Official Edgar Rice Burroughs Tribute Site
Since 1996 ~ Over 5,000 Webpages in Archive
Volume 0013

ON THE SILVER SCREEN  Pt. 1
To enter Part 2 press below:

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CONTENTS
1. Hollywood Tidbits and Trivia
2. Chrono List of the Hollywood Tarzan Films -
with Text Quotes from Newspaper Ads
3. Other ERB Characters and Stories on Film
4. Bios on Tarzan Actors:
Johnny Weissmuller Bio Timeline & Gordon Scott
5. Filmography Links for the Tarzan Actors
6. Tarzan and the Lost City

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1. Hollywood Tidbits and Trivia

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Women are cheaper in Hollywood than in any town this side of Port Said, " said a motion-picture director not long ago. And he was not thinking of them as economic factors..."Not one in a hundred has a chance; but they see only the big money and the luxurious life of a 'star'! and so they go on, 'waiting' for a 'chance'. and to get it----? Well, ask any casting director. If he gives you an honest answer, you'll blush."
                                 ~~~ The Girl From Hollywood ~~ ERB 1927 ~ 

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1950: Hollywood Report
Tarzan and the Slave Girl, soon to be released, has promises of being the best of the Sol Lessor productions.... Vanessa Brown will be the new "Jane" in the series.... Lex Barker, who plays Tarzan half clad, was listed as one of the best dressed men in Hollywood....R-K-O has re-released two Weissmuller Tarzan films, Tarzan's Desert Mystery and Tarzan Triumphs.... Weissmuller is now at work on his third Jungle Jim film.... G&D has reprinted three more early Tarzan novels in new editions.... Watch for John Coleman Burroughs' new fantasy novel soon to be published....Bruce Bennett is in FRAME-UP for Universal.... James H. Pierce is in THE KNIFE for M-G-M.

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Tarzan and His Mate (1934)
There is a scene in which Tarzan, standing on a tree limb with Jane, pulls at Jane's scanty outfit and persuades her to dive into a lake with him. The two swim for a while and eventually surface. When Jane rises out of the water, one of her breasts is fully exposed. Because various groups, including official censors of the Hays Office, criticized the scene for  being too erotic, it was cut by MGM. 

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Tarzan and the Golden Lion (1927)
James Pierce said of this picture: "Because of poor direction, terrible story treatment and putrid acting, the opus was a stinkeroo.  I emerged with nothing to show for my strenuous effort except being typecast as Tarzan. I was out of a job.'' 

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Tarzan and the Great River (1967)
In the second week of filming, Dinky the chimp bit Mike Henry on the jaw.  It took 20 stitches to repair the wound. Henry had monkey fever delirium for three days, and took three weeks to recuperate. The chimp was destroyed and replaced. 

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Tarzan and the Green Goddess (1938)
This is essentially the second half of the previously released The New Adventures of Tarzan (1935) with a little additional footage. 

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Tarzan and the Lost Safari (1957)
Gordon Scott got along well with the natives involved in the movie. A Masai warrior nicknamed him "Mtu Ule Na Panda Miti Minegu'' (Warrior Who Climbs Tall Trees).

On the set, Scott won a bet by capturing and riding a wild giraffe for  five minutes. A 500 pound lion with whom Scott had worked for over a month tore open his leg (32 stitches). 

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Tarzan and the Mermaids (1948)
Johnny Weissmuller's stunt double Angel Garcia was killed while diving from the cliffs at Acapulco. 

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Tarzan Escapes (1936)
Originally directed by James McKay, who filmed many gruesome scenes, and was replaced by John Farrow. 

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Tarzan Finds a Son! (1939)
In the original script Jane was to have died (Maureen O'Sullivan wanted out of the Tarzan series).  Fan protest forced a last-minute rewrite in which Jane recovers from her near-fatal wound, admitting she had been wrong to disobey Tarzan. 

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Tarzan Goes to India (1962)
The Temple of Buddha's Footprint, a sacred Thai shrine, was photographed for the first time in this movie. Crew members worked without shoes and in nearly complete silence. 

