Tarzan‘s ’Cheetah the Chimp’ Dies at Extraordinary Age of 80

PALM HARBOR, Fla. (TheBlaze/AP) — A Florida animal sanctuary says Cheetah the chimpanzee, sidekick in the Tarzan movies of the early 1930s, has died at age 80.

The Suncoast Primate Sanctuary in Palm Harbor announced that Cheetah died Dec. 24 of kidney failure.

Sanctuary outreach director Debbie Cobb on Wednesday told The Tampa Tribune that Cheetah was outgoing, loved finger painting and liked to see people laugh. She says he seemed to be tuned into human feelings. According to the Tribune, he was soothed by non-denominational Christian music.