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Where Was The First Tarzan Movie Filmed Top

Swinging Through the Bayou: The Filming Location of the First Tarzan Movie

When asking about the "first Tarzan movie," it’s crucial to clarify which one you mean. While Edgar Rice Burroughs’ legendary ape-man first appeared in print in 1912, his leap to the silver screen happened twice in the silent film era.

However, most historians and film archives recognize 1918’s Tarzan of the Apes as the very first feature-length Tarzan movie. And its exotic "African" jungle wasn't filmed in Africa at all—it was shot deep in the humid swamps and woodlands of Louisiana.

Conclusion: The “Top” Answer You Were Looking For

To summarize the keyword “where was the first tarzan movie filmed top” :

The top filming location was Morgan City, Louisiana, along the Bayou Teche and Avery Island. The film was Tarzan of the Apes (1918), starring Elmo Lincoln.

This location remains the “top” answer because it was the first successful attempt to bring Burroughs’ jungle to life. Without the swamps of Louisiana and the ingenuity of a 1918 film crew, the iconic yell of Tarzan (which, ironically, wouldn’t be added until the talkies) might never have echoed through cinema history.

So, the next time you watch a jungle movie, remember: the true “Tarzan’s Africa” was actually the deep, moss-draped heart of the American South.

The first Tarzan movie, the 1918 silent film titled Tarzan of the Apes, was primarily filmed in Morgan City, Louisiana .

The production chose this location in late 1917 because the moss-draped swamps of the Atchafalaya Basin provided a convincing stand-in for the African jungle described in Edgar Rice Burroughs' original novel . Key Filming Locations in Morgan City

Lake End Park: A waterfront area filled with moss-covered cypress trees used for many of the "jungle" and coastal scenes .

Atchafalaya Basin: The vast swamp region served as the primary backdrop for the "wild" African landscape .

Avoca Island: Another local swamp site used for location shooting .

Shannon Hardware: This downtown hardware store in Morgan City served as the production's prop shop and studio for building costumes and sets . Additional Filming Details

Cast & Crew: The production featured Elmo Lincoln as the adult Tarzan . Many of the "apes" were portrayed by gymnasts from the New Orleans Athletic Club wearing costumes .

Historical Significance: This was one of the first major Hollywood productions to film entirely on location outside of California or New York . It was also a massive commercial success, becoming one of the first films to gross over $1 million at the box office .

California Scenes: While the bulk of the "jungle" action was shot in Louisiana, some additional production work, including some stunt sequences and the filming of the sequel The Romance of Tarzan, took place in Hollywood at locations like Griffith Park and the Selig Zoo .

Later, more famous Tarzan films, such as those starring Johnny Weissmuller in the 1930s, were famously shot in locations like Silver Springs and Wakulla Springs, Florida .

Louisiana Tarzan - Home to the First King of the Jungle Movie

movie, the silent film Tarzan of the Apes (1918), was primarily filmed in Morgan City, Louisiana

. Producers chose this location because the lush vegetation, bayous, and waterways served as a natural stand-in for the African jungle. Key Filming Locations in Morgan City Lake End Park

: A major shooting site used for many of the "palmetto hut" scenes. Avoca Island

: One of the specific areas where cameras were set up during the nine-week shoot. Downtown Morgan City

: A local hardware store served as the production's prop shop for building costumes and sets. Historical Significance First On-Location Blockbuster

: It was one of the first major motion pictures to film on location outside of the Los Angeles or New York areas. Casting Milestones

: It was the first film to cast Black actors to play Black characters, rather than using white actors in blackface. Box Office Success where was the first tarzan movie filmed top

: The film was a massive hit, becoming one of the first in history to earn $1 million at the box office. Other Notable "Firsts" in the Series

While the very first movie was in Louisiana, other "first" entries in later iterations of the franchise used different locations: Tarzan the Ape Man (1932)

: The first sound film starring Johnny Weissmuller was shot at Silver Springs, Florida Lake Sherwood, California Botanical Garden of Hamma in Algiers, Algeria. Tarzan’s Peril (1951)

: This was the first film in the series to actually film portions on location in (specifically Kenya). documentary

that explores the making of this film in the Louisiana swamps?

Did you know the first Tarzan movie was filmed in Morgan City?

The first Tarzan movie, the silent film Tarzan of the Apes (1918), was primarily filmed in Morgan City, Louisiana. The Birth of "Hollywood South"

Long before Louisiana earned the nickname "Hollywood South," Morgan City's lush bayous and moss-covered cypress trees served as a stand-in for the African jungle. Filming took place in 1917, and the production chose the area for several practical reasons:

Aesthetics: The dense vegetation and waterways of the Atchafalaya Basin provided a convincing primitive backdrop.

Logistics: Easy rail access made it cheaper and faster to transport heavy equipment from California compared to other tropical-looking locations.

Facilities: The city offered necessary infrastructure like the Costello Hotel for cast and crew, and hardware stores that served as prop shops. Key Filming Locations in Morgan City

While many sets are long gone, specific sites are still recognized for their role in the movie:

Lake End Park: This waterfront site was used for many of the "hut scenes" and featured moss-draped trees where palmetto huts were built and later burned for the camera.

