The First and Only Weekly Online Fanzine Devoted to the Life and Works of Edgar Rice Burroughs
Issue 0581
Presents a Combined Feature Compendium
with
ERBzine of the Silver Screen
and
ERB Emporium: Trading Cards & Comics
TARZAN'S SAVAGE FURY
A 1952 Film Starring Lex Barker

Lex Barker (1919-1973) was born Alexander Crichlow Barker, Jr. in Rye, New York on May 8, 1919.  He was a direct descendant of the founder of Rhode Island, Roger Williams, and of Sir Henry Crichlow, historical governor-general of Barbados. Barker excelled in football and track at Fessenden School and the prestigious Phillips-Exeter Academy. Lex attended Princeton University but left to pursue acting in summer stock which led him to Broadway.  His education and acting were put on hold with America's entry into World War II when he enlisted as a buck private in the US Army. At the time of his discharge in 1945 he had risen to the rank of major and had served honourably in North Africa and Italy where he had been badly wounded.

After the war he was signed by 20th Century Fox and then by Warner but he was too tall for supporting parts and too unknown for leads.  As a result he appeared in a series of bit parts. He made his screen debut in Lewis Seiler’s Doll Face, starring Vivian Blaine as a burlesque dancer, in a story written by Gypsy Rose Lee. Other small parts followed in numerous outstanding films: The Farmer’s Daughter (1947 Best Actress Academy Award for Loretta Young), and Crossfire (Edward Dmytryk’s 1947 milestone film noir), and in the Cary Grant comedy classic Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House.  His big break came when Lex, a six-foot, four-inch athlete with stunning good looks, was picked from a crowd of several hundred aspiring Tarzans by producer Sol Lesser. Edgar Rice Burroughs commented that Lex perfectly suited his original concept of a savage jungle character who was also an English blueblood. Between 1949 and 1953 he appeared in a total of five Tarzan films for RKO: Tarzan's Magic Fountain, Tarzan and the Slave Girl, Tarzan's Peril, Tarzan's Savage Fury, and Tarzan and the She-Devil.

His first jungle adventure was Tarzan’s Magic Fountain (1949). Lex’s jungle lord came closer than Weissmuller’s to the original Edgar Rice Burroughs concept. Both press and audiences reacted positively and the film was a hit. Tarzan and the Slave Girl (1950), and Tarzan’s Peril (1951), followed and helped sustain the popularity of the series. Interestingly, Tarzan’s Peril was the first Tarzan film that was partly shot in Africa and not relying on African footage taken from other films (i.e. Trader Horn).

Exploiting Tarzan’s continuing popularity, Sol Lesser continued to produce one Tarzan film per year.  Tarzan’s Savage Fury (1952) was another commercial success but there was increasing strain on the Barker/Lesser relationship. Lex was determined to put his own stamp on the Tarzan character and break from the Weissmuller mold. His vision of Tarzan was one closer to that of the intelligent English lord created by Burroughs. He also feared that he would become typecast as Tarzan and that he would never be given a chance to expand into other acting roles. This fear of typecasting even led him to turn down an offer to play the man of steel in the Superman television series. Finally, he was given the lead in Battles of Chief Pontiac - a film taking an intelligent view of American Indians - but it was not a box office success.

Tarzan and the She-Devil (1953), although another success, saw the amount of Barker dialogue cut in half --  a result of his constant arguing about his acting ambitions with producer Sol Lesser. This would be Barker's last Tarzan film, despite its success and its intriguing supporting cast: Raymond Burr (later Perry Mason) played the villain and 17-year-old Monique Van Vooren made her American film debut.

Barker now decided to sign only for one-film deals and Lesser signed Gordon Scott to star in Tarzan's Hidden Jungle (1955).  Following the end of the Tarzan series,  Barker made 16 films, mostly westerns, before major roles in Hollywood films dried up. With his career in trouble, he left Hollywood for Europe to star in "Kraut Westerns," a career move that pioneered Clint Eastwood's successful "spaghetti Westerns." His role in Fellini's La Dolce Vita in 1959 was a major career boost and, almost overnight, Lex became a European box office sensation  (he was fluent in German, French, Spanish, and  Italian). He then became better known in Germany than in the U.S. because of his role as "Old Shatterhand," "Kara Ben Nemsi" and "Dr. Karl Sternau" in 12 movies based on books written by Karl May, who is a very popular author for adventure literature in Germany. He won Germany's Bambi Award as Best Foreign Actor of 1966 and went on to make more than 70 films all over the world. His last two films, A Place Called Glory (1965) and Woman Times Seven (1967), were European productions.

By the 1970s, Lex had retired to his Costa Brava home on Spain’s Mediterranean coast but was anxious to return to work in Hollywood. His Hollywood comeback involved TV guest appearances, including The FBI and It Takes A Thief with plans for his own series and film projects. This promising return to America came to a sudden end, however, when Lex died of a heart attack on Lexington Avenune in New York City, on May 11, 1973. He was only 54 years old.

Lex was married five times and had two sons and a daughter. His wives included American actresses Arlene Dahl and Lana Turner, and Swiss actress Irene Labhardt.

3-D TRADING CARDS ~ Part II
Scenes 16-30
Copyright T.C.G  Ptd. in U.S.A.
Courtesy Sol Lesser Productions, Inc.

