Tarzan's Revenge

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Tarzan's Revenge
Tarzan's Revenge (movie poster).jpg
Directed by D. Ross Lederman
Produced by Sol Lesser
Written by R. Lee Johnson
Jay Vann
Based on Characters created by 
by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Starring Glenn Morris
Eleanor Holm
Hedda Hopper
Music by Hugo Riesenfeld
Cinematography George Meehan
Distributed by 20th Century Fox
Release date(s)
  • January 7, 1938 (1938-01-07)
Running time 70 mins.
Country  United States
Language English

Tarzan's Revenge (1938) is an adventure film starring Glenn Morris in his only outing as Tarzan. Eleanor Holm, a popular swimming star, co-starred as Eleanor Reed. The movie was produced by Sol Lesser, written by R. Lee Johnson and Jay Vann (based on the character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs) and directed by D. Ross Lederman. [1] Sol Lesser cast two Olympic athletes in Tarzan's Revenge: 1936 decathlon champion Glenn Morris as Tarzan and aquatic medal-winner Eleanor Holm as "Eleanor".


Eleanor Reed (Eleanor Holm) accompanies her parents, Roger and Penny (George Barbier and Hedda Hopper), and Nevin Potter (George Meeker), her fiance, on an expedition to Africa to capture wild animals to sell to a zoo. Ben Alleu Bey (C. Henry Gordon) spots Eleanor and wishes her to become the one hundredth wife in his harem. When she refuses, he follows their safari.

Both groups are followed closely by Tarzan, who releases the animals and woos Eleanor away from both Nevin and Bey. When Nevin discovers that Eleanor plans to remain behind with Tarzan, he attempts to kill him, but only grazes his shoulder with a round fired at close range. Tarzan attacks Nevin, but releases him at Eleanor's behest. As the Reeds' ship sails down the river, Tarzan and Eleanor go for a swim.


Production notes[edit]

Producer Sol Lesser originally considered casting baseball great Lou Gehrig as Tarzan, but was unimpressed with the musculature of Gehrig's legs.

Lesser refused to call the lead female character Jane—according to him, Eleanor Holm was so famous for her swimming exploits that audiences would not accept her portraying anyone other than someone named Eleanor.


  • Essoe, Gabe. Tarzan of The Movies, 1968, published by The Citadel Press.

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