Summary

• Tarzan, the iconic King of the Jungle, has been portrayed by various actors in movies and TV series over the years.
• The film adaptations of Edgar Burroughs' bestselling Tarzan series have had varying degrees of success in terms of critical and audience reception.
• From Johnny Weissmuller to Alexander Skarsgard, different actors brought unique interpretations to the legendary character of Tarzan.

Often labeled the King of the Jungle, Tarzan has become one of the most popular fictional characters ever created. Based on the bestselling series written by Edgar Burroughs, Tarzan depicts a feral orphan raised in the African jungle by apes, growing up to become a skilled adventurer. His life changes when a young woman and her father arrive in the jungle and Tarzan gets a taste of civilization and romance.

The Tarzan series became one of the most popular book series and is one of the most adapted series in history. Many filmmakers and actors took the challenge of bringing the adventures of the King of the Jungle to life. While not all the live-action adaptations were critically successful, the actors who portrayed Tarzan all brought something different to their roles.

22 Gene Pollar

Starred in the 1920 movie The Revenge of Tarzan

In his only film appearance, Gene Pollar portrayed Tarzan in the 1920 silent movie The Revenge of Tarzan. This movie sees Tarzan and Jane travel to Paris to help an old friend when Tarzan is thrown overboard. He manages to escape and travels to rescue Jane. The movie had a difficult production and went through multiple rewrites before being released. While The Revenge of Tarzan was praised upon release, unfortunately, the prints were lost in a studio fire, so Pollar's role is reduced to merely stills from the movie.

21 Casper Van Dien

Starred in 1998's Tarzan and the Lost City

Released in 1998, Tarzan and the Lost City sees Tarzan preparing to marry Jane, only to be called back to the jungle to save his former home from destruction. This movie was set to introduce Tarzan to a new generation of viewers, but it was critically panned, with many citing it as an incompetent and poorly written movie. Casper Van Dien does his best to bring a sense of fun and action to the story, but it's not enough to save this film from being seen as one of the worst Tarzan movies ever made.

20 Denny Miller

Starred in 1959's Tarzan the Ape Man

A remake of Tarzan the Ape Man was released in 1959 with Denny Miller taking on the lead role. This remake is notorious for stealing plots and footage from King Solomon's Mines (1950) and reusing footage from the original 1932 film, including the iconic Tarzan yell. While Miller had the right physical appearance for Tarzan, he wasn't given a proper chance to work in the role, due to the copious re-dubbing added to the final product. The movie was a critical flop and is an unnecessary remake of an already iconic movie.

19 P. Dempsey Tabler

Starred in 1920's The Son of Tarzan

This 1920 silent film, focuses on how Tarzan's son Jack follows in his father's footsteps and seeks adventure in the jungle, under his ape name Korak. P. Dempsey Tabler played the role of Tarzan, and the movie depicts him traveling to Africa to find his son and rescue his wife from capture. The movie is focused on telling Korak's story, meaning Tarzan only appears spontaneously throughout the 4-hour film. Tabler was seen as grossly miscast as Tarzan due to his unflattering frame and the obvious hairpiece used.

18 James Pierce

Starred in 1927's Tarzan and the Golden Lion

James Pierce was chosen by Edgar Burroughs himself to take the role of Tarzan in the 1927 film Tarzan and the Golden Lion.

James Pierce was chosen by Edgar Burroughs himself, to take the role of Tarzan in the 1927 film Tarzan and the Golden Lion. This film depicts Tarzan being involved in a race to save a young woman named Fiona from being sacrificed. It was adapted from the 1923 novel of the same name and is often considered one of the lesser-known Tarzan films. While James Pierce proved his strength and skills as the ape-man when he battled against the tribesmen, the movie strayed too far from the original novel to be considered memorable enough to viewers.

17 Bruce Bennett

Starred in 1935's The New Adventures of Tarzan

Athletic star Bruce Bennett was originally seen as the star of Tarzan the Ape Man in 1932, but a shoulder injury led to Johnny Weissmuller being selected instead. Bennett, under his real name Herman Brix, got his chance to play the ape-man in the 1935 film series The New Adventures of Tarzan; the movie sees Tarzan traveling to Guatemala in search of his missing friend, D'Arnot, and helping to search for hidden jewels. Critical reception to the movie was poor and Bennett's performance as Tarzan was considered stiff and lacking in any personality.