Avoca Island: Located just outside the city, this island was used for various jungle sequences.

Shannon Hardware: Located in downtown Morgan City, this store was utilized by the crew to build costumes and sets. Behind-the-Scenes and Legend

The production was massive for its time, becoming one of the first films to gross over $1 million. It featured a sizable African-American cast from the local population as extras, which was a historic break from the era's common practice of using white actors in blackface.

Local lore even suggests that during filming, monkeys escaped into the swamps; while there is no scientific evidence of a breeding population today, the story remains a popular part of Morgan City's "Tarzan" identity. Following nine weeks in Louisiana, the production shifted to California to complete filming at Griffith Park and the Selig Zoo in Los Angeles. Expand map

Did you know the first Tarzan movie was filmed in Morgan City?

The first-ever Tarzan movie, the 1918 silent classic Tarzan of the Apes , was primarily filmed in Morgan City, Louisiana

. This location served as a stand-in for the African jungle due to its lush vegetation, bayous, and moss-draped cypress trees. Key Filming Locations in Morgan City

While much of the original set was temporary or has since changed, several specific sites in the area were instrumental to the production: Lake End Park

: This waterfront area served as the backdrop for many of the film's "jungle" scenes. The production team built native palmetto huts here, some of which were dramatically burned for the movie's climax. Avoca Island : Located south of Morgan City

, this private island was used for various jungle and wilderness sequences. Atchafalaya Basin Swinging Through the Bayou: The Filming Location of

: Aerial shots and wider landscapes were filmed across this massive swamp basin, which is the largest in North America. Shannon Hardware (Front Street)

: Now a local landmark, this downtown hardware store functioned as the film's prop shop and production office. Atchafalaya River Banks

: The untamed riverbanks were used to simulate the African coastline and waterways. Secondary Locations

After five weeks of location shooting in Louisiana, the production moved to California

for the remaining nine weeks to complete the film. These scenes were "stitched together" so seamlessly that audiences of the era reportedly could not distinguish between the two states. Why Morgan City ?

Producers chose this specific Louisiana town for several practical and aesthetic reasons:

Exotic Appearance: The moss-covered trees closely matched the "moss-covered branches" described in Edgar Rice Burroughs' original novel.

Infrastructure: The town offered necessary amenities for a large film crew, including hotels, a railway-serviced wharf, and local storage warehouses.

Casting: Producers recruited hundreds of local residents as extras, including members of the local Black population to portray natives—marking one of the first times Black actors played Black characters in a major film instead of using blackface. Visiting Today

If you're looking to explore this cinematic history, you can visit the Cajun Coast

, where self-guided movie location driving tours are occasionally organized. While the original sets are gone, Lake End Park

remains open to the public, offering the same mossy vistas seen in the 1918 blockbuster. Expand map Outdoor Filming Sites Production History

Did you know the first Tarzan movie was filmed in Morgan City?

The first Tarzan movie ever made, the 1918 silent classic Tarzan of the Apes, was primarily filmed in the lush bayous and swamps of Morgan City, Louisiana. While the story is set in the African jungle, producers chose this South Louisiana location because its thick vegetation and vine-draped trees closely mimicked the environment described in Edgar Rice Burroughs' original novel. Primary Filming Location: Morgan City, Louisiana

Filmed in 1917 and released in early 1918, the production was a landmark event for both the film industry and the state of Louisiana.

The Atchafalaya Basin: The dark bayous and waterways of the Atchafalaya Swamp served as the backdrop for most of the jungle scenes.

Lake End Park: This waterfront area in Morgan City, known for its iconic moss-covered trees, was the specific site for many "hut scenes," including the construction of palmetto huts used by the film’s characters.

Logistics & Casting: The city was selected not only for its scenery but also for its practical infrastructure, such as a railway-serviced wharf and local hotels for the crew. The production also utilized the large local Black population to cast extras, marking one of the first times Black actors played Black characters rather than using white actors in blackface. Secondary and Studio Locations

While the majority of the "jungle" was found in Louisiana, certain scenes were shot in California to round out the production:

Griffith Park, Los Angeles: Some additional outdoor sequences were filmed here.

Selig Zoo, Hollywood: Used for scenes involving specific animals and controlled environments.

E&R Jungle Film Company: A studio facility in Hollywood used for interior or technical shots. A Cinematic Milestone

The 1918 film, starring Elmo Lincoln as the first cinematic Tarzan, was the first feature-length motion picture shot on location in Louisiana and the first major U.S. feature filmed outside of New York or California. It was an instant blockbuster, becoming one of the first silent movies to gross over $1 million at the box office. Tarzan of the Apes - 64 Parishes Morgan City: The town served as the production’s

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Specific Shooting Locations in Louisiana

  • Morgan City: The town served as the production’s base camp. Scenes featuring the Fuwalda (the ship on which Tarzan’s parents are marooned) were shot along the banks of the Teche River.
  • Weeks Island and Avery Island: These salt dome islands, with their dense, untamed woodlands, were used for scenes involving the ape tribe and Tarzan’s treehouse.
  • The Teche River: Many river and jungle-bank sequences were filmed directly on this slow-moving bayou, with native pirogues (small boats) standing in for African canoes.

