Johnny WeissmullerJohnny Weissmuller (June 2, 1904 – January 20, 1984) was an American swimmer and actor. He was one of the world's best swimmers in the 1920s, winning five Olympic gold medals and one bronze medal. He won fifty-two National Championships and set sixty-seven world records. After his swimming career, he played Tarzan in twelve motion pictures. Other actors also played Tarzan, but Weissmuller was the best-known. Early lifeHe was born János Weißmüller in Freidorf, Austro-Hungary (present-day Timişoara, Romania) to Austrian parents, Petrus Weißmüller and Erzsebet Kersch, as is shown on his birth and baptismal records. When Johnny was seven months old, the family emigrated to the United States aboard the S.S. Rotterdam. They left Rotterdam on January 14, 1905, and arrived in New York twelve days later, with their names recorded in English as Peter, Elizabeth and Johann Weissmuller. After a brief stay in Chicago, Illinois, visiting relatives, they moved to the coal mining town of Windber, Pennsylvania, where Peter Weissmuller worked as a miner. Another son, Peter Weissmuller, Jr., was born in Windber on September 3, 1905. After several years in Pennsylvania, they moved to Chicago. Johnny's father owned a bar for a time and his mother became head cook at a famed restaurant. His parents were later divorced, as is shown by the divorce document filed in Chicago by Elizabeth Weissmuller, although a lot of sources state incorrectly that Weismuller's father died of tuberculosis contracted from working in coal mines and left her a widow. It has been said that he actually lived to old age and had another, large family of children. From an early age, Johnny and his brother were aggressive swimmers. The beaches of Lake Michigan became their favorite summer recreation place. He then joined the Stanton Park pool, where he won all the junior swim meets. At the age of twelve he earned a spot on the YMCA swim team. Swimming careerWhen Weissmuller left school, he worked as a bellhop and elevator operator at the Plaza Hotel in Chicago and trained for the Olympics with a swim coach at the Illinois Athletic Club, where he developed his revolutionary high-riding front crawl. He made his amateur debut on August 6, 1921, winning his first AAU race in the 50-yard freestyle. Though he was foreign-born, Weissmuller gave his birthplace as Windber, Pennsylvania, and his birth date as that of his younger brother, Peter Weissmuller. This was to ensure his eligibility to compete as part of the United States Olympic team, and was a critical issue in being issued an American passport. On July 9, 1922, Johnny Weissmuller broke Duke Kahanamoku's world record on the 100-meters freestyle, swimming it in 58.6 seconds. He won the title in that distance at the 1924 Summer Olympics, beating Kahanamoku on February 24, 1924. He also won the 400-meters freestyle and the 4 x 200 meters relay. As a member of the American water polo team, he also won a bronze medal. Four years later, at the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam, he won two more Olympic titles. In all, he won five Olympic gold medals, one bronze medal, won fifty-two U.S. National Championships and set sixty-seven world records. Johnny Weissmuller never lost a race and retired from his amateur swimming career undefeated. Tarzan and Jungle JimIn 1929, he signed a contract with BVD to be a model and representative. He traveled throughout the country doing swim shows, handing out leaflets promoting that brand of swimwear, giving his autograph and going on talk shows. In that same year, he made his first motion picture appearance as an Adonis wearing only a figleaf in a movie titled Glorifying the American Girl and he appeared as himself in the first of several Crystal Champions, a movie short featuring Weissmuller and other Olympic champions at Silver Springs, Florida. The movie career of Johnny Weissmuller only really began after he signed a seven year contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and played the role of Tarzan in Tarzan the Ape Man (1932). The movie was a huge success and Weissmuller became an overnight international sensation. Even the author, Edgar Rice Burroughs, who created the character of Tarzan in his books, was pleased. Weissmuller starred in six Tarzan movies for MGM with actress Maureen O'Sullivan as Jane. The last three also included Johnny Sheffield as Boy. Then, in 1942, Weissmuller went to RKO and starred in six more Tarzan movies. Sheffield appeared as Boy in the first five features for that studio. Another co-star was blonde actress Brenda Joyce, who played Jane in the last four Tarzan movies. In a total of twelve Tarzan movies, Weissmuller earned an estimated $2,000,000 and established himself as the best-known of all the actors who have ever portrayed Tarzan. Although not the first Tarzan in movies (that honour went to Elmo Lincoln), he was the first to be associated with the now traditional ululating, yodeling Tarzan yell. When he finally left that role, he immediately traded his loincloth