unsuccessful campaigns to secure a star for Cheeta on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and as of 2008 filmmaker Matt Devlen is continuing the effort.^[5] is the 90th day of the year (91st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... In Palm Springs you can find out which Hollywood celebrities lived and played in Palm Springs by searching for their stars embedded in the sidewalk of Palm Canyon Drive. ... Buskers perform on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. ...

Retirement

In retirement Cheeta lives at a primate sanctuary called Creative Habitats and Enrichment for Endangered and Threatened Apes (or CHEETA) in Palm Springs, California. He watches television and makes abstract paintings which are sold to benefit primate-related charities. He often watches his old films with his grandson, Jeeter. He also leafs through books and "plays" the piano.^[6][7] Palm Springs is a desert city in Riverside County, California approximately 110 miles (177 km) east of Los Angeles and 140 miles (225 km) northeast of San Diego. ... For other uses , see Painting (disambiguation). ... Families 15, See classification A primate is any member of the biological order Primates, the group that contains all the species commonly related to the lemurs, monkeys, and apes, with the latter category including humans. ... This article is about charitable organizations. ... Pianoforte redirects here. ...

Cheeta became the longest-lived chimpanzee known when he reached 64 in 1996. He is cited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's oldest non-human primate. Chimpanzees typically live to be 40-45 in the wild.^[6] The Guinness Book of Records (or in recent editions Guinness World Records, and in previous US editions Guinness Book of World Records) is a book published annually, containing an internationally recognized collection of superlatives: both in terms of human achievement and the extrema of the natural world. ... Families 15, See classification A primate is any member of the biological order Primates, the group that contains all the species commonly related to the lemurs, monkeys, and apes, with the latter category including humans. ...

The October 4, 2006, edition of the Palm Springs newspaper, The Desert Sun, reported that Cheeta received his first-ever visit from famed primatologist Jane Goodall the previous day. is the 277th day of the year (278th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Dame Jane Goodall, DBE, PhD, (born 3 April 1934 as Valerie Jane Morris Goodall) is an English UN Messenger of Peace, primatologist, ethologist, and anthropologist. ...

Cheeta is still alive at the age of 76 as of 2008. His 75th birthday was celebrated on 9 April 2007, at his "Casa de Cheeta" in Palm Springs at an event hosted by Dan Westfall and Diane Weissmuller, (Johnny Weissmuller, Jr.'s widow). The press and many Palm Spring celebrities attended. 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 99th day of the year (100th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... Johnny Weissmuller, Jr. ...

A literary agent has been hired on his behalf ahead of the publication of his ghost-written autobiography, Me Cheeta, scheduled for release in October 2008. ^[1] This article is about a ghostwriter, the type of writer. ...

See Also:

• List of apes

This is a list of apes of encyclopedic interest. ...

Notes

is the 26th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 26th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... For the in-memory database management system, see In-memory database. ...

External links

• Cheeta's Myspace