Tarzan and the Trappers

TARZAN AND THE TRAPPERS - 1958


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Directors

Charles Hass & Sandy Howard

Director (uncredited)

H Bruce Humberstone

Producer

Sol Lesser

Screenplay

Frederick Schlick & Robert Leach

MAIN CAST

Tarzan

Gordon Scott

Jane

Eve Brent

Tartu/Boy

Rickie Sorenson

Schroeder

Leslie Bradley

René

Maurice Marsac

Sikes

Saul Gorse

Lapin

William Keene

Tribesman

Naaman Brown

Tribesman

Paul Thompson

Tyana

Sherman Crothers

BACKGROUND

• During the months that the Tarzan and the Lost Safari crew were filming location footage in Africa Sol Lesser formed a TV company. Also involved were telefilm producer Jack Denove and NBC. When filming on Tarzan's Fight For Life was completed production began on the filming of three half-hour TV pilots staring Gordon Scott as Tarzan, Eve Brent as Jane and Rickie Sorenson as Tartu/Boy. A lot of the wildlife footage shot by Miki Carter in Africa was also incorporated. Collectively, Lesser, Denove and NBC were unable to sell the Tarzan TV series and it was put on the shelf to collect dust. Westerns were the raging vogue on 1950's television and this low grade fare from Lesser just couldn't compete. The three episodes were eventually edited together into a 74-minute feature that had its world premiere on television on 5 May 1966. Lesser would soon sell all of his Tarzan properties, including the TV rights, to Sy Weintraub, who had planned to use Mike Henry in the TV series. When Henry became disillusioned and quit he was replaced by Ron Ely, who made history by becoming the first TV Tarzan. (Essoe & Fury)

APE CRY
• Click on the image at right to hear the ape cry used in this film

PLOT - Note: Spoiler warning
• Tarzan interferes with the plans of two cruel animal trappers, Schroeder and René, who kill a female elephant to capture her calf. He calls his elephants to destroy the invaders' camp, beats them both unconscious, and hands them over to the commissioner from Randini. Soon after, Tarzan learns from his friend, Tyana, that more white men have arrived. When Tarzan confronts them he learns that one of the men, Sikes, is Schroeder's brother and he has come to kill Tarzan for ruining his brother's trapping expedition and for sending him to jail. The other man, Lapin, is more concerned with finding the treasure of the lost city of Zarbo. Tarzan stalks the two men all the way to the lost city but he is captured and is threatened with fire (right). He escapes and manages to trap them both in the empty treasure chamber of Zarbo. He attacks and defeats both men and organises with Tyana's village to have them handed over to the commissioner. Tarzan returns home to Jane and Tartu, who are both keen to hear of his exploits.

MOVING PICTURES

Click on the image below to see a montage of scenes from this film:

SOURCES
• Tarzan of the Movies by Gabe Essoe, 1968, The Citadel Press
• Kings of the Jungle by David Fury, 1994, McFarland Classics
IMAGES
• The poster for this film was pilfered from an eBay auction item
• Both photos are screenshots taken from my DVD of this film
• The video clip of the montage of scenes from this film was uploaded to Youtube by me specifically to embed in this web page

LYNX
• Read a review and rating of this film at At-A-Glance Film Reviews
CAPTURE
• This film has never been released commercially but collectors sometimes offer it on DVD on eBay

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