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Tarzan Tarzan (John Clayton II, Viscount Greystoke) is a fictional character, an archetypal feral child raised in the African jungle by the Mangani great apes; he later experiences civilization, only to reject it and return to the wild as a heroic adv ...
, a
fictional character In fiction, a character (or speaker, in poetry) is a person or other being in a narrative (such as a novel, play, radio or television series, music, film, or video game). The character may be entirely fictional or based on a real-life person, ...
created by
Edgar Rice Burroughs Edgar Rice Burroughs (September 1, 1875 – March 19, 1950) was an American author, best known for his prolific output in the adventure, science fiction, and fantasy genres. Best-known for creating the characters Tarzan and John Carter, he ...
, first appeared in the 1912 novel ''
Tarzan of the Apes ''Tarzan of the Apes'' is a 1912 story by American writer Edgar Rice Burroughs, and the first in the Tarzan series. It was first serialized in the pulp magazine '' The All-Story'' beginning October 1912 before being released as a novel in June ...
'', and then in twenty-four sequels by Burroughs and numerous more by other authors. The character proved immensely popular and quickly made the jump to other media, first and most notably to comics and
film A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...
. This article concerns Tarzan's appearance in film and other non-print media.


Film

The earlier ''Tarzan'' films were silent pictures adapted from the original ''Tarzan'' novels which appeared within a few years of the character's creation. With the advent of talking pictures, a popular ''Tarzan'' movie franchise was developed, which was anchored by actor
Johnny Weissmüller Johnny Weissmuller (born Johann Peter Weißmüller; June 2, 1904 – January 20, 1984) was an American Olympic swimmer, water polo player and actor. He was known for having one of the best competitive swimming records of the 20th century. H ...
in the title role, which lasted from 1932 to 1948. ''Tarzan'' films under Weissmüller often featured the character's chimpanzee companion, Cheeta. Later ''Tarzan'' films after Weissmüller have been occasional and somewhat idiosyncratic.


Silent film

The earlier Tarzan films were eight silent features and serials released between 1918 and 1929, most based on novels in the original series.
Elmo Lincoln Elmo Lincoln (born Otto Elmo Linkenhelt; February 6, 1889June 27, 1952) was an American stage and film actor whose career in motion pictures spanned the silent and sound eras. He performed in over 100 screen productions between 1913 and 1952 and ...
starred in the first Tarzan feature, ''
Tarzan of the Apes ''Tarzan of the Apes'' is a 1912 story by American writer Edgar Rice Burroughs, and the first in the Tarzan series. It was first serialized in the pulp magazine '' The All-Story'' beginning October 1912 before being released as a novel in June ...
'' (1918), a faithful cinematic rendering of Burroughs' first Tarzan novel. The first portion of the film featured
Gordon Griffith Gordon S. Griffith (July 4, 1907 – October 12, 1958) was an American assistant director, film producer, and one of the first child actors in the American movie industry. Griffith worked in the film industry for five decades, acting in over ...
as the young Tarzan, so Griffith could technically be considered the first screen Tarzan. (Early in the film, Tarzan is also shown as a baby played by at least two different uncredited children.) Elmo Lincoln returned for two sequels. Additional silents were produced in the 1920s with other actors (three of these films – ''
The Romance of Tarzan ''The Romance of Tarzan'' is a 1918 American silent action adventure film directed by Wilfred Lucas starring Elmo Lincoln, Enid Markey, Thomas Jefferson, and Cleo Madison. The movie was the second Tarzan movie ever made, and is based on Edgar R ...
'' (1918, Elmo Lincoln), ''
The Revenge of Tarzan ''The Revenge of Tarzan'' (1920) is a silent adventure film, originally advertised as ''The Return of Tarzan'', and the third Tarzan film produced. The film was produced by the Great Western Film Producing Company, a subsidiary of the Numa ...
'' (1920, Gene Pollar), and '' Tarzan the Mighty'' (1928, Frank Merrill) – have been
lost Lost may refer to getting lost, or to: Geography *Lost, Aberdeenshire, a hamlet in Scotland * Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail, or LOST, a hiking and cycling trail in Florida, US History *Abbreviation of lost work, any work which is known to have bee ...
). One of the silents, ''
Tarzan and the Golden Lion ''Tarzan and the Golden Lion'' is an adventure novel by American writer Edgar Rice Burroughs, the ninth in his series of twenty-four books about the title character Tarzan. It was first published as a seven part serial in ''Argosy All-Story Week ...
'' (1927), featured the then-unknown
Boris Karloff William Henry Pratt (23 November 1887 – 2 February 1969), better known by his stage name Boris Karloff (), was an English actor. His portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in the horror film ''Frankenstein'' (1931) (his 82nd film) established h ...
as a villainous native chieftain. Other actors who portrayed the character in 1920s films were
P. Dempsey Tabler Perce Dempsey Tabler (November 23, 1876 – June 7, 1956) was a Tennessee-born opera singer, athlete, businessman and actor, remembered for being the third actor to portray Tarzan in films. His sole outing in the role came in the 1920 movi ...
and James Pierce (who married the daughter of Edgar Rice Burroughs). The first Tarzan sound film was ''
Tarzan the Tiger ''Tarzan the Tiger'' (1929) is a Universal movie serial based on the novel '' Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar'' by Edgar Rice Burroughs. It stars Frank Merrill as Tarzan, Natalie Kingston as Jane, and Al Ferguson. It was directed by Henry M ...
'' (1929), featuring Frank Merrill as the Ape Man, shot as a silent but partially dubbed for release. It was Merrill’s second Tarzan movie, and it cost him the role, as his voice was deemed unsuitable for the part.


