Blog: A Sad Loss on Christmas Eve

I'd been a fan of his since the 1930s, and never missed any of his movies spanning six decades, in which he played supporting roles. So, when I learned that he had died at the age of 80 of kidney failure on that day, I felt like I'd lost a lifelong friend. He was as outgoing as he was amusing, and appeared to find pleasure in seeing people of all ages laughing at his antics.

But it was comforting to read that he died peacefully in his sleep, surrounded by those who'd given him such tender, loving care in his declining years; and that a picture of him holding hands with his constant companions on the silver screen, Tarzan and Jane, was at his bedside.

Yes, that was my beloved friend, Cheetah.

Note from the editor: Cheetah was a chimpanzee that appeared in Tarzan movies in the 1930's. Experts question whether this was the actual Cheetah. Read more about Cheetah's passing in this USA Today article or this CNN article.