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Tarzan of the Apes (1918)
Young men from the New Orleans Athletic Club played the ape parts. In one scene a lion is supposed to crawl through the window of Tarzan's cabin to devour Jane. Tarzan grabs him and pulls him out. In fact the old and drugged lion turned on 'Elmo Lincoln' who stabbed and killed him.  "I stepped on him to beat my chest.  As my foot pressed down on him, the remaining air in his lungs escaped with a loud whoosh. I was already shaken and you should have seen me jump!''

The lion wound up as a lobby display when the picture opened on Broadway.

Elmo Lincoln and ERB on the Tarzan set

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Tarzan the Mighty (1928)
The original star was to have been Joe Bonomo, promoted by the studio  as "the greatest of all Tarzans.'' Near the end of work on another picture, Perils of the Wild (1925), Bonono fractured his left leg and injured his sacro-iliac.  Frank Merrill, who had doubled for Elmo Lincoln in Perils of the Jungle (?) was offered the  job and began work the next day.

When a friend of Merrill's learned of a physical culture contest in England  he entered Merrill's photo without his knowledge.  Merrill was voted second runner-up for "World's Most Perfectly Developed Man'' and the publicity from this added to attendance at the movie. The irony is that Merrill's body was more thoroughly covered than any other Tarzan.

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Tarzan the Tiger (1928)
This movie was released in both silent and "sound'' versions. The sound consisted of a crude musical score, sound effects and a few lip-synched lines on a record.

The record contains the very first Tarzan yell, invented by Frank Merrill.

Tarzan the Terrible was planned but the studio decided Merrill's voice wasn't right for talkies and the film was scrapped. 

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Tarzan Triumphs (1943)
Jane's absence was explained in a letter saying that she's visiting relatives in England.  Maureen O'Sullivan (who had played Jane on many occasions previously) wanted nothing more to do with Tarzan movies by this time. 

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Tarzan's Fight for Life (1958)
Gordon Scott was nearly killed by the 18-1/2 foot python with which he wrestled in this movie. It took six men to pull the snake off him. 

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Tarzan's Greatest Adventure (1959)
Cheetah appears only during one line ("So long, Cheetah'').  This is because the chimpanzees brought from England to Kenya for the filming were so terrified of the jungle night noises they wouldn't perform.

Sean Connery was paid $5,600 for his role in this movie.  When asked to play in the next Tarzan movie, he said he couldn't because "Two fellows took an option on me for some spy picture, and are exercising it.  But I'll be in your next."  The "spy picture" was Dr. No (1962).

Producer Sy Weintraub also wanted Anthony Quayle to come back for another Tarzan movie, but Quayle had been offered a part in Lawrence of Arabia (1962) after having been seen in this film, and couldn't accept. 

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Tarzan's Hidden Jungle (1955)
Gordon Scott and Vera Miles married while making this film. 

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Tarzan's Peril (1951)
The first Tarzan film to be shot in Africa, where it was set. The company arrived in Africa just before winter set in. The chimps wouldn't perform, so Cheetah's part had to be cut.

The area around Mount Kenya was so cloudy that Lex Barker's tan disappeared and he had to use body makeup. The first time Barker showed up in a loin cloth the native extras burst out laughing.

The film was originally shot in color, but more than half of it was ruined on location.  It was converted to black and white, the remaining footage winding up in later pictures. 

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Tarzan's Savage Fury (1952)
The photo of Lord Greystoke is really Lex Barker in a beard and mustache. Sol Lesser asked Lex Barker to feature his real son in the movie, but Barker declined... preferring to keep his son out of the public spotlight. For safety reasons, Barker was prohibited from skiing during the filming of his series of Tarzan pictures. 

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Tarzan's Secret Treasure (1941)
Due to many budget cutbacks following the death of Irving Thalberg many stock shots from former movies were used. 

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Tarzan's Three Challenges (1963)
During the filming, Jock Mahoney contracted amebic dysentery and dengue fever, and finally pneumonia, going from 220 to 175 pounds before finishing the film.