The Weissmüller era

The most popular series of Tarzan films began with ''
Tarzan the Ape Man Tarzan, the Ape Man may refer to * Tarzan, a fictional character * ''Tarzan the Ape Man'' (1932 film), with Johnny Weissmuller * ''Tarzan, the Ape Man'' (1959 film) with Denny Miller * ''Tarzan, the Ape Man'' (1981 film) with Richard Harris and ...
'' (1932), starring
Johnny Weissmüller Johnny Weissmuller (born Johann Peter Weißmüller; June 2, 1904 – January 20, 1984) was an American Olympic swimmer, water polo player and actor. He was known for having one of the best competitive swimming records of the 20th century. H ...
and
Maureen O'Sullivan Maureen O'Sullivan (17 May 1911 – 23 June 1998) was an Irish-American actress, who played Jane in the ''Tarzan'' series of films during the era of Johnny Weissmuller. She performed with such actors as Laurence Olivier, Greta Garbo, William ...
. Weissmüller, the son of ethnic-German immigrants from Hungarian part of
Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...
, was already well known as a five-time
Olympic Olympic or Olympics may refer to Sports Competitions * Olympic Games, international multi-sport event held since 1896 ** Summer Olympic Games ** Winter Olympic Games * Ancient Olympic Games, ancient multi-sport event held in Olympia, Greece b ...
gold medalist in swimming. He became the most famous and longest-lasting screen Tarzan, starring as the Ape Man in a total of twelve films, through 1948, the first six produced by
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by amazon (company), Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded o ...
and the final six from
RKO RKO Radio Pictures Inc., commonly known as RKO Pictures or simply RKO, was an American film production and distribution company, one of the "Big Five" film studios of Hollywood's Golden Age. The business was formed after the Keith-Albee-Orpheu ...
. The beauteous and scantily clad O'Sullivan was a major factor in the early popularity of the series. The role of Jane in the films was reduced after O'Sullivan departed in 1942 following the sixth film in the series (and the last for MGM), '' Tarzan's New York Adventure''. Two Jane-less films followed before Brenda Joyce took over the role for the last four Weissmüller Tarzan films. Starting afresh with an extremely free adaptation of ''
Tarzan of the Apes ''Tarzan of the Apes'' is a 1912 story by American writer Edgar Rice Burroughs, and the first in the Tarzan series. It was first serialized in the pulp magazine '' The All-Story'' beginning October 1912 before being released as a novel in June ...
'' which threw out everything that had gone before, the Weissmüller series was a boon to the franchise if not to the character. In contrast to the articulate nobleman of Burroughs's novels, Weissmuller's Tarzan was a natural hero with a limited vocabulary. The
ersatz An ersatz good () is a substitute good, especially one that is considered inferior to the good it replaces. It has particular connotations of wartime usage. Etymology ''Ersatz'' is a German word literally meaning ''substitute'' or ''replacement ...
pidgin A pidgin , or pidgin language, is a grammatically simplified means of communication that develops between two or more groups of people that do not have a language in common: typically, its vocabulary and grammar are limited and often drawn from s ...
of his dialogue has often been mocked as "Me Tarzan, you Jane," although that particular line was never spoken in any of the films (see insert). Tarzan and Jane were clearly married in the novels, but their legal status was left ambiguous in the Weissmuller films, even though they shared a jungle treehouse and (particularly in the second film of the series, ''
Tarzan and His Mate ''Tarzan and His Mate'' is a 1934 American pre-Code action adventure film based on the Tarzan character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Directed by Cedric Gibbons, it w ...
'') a strong sexual chemistry. In keeping with
Motion Picture Production Code The Motion Picture Production Code was a set of industry guidelines for the self-censorship of content that was applied to most motion pictures released by major studios in the United States from 1934 to 1968. It is also popularly known as the ...
requirements, their son "Boy" was found and adopted rather than born to Jane. The "Boy" character, played by
Johnny Sheffield Johnny Sheffield (born John Matthew Sheffield Cassan, April 11, 1931 – October 15, 2010) was an American child actor who, between 1939 and 1947, portrayed Boy in the Tarzan film series and, between 1949 and 1955, played Bomba the Jungle Boy. ...
, appeared in eight consecutive films in the series, starting with '' Tarzan Finds a Son'' (1939). Weissmüller's yodel-like "Tarzan yell" became so associated with the character that it was sometimes dubbed into later films featuring different actors. Cheeta the chimpanzee provided comic relief through the series. Due to complex licensing issues relating to Tarzan, a number of competing films starring other actors were made during the Weissmüller period. The first of these was ''
Tarzan the Fearless ''Tarzan the Fearless'' is a 12 chapter American Pre-Code film serial starring Buster Crabbe in his only appearance as Tarzan. It was also released as a 61-minute feature film which consisted of the first four chapters edited together, and whi ...
'' (1933), featuring another Olympic swimmer, Buster Crabbe, that was the first Tarzan film produced by
Sol Lesser Sol Lesser (February 17, 1890 – September 19, 1980) was an American film producer. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960 and was awarded the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 1961. Biography In 1913, while living in San F ...
, later to become producer of the franchise when it moved to RKO. '' The New Adventures of Tarzan'' (1935), hearkening back to the original concept of the character as an intelligent Englishman, was a serial featuring Herman Brix that was reedited into two feature films, the first released in the same year and with the same title as the serial, and the second, ''
Tarzan and the Green Goddess ''The New Adventures of Tarzan'' is a 1935 American film serial in 12 chapters starring Herman Brix. The serial presents a more authentic version of the character than most other film adaptations, with Tarzan as the cultured and well-educated gent ...
'' released in 1938. Brix, another Olympian (shotput) changed his name in 1939 and, as Bruce Bennett, enjoyed a long career in film and television. '' Tarzan's Revenge'', also released in 1938, starred
Glenn Morris Glenn Edgar Morris (June 18, 1912 – January 31, 1974) was a U.S. track and field athlete. He won a gold medal in the Olympic decathlon in 1936, setting new world and Olympic records. He attended Colorado A&M — now known as Colorado State U ...
,
gold medal A gold medal is a medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture. Since the eighteenth century, gold medals have bee ...
winner in the Olympic
decathlon The decathlon is a combined event in Athletics (sport), athletics consisting of ten track and field events. The word "decathlon" was formed, in analogy to the word "pentathlon", from Greek language, Greek δέκα (''déka'', meaning "ten") and ...
in
1936 Events January–February * January 20 – George V of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India, dies at his Sandringham Estate. The Prince of Wales succeeds to the throne of the United Kingdom as King E ...
and female swimmer Eleanor Holm who was expelled from the 1936 Olympics and featured opposite Weissmüller and Crabbe in
Billy Rose's Aquacade ''Billy Rose's Aquacade'' was a music, dance and swimming show produced by Billy Rose at the Great Lakes Exposition in Cleveland, Ohio during its second year, in 1937. The show featured Olympians Johnny Weissmuller, Eleanor Holm Jarret, Dick D ...
; the film again produced by Sol Lesser. With the exception of '' The New Adventures of Tarzan'', which was partially filmed in Guatemala, the Tarzan movies of this period were mostly filmed on Hollywood sound stages, with stock jungle and wildlife footage edited into the final product.


