Cheetah, the chimpanzee who appeared in Tarzan films in the 1930s, has died of kidney failure at age 80.



The primate sanctuary in Florida where he had lived since the 1960s reported that Cheetah died on December 24.



Cheetah was the comic relief in the Tarzan series that starred American Olympic gold medal swimmer Johnny Weissmuller.



Sanctuary workers said Cheetah in his old age loved finger-painting and watching football and liked to see people laugh, but added that if he didn't like somebody, he occasionally would throw feces.



compiled from agency reports