Where Was The First Tarzan Movie Filmed Top Info

: The "moss-covered branches" described in Edgar Rice Burroughs' novels were perfectly matched by the Louisiana bayous. Logistics

Before we dive into the location, it is crucial to identify the correct film. Many people mistakenly believe that the 1932 Tarzan the Ape Man starring Johnny Weissmuller was the first. It was not. The very first adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ iconic character was a silent film titled , released in 1918.

In the spring of 1917, location scouts for the National Film Corporation of America were tasked with finding a landscape that mirrored the vivid descriptions in Edgar Rice Burroughs’ 1912 novel. They ultimately chose , a small town in southern Louisiana nestled along the Atchafalaya National Heritage Area .

Because real apes were difficult to manage on set, several actors (including local acrobat dancers) wore heavy, chimpanzee-like skins and costumes to portray Tarzan's adoptive ape family. Hollywood Secondary Locations where was the first tarzan movie filmed top

: A studio facility in Hollywood used for interior or technical shots. A Cinematic Milestone

The script required hundreds of tribal characters. The local sugarcane plantations provided a large African-American population willing to work as extras. Crucially, Tarzan of the Apes broke progressive ground by casting Black actors to play Black characters, completely eschewing the standard Hollywood practice of using white actors in blackface.

and circus acrobats were hired to portray the "apes". They reportedly struggled in the intense August heat of the Louisiana swamp while wearing thick, non-breathable primate costumes. Escaped Monkeys : The "moss-covered branches" described in Edgar Rice

was originally cast as the lead and filmed several tree-swinging stunts in the Louisiana canopy. However, he was drafted for World War I shortly after production began and was replaced by Elmo Lincoln

: Located in downtown Morgan City, this hardware store functioned as the production's and studio for building costumes and sets. Costello Hotel

The actors playing the apes wore heavy, hot skins and masks. Fanning out into the humid, damp Louisiana heat caused extreme physical exhaustion for the stunt performers. The Legacy of the 1918 Film Locations It was not

The answer is a fascinating journey into early cinema, revealing that the wilds of Africa were actually recreated much closer to home.

Why Louisiana?