The franchise after Weissmüller

After ''
Tarzan and the Mermaids ''Tarzan and the Mermaids'' is a 1948 adventure film based on the Tarzan character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Directed by Robert Florey, it was the last of twelve Tarzan films to star Johnny Weissmuller in the title role. It was also the fi ...
'' in 1948, Weissmuller retired from the series, believing that he was now too old to play the loincloth-clad character. He went on, however, to appear in a long series of similar adventures wearing a safari suit as Jungle Jim. After Weissmüller's departure, producer
Sol Lesser Sol Lesser (February 17, 1890 – September 19, 1980) was an American film producer. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960 and was awarded the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 1961. Biography In 1913, while living in San F ...
led a nationwide search for a replacement, auditioning over 200 actors. The winner was Lex Barker, a tall and strikingly handsome 29-year-old who had grown up in wealth and privilege in
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
. Barker portrayed Tarzan in five films (1949–1953), each with a different actress portraying Jane (the first one being Brenda Joyce, a carry-over from the Weissmüller series). These were mostly low budget affairs similar to Weissmuller's RKO films, although the third one, ''
Tarzan's Peril ''Tarzan's Peril'' is a 1951 film directed by Byron Haskin and starring Lex Barker as Tarzan and Virginia Huston as Jane, and featuring Dorothy Dandridge as "Melmendi, Queen of the Ashuba." Some of it was shot in Kenya ) , national_anthem ...
'' (1951), was an attempt to upgrade the series by filming on actual African locations and using local Africans in the cast. Despite Barker's aristocratic bearing and good acting credentials, Lesser insisted that he emulate Weissmüller's "Me Tarzan, you Jane" characterization. Next came six films starring
Gordon Scott Gordon Scott (born Gordon Merrill Werschkul; August 3, 1926 – April 30, 2007) was an American film and television actor known for his portrayal of the fictional character Tarzan in five films (and one compilation of three made-as-a ...
(1955–1960), a bodybuilder who was discovered while lifeguarding at a hotel in
Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
. His first three Tarzan films, produced by Sol Lesser, continued in the Weissmüller formula. Lesser also produced several episodes of a Tarzan
television pilot A television pilot (also known as a pilot or a pilot episode and sometimes marketed as a tele-movie), in United States television, is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell a show to a television network or other distri ...
starring Scott that was edited into a feature film called ''
Tarzan and the Trappers ''Tarzan and the Trappers'' is a 1958 action adventure film featuring Edgar Rice Burroughs' famous jungle hero Tarzan and starring Gordon Scott, Eve Brent, Rickie Sorensen and Lesley Bradley. It was filmed as three pilot episodes for a television ...
''. Then the series was taken over by producer
Sy Weintraub Sy Weintraub (May 28, 1923 – April 4, 2000) was an American film and television producer best known for his series of Tarzan films and television episodes between 1959 and 1968. Weintraub broke with the Johnny Weissmuller formula of portraying ...
, who wanted to move the character closer to Burroughs's original conception. The result starred Scott in two of the best-received entries in the entire franchise, '' Tarzan's Greatest Adventure'' (1959) and ''
Tarzan the Magnificent ''Tarzan the Magnificent'' is a 1960 British Eastmancolor film, the follow-up to ''Tarzan's Greatest Adventure'' (1959). Its plot bears no relation to that of the 1939 Edgar Rice Burroughs novel of the same name. The film was directed by Ro ...
'' (1960). MGM released a remake of '' Tarzan, the Ape Man'' in 1959, a poorly received film starring
Denny Miller Denny Scott Miller (born Dennis Linn Miller; April 25, 1934 – September 9, 2014) was an American actor, perhaps best known for his regular role as Duke Shannon on ''Wagon Train'', his guest-starring appearances on ''Gilligan's Island'' and ''C ...
. The Weintraub series continued in two films featuring veteran stuntman Jock Mahoney (1962–1963), three with former pro-football player Mike Henry (1966–1968), and two (feature versions of television episodes) with Ron Ely (1970). The Mike Henry films were filmed before the Ron Ely TV series, but were released to theatres after the TV series debuted. Weintraub had intended Henry to star in the TV series, but Henry declined because of the injuries and illnesses he had suffered during back to back location filming. The Weintraub productions, including the Ron Ely television series (see below), dropped the character of Jane and portrayed Tarzan as an intelligent but apparently rootless adventurer. The Mike Henry entries, starting with '' Tarzan and the Valley of Gold'' (1966), were produced at the height of the
James Bond The ''James Bond'' series focuses on a fictional British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections. Since Fleming's death in 1964, eight other authors have ...
craze, and had a well-tailored Tarzan jetting around the world to take on dangerous missions. In contrast to most earlier Tarzan films, the Weintraub productions were in color and were shot in exotic locations such as Kenya, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Mexico, and Brazil. By 1965, films starring Tarzan had collectively grossed over worldwide, making him the
highest-grossing film Films generate income from several revenue streams, including theatrical exhibition, home video, television broadcast rights, and merchandising. However, theatrical box-office earnings are the primary metric for trade publications in asse ...
character up until then. Tarzan's total gross greatly exceeded
John Wayne Marion Robert Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known professionally as John Wayne and nicknamed The Duke or Duke Wayne, was an American actor who became a popular icon through his starring roles in films made during Hollywood's Gol ...
, who was the highest-grossing actor at the time.


Later films

After 1970, the movie Tarzan went on hiatus until 1981, when MGM released its third version of '' Tarzan, the Ape Man'' with
Miles O'Keeffe Miles O'Keeffe (born June 20, 1954) is an American film and television actor. O'Keeffe got his first big break playing the title role in the 1981 version of '' Tarzan, the Ape Man''. Youth O'Keeffe was born in Ripley, Tennessee. A star footb ...
in the title role and Bo Derek as Jane. The film was financially successful, but critically panned. The better-received '' Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes'' followed in 1984, starring
Christopher Lambert Christophe Guy Denis "Christopher" Lambert (; ; born March 29, 1957) is a French-American actor, producer, and novelist. He started his career playing supporting parts in several French films, and became internationally famous for portraying Ta ...
. Returning to the source material, it updated Burroughs’ original novel in the light of 1980s sensibilities and science, utilizing a number of corrective ideas first put forth by
science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...
author
Philip José Farmer Philip José Farmer (January 26, 1918 – February 25, 2009) was an American author known for his science fiction and fantasy novels and short stories. Obituary. Farmer is best known for his sequences of novels, especially the ''World of Tiers ...
in his 1972 mock-biography ''Tarzan Alive: A Definitive Biography of Lord Greystoke''. While restoring Tarzan’s identity as an intelligent human being, ''Greystoke'' portrayed his adaptation to civilization as a failure, and his return to the wild as a matter of necessity rather than choice. The next live-action Tarzan movie was ''
Tarzan and the Lost City ''Tarzan and the Lost City'' is a 1998 American adventure film directed by Carl Schenkel, and starring Casper Van Dien and Jane March with Steven Waddington. The screenplay by Bayard Johnson and J. Anderson Black is loosely based on the Tarzan stor ...
'' (1998) which starred Casper Van Dien. Essentially a follow-on to ''Greystoke'', this film was set in the 1920s and attempted to capture the flavor of some of the later novels in the Tarzan series, in which the ape-man encountered increasingly fantastic civilizations hidden in the deep jungles. The latest live-action Tarzan film '' The Legend of Tarzan'' (2016), produced by
Warner Brothers Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American Film studio, film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios, Burbank, Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, Califo ...
and Jerry Weintraub & directed by
David Yates David Yates (born 8 October 1963) is an English film director, producer and screenwriter, who has directed feature films, short films, and television productions. He is best known for directing the final four films in the Harry Potter (film se ...
, was released on July 1, 2016. It stars Alexander Skarsgård and Margot Robbie as Tarzan and Jane, along with
Samuel L. Jackson Samuel Leroy Jackson (born December 21, 1948) is an American actor and producer. One of the most widely recognized actors of his generation, the films in which he has appeared have collectively grossed over $27 billion worldwide, making him ...
,
Christoph Waltz Christoph Waltz (; born 4 October 1956) is an Austrian-German actor. Since 2009 he has been primarily active in the United States. His accolades include two Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, two British Academy Film Awards and two Sc ...
and Djimon Hounsou. The new approach blended the characters and the setting from the Burroughs novels with the events of the Belgian Congo in the late 1880s and historical figures with a significant role at the time, such as Leon Rom as portrayed by Waltz. On September 30, 2022, The Hollywood Reporter has announced that
Sony Pictures Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Sony Pictures or SPE, and formerly known as Columbia Pictures Entertainment, Inc.) is an American diversified multinational mass media and entertainment studio Conglomerate (company), conglom ...
has picked up the screen rights to Tarzan and is looking to deliver a "total reinvention" of the character.