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Lex Barker was the only screen Tarzan to live in Tarzana.

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Warner Bros. reportedly paid Pretty  Woman writer Jonathan Lawton $825,000 for a story based on the novel Monster Men by Edgar Rice Burroughs, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The story is said to be about a scientist who is seeking to create the perfect monster. 

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2. Chrono List of the Hollywood Tarzan Films -
        - with Text Quotes from Newspaper Ads 

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1918 TARZAN OF THE APES (55 m) Elmo Lincoln - Enid Markey This is the the first Tarzan film. Legend has it that Lincoln actually killed a lion on camera in this movie. 

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Gordon Griffith

Elmo Lincoln
STARLAND THEATRE
(Illustrated display ad in the
Anderson, Indiana, Daily Bulletin, Feb. 1, 1919)
ANOTHER STARLAND ATTRACTION THAT THE WHOLE TOWN HAS BEEN WAITING FOR!
Here's adventure...For everyone...Thrills for every human mood...Romance to feed the hunger of every mortal heart that cries out for the primitive---
TARZAN OF THE APES
It thrills...It startles...It fascinates...It gives the adventure that the primitive heart of every one craves and carries you away beyond the borderlands of civilization across the frontier of imagination and lets you dwell spellbound in the grip of the strangest fiction ever written.
   How few of us have not longed for the realm of Tarzan? Man, woman, child, each tug at the chains of convention, while the heart cries out for the wildwood.
THE STRANGEST STORY EVER WRITTEN
He who leaped from tree to tree, as did the Apes who were his sole companions -- Who slew the Lion, and made Great Tusks his slave-- Who spoke no tongue save that of those whose tails entwined the trees-- Who feared not the dread gorrilla (sic) and who, with bare hands, ripped hides from skulking jaguar-- Who nestled at the breast of a mother ape-- but who, when first his primordial eyes fell upon a white woman, smothered her with kisses--
THE NOVELTY OF THE SEASON -- THREE BIG DAYS
 Attend the Matinees to Avoid the Crowds at Nights.
3 DAYS 3 -- SUNDAY, MONDAY, and TUESDAY

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1918 THE ROMANCE OF TARZAN Elmo Lincoln - Enid Markey.

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1920 THE REVENGE OF TARZAN Gene Pollar - Karla Schramm.

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1920 THE SON OF TARZAN SERIAL
P. Dempsey Tabler --Karla Schramm. Kamuela Searle (playing Korak, the son of Tarzan) died tragically during the filming.

Adapted from the book by Edgar Rice Burroughs

THE SON OF TARZAN
The World's Wonder Jungle SERIAL From the Heart of Darkest Africa Enthralls with its
THRILLS ~FIGHTS ~ROMANCE ~ SENSATION
15 EPISODES of JUNGLES, WILD ANIMALS, THRILLING ACTION, LOVE and ROMANCE
THE STORY of a boy and girl growing to manhood and womanhood and Love in the heart of the African Jungle fighting for Life and Happiness - The most absorbing Love Story Ever Told.
They were alone together in the jungle. Their daily life was just one thrilling adventure after another.
You will love them both, ...Do not fail to attend the opening at the STRAND
Opening NEW YEAR'S EVE

Credits
Directors: Harry Revier & A. J. Flaven ~ Script: Roy Summerville ~ Titles & Editing: ERB & Summerville
P. Dempsey Tabler: Tarzan ~ Gordon Griffith: Korak (youth)
~ Kamuela Searle: Korak (Man) ~Mae Giraci: Meriem (youth)
~ Manilla Martan: Meriem (woman) ~ Karla Schramm: Jane

15 Chapters - 31 Reels
1. The Call of the Jungle ~ 2. Out of the Lion's Jaws ~ 3. Girl of the Jungle ~ 4. The Sheik's Revenge ~ 5. The Pirate's Prey ~ 6. The Killer's Mate ~ 7. The Quest of the Killer ~ 8. Coming of Tarzan ~ 9. The Kiss of the Beast ~ 10. Tarzan Takes the Trail ~ 11. Ashes of Love ~ 12. Meriem's Ride in the Night ~ 13. Double Crossed ~ 14. Blazing Hearts ~ 15. An Amazing Denouement.

