T a r z a n   F i l m o g r a p h y

| With Germanic connections in bold |
Thanks to Matt Winans and his Tarzan Movie Guide for some of the information in this filmography.

Weissmuller films | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s

 

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Tarzan of the Apes (1918, silent, 55 min.)
Elmo Lincoln, Enid Markey. The very first Tarzan movie.

The Romance of Tarzan (1918, silent)
Elmo Lincoln, Enid Markey.

1 9 2 0 s

The Revenge of Tarzan (1920, silent)
Gene Pollar, Karla Schramm. Burroughs’ comment on the performance of fireman-turned-actor Pollar: “As an actor, Gene was a great fireman.” Pollar was a one-time-only Tarzan.

The Son of Tarzan (1920, silent)
Feature version of the serial of the same name. P. Dempsey Tabler, Karla Schramm, Kamuela Searle.

The Adventures of Tarzan (1921, silent)
15 chapter serial. Elmo Lincoln, Louise Lorraine.

Tarzan and the Golden Lion (1927, silent)
James Hubert Pierce, Dorothy Dunbar. Pierce was Edgar Rice Burroughs’ son-in-law.

Tarzan the Mighty (1928, silent)
15 chapter serial. Frank Merrill, Natalie Kingston.

Tarzan the Tiger (1929, silent)
15 chapter serial. Frank Merrill, Natalie Kingston. The last of the silent Tarzan films.

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1 9 3 0 s

Tarzan, the Ape Man (1932, 99 min.)
Johnny Weissmuller, Maureen O'Sullivan. The first Weissmuller Tarzan movie also features Maureen O'Sullivan as a sexy, intelligent Jane.  > Buy this movie on video

Tarzan the Fearless (1933, 85 min.)
Feature version of the serial of the same name. Buster Crabbe, Jacquelene Wells. Doesn't match up to the Weissmuller versions of 1932 and 1934. Crabbe (1907-1983), also an Olympian and film star, would die less than a year before Weissmuller.

Tarzan and his Mate (1934, 93 min.)
Johnny Weissmuller, Maureen O'Sullivan. Considered by most Tarzan buffs to be the best of the early Tarzan movies. (Some claim it's the best of ALL the Tarzan films.) O'Sullivan's outfit is daring, even by today's standards, and the nude "ballet" swimming scene (with her double) has returned from the censor's cutting room floor. In each succeeding film Jane would wear more and more clothing — in response to puritanical pressure.  > Buy this movie on video

The New Adventures of Tarzan (1935, 75 min.)
Feature version of the serial of the same name. Herman Brix, Ula Holt. Tarzan the gentleman. The lean Herman Brix, Burroughs' personal choice to play Tarzan, was more like the Tarzan of the novels, but that wasn't enough to make this into a real movie.

Tarzan Escapes (1936, 95 min.)
Johnny Weissmuller, Maureen O'Sullivan. The first appearance of the infamous treehouse where Tarzan and Jane lived in sin.  > Buy this movie on video

Tarzan's Revenge (1937, 70 min.)
Glenn Morris, Eleanor Holm. One of the worst Tarzan movies, despite music by the Austrian-American composer / music director, Hugo Riesenfeld (1879-1939). Morris, in his sole Tarzan appearance, is rarely seen. His real fame goes back to the 1936 Berlin Olympics when he won a decathlon medal and swept Hitler's favorite director, Leni Riefenstahl off her feet. She mentions the bizarre blouse-ripping incident with Morris in her memoirs.

Tarzan and the Green Goddess (1938, 72 min.)
A second feature from the 1935 serial. Herman Brix, Ula Holt.

Tarzan Finds a Son (1939, 90 min.)
Johnny Weissmuller, Maureen O'Sullivan, Johnny Sheffield (as "Boy"). Tarzan and Jane have to find a son (from a plane crash). Sex is out of the question.  > Buy this movie on video

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1 9 4 0 s

Tarzan’s Secret Treasure (1941, 81 min.)
Johnny Weissmuller, Maureen O’Sullivan, Johnny Sheffield.  > Buy this movie on video

Tarzan’s New York Adventure (1942, 71 min.)
Johnny Weissmuller, Maureen O’Sullivan, Johnny Sheffield. Tarzan dresses up for civilization. The last Tarzan for MGM and the last for O'Sullivan as Jane.  > Buy this movie on video

Tarzan Triumphs (1943, 78 min.)
Johnny Weissmuller, Frances Gifford, Johnny Sheffield. Directed by Austrian-born William (Wilhelm) Thiele. “Now, Tarzan make war!” Tough times for the Nazis, but no Jane! The first RKO Tarzan feature.

Tarzan’s Desert Mystery (1943, 70 min.)
Johnny Weissmuller, Nancy Kelly, Johnny Sheffield. Directed by Austrian-born William (Wilhelm) Thiele. Another anti-Nazi jungle epic.

Tarzan and the Amazons (1945, 76 min.)
Johnny Weissmuller, Brenda Joyce, Johnny Sheffield. Directed by German-born Kurt Neumann, who was also the associate producer. Jane is back, but she’s not O’Sullivan.

Tarzan and the Leopard Woman (1946, 72 min.)
Johnny Weissmuller, Brenda Joyce, Johnny Sheffield. Directed by German-born Kurt Neumann, who was also the associate producer.

Tarzan and the Huntress (1947, 72 min.)
Johnny Weissmuller, Brenda Joyce, Johnny Sheffield. Boy’s last appearance.

Tarzan and the Mermaids (1948, 68 min.)
Johnny Weissmuller, Brenda Joyce, Linda Christian. Directed by Robert Florey. This was Weissmuller’s 12th and final Tarzan movie. He later starred in 16 “Jungle Jim” films. Christian, who played a native girl rescued by Tarzan in this film, was the only Weissmuller co-star to attend his funeral in 1984, held near the shooting location for this movie. (At one time she was married to Tyrone Power.)

Tarzan’s Magic Fountain (1949, 73 min.)
Lex Barker, Brenda Joyce. “Tarzan” meets “Lost Horizon” with Barker as the new Tarzan. Screenplay by German-born Curt Siodmak. Elmo Lincoln, the first Tarzan, does a brief cameo.

1950s, 1960s, etc. > Tarzan Films 2

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See Matt Winans' Tarzan Page for more about the Tarzan movies, including some unauthorized Spanish and other versions.

For Weissmuller's "Jungle Jim" films, see Matt Winans' Jungle Jim Movie Guide.

MORE > Tarzan Films 2