"Tarzan" (1966) TV series 1966-1969

Director:

Alex Nicol

Writer:

Edgar Rice Burroughs (character)

Seasons:

1 | 2

Release Date:

8 September 1966 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure

Plot:

Tarzan (Lord Greystoke), already well educated and fed up with civilization, returns to the jungle and...

Plot Keywords:

Tarzan | Monkey Actor | Bare Chested Male | Character Name In Title

Cast

Ron Ely

...

Tarzan (36 episodes, 1966-1968)

Runtime:

60 min (57 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | Argentina:Atp

Filming Locations:

Brazil

Company:

Banner Productions

Trivia:

Mike Henry, who had just filmed several big-screen adventures as Tarzan, was intended to have also played the lead in the TV series, but backed out. Ron Ely, who took his place, was originally to have played a Tarzan imposter in a proposed episode of the TV series.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Starzan III: The Jungle Triangle (1990)

What a swinging action-packed show of its day!!!

After the huge success of Tarzan on the big screen, Producer Sy Weintraub took the ape man from the silver screen to television. Tarzan made its debut on the NBC network in September of 1966. Weintraub wanted Mike Henry(who played Tarzan in the movies),but instead got Ron Ely to portrayed the ape man on television. I have fond memories of the show when I was a child and it was one of the most action-packed shows of its day. Ely on the show fought off REAL man-eating lions,wrestled crocodiles(even though it was mostly retreads of scenes from the Johnny Weissmuller films of the 30's tinted in color),and always managed to save Jai from great danger from some tribe or animal poachers who were destroying the jungle. Jai however(played by Manuel Padilla,Jr.) was Tarzan's companion helping him out in any way possible(only in this one there was NO Jane here),and lets not forget Cheetah,the reliable chimpanzee. However,the show had very special guests who were in some sort of trouble and it was Tarzan to the rescue(especially in one episode where Diana Ross and the Supremes guest starred as Nuns who were from an missionary) to save the day and the jungle as well. However,the show ran for a good three years on NBC(from 1966 to 1969),and after that the repeats aired on CBS for one season(from 1969 to 1970). Rarely seen nowdays since the repeats were last seen on Chicago's WGN-TV back in the late 1980's,and one episode from the series on AMC(American Movie Classics). Now it can be seen on Nick at Nite's TV Land.