16 Glenn Morris

Starred in 1938's Tarzan's Revenge

Glenn Morris was another Olympic athlete selected to play the role of Tarzan, which he did in the 1938 film Tarzan's Revenge. The movie depicts a young explorer, Eleanor, being pursued by a tribe leader who wishes to become his bride; Tarzan rescues her, and they fall in love. Tarzan's Revenge was panned by critics, with the movie being described as absurd and lacking in any proper script. Glenn Morris' performance as Tarzan was equally unimpressive, with his acting skills being seen as lackluster and too goofy for a powerful jungle hero.

15 Travis Fimmel

Starred in the 2003 TV series, Tarzan

The short-lived 2003 series saw Tarzan held against his will by his uncle after being found in the jungle; he later escapes and teams up with NYPD officer, Jane Porter, helping her with her criminal cases. The series was not successful, with critics condemning the confusing plot and Travis Fimmel's performance of Tarzan also being seen as uncharismatic and bland. The critical failure resulted in Tarzan being canceled after only 8 episodes.

14 Buster Crabbe

Starred in 1933's Tarzan the Fearless

In his only appearance in the role, Buster Crabbe portrayed Tarzan in the 1933 serial film Tarzan the Fearless. The movie sees Tarzan rescuing an elderly archaeologist and falling in love with his daughter, Mary. This movie was released to compete with the success of Weissmuller's films, but it was regarded by many as a clunky and confusing story. Buster Crabbe does his best to live up to the role, but his performance was considered bland and inferior to Weissmuller's iconic work.

13 Miles O'Keefe

Starred in 1981's Tarzan the Ape Man

Originally hired as a stunt person, Miles O'Keefe landed the role of Tarzan, alongside Bo Derek, who portrayed Jane Porter in the 1981 remake of Tarzan the Ape Man. This film tried to offer something new by telling the story from Jane's point of view, but it failed to impress critics, with many citing it as one of the worst movies ever made. As the film mainly focuses on Jane, O'Keefe hardly gets time on screen; however, when he does, he proves himself to be a capable jungle warrior, with his character performing the athletic stunts and the trademark yell that is the signature of the legendary Tarzan.

Tarzan the Ape Man (1981) remains the only Tarzan movie to be nominated for Golden Raspberry Awards; it received 6 nominations in 1982, with Bo Derek winning Worst Actress for her performance as Jane Porter.

12 Elmo Lincoln

The first actor to portray Tarzan in silent movies

As the first adult Tarzan actor, Elmo Lincoln managed to invoke the character of Tarzan well, and he received praise for his fighting skills against the jungle animals.

American actor Elmo Lincoln was the first actor to portray the adult jungle king in the 1918 silent film Tarzan of the Apes, often regarded as the most faithful adaptation of Burroughs' novel. The movie depicts how the young orphan is raised by the apes and becomes the jungle ruler. Lincoln went on to reprise the role in the sequels The Romance of Tarzan (1918) and The Adventures of Tarzan (1921). As the first adult Tarzan actor, Elmo Lincoln managed to invoke the character of Tarzan well, and he received praise for his fighting skills against the jungle animals. However, he notably lacked the muscular physique and athletic skills that people expected from the King of the Jungle.

11 Joe Lara

Starred in Tarzan in Manhattan and Tarzan: The Epic Adventures

In the 1990s, Tarzan was brought into the modern era with Joe Lara starring in the television film Tarzan in Manhattan. The movie brings Tarzan into modern-day New York to seek vengeance for the death of his ape mother; he discovers an organization running illegal tests on animals and teams up with Jane to stop them. Tarzan in Manhattan proved unpopular with critics and was seen as a cheesy attempt to bring Tarzan to the modern age. However, Lara offered a strong and sultry performance as the jungle king and later reprised his role in the short-lived drama series Tarzan: The Epic Adventures.