16. MAGIC TRICKS  The two villains, Rokoff and Edwards, are seated around the dinner table in Tarzan's tree-house with Tarzan, Jane, and Joe. Rokoff says he will entertain them by some magic tricks he knows.  He is very good at it, and does all kinds of tricks, including pulling a silver coin out of Joe's ear! But Tarzan is worried. He wants to know why these people came all the way here!

17. MEMORY OF THE PAST Edwards, pretending to be Tarzan's cousin, tells Tarzan that he has found a diary written by Tarzan's father. The diary tells that Tarzan's father had found a native called "The Wazuri" . . . a tribe that had thousands of valuable diamonds.   Edwards and Rokoff want Tarzan to lead them to the tribe. It is dangerous. Even the cannibals are afraid of the Wazuri!

18. JANE'S PLEA Tarzan does not want to help Rokoff and Edwards find the Wazuri tribe and all their diamonds. Jane thinks he should. She tells him that the diamonds will be useful in industry, and they should get them for the sake of their country.  Tarzan is still not sure. "I not trust these men," he says. "Then trust me," answers Jane. "Do it for my sake." Tarzan cannot refuse.

19. ON THE TRAIL Once the decision has been made, the safari starts out through the jungle, moving slowly towards the land where the Wazuri Tribe lives. It is a long journey, across high mountains and streaming deserts, and the natives are not friendly, but Tarzan is going to do his best to lead the safari to safety.  As they move through the dense forest a sudden snarl is heard. Overhead is a panther!

20. BLACK DEATH Tarzan stops the safari as he spots a black panther waiting in a tree overhead. Slowly, the ape-man pulls his knife from his belt and stares at the snarling animal. "I am master here," he says.   Then he motions for the safari to continue while he keeps watching the panther. They move forward, going under the tree, while Tarzan keeps the panther back. The danger is past now!

21. FACING A RHINO The safari continues towards the dangerous Wazuri territory through the jungle, until it reaches an open plain. Suddenly Tarzan stops them. "Look out! Dangerous rhinoceros ahead!"  He orders them to stand back while he faces the rhinoceros alone. He steps forward slowly, staring into the rhino's eyes. The great beast paws the ground and snorts. Then slowly turns and runs!

22. BUILDING A RAFT The safari reaches a swift-moving river, with the head of one hippopotamus after another dotting the surface. Rokoff says, "We cannot cross this river." Tarzan answers, "I build raft for you."  He grabs a long vine and swings across to the opposite side. Once there he calls for Tantor, the elephant. Soon, Tarzan and two elephants are hard at work, building rafts for the safari!

23. CROSSING THE RIVER The safari splits into two parties, one on each of the rafts built by Tarzan. Then they start across the river. Rokoff notices that the hippos are getting closer, and he starts to worry.  Tarzan, on the other raft, notices this and calls out, "They will not harm you as long as you do not harm them. Leave them alone!" But Rokoff lifts his rifle and fires at one of the hippos!

24. THE HIPPO CHARGES Rokoff fires at one of the hippos and wounds it. With a roar of rage, the wounded animal turns towards the raft and charges it.  The river is churning with the fury of the animal as the hippo dives under the raft and comes up under it, tossing everyone on it into the river!   Edwards starts to scream, "Help me!" I can't swim! The crocodiles will get me!" Tarzan dives in!

25. RESCUE Tarzan dives into the river to try to rescue Edwards from the approaching crocodile. He swims with strong regular strokes and reaches Edwards' side just seconds ahead of the gaping jaws of the killer. Gripping Edwards with one mighty arm, the ape-man moves quickly to the shore and safety!  "Now we rest," he says. "Later we move on to the dangerous Wazuri territory!"

26. MOUNTAIN TERRORS The safari is on the move . . .  with Tarzan leading the way into the land of the dangerous Wazuri warriors. The trail leads high over a mountain, and dangers wait for them there, too. The climb is a terrifying one, and a point is reached where a great gorge must be crossed. One b one they jump over the cut, knowing if a step is missed, it will mean a fall of thousands of feet!

27. DESERT TORTURE The path to the Wazuri territory is full of tortures, and now the safari reaches one of the worst. Tarzan has to lead them through a burning desert, across hot sands for day after day, until all their water is gone.  One by one, the men drop from exhaustion, until the safari is forced to stop. "I go ahead," says Tarzan. "I will try to find water." Without water, they will all die!

28. THE WATER-HOLE Tarzan races swiftly across the desert sands, knowing he must find water soon or all the members of the members of the safari will die. Then, in the distance, he sees trees! It's a water-hole!  He hurries back to the weary safari and tells them the good news. Then he leads them to the life-giving water. As soon as they have rested they must continue to push forward to the dangerous Wazuris!

29. DESERTED VILLAGE The safari, led by Tarzan, is now very close to Wazuri territory. But there are cannibals there, too. They see a jungle village and move towards it. Their surprise is great when they find that there is no one alive in the village . . . it is deserted.   Tarzan explains why. "Cannibals raid the village and take all the people away. They may be watching us from the jungle even now!"

30. THE CANNIBALS Tarzan, Jane, and the rest of the safari are moving slowly through the deserted jungle village, looking at the results of a cannibal raid.  All their attention is attracted to the ruins around them and they don't notice the slight movement of the trees around the edge of the village, or the brightly painted natives creeping closer to them. The cannibals are ready to attack!