Tarzan

[remember]

In the mid to late 1960's, Ron Ely played the part of Tarzan, on the 'small screen'. The Tarzan trade mark 'jungle call' used was, still, that of Johnny Weissmuller, who played the literary hero in the movies. Cheetah, Tarzan's ever faithful, chimpanzee sidekick brought humor to the show, and Jai, a young orphan boy, replaced Jane, as his companion. A brilliant action-packed adventure series, with Ron Ely doing his own stunts.

More...

[staffslad]

Re: Tarzan

I remember watching this series in the 70s on saturday mornings on ITV. The last time I can recall it being shown would be around 1983/1984, when ATV--or perhaps they were Central then--screened it during school summer holiday mornings.

I thought Ely made a pretty good Tarzan: intelligent, articulate, athletic, and closer to what Edgar Rice Burroughs envisaged than, for instance, Johnny Weissmuller's portrayal. Mike Henry had played Tarzan in 3 mid 60s films, and he was offered the role for the TV series, but Ely eventually got it. The actor who played Jai, Manuel Padilla Jr, played a similar character in one of Henry's Tarzan films, Tarzan and the Great River. Apparently, Ely's performing of his own stunts led to quite a few injuries.

[staffslad]

Re: Tarzan

Manuel Padilla Jr was also in the first of Mike Henry's Tarzan films, Tarzan and the Valley of Gold, where he played yet another different character.

[tex]

Re: Tarzan

Think weissmuller was an olympic swimming champion (happy to be corrected)

[staffslad]

Re: Tarzan

Think weissmuller was an olympic swimming champion (happy to be corrected)

Yes, he was. Although Weissmuller is quite a distance from how Rice Burroughs wrote the character of Tarzan, I do like him in the role. I have very fond memories of watching the Weissmuller Tarzans in the 70s and 80s when BBC2 showed them on friday nights in the 6pm slot.