# Tarzan (1966)

> A well-educated Tarzan, weary of civilization, returns to the African jungle where he was raised and defends its creatures and people alongside a young companion.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/10052

## Facts

- Seasons: 2
- Episodes: 57
- Episode runtime: 46 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: adventure, drama
- Created by: Sy Weintraub
- Network: NBC
- Cast: Ron Ely, Manuel Padilla Jr., Rockne Tarkington, Alan Caillou, James Earl Jones, Simon Oakland, Michael Witney, Susan Oliver
- TMDB rating: 7.1/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060033/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: simple
- Violence: mild
- Tone: earnest, sunny, nostalgic, wholesome, breezy

## Synopsis

Tarzan (1966-1968) is an American adventure series created by Sy Weintraub for NBC, a two-season run of 57 episodes. Ron Ely stars as the title apeman, a well-educated man who, tired of civilization, has returned to the African jungle where he was raised. Manuel Padilla Jr. plays the young companion Jai and Rockne Tarkington plays Rao, while Alan Caillou appears as Jason Flood and the chimpanzee Cheeta remains a fixture of the classic jungle mythology. The engine of each episode is the hero's encounters with poachers, wild animals, and outsiders who threaten the jungle and the people who live there, with the story unfolding through self-contained adventures built around survival and loyalty. Set in the African wilderness of the mid-twentieth century, the series keeps the trappings of the classic movie series while reframing its hero as a thoughtful, articulate outsider. The tone is earnest, sunny, and family-friendly, with broad action beats rather than grit. Fans of Lost in Space, Daniel Boone, and The Adventures of Robin Hood will find a similar nostalgic appeal in its wholesome, old-fashioned heroism and its wide-open outdoor settings.

## Shows like Tarzan

- [Branded (1965)](https://ember.film/tv/12878)
- [Kimba the White Lion (1965)](https://ember.film/tv/8198)
- [The Lone Ranger (1949)](https://ember.film/tv/28727)
- [Daniel Boone (1964)](https://ember.film/tv/10285)
- [Gilligan's Island (1964)](https://ember.film/tv/1813)
- [Daktari (1966)](https://ember.film/tv/4309)
- [Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (1995)](https://ember.film/tv/4393)
- [The Legend of Tarzan (2001)](https://ember.film/tv/2275)
- [The Lost World (1999)](https://ember.film/tv/845)
- [Bonanza (1959)](https://ember.film/tv/955)

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