movie, the silent film Tarzan of the Apes (1918), was primarily filmed in Morgan City, Louisiana
: The production required a large number of extras. It was one of the first major films to use local African American residents to play African tribe members rather than using white actors in blackface. Fun Facts & Legends The Monkey Myth where was the first tarzan movie filmed top
, which housed the cast and crew. The area also provided a large number of local residents who were hired as extras. Expand map Louisiana Locations California Locations local legends movie, the silent film Tarzan of the Apes
However, the “top” filming location wasn’t Africa—as most audiences assumed—but the American South. Let’s swing through the vines of cinema history to uncover why this location was chosen, how it became the “top” jungle on screen, and why it remains a pilgrimage site for silent film buffs. The area also provided a large number of
, where self-guided movie location driving tours are occasionally organized. While the original sets are gone, Lake End Park
The production spent roughly five to nine weeks on location in before finishing additional scenes in California Atchafalaya Basin & Swamps
Later, more famous Tarzan films, such as those starring Johnny Weissmuller in the 1930s, were famously shot in locations like .