Animated films

Disney's The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
animated ''
Tarzan Tarzan (John Clayton II, Viscount Greystoke) is a fictional character, an archetypal feral child raised in the African jungle by the Mangani great apes; he later experiences civilization, only to reject it and return to the wild as a heroic adv ...
'' (1999) marked a new beginning for the ape man, taking its inspiration equally from Burroughs and '' Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes''. Its major innovations were recasting the original fictitious ape species that adopted Tarzan as
gorilla Gorillas are herbivorous, predominantly ground-dwelling great apes that inhabit the tropical forests of equatorial Africa. The genus ''Gorilla'' is divided into two species: the eastern gorilla and the western gorilla, and either four or fi ...
s and turning William Cecil Clayton, his paternal cousin and rival for the affections of Jane in the early novels, into a brawny out-and-out villain known only as "Clayton." Tarzan was voiced by actor Tony Goldwyn and Jane by Minnie Driver. Two direct-to-video sequels followed, ''
Tarzan & Jane ''Tarzan & Jane'' is a 2002 American animated adventure comedy film produced by Walt Disney Television Animation, Released on July 23, 2002, it is a direct-to-video sequel to the Disney's 1999 animated feature ''Tarzan'', and uses three then-unair ...
'' (2002), and ''
Tarzan II ''Tarzan II'' (also known as ''Tarzan 2'' and ''Tarzan 2: The Legend Begins'') is a 2005 American direct-to-video musical animated film, and the third and final Disney ''Tarzan'' film after ''Tarzan and Jane'', though it chronologically takes pla ...
'' (2005), a re-exploration of the ape man’s childhood. In ''Tarzan & Jane'', Goldwyn and Driver were replaced by
Michael T. Weiss Michael Terry Weiss (born February 2, 1962) is an American actor known for his role as Jarod in the television series '' The Pretender''. Early life Michael Terry Weiss was born in Chicago, Illinois on February 2, 1962. His father was a steel i ...
and Olivia d'Abo. Also in 1999, a direct-to-video animated version of ''
Tarzan of the Apes ''Tarzan of the Apes'' is a 1912 story by American writer Edgar Rice Burroughs, and the first in the Tarzan series. It was first serialized in the pulp magazine '' The All-Story'' beginning October 1912 before being released as a novel in June ...
'' aimed at younger children was released by Sony Wonder. In 2013, Germany's
Constantin Film The Constantin Film AG is a German mini-major film production and distribution company based in Munich. The company, which belongs to Swiss media conglomerate Highlight Communications AG, is a large independent German maker and distributor of pr ...
released a ''
Tarzan Tarzan (John Clayton II, Viscount Greystoke) is a fictional character, an archetypal feral child raised in the African jungle by the Mangani great apes; he later experiences civilization, only to reject it and return to the wild as a heroic adv ...
'' 3D
animated feature These lists of animated feature films compiles animated feature films from around the world and is organized alphabetically under the year of release (the year the completed film was first released to the public). Theatrical releases as well as ...
in CGI with
motion capture Motion capture (sometimes referred as mo-cap or mocap, for short) is the process of recording the movement of objects or people. It is used in military, entertainment, sports, medical applications, and for validation of computer vision and robo ...
. Reinhard Klooss directed. Kellan Lutz and Spencer Locke voiced Tarzan and Jane Porter, respectively. The film opened in a number of countries in late 2013 and early 2014, but received mostly negative reviews and as a result no theatrical release was planned for the U.S. Instead, the film was released directly to DVD and Blu-ray in the U.S. in August 2014.


Other

The film Tarzan corpus also includes a number of documentaries, most of them either made for television or to accompany video sets of Tarzan movies, a number of derivative foreign-language productions from
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
,
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
, and
Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...
, and various spoofs and parodies. Among the latter is ''Starzan'', a
Philippine The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
Cinema comedy film loosely based on the original Tarzan franchise satirizing western entertainment. It stars Filipino comedic actor Joey De Leon as Starzan, Rene Requiestas as "Chitae", and Zsa Zsa Padilla as Jane. Steve Sipek also known as Steve Hawkes played Tarzan in two films produced by a Spanish company and intended for world markets. The first was variously titled ''Tarzán en la gruta del oro''/''King of the Jungle''/''Tarzan in the Golden Grotto'' (1969) and portions were filmed in
Suriname Suriname (; srn, Sranankondre or ), officially the Republic of Suriname ( nl, Republiek Suriname , srn, Ripolik fu Sranan), is a country on the northeastern Atlantic coast of South America. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north ...
, Florida, Africa, Spain and Italy, with interruptions when the producers ran out of money. Sipek claimed the film company could not pay the huge licensing fees from
Edgar Rice Burroughs Edgar Rice Burroughs (September 1, 1875 – March 19, 1950) was an American author, best known for his prolific output in the adventure, science fiction, and fantasy genres. Best-known for creating the characters Tarzan and John Carter, he ...
' estate and settled for the name "Zan" or "Karzan" for the character. A 1972 sequel, ''
Tarzan and the Brown Prince ''Tarzan and the Brown Prince'' is a 1972 Spanish/Italian co-production Tarzan film with Steve Sipek and Kitty Swan repeating their roles from 1968's ''King of the Jungle''. The film became a serialised Filipino graphic novel written in Tagalog ...
'' (1972), had portions filmed in
Rainbow Springs Rainbow Springs, formerly known as Blue Spring, is a first-magnitude artesian spring formation in Marion County, Florida, United States, several miles north of the city of Dunnellon. Rainbow Springs is the focal point of Rainbow Springs Stat ...
, Florida. where Sipek was burned in a fire that got out of control.


Stage

A 1921 Broadway production of ''Tarzan of The Apes'' starred Ronald Adair as Tarzan and Ethel Dwyer as Jane Porter. In 1976,
Richard O'Brien Richard Timothy Smith. known professionally as Richard O'Brien, is a British-New Zealand actor, writer, musician, composer, and television presenter. He wrote the musical stage show ''The Rocky Horror Show'' in 1973, which has remained in conti ...
wrote a musical entitled ''T. Zee'', loosely based on the idea of Tarzan but restyled in a rock idiom. ''
Tarzan Tarzan (John Clayton II, Viscount Greystoke) is a fictional character, an archetypal feral child raised in the African jungle by the Mangani great apes; he later experiences civilization, only to reject it and return to the wild as a heroic adv ...
'', a musical stage adaptation of the 1999 animated feature, opened at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on Broadway on May 10, 2006. The show, a
Disney Theatrical Disney Theatrical Productions Limited (DTP), also known as Disney on Broadway, is the flagship stageplay and musical production company of the Disney Theatrical Group, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Studios, a major business unit of The Walt ...
production, was directed and designed by Bob Crowley. The show played its final performance July 8, 2007. Tarzan was played by
Josh Strickland Joshua Strickland (born October 23, 1983) is an American singer and actor from Charleston, South Carolina. He graduated from high school at the Charleston County School of the Arts, where he studied vocal with Robin A. Rogers. He attended the Co ...
. Jane was played by
Jenn Gambatese Jenn Gambatese (born September 10, 1975) is an American actress and singer. Gambatese has performed in the musical production of Disney's ''Tarzan'' as Jane. Gambatese also played Glinda on the first National Tour of ''Wicked''. Early life and ...
. Terk, Tarzan's best friend, was played by
Chester Gregory Chester Gregory, also known as CHΞSS (born December 10, 1972), is an American actor, singer and songwriter from Gary, Indiana. His breakthrough came with his portrayal of Jackie Wilson in ''The Jackie Wilson Story'', which led to his Broadway d ...
. Kerchak, Tarzan's ape father was played by Shuler Hensley and
Robert Evan The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of ''Hrōþ, Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory ...
. Kala, Tarzan's ape mother was played by
Merle Dandridge Merle Dandridge (born May 31, 1975) is an American actress and singer. She is best known for performing in Broadway musicals such as ''Jesus Christ Superstar'', ''Spamalot'', ''Rent'', and ''Once on This Island'', as well as her video game roles ...
. Professor Porter (Jane's father) was played by Tim Jerome. Mr. Clayton (Jane's "love interest") was played by
Donnie Keshawarz Donnie Keshawarz (born July 30, 1969) is a Canadian-born American stage, film and television actor. Biography He was born on July 30, 1969 in Guelph, Ontario, Canada to Afghan parents. Keshawarz grew up in Jonesboro, Arkansas and attended Jon ...
. And Young Tarzan was played by Daniel Manche,
Dylan Riley Snyder Dylan Riley Jacob Snyder (born January 24, 1997) is an American actor, filmmaker, and Twitch streamer. Beginning his acting career in community theatre at the age of five, Snyder is known for his acting, singing, and dancing abilities, starring ...
, J. Bradley Bowers, and
Alex Rutherford Alex Rutherford is the collective pen name of two writers, Diana Preston and her husband Michael Preston. "Rutherford" is known for the six-book historical fiction series '' Empire of the Moghul''. The Prestons studied at the University of Oxfor ...
. The same version of Tarzan that was played at the Richard Rodgers Theatre played throughout Europe and was a success in the Netherlands. Tarzan also appeared in the ''Tarzan Rocks!'' show at the Theatre in the Wild at
Walt Disney World Resort The Walt Disney World Resort, also called Walt Disney World or Disney World, is an entertainment resort complex in Bay Lake, Florida, Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, Florida, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States, near the cities of Orlando ...
's
Disney's Animal Kingdom Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park is a zoological theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida, near Orlando. Owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company through its Parks, Experiences and Products division, it is the l ...
. The show closed in 2006. ''The Tarzan Encounter'' currently plays in
Disneyland Park (Paris) Disneyland Park, originally Euro Disneyland Park, is a theme park found at Disneyland Paris in Marne-la-Vallée, France. The park opened on 12 April 1992 as the first of the two parks built at the resort. Designed and built by Walt Disney Ima ...
, similar to the show at Disney's Animal Kingdom.