costume for jungle fatigues and appeared fully clothed in the role of Jungle Jim (1948) for Columbia. He made thirteen Jungle Jim movies between (1948) and (1954). Within the next year, he appeared in three more jungle movies playing himself. In 1955, he began production of the Jungle Jim television adventure series for Screen Gems, a film subsidiary of Columbia. The show ran for twenty-six episodes, which played over and over on network and syndicated TV for many years. Later lifeWeissmuller was married five times: to band and club singer Bobbe Arnst (married 1931-divorced 1933), actress Lupe Vélez (married 1933-divorced 1939), Beryl Scott (married 1939-divorced 1948), Allene Gates (married 1948-divorced 1962) and Maria Bauman (married 1963-1984). According to a movie site on the Internet, he also married and divorced Camilla Louiee, but that claim has been challenged. Weissmuller reportedly said that Louiee ran off and married another man instead of him. With his third wife, Beryl, he had three children, Johnny Scott Weissmuller (or Johnny Weissmuller, Jr., also an actor) (born September 23, 1940), Wendy Anne Weissmuller (born June 1, 1942) and Heidi Elizabeth Weissmuller (July 31, 1944-November 19, 1962). In the late 1950s, Weissmuller moved back to Chicago and started a swimming pool company. He also lent his name to other business ventures, but did not have a great deal of success. He retired in 1965 and moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he was Founding Chairman of The International Swimming Hall of Fame. In 1970, he attended the British Commonwealth Games in Jamaica where he was presented to Queen Elizabeth. He also made a cameo appearance with former co-star Maureen O'Sullivan in The Phynx (1970). Weissmuller lived in Florida until the end of 1973, then moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, where he was a greeter at the MGM Grand Hotel for a time. In 1974, he broke a hip and leg. While hospitalized he learned that, in spite of his strength and lifelong daily regimen of swimming and exercise, he had a serious heart condition. In 1976, he appeared for the last time in a motion picture playing a movie crewman who is fired by a movie mogul, played by Art Carney, in Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood, and he also made his final public appearance in that year when he was inducted into the Body Building Guild Hall of Fame. Weissmuller suffered a series of strokes in 1977. For a time in 1979, he was a patient in the Motion Picture and Television Country Home and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California. Later he and his last wife, Maria, moved to Acapulco, Mexico, which was the location of his last Tarzan movie. Johnny Weissmuller died on January 20, 1984 of a pulmonary edema at his retirement home in Acapulco. He is buried in the Valley of The Light Cemetery there. His former co-star and movie son, Johnny Sheffield, said of him, "I can only say that working with Big John was one of the highlights of my life. He was a Star (with a capital "S") and he gave off a special light and some of that light got into me. Knowing and being with Johnny Weissmuller during my formative years had a lasting influence on my life." Johnny Weissmuller has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6541 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood. Filmography
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Johnny Weissmuller has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6541 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood. She has been married to David Ashrow, a dentist turned actor, since 1976. Knowing and being with Johnny Weissmuller during my formative years had a lasting influence on my life.". Summers refused her many offers of marriage, much to her chagrin. He was a Star (with a capital "S") and he gave off a special light and some of that light got into me. Despite this, she was married briefly to Glenn Maxwell. His former co-star and movie son, Johnny Sheffield, said of him, "I can only say that working with Big John was one of the highlights of my life. Members of the nascent jet-set, Allyson and Summers were frequently seen in Cap d'Antibes, Madrid, Rome and London. He is buried in the Valley of The Light Cemetery there. Reports at the time revealed that writer/director Dirk Summers, with whom Allyson was romantically involved from 1963-1975, was named legal guardian for Ricky and Pamela as a result of a court petition. Johnny Weissmuller died on January 20, 1984 of a pulmonary edema at his retirement home in Acapulco. Following Powell's death, she went though a bitter court battle with her mother over custody of son Ricky and Pamela. Later he and his last wife, Maria, moved to Acapulco, Mexico, which was the location of his last Tarzan movie. They had two children, Pamela Allyson Powell (adopted) and Richard Powell, Jr., and remained married until his death on January 2, 1963, which led to Allyson's effective retirement from the screen. For a time in 1979, he was