Biographic - Sunday February 5, 2012 Comic Strip Licensing and Permissions

Transcript

Tarzan 2012 marks the centennial of Tarzan, the orphan raised by apes in Africa who becomes Lord of the Jungle. Created by American author Edgar Rice Burroughs, the character debuted in the novel "Tarzan of the Apes" which was first published in a pulp magazine in 1912. Numerous sequels spread the character's popularity, as did the 1918 silent movie "Tarzan of the Apes" starring Elmo Lincoln. Subsequent movies and series featured a number of actors in the role, with the first "Talkie" appearing in 1929. The story was adapted for the Broadway stage in 1921, and a newspaper comic strip debuted in 1929. Three years later, a radio program hit the airwaves for the first time. The most famous inhabitant of the loincloth was Olympic gold medal swimmer Johnny Weissmuller. He debuted in the role in 1932 and went on to star in a dozen Tarzan movies. The movies featured Tarzan's intelligent chimp, Cheetah. Lex Barker played Tarzan in five movies, and Gordon Scott took the role in six. Among those who also played Tarzan were Buster Crabbe- who later starred as Flash Gordon- and Jack Mahoney, who had first found fame as TV cowboy "The Range Rider" later movie versions featured the likes of Christopher Lambert, of "Highlander" fame, and Casper Van Dien. Ron Ely starred on the Tv series "Tarzan" in the late 1960s, and the 1970s brought TV animation. The 1999 Disney blockbuster animated movie "Tarzan" introduced the jungle hero to a new generation of fans and spawned sequels, video games, an animated TV series and a successful stage musical, as well as a merchandising bonanza!

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