Radio

''See main article, ''
Tarzan (radio program) Tarzan is a generic title that can be applied to any of three radio jungle adventure programs in the United States. Two were broadcast in the 1930s and one in the 1950s. Format As told in the ''Tarzan'' book series, the episodes centered around ...
''.'' Tarzan was the hero of two popular radio programs. The first began on 12 September 1932 with James H. Pierce in the role of Tarzan, adapting the novel ''Tarzan of the Apes'' in 77 installments, airing three times each week, on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Each episode, not counting commercials, ran for about ten minutes. This series was followed by two original stories, written by Rob Thompson, "Tarzan and the Diamond of Ashair", 39 episodes airing every weekday starting 1 May 1935, and "Tarzan and the Fires of Tohr", 39 episodes, airing during 1936. Both of these stories Rob Thompson later adapted for the Tarzan comic strip and again for the Dell Tarzan comic book. The second Tarzan radio program began 1 November 1951 and ran for 75 half-hour episodes, ending on 27 June 1953. Lamont Johnson played Tarzan.


Television

Meanwhile, television had emerged as a primary vehicle bringing the character to the public, as the corpus of Tarzan films, especially those of Johnny Weissmuller and Lex Barker, became staples on Saturday morning TV. In 1958, in the middle of his six-film reign as Tarzan,
Gordon Scott Gordon Scott (born Gordon Merrill Werschkul; August 3, 1926 – April 30, 2007) was an American film and television actor known for his portrayal of the fictional character Tarzan in five films (and one compilation of three made-as-a ...
filmed three episodes for a prospective television series. The program did not sell, and in 1966 the three pilots were edited into a 90-minute television feature entitled ''
Tarzan and the Trappers ''Tarzan and the Trappers'' is a 1958 action adventure film featuring Edgar Rice Burroughs' famous jungle hero Tarzan and starring Gordon Scott, Eve Brent, Rickie Sorensen and Lesley Bradley. It was filmed as three pilot episodes for a television ...
''. A live action ''
Tarzan Tarzan (John Clayton II, Viscount Greystoke) is a fictional character, an archetypal feral child raised in the African jungle by the Mangani great apes; he later experiences civilization, only to reject it and return to the wild as a heroic adv ...
'' series starring Ron Ely ran on NBC 1966–1968 (57 hour-long episodes). The executive producer was
Sy Weintraub Sy Weintraub (May 28, 1923 – April 4, 2000) was an American film and television producer best known for his series of Tarzan films and television episodes between 1959 and 1968. Weintraub broke with the Johnny Weissmuller formula of portraying ...
, and the series was basically a follow-on to Weintraub's series of Tarzan films that began with '' Tarzan's Greatest Adventure'' in 1959. Weintraub had dispensed with Jane and portrayed his ape man as well-spoken and sophisticated. Though Ely's Tarzan did not have Jane, he was accompanied by Cheeta the chimpanzee from the movies and a child sidekick, the orphan boy Jai (
Manuel Padilla, Jr. Manuel Padilla Jr. (July 13, 1955 – January 29, 2008) was an American child actor who began appearing in films at age 8. He is best remembered for playing Jai on the 1960s ''Tarzan'' television series starring Ron Ely. He also co-starred with ...
), who also played the similar roles of Ramel and Pepe in '' Tarzan and the Valley of Gold'' (1966) and '' Tarzan and the Great River'' (1967). The character Jai first appeared in the film ''
Tarzan Goes to India ''Tarzan Goes to India'' (1962) is the first film featuring Jock Mahoney as Tarzan. It was written by Robert Hardy Andrews and directed by John Guillermin, who also directed ''Tarzan's Greatest Adventure''. The film also stars Indian Bollywood ac ...
'', played by a young actor of the same name. An animated series from
Filmation Filmation Associates was an American production company that produced animation and live-action programming for television from 1963 until 1989. Located in Reseda, California, the animation studio was founded in 1962. Filmation's founders and pr ...
, ''
Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle ''Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle'' is an American animated series created by the Filmation studio for Saturday mornings on CBS, starting in 1976. This was the first animated series about the jungle hero. There are 36 episodes produced over four seas ...
'', aired from 1976–1977, with new and repeat episodes in the anthology programs '' Batman/Tarzan Adventure Hour'' (1977–1978), '' Tarzan and the Super 7'' (1978–1980), ''
The Tarzan/Lone Ranger Adventure Hour ''The Tarzan/Lone Ranger Adventure Hour'' is an animated television series produced by Filmation that aired on CBS during the early 1980s. The series consisted of reruns of ''Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle'' paired with new episodes of Filmation's ver ...
'' (1980–1981), and '' The Tarzan/Lone Ranger/Zorro Adventure Hour'') (1981–1982). In that show, Tarzan is voiced by
Robert Ridgely Robert Ridgely (December 24, 1931 – February 8, 1997) was an American actor, known for both on-camera roles and extensive voice-over work. Biography Born in Teaneck, New Jersey, Ridgely worked as a cabaret entertainer.Staff"Robert Ridgely, 65 ...
and Danton Burroughs. Following this
Joe Lara William Joseph Lara (October 2, 1962 – May 29, 2021) was an American actor, martial artist, and musician, known for the role of Tarzan in the American TV series '' Tarzan: The Epic Adventures''. Career Lara played Tarzan in the 1989 TV movie ' ...
starred in the title role in ''
Tarzan in Manhattan ''Tarzan in Manhattan'' is a 1989 action adventure CBS television film. Joe Lara portrays Tarzan, and Kim Crosby appears as Jane Porter. Tony Curtis and Jan-Michael Vincent co-star. The telefilm was produced by Max A. Keller, Micheline H. ...
'' (1989), an offbeat TV movie, and would later return in a completely different interpretation in '' Tarzan: The Epic Adventures'' (1996), a new live-action series. In between the two productions with Lara, ''
Tarzán ''Tarzán'' is a television series that aired in syndication from 1991–1994. In this version of the show, Tarzan (Wolf Larson) was portrayed as a blond environmentalist, with Jane (Lydie Denier) turned into a French ecologist. The series aired ...
'', a half-hour syndicated series, ran from 1991 through 1994. In this version of the show, Tarzan was portrayed by Wolf Larson as a blond environmentalist, with Jane turned into a French ecologist. Disney’s animated series '' The Legend of Tarzan'' (2001–2003) was a spin-off from its animated film with
Michael T. Weiss Michael Terry Weiss (born February 2, 1962) is an American actor known for his role as Jarod in the television series '' The Pretender''. Early life Michael Terry Weiss was born in Chicago, Illinois on February 2, 1962. His father was a steel i ...
as the voice of Tarzan (see ''Tarzan and Jane'' in "Animated Films" above). The latest television series was the live-action ''
Tarzan Tarzan (John Clayton II, Viscount Greystoke) is a fictional character, an archetypal feral child raised in the African jungle by the Mangani great apes; he later experiences civilization, only to reject it and return to the wild as a heroic adv ...
'' (2003), which starred male model Travis Fimmel and updated the setting to contemporary
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
with Jane as a police detective. The series failed to meet studio expectations and was cancelled after only eight episodes.
Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
aired an animated series titled '' Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Tarzan and Jane'' set in modern-day where 16-year-old Tarzan (voiced by
Giles Panton Giles Panton (born September 13, 1982) is a Canadian actor. He has worked in television, film, stage, and web media, and is also known for his voiceover work. Career Giles Panton trained as an actor at the William Davis Centre of Vancouver's V ...
) returns from the African jungle to a London boarding school where he meets Jane (voiced by Rebecca Shoichet), who helps him solve environmental injustice, crimes and mysteries.