a patient in the Motion Picture and Television Country Home and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California. On August 19, 1945, Allyson caused Hollywood studio chiefs some consternation by marrying Dick Powell, who was 13 years her senior and had been previously married to Mildred Maund and Joan Blondell. Weissmuller suffered a series of strokes in 1977. She also played straight roles such as the tomboy Jo in Little Women (1949) and Glenn Miller's wife in The Glenn Miller Story (1954). In 1976, he appeared for the last time in a motion picture playing a movie crewman who is fired by a movie mogul, played by Art Carney, in Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood, and he also made his final public appearance in that year when he was inducted into the Body Building Guild Hall of Fame. After her appearance in Best Foot Forward in 1941, she was selected for the 1943 film version, and followed it up with several other musicals, including Thousands Cheer and Good News! (1947). While hospitalized he learned that, in spite of his strength and lifelong daily regimen of swimming and exercise, he had a serious heart condition. After a childhood accident, she took up both swimming and dancing as therapy, and made her Broadway chorus-line debut in 1938. In 1974, he broke a hip and leg. She was born Ella Geisman in the Bronx, New York City, and brought up in near-poverty. Weissmuller lived in Florida until the end of 1973, then moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, where he was a greeter at the MGM Grand Hotel for a time. June Allyson (born October 7, 1917) is an American actress, popular in the 1940s and 1950s. He also made a cameo appearance with former co-star Maureen O'Sullivan in The Phynx (1970). In 1970, he attended the British Commonwealth Games in Jamaica where he was presented to Queen Elizabeth. He retired in 1965 and moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he was Founding Chairman of The International Swimming Hall of Fame. He also lent his name to other business ventures, but did not have a great deal of success. In the late 1950s, Weissmuller moved back to Chicago and started a swimming pool company. With his third wife, Beryl, he had three children, Johnny Scott Weissmuller (or Johnny Weissmuller, Jr., also an actor) (born September 23, 1940), Wendy Anne Weissmuller (born June 1, 1942) and Heidi Elizabeth Weissmuller (July 31, 1944-November 19, 1962). According to a movie site on the Internet, he also married and divorced Camilla Louiee, but that claim has been challenged. Weissmuller reportedly said that Louiee ran off and married another man instead of him. Weissmuller was married five times: to band and club singer Bobbe Arnst (married 1931-divorced 1933), actress Lupe Vélez (married 1933-divorced 1939), Beryl Scott (married 1939-divorced 1948), Allene Gates (married 1948-divorced 1962) and Maria Bauman (married 1963-1984). The show ran for twenty-six episodes, which played over and over on network and syndicated TV for many years. In 1955, he began production of the Jungle Jim television adventure series for Screen Gems, a film subsidiary of Columbia. Within the next year, he appeared in three more jungle movies playing himself. He made thirteen Jungle Jim movies between (1948) and (1954). When he finally left that role, he immediately traded his loincloth costume for jungle fatigues and appeared fully clothed in the role of Jungle Jim (1948) for Columbia. Although not the first Tarzan in movies (that honour went to Elmo Lincoln), he was the first to be associated with the now traditional ululating, yodeling Tarzan yell. In a total of twelve Tarzan movies, Weissmuller earned an estimated $2,000,000 and established himself as the best-known of all the actors who have ever portrayed Tarzan. Another co-star was blonde actress Brenda Joyce, who played Jane in the last four Tarzan movies. Sheffield appeared as Boy in the first five features for that studio. Then, in 1942, Weissmuller went to RKO and starred in six more Tarzan movies. The last three also included Johnny Sheffield as Boy. Weissmuller starred in six Tarzan movies for MGM with actress Maureen O'Sullivan as Jane. Even the author, Edgar Rice Burroughs, who created the character of Tarzan in his books, was pleased. The movie was a huge success and Weissmuller became an overnight international sensation. The movie career of Johnny Weissmuller only really began after he signed a seven year contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and played the role of Tarzan in Tarzan the Ape Man (1932). In that same year, he made his first motion picture appearance as an Adonis wearing only a figleaf in a movie titled Glorifying the American Girl and he appeared as himself in the first of several Crystal Champions, a movie short featuring Weissmuller and other Olympic champions at Silver Springs, Florida. He traveled throughout the country doing swim shows, handing out leaflets promoting that brand of swimwear, giving his autograph and going on talk