TARZAN - JOHNNY WEISSMULLER

Tarzan was created by Edgar Rice Burrough in 1912 and went on to feature in over 20 novels. Countless Radio shows, TV shows, animated tv series and films, video games and numerous live action films made over the past 100 years. The most successful incarnation of the jungle hero on film was played by JOHNNY WEISSMULLER.

WEISSMULLER was already a world famous swimming athlete and the winner of 5 Olypmic Gold Medals (1924 *and 1928*). He set 67 world records and won an assortment of titles and trophies. He never lost a race!

He was 28 when he was cast as TARZAN in MGMs 1932 production of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ ‘Tarzan the Ape Man’. The film was a massive hit and Weissmuller was instantly accepted as the famous jungle hero. The iconic Tarzan yell was craeted for this movie, and there are several stories about whether this was performed by Weissmuller himself, or a specially cast actor/singer or a montage of several actors and animals concocted by the MGM sound dept. But is is the image of Weissmuller and the iconic yell that is what people see when you mention Tarzan. Johnny Weissmuller starred as Tarzan in a total of 12 movies.

*Olympic Gold Medals - 100m freestyle (1924), 400m freestyle (1924), 4 x 200 m freestyle (1924), 100m freestyle (1928), 4 x 200m freestyle (1928)