The Adventures of Tarzan (1921) is a 15 chapter movie serial which features the third and final appearance of Elmo Lincoln

Elmo Lincoln

Elmo Lincoln was an American film actor.Born Otto Elmo Linkenhelt, the barrel-chested actor is best known in his silent movie role as the first Tarzan in 1918's Tarzan of the Apes as an adult --...

 as Tarzan

Tarzan

Tarzan is a fictional character, an archetypal feral child raised in the African jungles by the Mangani "great apes"; he later experiences civilization only to largely reject it and return to the wild as a heroic adventurer...

. The serial was produced by Louis Weiss

Louis Weiss (producer)

-External links:* * * * *...

, written by Robert F. Hill

Robert F. Hill

Robert F. Hill was a Canadian film director, screenwriter, and actor during the silent film era.-Selected filmography:-External links:...

 and Lillian Valentine (partially based on the novels The Return of Tarzan

The Return of Tarzan

The Return of Tarzan is a novel written by Edgar Rice Burroughs, the second in his series of books about the title character Tarzan. It was first published in the pulp magazine New Story Magazine in the issues for June through December 1913; the first book edition was published in 1915 by A. C....

and Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar

Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar

Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar is a novel written by Edgar Rice Burroughs, the fifth in his series of books about the title character Tarzan. It first appeared in the November and December issues of All-Story Cavalier Weekly in 1916, and the first book publication was by McClurg in 1918.-Plot...

by Edgar Rice Burroughs

Edgar Rice Burroughs

Edgar Rice Burroughs was an American author, best known for his creation of the jungle hero Tarzan and the heroic Mars adventurer John Carter, although he produced works in many genres.-Biography:...

), and directed by Robert F. Hill

Robert F. Hill

Robert F. Hill was a Canadian film director, screenwriter, and actor during the silent film era.-Selected filmography:-External links:...

 and Scott Sidney

Scott Sidney

Scott Sidney , was an American film director. He directed 117 films between 1913 and 1927.He died in London, England, United Kingdom.-External links:...

. The first chapter was released on December 1, 1921.

Plot

Tarzan rescues Jane

Jane Porter (Tarzan)

Jane Porter is a major character in Edgar Rice Burroughs's series of Tarzan novels, and in adaptations of the saga to other media, particularly film.- In the novels :...

 from Arab

Arab

Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...

 slave-traders after they have been marooned in Africa

Africa

Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...

. They return to the cabin where his parents lived before their death. Jane is captured by Queen La

La (Tarzan)

La is a character in Edgar Rice Burroughs's series of Tarzan novels. She first appeared in the second Tarzan novel, The Return of Tarzan , and reappeared in the fifth, Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar , the ninth, Tarzan and the Golden Lion , and the fourteenth, Tarzan the Invincible...

 of Opar

Opar

Opar is a fictional lost city in Edgar Rice Burroughs's series of Tarzan novels.Burroughs may have taken the name from the Biblical reference to Ophir, whence King Solomon supposedly received a cargo of "gold, silver, sandalwood, precious stones, ivory, apes and peacocks" every three years, via...

, taken to that hidden city, and is to be made a sacrifice. Tarzan rescues her and they escape. Nikolas Rokoff and William Cecil Clayton, the usurper to Tarzan's title of Lord Greystoke, learn that Jane has a map to the city (which contains fabulous riches in exotic jewels), tattoo

Tattoo

A tattoo is made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment. Tattoos on humans are a type of body modification, and tattoos on other animals are most commonly used for identification purposes...

ed onto her back. They kidnap her and attempt to loot the city.
Tarzan braves many perils, finally rescues Jane, defeats the villains and escapes La's amorous clutches.

Cast

• Elmo Lincoln
  Elmo Lincoln
  Elmo Lincoln was an American film actor.Born Otto Elmo Linkenhelt, the barrel-chested actor is best known in his silent movie role as the first Tarzan in 1918's Tarzan of the Apes as an adult --...
  
   as Tarzan
• Louise Lorraine
  Louise Lorraine
  Louise Lorraine was an American film actress.-Life and career:Born Louise Escovar in San Francisco, California in 1904, Louise Lorraine's rise to film happened quite accidentally....
  
   as Jane
• Scott Pembroke
  Scott Pembroke
  Scott Pembroke was an American director, actor and screenwriter. He directed 73 films between 1920 and 1937.He was born in San Francisco, California and died in Pasadena, California.-Selected filmography:...
  
   as William Cecil Clayton, kinsman of Tarzan, usurper to title of Lord Greystoke
• Frank Whitson
  Frank Whitson
  Frank Whitson was an American film actor. He appeared in 66 films between 1915 and 1937.He was born in New York, New York, and died in Los Angeles, California.-Selected filmography:* Gold and the Woman...
  
   as Nikolas Rokoff, a villain
• Lillian Worth
  Lillian Worth
  Lillian Worth was an American actress. She appeared in 32 films between 1919 and 1937.-External links:...
  
   as Queen La of Opar, a villainess in love with Tarzan

Production

The success of the serial The Son of Tarzan

The Son of Tarzan (film)