Interestingly, a secondary location was used for specific interior and studio-bound scenes: Universal City, California. The film’s production company, the National Film Corporation of America, also used Universal’s backlots for controlled jungle sets and close-up work with the actors portraying apes.

2. It Launched Elmo Lincoln’s Career

Lincoln, a former bodybuilder and actor, became the first “screen Tarzan.” He returned to Morgan City decades later for a cameo in a 1949 Tarzan serial, proving the location’s lasting connection to the character.

Where the first Tarzan movie was filmed

The first Tarzan film, Tarzan of the Apes (released 1918), shot its “jungle” scenes in southern Louisiana and its studio scenes in the Los Angeles area. Production began in 1917: director Scott Sidney and a crew spent several weeks filming on location in the Atchafalaya Basin around Morgan City, Louisiana (notably Lake End Park and nearby cypress swamps) to stand in for Edgar Rice Burroughs’s moss-draped jungle. The company then moved to California—using Hollywood sets and the Griffith Park/Selig-era facilities and stock footage—to complete the picture.

Why Louisiana?

  • The Atchafalaya Basin’s Spanish-moss–draped trees matched Burroughs’s description and provided striking visuals.
  • Easy rail access to Morgan City made transporting equipment and props practical.
  • Local labor supplied many of the extras the production needed, including Black performers used in principal scenes (notably unusual for the era).
  • The production could combine authentic swamp location footage with California studio work and African travelog stock footage to create a convincing “African” setting.

Notable production facts

  • The film was produced by the National Film Corporation of America and starred Elmo Lincoln (adult Tarzan) and Enid Markey (Jane); multiple actors—including a child actor and stunt performers—portrayed Tarzan at different ages.
  • Many ape roles were played by circus acrobats in costumes rather than real apes; some wildlife inserts came from travelogues.
  • Tarzan of the Apes was one of the first major U.S. features filmed outside New York/California and became an early box-office hit.

Legacy

  • Morgan City claims an important place in early Hollywood history: the film is credited as the first major feature shot on location in Louisiana and helped establish the practice of mixing location and studio footage.
  • Lake End Park and the Atchafalaya swamps remain the most frequently cited real-world stand-ins for the movie’s jungle sequences.

Sources consulted: contemporary film histories and location accounts documenting the 1917 Morgan City shoots and the Los Angeles studio work for Tarzan of the Apes (1918).

The first Tarzan movie ever made, the 1918 silent film Tarzan of the Apes

, was primarily filmed in the lush swamps and bayous surrounding Morgan City, Louisiana

At a time when Hollywood was just beginning to explore location filming, producer William Parsons chose this area for its dense vegetation and moss-covered trees, which served as a convincing stand-in for the African jungle described in Edgar Rice Burroughs' novels. Key Filming Locations in Morgan City Lake End Park Morgan City, LA, United States

This waterfront area, known for its iconic moss-draped trees, was used to film many of the movie's hut scenes. Atchafalaya Basin Louisiana, USA

The surrounding swamps provided the wild, untamed backdrop for the jungle adventures. Production Stories & Local Lore The Original Tarzan Drafted Stellan Windrow

was originally cast as the lead and filmed several tree-swinging stunts in the Louisiana canopy. However, he was drafted for World War I shortly after production began and was replaced by Elmo Lincoln

, whose powerful physique became legendary. Much of Windrow's aerial footage was still used in the final film. Acrobats as Apes : Actors from the New Orleans Athletic Club

and circus acrobats were hired to portray the "apes". They reportedly struggled in the intense August heat of the Louisiana swamp while wearing thick, non-breathable primate costumes. Escaped Monkeys

: Local legend suggests that monkeys brought in for the production escaped into the Atchafalaya swamp, and some residents believe their descendants still live there today. Economic Impact : The production hired approximately 300 local residents

to play "natives," choosing a filming schedule that didn't conflict with the local sugarcane harvest.

Did you know the first Tarzan movie was filmed in Morgan City?

The story of where the first Tarzan movie was filmed is a fascinating journey through early Hollywood history, a time when the line between reality and the backlot was often blurred by the magic of cinema. To answer the question of "where" regarding the very first adaptation, we must look not to the jungles of Africa, but to the swamps and studios of the United States.

Here is a detailed look at the filming locations of the first Tarzan movie.

The Legacy of the Location

It is interesting to note that the choice to film in Louisiana set a precedent for early Tarzan productions. While later films, such as the Johnny Weissmuller era in the 1930s and 40s, would rely heavily on the famous "Los Angeles Arboretum" and sound stages with stock footage of African animals, the 1918 film relied on the genuine, untamed wildness of the American South.

The contrast between the Atchafalaya Basin and the Los Angeles studios highlights the adventurous spirit of early silent filmmakers. They did not have the luxury of computer-generated imagery or easy international travel. Instead, they found "Africa" in the bayous of Louisiana, creating a piece of cinema history that is still studied for its ambitious use of location today.