''Perils of the Jungle'' is a 1953 American black and white adventure film directed by George Blair, featuring animal trainer and circus impresario

Clyde Beatty Clyde Beatty (June 10, 1903 – July 19, 1965) was a famed animal trainer, zoo owner, and circus mogul. He joined Howe's Great London Circus in 1921 as a cage boy and spent the next four decades rising to fame as one of the most famous circ ...

and

Phyllis Coates Phyllis Coates (born Gypsie Ann Evarts Stell; January 15, 1927) is an American former actress, with a career spanning over fifty years. She is best known for her portrayal of reporter Lois Lane in the 1951 film ''Superman and the Mole Men'' and ...

, known for her roles in serials and "B" films. Perennial "heavy"

John Doucette John Arthur Doucette (January 21, 1921 – August 16, 1994) was an American character actor who performed in more than 280 film and television productions between 1941 and 1987. A man of stocky build who possessed a deep, rich voice, he p ...

also appeared in the film.

Plot

In order to save them from extinction, explorer Grantland Cunningham (Stanley Ferrar) engages animal trainer

to accompany him to Africa to capture a few of the last known Nubian lions. The pair run afoul of hunters led by Gorman (

) who wish to kill rather than capture the big cats. Beatty and Cunningham are aided in their quest by humanitarian Jo Carter (

). Gorman is nearly killed by a gorilla and when Clyde saves him, he offers to help find lions. The expedition to Southern Rhodesia takes the two men into dangerous tribal areas. After a series of dangerous encounters, both Clyde and Grant make it back to safety, vowing to set out on more adventures in the future.

Cast

as Clyde Beatty *

as Jo Carter *

as Gorman *

Leonard Mudie Leonard Mudie (born Leonard Mudie Cheetham; April 11, 1883April 14, 1965) was an English character actor whose career lasted for nearly fifty years. After a successful start as a stage actor in England, he appeared regularly in the US, and mad ...

as Grubbs *

Roy Glenn Roy Edwin Glenn, Sr. (June 3, 1914 – March 12, 1971) was an American character actor. Early life Glenn was born in Pittsburg, Kansas on June 3, 1914. Career In 1949, Glenn's radio career started in Rocky Jordan – The Adventures of Rocky ...

as Korjah *

Olaf Hytten Olaf Hytten (3 March 1888 – 11 March 1955) was a Scottish actor. He appeared in more than 280 films between 1921 and 1955. He was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and died in Los Angeles, California from a heart attack, while sitting in his car ...

as Mac * Stanley Farrar as Grantland Cunningham *

Joel Fluellen Joel Fluellen (December 1, 1907 – February 2, 1990) was an actor and an activist for the rights of African Americans. He appeared in the films ''The Jackie Robinson Story'', '' Perils of the Jungle'', '' Duffy of San Quentin'', '' Sitting Bul ...

as Kenny * Tudor Owen as Commissioner * Shelby Bacon as Boy King

Production

''Perils of the Jungle'' was first released March 3, 1953. In 2006, the film was released by St Clair Vision as part of a 3-disk compilation titled, ''King of Kong Island and Other Ape Flicks'' and in 2009, by Alpha Video as a single.

Reception

Hal Erickson of

Rovi TiVo Corporation, formerly known as the Rovi Corporation and Macrovision Solutions Corporation, was an American technology company. Headquartered in San Jose, California, the company is primarily involved in licensing its intellectual property ...

noted that the film "looks suspiciously like two half-hour TV pilots strung together."

References

External links

* * * 1953 films American adventure drama films 1950s adventure drama films American black-and-white films Films directed by George Blair Lippert Pictures films 1953 drama films 1950s English-language films 1950s American films {{adventure-film-stub