shows. In 1929, he signed a contract with BVD to be a model and representative. Johnny Weissmuller never lost a race and retired from his amateur swimming career undefeated. National Championships and set sixty-seven world records. In all, he won five Olympic gold medals, one bronze medal, won fifty-two U.S. Four years later, at the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam, he won two more Olympic titles. As a member of the American water polo team, he also won a bronze medal. He also won the 400-meters freestyle and the 4 x 200 meters relay. He won the title in that distance at the 1924 Summer Olympics, beating Kahanamoku on February 24, 1924. On July 9, 1922, Johnny Weissmuller broke Duke Kahanamoku's world record on the 100-meters freestyle, swimming it in 58.6 seconds. This was to ensure his eligibility to compete as part of the United States Olympic team, and was a critical issue in being issued an American passport. Though he was foreign-born, Weissmuller gave his birthplace as Windber, Pennsylvania, and his birth date as that of his younger brother, Peter Weissmuller. He made his amateur debut on August 6, 1921, winning his first AAU race in the 50-yard freestyle. When Weissmuller left school, he worked as a bellhop and elevator operator at the Plaza Hotel in Chicago and trained for the Olympics with a swim coach at the Illinois Athletic Club, where he developed his revolutionary high-riding front crawl. At the age of twelve he earned a spot on the YMCA swim team. He then joined the Stanton Park pool, where he won all the junior swim meets. The beaches of Lake Michigan became their favorite summer recreation place. From an early age, Johnny and his brother were aggressive swimmers. It has been said that he actually lived to old age and had another, large family of children. His parents were later divorced, as is shown by the divorce document filed in Chicago by Elizabeth Weissmuller, although a lot of sources state incorrectly that Weismuller's father died of tuberculosis contracted from working in coal mines and left her a widow. Johnny's father owned a bar for a time and his mother became head cook at a famed restaurant. After several years in Pennsylvania, they moved to Chicago. Another son, Peter Weissmuller, Jr., was born in Windber on September 3, 1905. After a brief stay in Chicago, Illinois, visiting relatives, they moved to the coal mining town of Windber, Pennsylvania, where Peter Weissmuller worked as a miner. They left Rotterdam on January 14, 1905, and arrived in New York twelve days later, with their names recorded in English as Peter, Elizabeth and Johann Weissmuller. Rotterdam. When Johnny was seven months old, the family emigrated to the United States aboard the S.S. He was born János Weißmüller in Freidorf, Austro-Hungary (present-day Timişoara, Romania) to Austrian parents, Petrus Weißmüller and Erzsebet Kersch, as is shown on his birth and baptismal records. Other actors also played Tarzan, but Weissmuller was the best-known. He was one of the world's best swimmers in the 1920s, winning five Olympic gold medals and one bronze medal. He won fifty-two National Championships and set sixty-seven world records. After his swimming career, he played Tarzan in twelve motion pictures. Johnny Weissmuller (June 2, 1904 – January 20, 1984) was an American swimmer and actor. Crewman. Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood (1976) (Paramount) .. The Phynx (1970) (Warner Bros.) ... Cameo. Himself. Devil Goddess (1955) (Columbia) .. Himself. Jungle Moon Men (1955) (Columbia) .. Himself. Cannibal Attack (1954) (Columbia) .. Jungle Jim. Jungle Man-Eaters (1954) (Columbia) .. Jungle Jim. Killer Ape (1953) (Columbia) .. Jungle Jim. Valley of Head Hunters (1953) (Columbia) .. Jungle Jim. Savage Mutiny (1953) (Columbia) .. Jungle Jim. Voodoo Tiger (1952) (Columbia) .. Jungle Jim. Jungle Jim in the Forbidden Land (1952) (Columbia) .. Jungle Jim. Jungle Manhunt (1951) (Columbia) .. Jungle Jim. Fury of the Congo (1951) (Columbia) .. Jungle Jim. Pypmy Island (1950) (Columbia) .. Jungle Jim. Captive Girl (1950) (Columbia) .. Jungle Jim. Mark of the Gorilla (1950) (Columbia) .. Jungle Jim. The Lost Tribe (1949) (Columbia) .. Jungle Jim. Jungle Jim (1948) (Columbia) .. Tarzan. Tarzan and the Mermaids (1948) (RKO Pathé) .. Tarzan. Tarzan and the Huntress (1947) (RKO Pathé) .. Tarzan. Tarzan and the Leopard Woman (1946) (RKO Pathé) .. Johnny Duval. Swamp Fire (1946) (Paramount) .. Tarzan. Tarzan and the Amazons (1945) (RKO Pathé) .. Himself. Stage Door Canteen (1943) (United Artists) .. Tarzan. Tarzan's Desert Mystery (1943) (RKO Pathé) .. Tarzan. Tarzan Triumphs (1943) (RKO Pathé) .. Tarzan. Tarzan's New York Adventure (1942) (MGM) .. Tarzan. Tarzan's Secret Treasure (1941) (MGM) .. Tarzan. Tarzan Finds a Son! (1939) (MGM) .. Tarzan. Tarzan Escapes (1936) (MGM) .. Tarzan. Tarzan and His Mate (1934) (MGM) .. Tarzan. Tarzan the Ape Man (1932) (MGM) .. Himself. Crystal Champions (1929) (Paramount) .. Adonis. Glorifying the American Girl (1929) (Paramount) .. |