TARZAN In "JUNGLE LEGACY"

Copyright 1997, Adventures In Cassettes

Twelve 1/2 Hour Shows on Six cassettes, Original Unabridged Broadcasts

An attractively packaged collection of six cassette tapes containing the first twelve episodes of the 1950s half-hour Tarzan radio series. Produced from master recordings in the archives of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc., these tapes offer crisp, clear, near-perfect sound that's better than anyone could have heard over the radio in 1951.

Each episode begins with the series' unique version of Tarzan's cry -- an interesting variant of the standard movie version, with less of a yodel -- followed by, "From the heart of the jungle comes a savage cry of victory -- this is Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle! From the black core of dark Africa, land of enchantment, mystery, and violence, comes one of the most colorful figures of all time. Transcribed from the immortal pen of Edgar Rice Burroughs -- Tarzan, the bronzed, white son of the jungle! And now, in the very words of Mr. Burroughs, the story of . . . ." Despite their claim, these shows are not adapted from ERB, though writer Bud Lesser demonstrates a good familiarity with the original books.

Lamont Johnson stars as Tarzan -- without credit; the producers claimed they wanted the public to think of Tarzan as Tarzan and not be distracted by a particular actor. He does a respectable job in bringing an articulate, multilingual ape-man to the air. Little of Tarzan's background is presented; it isn't until the tenth episode that we learn that after being raised by apes, he left the jungle and traveled widely before returning to his boyhood home. No mention is made of his British title or Jane. Tarzan's country is specifically cited as French equatorial Africa, and we are told that he divides his time between his seacoast cabin, the various native tribes with which he is friends, and the apes who raised him; however, in this opening dozen episodes we never meet the Mangani. Most often he is found with the Punya tribe (most of these spellings are guesswork). The Waziri are mentioned but do not appear. Natives speak in broken English littered with ape language, which is used as if it were Swahili or their own tongue.

Tarzan in "Jungle Legacy"

• "Tarzan and the Decoy" (1/11/51) Elephant trappers Zyra and Verron try to capture Tarzan for a sideshow.
• "Tarzan and the Black Ivory" (1/18/51) Tarzan battles Arab slavers and dodges a native girl's matrimonial intentions.
• "Tarzan and the Hooded Death" (1/25/51) Dr. Cunningham (who sounds like Floyd the barber in the old Andy Griffith Show) seeks a cancer cure from African snake men.
• "Tarzan and the Manuema" (2/1/51) Tarzan must save the Punya tribe from starvation and Torgo from a tribe of cannibals and their angry volcano god.
• "Tarzan and the Siren of Omdurmara" (2/8/51) Tarzan must return the Eye of the Moon Idol to its rightful owners to prevent the slaughter of innocents by the outraged tribe from which it has been stolen. (Recommended.)
• "Tarzan and the Black Gold of Africa" (2/15/51) Alexis Verron, brother of the villain in "Decoy," comes to the jungle to find gold and avenge his brother's death.
• "Tarzan and the Coward" (2/22/51) Bookish Billy Pembler must prevent his father's murder and prove his own bravery, with Tarzan's help.
• "Tarzan and the Female of the Specie" (3/1/51) In Senegal, Mirabo warriors are disappearing. Tarzan meets the Kahali, a group of Spanish warrior women, in an episode probably inspired by the Kaji in Tarzan the Magnificent.
• "Tarzan and the End of the World" (3/8/51) Zabor, a stage magician, dupes the Nagalia tribe with cheap tricks and a prediction of the end of the world.
• "Across a Continent" (3/15/51) Tarzan rescues a beautiful WWII refugee from her captors and helps her escape to Loango, "all the way across the continent." One of the more interesting stories. (Recommended.)
• "Tarzan and the Killer" (3/22/51) A seven-foot-tall boxer impersonates Tarzan, implicating him in a series of crimes. Tarzan must elude the authorities and prove his innocence.
• "Tarzan and the Jungle Legacy" (3/29/51) Russians finds uranium in Marwa country. When the natives become uncooperative, they prepare to wipe them out.

The cassettes are complete and in EXCELLENT condition. I'm sure that these are long out of production.