Michael and Noel kick off the 1950s era of Tarzan movies with Lex Barker's second appearance as the ape man. Lee Sholem is back in the director's chair, but there's a new Jane as Vanessa Brown becomes the first of many actors to rotate through the role for the rest of Barker's run.
So, I just spent the last two years using Scott Tracy Griffin's book Tarzan on Film as a master list to work my way through every official Tarzan film, tv show and cartoon ever made... and I have just made it to the end. I happily stumbled onto your podcast through a post on a Tarzan Facebook group and have just binge listened to every episode, which happily clued me in to Toofani Tarzan, which I hadn't seen before (so, what the hell is Dada!!?). Anyways - I'm hoping you'll make more episodes soon as I've thoroughly enjoyed the show and am keen to listen to more. As a long-time Green Lantern fan I was particularly impressed when Ron Marz turned up! Twice!! If you are ever short of a guest and would be happy to settle on a random writer and archaeologist from Australia who also happens to be a Tarzan fan, I'd happily put my hand up as a volunteer!! (https://www.boscoandjordan.com) One final thing - you mentioned a few times in past episodes the story of the chimpanzee named Cheeta who died a few years ago in a chimp retirement home in Palm Springs as the oldest ever recorded chimpanzee - that's actually (alas) fiction. There's a book called Me, Cheeta which is that chimpanzee's autobiography that he wrote in retirement; it details his time working on the Tarzan films from Tarzan and his Mate through to Tarzan and the Mermaids. Actually, it was written by author James Lever and is mostly made up, with a few facts peppered in there. It's a fantastic book and I highly recommend it, very funny and also strangely moving, but a work of fiction rather than fact. Scott Tracy Griffin's book has a page in it listing all of the actual chimpanzees to work on Tarzan films and shows - after the initial Jiggs died apparently the trainer just kept replacing chimps and renaming each new one Jiggs as well, through the next three or so animal performers. Anyways - thanks for the great show and please make more episodes soon! Here's hoping ERB Inc. reach out to Noel to make that School Boy comic as well! All the best!
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