I have to ask your opinion - would Don Megowan care? While you're thinking that over - let's choose this:
I've always been a Tarzan fan - all the way back to staying up and watching the old movies on the Late Late Show with my brother in the wee hours of a summer night.
Back then I couldn't tell my Johnny Weismuller from my Lex Barker - but I'm a little better at identifying the dozen or so different guys who strapped on the loincloth across the years.
In the 60's, former NFL star Mike Henry suited up as the jungle lord - and when I say suited I'm not kidding - as that trailer shows - they went back somewhat closer to Edgar Rice Burroughs original conception with a Tarzan who could prowl city streets in a suit, but would always go back to nature when the jungle called. These three mid-to-late 60's Tarzan movies are also obviously influenced by the 007 movies, making Tarzan a bit of a jungle James Bond. Maybe that's one of the reasons I like Mike Henry in the role (though he's not the greatest actor in the world).
And since Mike Henry made just the three Tarzan movies - let's make this a festive:
Saturday Night at the Movies Triple Feature!
Intermission!
Now on to our second big feature:
Mike Henry's second Tarzan movie is on a par with the first - swingin' 60's adventure a go go!
Let's not waste any time - right to feature three please!
The kid here is played by Steve Bond - who went on to play an adult heartthrob on Genral Hospital and play one of the Abilene boys for Andy and Arlene Sidaris!
But I digress.
They probably would have continued with more Tarzan movies starring Mike Henry - but he got pretty banged up on this flick - and wouldn't you know it? It was the dang ol' monkey's fault!
Seems ol' Dinky the Chimp didn't take well to filming - and he flipped out, working Henry over more than once during the movie. The last time was the worst, as Dinky bit Mike in the chin, requiring 23 stitches and leaving Mike Henry fevered and unconscious for three days.
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| Mike Henry and his chimpanzee bait chin. |
After recovering, Mike didn't feel the film's producers were any too concerned for his well being, so he broke his contract and sued the stuffing out of them. He later went on to play Jackie Gleason's doofus son in Smokey and the Bandit.
Before I digress too much - I just had Warner Bros cobble me up all three of the Mike Henry Tarzan movies onto made-to-order DVDs in glorious anamorphic widescreen - and we could make this triple feature happen anytime - even tonight if you want to come hang at my joint!
Until next post you Can Poke Me With A Fork, Cause I Am Outta Here!
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