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NATIONAL MAKES SON OF TARZAN SERIAL FOR DISTRIBUTION
BY DAVID P. HOWELLS
Production has just started on the West coast on the serial picturization of "The Son of Tarzan," according to word received by David P. Howells from the studios of the National Film Corporation of America where the drama is being filmed. Harry Revier, director of the previous "Tarzan" pictures, is directing, assisted by Edgar Rice Burroughs, author. The picture will be made under the general supervision of Captain Harry M. Rubey, president of National.

"The Son of Tarzan" is the fourth of the series of "Tarzan" stories to be screened. "Tarzan of the Apes" and "The Romance of Tarzan," both from the studios of the National Film corporation, proved successful as dramatic productions and as box-office winners. the third, "The Return of Tarzan," has been completed and is now being released with a big publicity campaign back of it.

Director Revier has arranged for a pictorial prologue which will tell briefly the story of "Tarzan" and his "Romance." To carry out this idea two sets of players were secured, one to enact the roles of the previous stories and one to play the story of "The Son of Tarzan."

There has been assembled at the national studios a varied and large collection of jungle animals. It is said that Director Revier has planned the most spectacular of his jungle scenes for picturization during the visit to Los Angeles of a large circus in order that he might utilize the circus menagerie. Steam and sailing vessels have been assembled near Los Angeles for the ocean and deck scenes. Two vessels have been bought outright that they may be burned for one of the big scenes.

K.C. Searle will play the title role. Other players inclued P. Dempsey Tabler, who will impersonate Tarzan, DeSacia Saville, Karla Schram, May Gratcia and Kathleen May.

Kamuela C. Searle Production of "The son of Tarzan" will proceed rapidly now that it has started. The prologue and the first episode have been completed and it is expected that the first few episodes will be ready for screening within the next month. It is planned to have the picture ready for release before fall by David P. Howells.
                        ~ THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD, May 29, 1920

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1920 THE SON OF TARZAN - Feature Made from Serial (111 m)
P. Dempsey Tabler. Karla Schramm. Kamuela Searle.

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1921 THE ADVENTURES OF TARZAN
- 15 Chapter Serial - Elmo Lincoln - Louise Lorraine.

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1927 TARZAN AND THE GOLDEN LION
James H. Pierce -Dorothy Dunbar.
The last "Silent Tarzan."
Pierce was married to Edgar Rice Burroughs' daughter Joan. Recently-found, long-lost film.

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1928 TARZAN THE MIGHTY
- 15 Chapter Serial - Frank Merrill. Natalie Kingston.
1929 TARZAN THE TIGER
- 15 Chapter Serial - Frank Merril - Natalie Kingston

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1932 TARZAN, THE APE MAN
(99 m) Johnny Weissmuller - Maureen O'Sullivan
Weissmuller is the best known of the movie Tarzans even though he does portray him as an illiterate oaf.
O'Sullivan's Jane is intelligent, sexy and resourceful.
TARZAN THE APEMAN
The Sensational Novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs
The jungle law -- To seize what he wanted!
Mothered by an ape -- he knew only the laws of nature. All the adventure, all the wild life of africa in the big thrill picture of the year.
The "Trader Horn" of 1932 with more thrills--more wild life!
Johnny Weismuller -- The Adonis of All Swimming Champions"
Maureen O'Sullivan -- Neil Hamilton -- C. Aubrey Smith
Starts TODAY! -- PARAMOUNT THEATRE
MICKEY MOUSE CARTOON AND NEWS VIEWS

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1933 TARZAN THE FEARLESS
12 Chapter Serial - Buster Crabbe - Jacquelene Wells

1933 TARZAN THE FEARLESS
The movie version of the serial (85 m)
Buster Crabbe - Jacquelene Wells

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1934 TARZAN AND HIS MATE (93 m)
Johnny Weissmuller - Maureen O'Sullivan
The best of the Weissmuller series.