Television sketches/spoofs

A 1981 television special, ''
The Muppets Go to the Movies ''The Muppets Go to the Movies'' is a one-hour television special starring Jim Henson's Muppets. It first aired May 20, 1981 on ABC as promotion for ''The Great Muppet Caper'', which was released in the United States a month later. Plot With the ...
'', features a short sketch entitled "Tarzan and Jane."
Lily Tomlin Mary Jean "Lily" Tomlin (born September 1, 1939) is an American actress, comedian, writer, singer, and producer. She started her career as a stand-up comedian as well as performing off-Broadway during the 1960s. Her breakout role was on the vari ...
plays Jane opposite
The Great Gonzo Gonzo, also known as The Great Gonzo or Gonzo the Great, is a Muppet. Aside from his trademark enthusiasm for performance art, another defining trait of Gonzo is the ambiguity of his species, which has become a running gag in the franchise. He has ...
as Tarzan. In addition, the Muppets have made reference to Tarzan on half a dozen occasions since the 1960s. '' The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' on August 14, 1981 featured a Tarzan sketch in which
Johnny Carson John William Carson (October 23, 1925 – January 23, 2005) was an American television host, comedian, writer and producer. He is best known as the host of ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' (1962–1992). Carson received six Pr ...
and Betty White portray Tarzan and Jane as a bickering married couple. In an episode of '' The Fairly OddParents'', a spoof of Tarzan appears as "Lord of the Drapes", and "Lord of the Shapes", instead of Lord of the Apes. Series One, Episode Two of ''
The Two Ronnies ''The Two Ronnies'' is a British television comedy sketch show starring Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett. It was created by Bill Cotton and aired on BBC1 from April 1971 to December 1987. The usual format included sketches, solo sections, seria ...
'' includes a "Tarzan in Suburbia" sketch with Ronnie Barker as Tarzan. The British ITV Schools series Writers' Workshop has a 1976 episode called Our Hero, discussing the character of Tarzan and featuring Arne Gordon as Tarzan in an extended sketch. ''
Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves a ...
'' featured recurring sketches with the
speech-impaired Speech disorders or speech impairments are a type of communication disorder in which normal speech is disrupted. This can mean stuttering, lisps, etc. Someone who is unable to speak due to a speech disorder is considered mute. Speech skills are ...
trio of " Tonto, Tarzan, and Frankenstein's Monster". In these sketches, Tarzan is portrayed by Kevin Nealon.


Animated series

The Japanese ''Jungle no Ouja Ta-chan'' (King of the Jungle Ta-chan) series, originally a manga by Tokuhiro Masaya, was based loosely on Tarzan. It featured the characters of Tarzan and his wife Jane, who had become obese after settling down with Tarzan. The series begins as a comical parody of Tarzan, but later expands to other settings, such as a martial arts tournament in China, professional wrestling in America, and even a fight with vampires. In another anime, ''
One Piece ''One Piece'' (stylized in all caps) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda. It has been serialized in Shueisha's ''shōnen'' manga magazine ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' since July 1997, with its individual chapte ...
'', Roronoa Zoro is seen doing a Tarzan call imitation during the Skypiea arc.


Video games

Taito is a Japanese company that specializes in video games, toys, arcade cabinets and game centers, based in Shinjuku, Tokyo. The company was founded by Michael Kogan in 1953 as the importing vodka, vending machines and jukeboxes into Japan. It b ...
's 1982
arcade game An arcade game or coin-op game is a coin-operated entertainment machine typically installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are presented as primarily games of skill and include arcade v ...
'' Jungle King'' featured a character who resembled Tarzan. Copyright issues required Taito to rename the game, producing '' Jungle Hunt''. The company retained the original character, albeit dressed in safari clothing complete with pith helmet. Gameplay remained unchanged; the player still fought crocodiles and swung from trees, but by ropes instead of vines. ''Jungle Hunt'' was subsequently adapted for play on numerous video game consoles and personal computers. ''Tarzan Goes Ape'' was released in the 1980s for the
Commodore 64 The Commodore 64, also known as the C64, is an 8-bit home computer introduced in January 1982 by Commodore International (first shown at the Consumer Electronics Show, January 7–10, 1982, in Las Vegas). It has been listed in the Guinness ...
. Martech Games Ltd released ''
Tarzan Tarzan (John Clayton II, Viscount Greystoke) is a fictional character, an archetypal feral child raised in the African jungle by the Mangani great apes; he later experiences civilization, only to reject it and return to the wild as a heroic adv ...
'' in 1986 for the
ZX Spectrum The ZX Spectrum () is an 8-bit computing, 8-bit home computer that was developed by Sinclair Research. It was released in the United Kingdom on 23 April 1982, and became Britain's best-selling microcomputer. Referred to during development as t ...
, among other computing platforms. In 1999, games based on Disney's animated film ''Tarzan'' were released for the
PlayStation is a video gaming brand that consists of five home video game consoles, two handhelds, a media center, and a smartphone, as well as an online service and multiple magazines. The brand is produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment, a divisi ...
,
Windows Windows is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. For example, Windows NT for consumers, Windows Server for serv ...
, and
Game Boy Color The (commonly abbreviated as GBC) is a handheld game console, manufactured by Nintendo, which was released in Japan on October 21, 1998 and to international markets that November. It is the successor to the Game Boy and is part of the Game ...
. The PlayStation and Windows version was later ported to the Nintendo 64 in 2000. Other games focusing on Disney's version of Tarzan include '' Tarzan Untamed'' (2001) for the
PlayStation 2 The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October 2000, in Europe on 24 November 2000, and in Australia on 3 ...
and
GameCube The is a home video game console developed and released by Nintendo in Japan on September 14, 2001, in North America on November 18, 2001, and in PAL territories in 2002. It is the successor to the Nintendo 64 (1996), and predecessor of the Wii ...
and '' Disney's Tarzan: Return to the Jungle'' (2002) for the Game Boy Advance. Characters from the animated film have also appeared in ''
Disney's Extreme Skate Adventure ''Disney's Extreme Skate Adventure'' is a 2003 skateboarding video game developed by Toys for Bob and published by Activision for GameCube, PlayStation 2 and Xbox. The Game Boy Advance version was ported by Vicarious Visions. The game uses the sa ...
'' and ''
Kingdom Hearts is a series of action role-playing games developed and published by Square Enix (originally by Square (video game company), Square). It is a collaboration between Square Enix and The Walt Disney Company and is under the leadership of Tetsuya ...
''. In the first ''
Rayman ''Rayman'' is a franchise of platform video games, created by video game designer Michel Ancel for Ubisoft. Since the release of the original ''Rayman'' game in 1995, the series has produced a total of 45 games across multiple platforms. The s ...
'', a
Tarzanesque Tarzanesque (in French: ''Tarzanide'') is a term created by Frenchman Francis Lacassin used to describe characters in comic books inspired by Tarzan. A tarzanesque character resembles Tarzan in his physical resourcefulness, within a line of acti ...
version of Rayman named Tarayzan appears in the Dream Forest.


