"My Mother's Tarzan"
continues with page 5
Tarzan and Weissmuller then became the property of
RKO-Radio Pictures, with Sol Lesser producing.
RKO released
TARZAN TRIUMPHS (1943),
"Jane's" absence is explained away in that,
she is in England caring for wounded military men
while the war is on.
Weissmuller and a beautiful Frances Gifford as "Zandra"
from TARZAN TRIUMPHS (1943).
"Triumphs" is probably the best
of the RKO Tarzan features,
considering it's low budget.
However, it is war time and Tarzan
bests the Nazi's,
and audiences cheered when Tarzan
proclaims
"Now Tarzan make war!".
Frances Gifford's Life & Career
(click here for a short, almost tragic summary)
and
TARZAN'S DESERT MYSTERY (1943),
This time around there are more Nazis involved and Tarzan and Boy
must rescue
Connie Bryce, a stranded, attractive lady magician.
Connie Bryce was played by Nancy Kelly, who was the sister of Jack Kelly
(Maverick).
Lesser decides to take a chance
in 1945 with the introduction of
beautiful Brenda Joyce as the "new" Jane.
It didn't take audiences long to take a liking to the
5'-4" blonde who had dared to replace O'Sullivan.
Together with Sheffield they made,
TARZAN AND THE AMAZONS (1945),
TARZAN AND THE LEOPARD WOMAN (1946),
Brenda made five Tarzan movies, as
compared to
Maureen's six, but Brenda had a
different advantage.
She had two Tarzan's.
Brenda carried over as Jane into
the first of Lex Barker's five Tarzan movies.
It looked like Lex
couldn't keep a Jane after that.
Aquanetta as the beautiful High Priestess Lea,
from Tarzan and the Leopard Woman (1946)
TARZAN AND THE HUNTRESS (1947),
Weismuller's last appearance as Tarzan
in
TARZAN AND THE MERMAIDS (1948)
had Brenda as Jane, but Sheffield was gone, and
was explained away as being at school in England.
Tired and overweight,
(at least that's what Lesser
and RKO, wanted the public to believe and)
(it was not John asking for
more money and a percentage of the returns.)
Weissmuller resigned from the role
that had made him so famous.
One very funny story about John while he was Tarzan.
Weissmuller was on the Stanton Island Ferry, and was or became very inebriated,
and consequently fell overboard. I'm not sure which way the boat was heading, but
the story is that, Johnny beat the boat back to the dock.
Weissmuller would move on to make 13 JUNGLE JIM films
and even a "Jungle Jim" television series (1955).
In the television series Martin Huston was Skipper, Jungle Jim's son,
Norman Fredric was Kaseem, Jim's Hindu manservant,
and Paul Cavanagh as Commissioner Morrison
along with Tamba, the chimpanzee and Skipper's dog Trader
The series ran in the 1955-56 season
for 26 b&w episodes of 30 minutes each
I can still recall the opening of the show where
Jim flings off his hat and makes the high
dive, off the cliff, into the water below.
I still remember being about 10 years old (1960) and going
clear across town, on a dark stormy night, by myself to see,
"Tarzan And The Moon Men".
There was no Tarzan. There was no Jungle Jim.
It was Weissmuller playing himself
in a re-titled "Jungle Moon Men" (1955).
At least that's what the theatre
had put in the local newspaper ad,
just to get you there.
Click
Here To Go To Page Six
of
"My
Mother's Tarzan"
Click here to view my Tarzan Movie Guide & Plot Summaries
(only the ones I've seen or have on tape and or dvd)