Celebrating the Tarzan Film Centennial #31



One hundred years ago on this day, February 3, 1918, a "New York Times" article discussed the hit film, Tarzan of the Apes, which continued to sell out the Broadway Theatre, and ballyhooed a slew of fantastic claims:

Trips were made to Manaos, Brazil; Iquitos, Peru; New Iberia, La.; Great Bear Lake, Cal. and Banff, Canada . . . In all 12,000 miles were traveled by train and over 6,000 miles by steamer . . . Three hundred jungle native huts were built in the Brazilian jungles . . . twenty principals, a working crew, directors and supervisors were transported from New York to Manaos on the steamer Madeirense and then a nine-car train chartered for the trip to New Ibera and thence to the studios at Los Angeles . . . Eleven hundred natives were used in the production . . . Forty high priced aerial acrobats were engaged and paid for an entire seasons work, although required but one month. Four lions, six tigers, several elephants, eighteen living apes (all that exist in this country) . . . were purchased and transported to the various locations. Wooden huts, similar to those at our army cantonments, fully screened against insect invasion, were built in the jungle at a small place called Itejuca, sixty miles inland from the Amazon River . . .