Yesterdays Heroes His name is Viscount Greystoke, but his friends call him TARZAN

Tarzan first appeared in the story " Tarzan of the Apes" written by American  author Edgar Rice Burroughs in 1912

The tale was of an orphaned infant who survived after his parents had been killed whilst in Africa. Alone and still only a  Baby he was adopted by a Female Gorilla who raised him as her own. This story over the years has been slightly changed but basically Tarzan is a man raised as an Ape, as one of their own.

Later Tarzan would come to learn that he was not like his Ape family and would come to know that he was a Man, but would go on to  use the skills learnt as a creature of the Jungle to help maintain peace within the Jungle. The Perfect Athlete with his senses honed to the peak of possibilities, a Man but much much more.

Burroughs wrote around 25 novel and stories featuring Tarzan most of which involved him and his adventures in Jungles of Africa.  In his early 20's Tarzan would meet a woman called Jane Porter who would eventually became his mate (Wife). Sometimes she is portrayed as an Daughter of a British explorer, and other times she is an American Heiress. The only constant being she loves Tarzan and Tarzan Loves Jane.

When Hollywood decided that The Ape Man was idea for Movies  it was in  1918 that Elmo Lincoln played the Ape Man in the silent film " Tarzan of the Apes"  but the Person most associated with playing Tarzan on the Big Screen was former Olympic Swimmer Johnny Weissmuller who played Tarzan in many films during the 1930's 1940's.

This Tarzan was portrayed as a noble savage with a moral compass. He did the right thing and only killed in order to prevent others being hurt, The Weissmuller Tarzan gave the character his trade mark Yell.  Although the Film Studio told the press Weissmuller had made up the call himself  using his own vocal talents,...... The Studio issued a press release to say  that Johnny Weissmuller  he had been a champion Yodeller as a child in Austria- Germany, so the call was of his own making ........  it was later made public that the call the work of the sound department at the film studio.  A Mix of  animal sounds and maybe a bit of Johnny thrown in too. This may just be a fantasy, but the Trade mark Yell would be adopted by many other films featuring the Ape Man Tarzan.

Many films of Tarzan have been made over the years, some better than others. He even had a TV show in the 1960's  with Ron Ely in the tile Roll, and a cartoon series.

In 1999 Disney took on the roll of making a feature film with a music sound track provided by Rocker Phil Collins.  Which with its effects breaking animation and well received  sound track proved that Tarzan really Rocked !!!!

Tarzan looks like one of those characters that will run and run. With the original back story always open to be expanded or amended to fit the circumstance and now that the Burroughs Estate has little if any control over how the Ape Man is now, we can look forward to seeing Tarzan of the Apes appearing in the media or on screen in the foreseeable future.

So if you are a Fan of the Original Silent Tarzan Elmo Lincoln, or 1930's and 1940's Family Friendly Ape man  Hollywood Hero Johnny Weissmuller, or the 1950's more clean cut Lex Baker and Gordon Scott's portrayal  of Tarzan, or the 1960's Ron Ely modern approach of The Great White Ape, or Miles O'Keeffe and Bo Derek 1981 Soft Porn adventure , and the Artistic and Brooding  Christopher Lambert's Lord Greystoke version of the timeless Hero of the Jungle or  any other of the good and the Great that have swung from a Vine wearing a loin cloth..... you know they owe it all to a simple tale first penned by Edgar Rice Burroughs over a Hundred Years Ago.


Here is my version of Tarzan of the Apes.

Me TARZAN

Tarzan's may have felling Love with his Jane, but before her there was Cheeta the Chimpanzee . Maybe he-she was never originally created by Mt Burroughs but became part of the legend in the 1930's. The original Cheeta lived a long full life and was one of Hollywoods longest living Movie Stars.

Maybe the line "Me Tarzan, You Jane" may have been miss quoted a number of times during the years, but we all know what it really means !

Jungle Love

and a Finally look at the Tarzan Family Unit

Setting up home Jungle Style

Next time another hero from a forgotten time.

Until then   ENJOY !

YESTERDAYS HEROES The Spainish call him the FOX..... we know him as ZORRO

Created in 1919 by America Writer John McCulley , his tales of Don Diego De La Vega during the mid 1800's became a hit with the readers old and young.

Setting his stories during the Mexican Rule of California, by day Don Diego was a Californian Nobleman  who showed little regard to the ill treatment of the Spanish overlords and military that controlled the lands, but at night Don Diego donned his disguise and became Zorro or the Fox to fight for the rights of the poor and weak and badly treated people of the land.

Although over the years the character has been updated and changed, he is basically a dashing Masked outlaw who defends those who are oppressed.

He is called Zorro (Spanish for Fox) as he shows cunning and fox like characteristics in his war against the authorities and evil doers.

ZORRO the Hero of the People

His main weapon is his sword which he uses to both defend himself and leave his trade mark Z as this calling card. Also he is a master of the Bull Whip and an expert horseman.

By 1920 he made his debuted on the silver screen in the silent movie "The Mask of Zorro" played by who was at the time the most famous actor Douglas Fairbanks.

Over the years Zorro has stared in many films, had a long running TV series made by Disney in the 1950's, had his own Radio Show and cartoon series.


He may be a no more than a reworking of  Robin Hood, but you could say that BAT-MAN who was publishes nearly 20 years later  was a reworking of Zorro.

But at the end of the day, Young Boys and their Fathers loved the Swash Buckling antics and excitement of Zorro, and the ladies too loved the Dashing Romantic looking Hero in the Black Mask and Hat.


A ROMANTIC STRANGER DRESSED IN BLACK

Next time another some what forgotten hero.

Until then ENJOY "