Miscellaneous

There have been several Tarzan View-Master reels and packets, plus numerous Tarzan coloring books, children's books, follow-the-dots and activity books. In the film ''Histoire de Pen'' there is a character named after Tarzan and another named after The Phantom. ''Superman's Song'' by the
Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
rock band A rock band or pop band is a small musical ensemble that performs rock music, pop music, or a related genre. A four-piece band is the most common configuration in rock and pop music. In the early years, the configuration was typically two guita ...
the Crash Test Dummies compares Tarzan unfavourably to
Superman Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book ''Action Comics'' #1 (cover-dated June 1938 and publi ...
. ''
One Leg Too Few "One Leg Too Few" is a comedy sketch written by Peter Cook and most famously performed by Cook and Dudley Moore. It is a classic example of comedy arising from an absurd situation which the participants take entirely seriously ( comic irony), and ...
'' is a comedy sketch by Peter Cook concerning a one-legged man attempting to audition for the role of Tarzan. There is a song by
Danish Danish may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark People * A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark * Culture of Denmark * Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish ance ...
pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * ''Pop'' (G ...
group Toy-Box called "
Tarzan & Jane ''Tarzan & Jane'' is a 2002 American animated adventure comedy film produced by Walt Disney Television Animation, Released on July 23, 2002, it is a direct-to-video sequel to the Disney's 1999 animated feature ''Tarzan'', and uses three then-unair ...
", first released as a single in
Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
in 1998, and then released worldwide in 1999 to coincide with the release of the Disney film ''Tarzan'' (see "Film").


Authorized filmography


Silents Era

Feature Films:


Silent Serials


Sound Era

Franchise films:


Serials and remakes


Animated films


Television

Tarzan Tarzan (John Clayton II, Viscount Greystoke) is a fictional character, an archetypal feral child raised in the African jungle by the Mangani great apes; he later experiences civilization, only to reject it and return to the wild as a heroic adv ...
originated in a series of novels, from which a large number of serial films were derived. Television later emerged as a primary vehicle bringing the character to the public. From the mid-1950s, all the extant sound Tarzan films became staples of Saturday morning television aimed at young and teenaged viewers. In 1958, movie Tarzan
Gordon Scott Gordon Scott (born Gordon Merrill Werschkul; August 3, 1926 – April 30, 2007) was an American film and television actor known for his portrayal of the fictional character Tarzan in five films (and one compilation of three made-as-a ...
filmed three episodes for a prospective television series. The program did not sell, but a number of later series were produced.


Documentaries

* '' Tarzan: The Legacy of Edgar Rice Burroughs'' (1996) * '' Tarzan at the Movies, Part 1: Johnny Weissmuller'' (1996) * '' Tarzan at the Movies, Part 2: The Many Faces of Tarzan'' (1996) * ''
Investigating Tarzan ''Investigating Tarzan'' is a 1997 Canadian documentary film written and directed by Alain d 'Aix for InformAction Films to investigate the history and cultural impact of the character of Tarzan and the books and films in which the character was ...
'' (1997) * '' The One, the Only, the Real Tarzan'' (2004) * '' Tarzan: Silver Screen King of the Jungle'' (2004) * '' I,Tarzan'' (1996)


Unauthorized films

* '' Tarzan in the Golden Grotto'' (1969) (
Steve Hawkes Stjepan Šipek ( Sisak 1942 – June 23, 2019), also known by his screen name Steve Hawkes, was a Croatian-born American actor and animal sanctuary owner. Life Sipek was born in Yugoslavia, what is now Croatia, relocated to Canada in 1959, and sub ...
) (unauthorized by Burroughs' estate) * '' Carry on up the Jungle'' (1970) Tarzan parody (unauthorized by Burroughs' estate) * ''
Tarzan and the Brown Prince ''Tarzan and the Brown Prince'' is a 1972 Spanish/Italian co-production Tarzan film with Steve Sipek and Kitty Swan repeating their roles from 1968's ''King of the Jungle''. The film became a serialised Filipino graphic novel written in Tagalog ...
'' (1972) (Steve Hawkes) (unauthorized by Burroughs' estate) * ''
Adventures of Tarzan ''Adventures of Tarzan'' is a 1985 Indian Hindi-language film directed by Babbar Subhash, starring Hemant Birje, Dalip Tahil, Kimi Katkar and Om Shivpuri. The film was much talked about in its time, mainly due to the steamy scenes between the ...
'' (1985) (
Hemant Birje Hemant Birje (born 19 August 1965) is an Indian actor who works primarily in Hindi language films. In 1985, he debuted as Tarzan in Babbar Subhash's ''Adventures of Tarzan'', also starring Kimi Katkar. He has had mixed success in later films. ...
) (unauthorized by Burroughs' estate) * '' Lady Tarzan'' (1990) ( Silk Smitha) (unauthorized by Burroughs' estate) * '' Tarzan Ki Beti'' (2002) (Hemant Birje) (unauthorized by Burroughs' estate)


Actors who have portrayed Tarzan


On film (adult)

