ERBzine 1959: Tarzan the Ape Man ~ Denny Miller film

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Volume 1959

Tarzan, the Ape Man ~ 1959

They Challenge the TABOOS of a Forbidden Land!
FORGOTTEN WORLD of Pygmy Idol-Worshippers!

CAST
Denny Miller: Tarzan
Cesare Danova: Harry Holt
Joanna Barnes: Jane Parker
Robert Douglas: James Parker
CREDITS
Company: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Producers: Al Zimbalist ~ Donald Zimbalist (assoc.)
Director: Joseph M. Newman ~ William Shanks (assistant director)
Writers: Robert Hill (screenplay) ~ Edgar Rice Burroughs (character)
Original Music: Shorty Rogers
Cinematography: Paul Vogel
Film Editing: Gene Ruggiero
Art Direction: Malcolm Brown ~ Hans Peters
Set Decoration: Robert C. Bradfield ~ Henry Grace
Makeup: William Tuttle
Sound: Franklin Milton
Special Effects: Robert R. Hoag ~ Lee LeBlanc
Stunts: George Robotham
Costume and Wardrobe: Kitty Mager
82 min ~ Technicolor
Aspect Ratio: 1.85 : 1

TRIVIA

Early Bio: Denny Miller was born in Bloomington, Indiana, in April 1934. His family moved to Los Angeles where Denny went to college and became star player in UCLA's basketball team. After earning a degree in physical education and serving a stint in the Army Miller was discovered by a talent agent which led to a film contract with MGM. His first big film was Tarzan, the Ape Man, released by MGM in 1959.

This movie is a remake of 1932 original - the first in the Weissmuller/Maureen O'Sullivan series.

Since MGM retained rights to the Tarzan the Ape Man title from 1932 they ignored protests and threats of law suits from Weintraub who was starting production on Tarzan's Great Adventure with Gordon Scott

Denny Miller had been discovered on Sunset Boulevard by agent Bob Raison while working as a furniture mover to put himself through school

There is use made of lifted footage from the original, tinted to more-or-less match the color

Old footage of Weissmuller's vine-swinging is inserted

Denny Miller is the first blond Tarzan and is film Tarzan number 12

Miller is not once called Tarzan in the movie

Miller went on to appear in over 200 episodic television series and played Gorton's Fisherman on TV ads for 14 years.

The Tarzan yell used is the recycled Weissmuller yell

The elephants who wreck the pygmy village is also from footage lifted and tinted from the original.

The "pygmies" were played by kids from Fairfax High School in Los Angeles

Many of the costumes are left over from "King Solomon's Mines" so that more stock footage could be used.

The crocodile fight is taken from "Tarzan and his Mate"

Many Tarzan fans believe it to be a memorable Tarzan for the wrong reasons

This film is featured in the chapter, "Tarzan the Worst" in Gabe Essoe's book: Tarzan of the Movies

Miller was paid $175 per week for the eight weeks he worked on the film

After Ape Man, Miller went on to appear a long line of guest spots on TV shows such as G.E. Theatre, Riverboat, Laramie, I Spy, Run for your Life, Gilligan's Island, Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, Lonesom Dove, etc., as well a numerous films, including Armageddon and Peter Sellers' The Party

Miller was hired as a regular on the Wagon Train TV series under the name Scott Miller

In recent years Miller has authored numerous books

Scott Miller in Wagon Train

Denny guesting on Gilligan's Island

John McGuigan - Martin Smiddy - Denny Miller - Gordon Scott

From ERBzine 0529
Denny Miller poses with John McGuigan (left),
Martin Smiddy (top centre), and Gordon Scott (right)

LOBBY DISPLAY

Ex-Tarzan tells of survival in the Hollywood jungle
Deseret Morning News ~ February 24, 2008
PROVO — Veteran actor Denny Miller, who was MGM Studios' last Tarzan, Thursday gave Brigham Young University acting students tips on how not to get lost in the Hollywood jungle. Miller has appeared in more than 21 feature films, 234 television shows and 138 commercials over 50 years worth of acting experience, after being discovered while working for a moving company during his schooling at UCLA. Miller played basketball for legendary head coach John Wooden while in college but was approached by a talent agent who liked his hairline and 6-foot-4-inch stature. "It's a strange way to make a living for a devout coward," Miller told a large number of BYU acting and fine arts students, after watching a montage of action clips from years past. "I was frightened for the first 10 years of my career. I considered myself a misplaced basketball player, and I was."
Soon after signing with the agent, Miller signed a contract with MGM and it opened the door for his first movie and television appearances. While a lucky break led him to a successful career, Miller told students their preparation at BYU is vital to their future success. "Accidents do happen, but my advice to you is to get all the knowledge from your teachers and deans that you can," Miller said. "I have seen their resumes; they are very experienced." Miller is best known for his work on the TV show "Wagon Train," and for playing Tarzan in 1959's "Tarzan, the Ape Man. There have been 22 (Tarzans), counting the cartoon made by Disney," said Miller. "And there are four fictional characters known around the world — Batman, Superman, Mickey Mouse and Tarzan. I have always been proud to be a monkey man."
He gave insight about how and where to select agents, warning signs of bad opportunities and about the struggles that face many actors who are getting into the business. "It has been interesting to see how little has changed over the years," said Kevin Goertzen, a 25-year-old acting major at BYU. "So much of this industry depends on luck and being in the right place at the right time."
But Miller's emphasis on education was encouraging to many students attending the meeting. "It's great knowing that having an education can make a difference between any guy off the street and someone that has background in the field," said 21-year-old acting major Andrew Veenstra.
Miller was typecast as a bad guy for a long time during his career, and joked about being beat up, on screen, by nearly every actor in Hollywood.But Miller finished by telling the aspiring actors they have an important role in society."We are storytellers, and every culture has storytellers," he said. "(Acting) is the way we pass on our culture's history, values and practical knowledge to the next generation. So the writers, directors and actors around you have a very big part in storytelling."

WEB REFS

ERBzine Silver Screen
Official Denny Miller Website
ERBzine Presents Denny Miller
Denny Miller at the IMDB site: Filmography & Bio
Denny Miller Wikipedia Entry
Tarzan Denny Miller Movie Clip on YouTube
Denny Miller interviewed by Sky Brower
Dennis Miller interviewed by Tom Weaver

From

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