TARZAN AND HIS MATE
(1934 Poster Ad)
Johnny Weissmuller is back again!
Maureen O'Sullivan -- Neil Hamilton -- Paul Cavanaugh -- directed by Cedric Gibbons
A Metro-Goldwyn -Mayer Picture
Based upon the characters created by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Screen play by J.K. McGuinness -- Adaption by Leon Gordon

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1935 THE NEW ADVENTURES OF TARZAN
12 Chapter Serial - Herman Brix - Ula Holt

1935 THE NEW ADVENTURES OF TARZAN
The movie version of serial (75 minutes) -- Herman Brix - Ula Holt.

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1936 TARZAN ESCAPES
(95 m) Johnny Weissmuller - Maureen O'Sullivan.

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1937 TARZAN'S REVENGE
(70 m) Glenn Morris. Elenor Holm.

1938 TARZAN AND THE GREEN GODDESS
The 2nd movie version of 1935 serial (72 m) --Herman Brix. Ula Holt.

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1939 TARZAN FINDS A SON
(90 m)Johnny Weissmuller - Maureen O'Sullivan -- Boy. 

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1941 TARZAN'S SECRET TREASURE
(81 m) Johnny Weissmuller - Maureen O'Sullivan M-G-M re-presents
TARZAN'S SECRET TREASURE
with JOHNNY WEISSMULLER (The Original Tarzan)
MAUREEN O'SULLIVAN -- John Sheffield -- Reginald Owen
TARZAN'S BACK!
Unique in show world! Tarzan's love call in primitive jungle Paradise echoes
1,000 thrills on the screen!
Tarzan ... King of the Jungle and his White Goddess! An unforgettable thrill.
It's TERRIFIC
2 Years in the Making
Plus: "Late World News"

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1942 TARZAN'S NEW YORK ADVENTURE
(71 m) Johnny Weissmuller - Maureen O'Sullivan

Tarzan's New York Adventure
Johnny Weissmuller - Maureen O'Sullivan
John Sheffield - Virginia Grey - Charles Bickford - Paul Kelly - Chill Wills
Screen Play by William R. Lipman and Myles Connolly - From a Story by Myles Connolly
Based Upon the Characters Created by Edgar Rice Burroughs
War Stamps and Bonds On Sale Here!
July 1942 -- YOU'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT -- A Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Picture
Tarzan's primitive call is the call to amazing new adventures among the man-made canyons of Manhattan!
Primitive lovers...In the Big Town --- 1000 New Thrills!
SEE! Jungle beasts vs. gangser bullets! The leap from Brooklyn Bridge! Tarzan swings from skyscrapers!

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1943 TARZAN TRIUMPHS
(78 m) Johnny Weissmuller - Frances Gifford ("Nyoka, The Jungle Girl"). Tarzan versus the Nazis. "Now, Tarzan make war!"

EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS'
TARZAN TRIUMPHS
Starring JOHNNY WEISSMULLER - with Frances Gifford - Johnny (Boy) Sheffield
Helpless Beauty and the Beast Men! Tarzan braves River of Cannibal Fish and Pit of Pythons to save a Pagan Princess! Terror Traps a Forest Maiden!
Released by RKO Radio Pictures

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1943 TARZAN'S DESERT MYSTERY
(70 m) Johnny Weissmuller - Connie Bryce.

Edgar Rice Burroughs'
TARZAN'S DESERT MYSTERY
SAHARA'S SANDS AFLAME - DEATH AND TREACHERY ON SAHARA'S SANDS!
Turbaned terror rides the dunes, seeking out Tarzan and the doomed beauty he's protecting!
Starring JOHNNY WEISSMULLER
~ NANCY KELLY ~ JOHNNY SHEFFIELD
Otto Kruger ~ Joe Sawyer ~ Lloyd Corrigan ~ Robert Lowery
~Frank Puglia ~ Phil Van Zandt
Produced by SOL LESSER    Directed by William Thiele
Screen Play by Edward T. Lowe ~ From a Story by Carroll Young
Based Upon the Characters created by Edgar Rice Burroughs

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1945 TARZAN AND THE AMAZONS
(76 m) Johnny Weissmuller - Brenda Joyce.