The Son of Tarzan is a 15 chapter film serial which focuses on the coming of age of Jack Clayton, also known as Korak, the son of Tarzan and Jane. The serial was produced by David P. Howells, written by Roy Somerville , and directed by Arthur J. Flaven and Harry Revier...

inspired Great Western Producing Company to approach Tarzan's creator Edgar Rice Burroughs

Edgar Rice Burroughs

Edgar Rice Burroughs was an American author, best known for his creation of the jungle hero Tarzan and the heroic Mars adventurer John Carter, although he produced works in many genres.-Biography:...

 about making another Tarzan serial. However, the rights for another Tarzan film were still retained by the Weiss brothers' Numa Pictures Corporation, the makers of the feature film The Revenge of Tarzan

The Revenge of Tarzan

The Revenge of Tarzan is a silent adventure film, and the third Tarzan film produced. The film was produced by the Great Western Film Producing Company, a subsidiary of Numa Pictures Corporation. It was sold to Goldwyn Distributing Company before release...

. When Numa discovered that Great Western had Elmo Lincoln, the first screen Tarzan, signed to play the lead they agreed to a deal in which Great Western would produce the film while Numa would handle distribution. The story was based partially on two of the Tarzan novels, The Return of Tarzan

The Return of Tarzan

The Return of Tarzan is a novel written by Edgar Rice Burroughs, the second in his series of books about the title character Tarzan. It was first published in the pulp magazine New Story Magazine in the issues for June through December 1913; the first book edition was published in 1915 by A. C....

and Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar

Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar

Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar is a novel written by Edgar Rice Burroughs, the fifth in his series of books about the title character Tarzan. It first appeared in the November and December issues of All-Story Cavalier Weekly in 1916, and the first book publication was by McClurg in 1918.-Plot...

, with the addition of some new material. The desert scenes were filmed in Arizona

Arizona

Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...

.

Casting

This serial marked Elmo Lincoln's return to the part of Tarzan, whom he was the first to play, but it was also Lincoln's last time as the character. The serial was advertised as "Censor-proof." Nevertheless, censorship forced the previously bare-chested Lincoln to cover up and wear an over-the-shoulder-styled costume for this production. Jane was played by Louise Lorraine, who celebrated her sixteenth birthday during production. As advertised "Joe Martin, famous screen ape, plays a leading part." Production started 1 January and finished 13 August 1921. The serial's prologue featured Edgar Rice Burroughs himself.

Stunts

Frank Merrill began doubling Lincoln about half way through the serial. Lincoln was insured for $150,000 and the insurers were not happy with him doing his own stunts. Seven years later, Merrill was cast as the Apeman in Tarzan the Mighty

Tarzan the Mighty

Tarzan the Mighty is a 1928 action film serial directed by Jack Nelson and Ray Taylor. It was nominally based on the collection Jungle Tales of Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs. The film is now considered to be lost.-Cast:* Frank Merrill as Tarzan...

.

Theatrical

For marketing purposes The Adventures of Tarzan Serial Sales Corporation was formed in New York. The serial sold in half of all available markets without the use of a road man. Within three months of the completion date it had sold out in most countries world wide. Despite rumours circulated that the serial was not new material, but just a rehash of footage from previous Tarzan films, The Adventures of Tarzan was a successful film and one of the top four attractions of the year. The film was reedited and released with sound effects twice—first in 1928, and a second time in 1935.

Home media

The complete fifteen chapter version has not survived. The version available on DVD is the 1928 ten chapter release.

Critical reception

The Exhibitors Herald wrote, "Elmo Lincoln as Tarzan is too well known to theater-goers to need further introduction. His red-blooded fights, staged in each episode, will evoke applause from the serial audience." Film Fun Magazine wrote, "There are enough wild animals introduced in each episode to keep the younger generation, which has shown a predilection for the serial form of entertainment, whooping her up.”

Influence

The success of the serial inspired a Broadway show, Tarzan of the Apes, but critics attacked it as fit only for film and unsuitable for the stage.

Chapter titles

1. Jungle Romance
2. The City of Gold
3. The Sun Death
4. Stalking Death
5. Flames of Hate
6. The Ivory Tomb
7. The Jungle Trap
8. The Tornado
9. Fangs of the Lion
10. The Simoon
11. The Hidden Foe
12. Dynamite Trail
13. The Jungle's Fury
14. Flaming Arrows
15. The Last Adventure

Novel

Originally written as a 15-part serial for newspapers in 1921, it was collected and published as a released as a trade-paperback (ISBN 978-1-4357-4973-3) by ERBville Press in January 2006. The book became available as a hardcover via Lulu.com in 2008.

Chapters

1. Jungle Romance
2. The City of Gold
3. The Sun Death
4. Stalking Death
5. Flames of Hate
6. The Ivory Tomb
7. The Jungle Trap
8. The Tornado
9. Fangs of the Lion
10. The Simoon
11. The Slave Market
12. Dynamite Trail
13. The Jungle's Prey
14. The Flaming Arrow
15. The Last Adventure