*
Elmo Lincoln Elmo Lincoln (born Otto Elmo Linkenhelt; February 6, 1889June 27, 1952) was an American stage and film actor whose career in motion pictures spanned the silent and sound eras. He performed in over 100 screen productions between 1913 and 1952 and ...
1918, 1918, 1921 (all silent) *
Gene Pollar Gene Pollar (September 16, 1892 - October 20, 1971) was the screen name of New York City firefighter Joseph Pohler, who in his very brief movie career played Tarzan. Background At age 28, the 6'2", 215-pound Joseph Charles Pohler became the se ...
1920 (silent) *
P. Dempsey Tabler Perce Dempsey Tabler (November 23, 1876 – June 7, 1956) was a Tennessee-born opera singer, athlete, businessman and actor, remembered for being the third actor to portray Tarzan in films. His sole outing in the role came in the 1920 movi ...
1920 (silent) * James Pierce 1927 (silent) * Frank Merrill 1928, 1929 (all silent) * Johnny Weissmuller 1932, 1934, 1936, 1939, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1943, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948 * Buster Crabbe 1933 * Herman Brix later billed as Bruce Bennett 1935, 1938 *
Glenn Morris Glenn Edgar Morris (June 18, 1912 – January 31, 1974) was a U.S. track and field athlete. He won a gold medal in the Olympic decathlon in 1936, setting new world and Olympic records. He attended Colorado A&M — now known as Colorado State U ...
1938 * Lex Barker 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953 *
Gordon Scott Gordon Scott (born Gordon Merrill Werschkul; August 3, 1926 – April 30, 2007) was an American film and television actor known for his portrayal of the fictional character Tarzan in five films (and one compilation of three made-as-a ...
1955, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960 *
Denny Miller Denny Scott Miller (born Dennis Linn Miller; April 25, 1934 – September 9, 2014) was an American actor, perhaps best known for his regular role as Duke Shannon on ''Wagon Train'', his guest-starring appearances on ''Gilligan's Island'' and ''C ...
1959 * Jock Mahoney 1962, 1963 * Mike Henry 1966, 1967, 1968 * Ron Ely 1966, 1967, 1968, 1970 *
Miles O'Keeffe Miles O'Keeffe (born June 20, 1954) is an American film and television actor. O'Keeffe got his first big break playing the title role in the 1981 version of '' Tarzan, the Ape Man''. Youth O'Keeffe was born in Ripley, Tennessee. A star footb ...
1981 *
Christopher Lambert Christophe Guy Denis "Christopher" Lambert (; ; born March 29, 1957) is a French-American actor, producer, and novelist. He started his career playing supporting parts in several French films, and became internationally famous for portraying Ta ...
1984 * Casper Van Dien 1998 * Tony Goldwyn 1999 (voice of animated
Tarzan Tarzan (John Clayton II, Viscount Greystoke) is a fictional character, an archetypal feral child raised in the African jungle by the Mangani great apes; he later experiences civilization, only to reject it and return to the wild as a heroic adv ...
) * Kellan Lutz 2013 (
performance capture Motion capture (sometimes referred as mo-cap or mocap, for short) is the process of recording the movement of objects or people. It is used in military, entertainment, sports, medical applications, and for validation of computer vision and robo ...
) * Alexander Skarsgård 2016


On film (youth)

*
Gordon Griffith Gordon S. Griffith (July 4, 1907 – October 12, 1958) was an American assistant director, film producer, and one of the first child actors in the American movie industry. Griffith worked in the film industry for five decades, acting in over ...
(1918, 1918) *
Tali McGregor Tali may refer to: Places * Alternate spelling of Dali, city in China * Tali, Estonia, village in Saarde Parish, Pärnu County, Estonia * Tali, Helsinki, Finland * Tali, township, part of Kozhikode, Kerala, India * Tali, Arunachal Pradesh, pla ...
(1984) * Peter Kyriakous (1984) * Danny Potts (1984) *
Eric Langlois Cryptopsy is a Canadian technical death metal band from Montreal, formed in 1988. History Necrosis (1988–1992) Necrosis was formed in April 1988 by drummer Mike Atkin, guitarist Steve Thibault and vocalist Dan "Lord Worm" Greening, initially ...
(1984) *
Alex D. Linz Alexander David Linz (born January 3, 1989) is an American former child actor who starred in several late 1990s and early 2000s films and television series. His film roles include ''Home Alone 3'' (1997) and ''Max Keeble's Big Move'' (2001). He ...
1999 (voice of young animated
Tarzan Tarzan (John Clayton II, Viscount Greystoke) is a fictional character, an archetypal feral child raised in the African jungle by the Mangani great apes; he later experiences civilization, only to reject it and return to the wild as a heroic adv ...
) *
Harrison Chad Harrison Chad is an American actor known for his roles in Broadway musicals, television, and film. Early life and education Chad was born in New York City and started performing when he was six years old. He has performed in four Broadway show ...
(2005) *
Craig Garner Craig Donald Garner (born 12 July 1971 in Porirua, New Zealand) is a former New Zealand cricketer who played ten first-class matches for the Central Districts Stags in the 1990s and he also played for Nelson in the Hawke Cup The Hawke Cup is a ...
(2013) (performance capture of 4-year-old CGI/Motion Capture Tarzan film) * Anton Zetterholm (2013) (voice of teen CGI/Motion Capture Tarzan film) *
Rory J. Saper Rory Jonathon Saper (born 3 April 1996) is an English actor. He is best known for his roles in the film ''Rufus (2012 film), Rufus'' (2012) and the series ''Find Me in Paris'' (2018–2020). Early life Saper was born in Slough to parents Camilla ...
(2016) * Christian Stevens (2016)


On stage

*
Ronald Adair "The Adventure of the Empty House", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 13 stories in the cycle collected as ''The Return of Sherlock Holmes''. It was first published in ''Collier's'' in the ...
1921 (Broadway) *
Josh Strickland Joshua Strickland (born October 23, 1983) is an American singer and actor from Charleston, South Carolina. He graduated from high school at the Charleston County School of the Arts, where he studied vocal with Robin A. Rogers. He attended the Co ...
2006 (Original Broadway Cast – New York, NY) * Daniel Manche (Tarzan as a youth) 2006 (Original Broadway Cast – New York, NY) *
Alex Rutherford Alex Rutherford is the collective pen name of two writers, Diana Preston and her husband Michael Preston. "Rutherford" is known for the six-book historical fiction series '' Empire of the Moghul''. The Prestons studied at the University of Oxfor ...
(Tarzan as a youth) 2006 (Original Broadway Cast – New York, NY) *
Dylan Riley Snyder Dylan Riley Jacob Snyder (born January 24, 1997) is an American actor, filmmaker, and Twitch streamer. Beginning his acting career in community theatre at the age of five, Snyder is known for his acting, singing, and dancing abilities, starring ...
(Tarzan as a youth) 2006 (Original Broadway Cast – New York, NY) * Anton Zetterholm 2008 (Original German Cast – Hamburg)


On radio

* James Pierce 1932–1934 * Carlton KaDell 1934–1936 * Lamont Johnson 1951–1953


On television

*
Gordon Scott Gordon Scott (born Gordon Merrill Werschkul; August 3, 1926 – April 30, 2007) was an American film and television actor known for his portrayal of the fictional character Tarzan in five films (and one compilation of three made-as-a ...
filmed 1958, aired 1966 * Ron Ely 1966–1968 *
Robert Ridgely Robert Ridgely (December 24, 1931 – February 8, 1997) was an American actor, known for both on-camera roles and extensive voice-over work. Biography Born in Teaneck, New Jersey, Ridgely worked as a cabaret entertainer.Staff"Robert Ridgely, 65 ...
1976–1982 (voice, Filmation series) *
Joe Lara William Joseph Lara (October 2, 1962 – May 29, 2021) was an American actor, martial artist, and musician, known for the role of Tarzan in the American TV series '' Tarzan: The Epic Adventures''. Career Lara played Tarzan in the 1989 TV movie ' ...
1989, 1996 * Wolf Larson 1991–1994 *
Michael T. Weiss Michael Terry Weiss (born February 2, 1962) is an American actor known for his role as Jarod in the television series '' The Pretender''. Early life Michael Terry Weiss was born in Chicago, Illinois on February 2, 1962. His father was a steel i ...
2001 (voice, Disney series) * Travis Fimmel 2003


In video games

* Tony Goldwyn,
Kingdom Hearts is a series of action role-playing games developed and published by Square Enix (originally by Square (video game company), Square). It is a collaboration between Square Enix and The Walt Disney Company and is under the leadership of Tetsuya ...
, 2002 * Jūrōta Kosugi, Kingdom Hearts, Japanese


Footnotes


External links


ERBzine Silver Screen: A Resource Guide to the Movies of Edgar Rice Burroughs





Tarzan movie guideTarzan box office
{{Tarzan movies American radio dramas Fantasy film characters