Edgar Rice Burroughs'
TARZAN AND THE AMAZONS
Starring Johnny Weissmuller ~ Brenda Joyce ~ Johnny Sheffield
Henry Stephenson ~ Madame Maria Duspenskaya ~ Barton MacLane ~ Don Douglas
PRIMITIVE BEAUTIES IN A SECRET JUNGLE KINGDOM, FORBIDDEN TO MEN!
Greedy white adventurers in a ruthless raid on the fabulous forest city of the lovely warrior maidens!
RKO Radio Pictures

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1946 TARZAN AND THE LEOPARD WOMAN
(72 m) Johnny Weissmuller. Brenda Joyce.

Edgar Rice Burroughs'
TARZAN AND THE LEOPARD WOMAN
Starring JOHNNY WEISSMULLER ~ BRENDA JOYCE
~ JOHNNY SHEFFIELD ~ with ACQUANETTA
HER EYES PROMISE LOVE...HER LIPS SNEER "DEATH!"
Savage priestess of the Leopard Men...sworn to bring back
Tarzan's body for her fiendish jungle ritual!
Original Story and Screen Play by Carroll Young
~ Based Upon the Characters Created by Edgar Rice Burroughs ~
Produced by SOL LESSER
~ Associate Producer and Director KURT NEUMANN
RKO Radio Pictures

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1947 TARZAN AND THE HUNTRESS
(72 m) Johnny Weissmuller - Brenda Joyce. Boy's last appearance. Sheffield went on to be Bomba, the Jungle Boy, in his own film series.

Edgar Rice Burroughs'
TARZAN AND THE HUNTRESS
Starring JOHNNY WEISSMULLER
~ BRENDA JOYCE ~ JOHNNY SHEFFIELD
Patricia Morison ~ Barton MacLane
BEAUTIFUL KILLER AT BAY!
Snarling death claws back at white man's treacherous terror...
In Tarzan's new thrill-on-thrill adventure!
RKO Radio Pictures

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1948 TARZAN AND THE MERMAIDS
(68 m) Johnny Weissmuller - Brenda Joyce.
Weissmuller's last Tarzan. He went on to star in 16 Jungle Jim movies.

SOL LESSER presents EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS'
TARZAN AND THE MERMAIDS
with JOHNNY WEISSMULLER
~ BRENDA JOYCE ~ LINDA CHRISTIAN ~ CHETA
TARZAN AT HIS BEST!
FILMED IN BEAUTIFUL ACAPULCO, MEXICO!
TARZAN...against primitive people!
RKO Radio Pictures

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1949 TARZAN'S MAGIC FOUNTAIN
(73 m) Lex Barker - Brenda Joyce. Elmo Lincoln cameo.
Released in England as: Tarzan and the Arrow of Death

Edgar Rice Burroughs'
TARZAN'S MAGIC FOUNTAIN
Starring LEX BARKER ~ BRENDA JOYCE ~
with Albert Dekker, Evelyn Ankers, Charles Drake
Produced by SOL LESSER ~ Directed by LEE SHOLEM
Screen Play by Curt Siodmak and Harry Chandlee ~
Based Upon the Characters Created by Edgar Rice Burroughs

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1950 TARZAN AND THE SLAVE GIRL
(74 m) Lex Barker - Vanessa Brown.

1951 TARZAN'S PERIL (79 m)
    [Tarzan and the Jungle Goddess]
Lex Barker - Virginia Houston.

1952 TARZAN'S SAVAGE FURY
    [Tarzan the Hunted]
(80 m) Lex Barker - Dorothy Hart.

1953 TARZAN AND THE SHE-DEVIL
(76 m) Lex Barker - Joyce Mackenzie.