10 Lex Barker

Starred in 5 Tarzan Movies from 1949-1953

Lex Barker took over the role of Tarzan in the 1949 MGM movie Tarzan's Magic Fountain, which sees Tarzan arrive in Blue Valley, the land of the fountain of youth. The movie received a lukewarm reception, but Barker was warmly welcomed as a new, stronger Tarzan for the franchise after Johnny Weissmuller left. Barker reprised the role in four further Tarzan movies; his final movie was 1953's Tarzan and the She-Devil.

9 Ron Ely

Starred in NBC's Tarzan

A television series of Tarzan ran on NBC from 1966-1968 and saw Ron Ely take on the role. The series sees a well-educated and refined man growing bored with civilization and deciding to return to the jungle. The series ran for 57 episodes and proved popular with viewers. Ely took this role very seriously, and he brought a strong and articulate jungle explorer to the screen, impressing many with his stunt work and acting in the role.

8 Wolf Larson

Starred in French TV Series, Tarzán

The French television series Tarzán aired from 1991-1995; Wolf Larson portrayed Tarzan as a strategist, with Jane being turned into a French ecologist. The series ran for 75 episodes and saw Tarzan and his friends protecting the jungle from scheming environmentalists and scientists. It was seen as a comedic and humorous take on the iconic story and Larson proved popular with viewers with his strong physique and athletic skills.

7 Frank Merrill

Starred in Tarzan the Mighty and Tarzan the Tiger

Frank Merrill worked as a stuntman during the first Tarzan films, so he had the necessary experience needed to don the loincloth in the 1928 film Tarzan the Mighty. This movie sees Tarzan befriending two castaways and protecting them from greedy pirates. While Tarzan the Mighty is now considered lost, Merrill reprised the role in the sequel Tarzan the Tiger, which sees Tarzan as Lord Greystoke returning to Africa to seek the treasure of Opar. In Tarzan the Tiger, Merrill excels in strength and impressively performs all of his stunts as the jungle king. He also portrays Tarzan as educated and refined, proving faithful to Burroughs' original story.

6 Gordon Scott

Starred in 6 Tarzan Films (1955-1960)

After Lex Barker left the franchise in 1953, Gordon Scott was selected as the eleventh Tarzan. He played the role in six films, with his 1957 film Tarzan and the Lost Safari being the first Tarzan film to be released in color. Throughout his time as the ape-man, Scott portrayed the character as both unworldly and naive, and in his later films, as a distinguished and intelligent man. Scott remains the only actor to have portrayed Tarzan in both styles, and he was highly praised for his later performances remaining faithful to the original character.

5 Jock Mahoney

Starred in Tarzan Goes to India and Tarzan's Three Challenges

Jock Mahoney was the 13th actor to portray Tarzan when he starred in the 1962 film Tarzan Goes to India. He was 44 when he took on the role, and he remains the oldest actor ever to play the ape-man. Mahoney brought a more mature Tarzan to the story, and he gave a deep and realistic portrayal of the character. His time as Tarzan was cut short due to illness after his second film, Tarzan's Three Challenges, but Mahoill remains one of the more popular actors to portray the character.

Jock Mahoney later served as stunt coordinator for Tarzan the Ape Man (1981).

4 Mike Henry

Starred in 3 Tarzan Films (1966-1968)

American footballer Mike Henry starred in a trilogy of Tarzan films in the late 1960s. His first film, Tarzan and the Valley of Gold, was likened to a James Bond film, which sees Tarzan returning to the wild to rescue a young boy who was kidnapped by a greedy assassin. The movie contained modern action that wasn't originally seen in the previous movies. Henry's physical appearance strongly resembles the novel's illustrations of Tarzan, and he gives an interesting and likable portrayal of a civilized man disguising himself in a loincloth to save a young boy's life.

3 Alexander Skarsgård

Starred in 2016's The Legend of Tarzan

Alexander Skarsgård was given the role in the 2016 film The Legend of Tarzan. This movie offers insight into Tarzan's life after leaving the jungle. After settling into civilization in London with Jane, Tarzan is called back to the jungle to investigate claims of slavery. While the movie received a mixed reception from critics upon its initial release, in later years, it rose to popularity as one of the most-watched films on Netflix. Skarsgård's performance as Tarzan in this movie was also seen as strong and energetic, and it helped establish him as a leading Hollywood actor.