The Legend of Tarzan (TV series)

The Legend of Tarzan
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Created by	Edgar Rice Burroughs
Directed by	Steve Loter Chris Buck
Starring	Michael T. Weiss Jeff Bennett Jim Cummings April Winchell Susan Blakeslee Nicollette Sheridan
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	40
Production
Executive producers	Bill Motz Bob Roth
Producer	Steve Loter
Running time	30 minutes
Production company	Walt Disney Television Animation
Original release
Network	UPN Jetix PBS Kids GO!
Release	September 1, 2001 (2001-09-01) – February 5, 2003 (2003-02-05)
Related
Tarzan II

The Legend of Tarzan is an animated television series created by The Walt Disney Company in 2000, based on the Tarzan character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Initially meant as first original series (though ultimately shunted to UPN's "Disney's One Too" lineup), it also appeared on in India. The Legend of Tarzan picks up where the 1999 feature film left off, with the title character adjusting to his new role as leader of the apes following Kerchak's death, and Jane (whom he has since married) adjusting to life in the jungle.

Rounding out the cast are Jane's father, Professor Archimedes Q. Porter; Tantor, the germophobic elephant; and Terk, a wisecracking female ape and Tarzan's old wrestling buddy.

Characters

Main characters

• Tarzan (voiced by Michael T. Weiss) - Since the movie, Tarzan assumed his role as leader of the Gorillas. He married Jane and they live happily in the jungle, residing in the old treehouse that Tarzan's parents had built before their deaths. Although Tarzan doesn't live with his mother and the other gorillas, Tarzan will still leap into action to protect them at any length, and he often returns to seek Kala's advice in dealing with situations such as the doubts of the other gorillas, and Jane wanting him to be more "civilized". While helping Jane get over her more romantic ideas about jungle life, she acts as his guide to the duplicity in human nature—and insists he eat his food from a plate. It is a never-ending growth process for both, with some startling insights into what "civilized" means, and some uproarious stumbling blocks along the way. Needless to say, Tarzan operates as the protagonist of the series.
• Jane Porter (voiced by Olivia d'Abo) - Daughter of Archimedes Porter and wife of Tarzan. Jane is married to Tarzan and they, along with her father, live in the very treehouse built by Tarzan's late parents. Throughout the series, Jane is shown to have adjusted quite well to her new jungle life with Tarzan, but oftentimes when she begins to miss her old life and England, she tries to get Tarzan act more "civilized" which sometimes poses as a problem to Tarzan's morals. Her appearance and human actions often cause some members of Tarzan's Gorilla Tribe to have doubts about her and question Tarzan's "leadership".
• Terk (voiced by April Winchell) - Terk loves the spotlight, and she's perfect "big sister" material because she's Tarzan—protective, concerned, and absolutely convinced that Tarzan can't survive without her. Terk loves telling Tarzan what to do—that is, until Tarzan's physical strength proves he can hold her in a headlock instead. Even though Terk is a bit bossy at times, Tarzan knows it's because Terk cares, though she will never say so willingly. Only two other gorillas know she's a girl.
• Tantor (voiced by Jim Cummings) - "Someone's gonna get hurt, and it's always me!" is Tantor's rallying cry. Despite his size and relative stature within the jungle kingdom, Tantor the Elephant is a coward - he is afraid of anything and everything, including bacteria, pond scum, piranhas, and anything else that can be named. But when it comes to helping Tarzan in trouble, Tantor shows know-it-all Terk a thing or two in the bravery department and leads the way.
• Kala (voiced by Susanne Blakeslee) - If his woes become too great or his thoughts too burdensome, Tarzan seeks seclusion and the calm council of his mother, Kala. A sympathetic ear when Tarzan needs someone wise to talk to, Kala acts as the voice of the apes, always reminding Tarzan of his unique obligations to the family. She is also Jane's closest confidant. The two share a warm, strong bond, and Jane regards her mother-in-law as her only kindred spirit in the jungle. From Kala's point of view, Jane is the human daughter she never had. Kala was Kerchak's mate, and perhaps the only one besides Tarzan that ever openly defied him without repercussions. Kala' s open mind is a well of great wisdom and she is almost always right. Even though Kerchak is gone, she is still highly respected.
• Professor Archimedes Q. Porter (voiced by Jeff Bennett) - Father of Jane, Professor Porter is a noted scientist with years of expertise studying gorillas, though he's never seen one in the wild. Sometimes the kindhearted professor gets so absorbed in his thinking that he simply forgets what he's doing. Even so, Jane doesn't bat an eye at her father's eccentric antics—she's used to them and shares his enthusiasm. When they both finally meet the gorillas, it's the fulfillment of a lifelong dream—even if the professor does faint at the sight.

Animal Characters Bird Rabbit Monkey Elephant Hippo Pig Cat Dog Frog Turtle Giraffe Duck Chicken Bear

Recurring characters

• Flynt and Mungo (voiced by Erik von Detten and Jason Marsden) - Clueless ape brothers Flynt and Mungo have grown up along with Tarzan, but they're still as dopey as ever. Maybe it's too much self-inflicted head trauma from playing their childhood game "Stop hitting yourself", but their IQs don't seem to have improved with time. The brothers don't mean any harm, but likely as not, their dumb behavior is bound to give Tarzan some serious headaches as he flies to save them—and protect the family—from danger. Since they spend all their time together, being separated will cause them to freak out.
• Manu (voiced by Frank Welker) - A mischievous baby baboon, who is fascinated with humans, and, when no one is looking, he is irresistibly drawn to rummaging through their belongings and trying on their clothes. He may even run off with a shiny keepsake or two. Like an inquisitive kid, he leaves a mess behind, which means a red-faced Tarzan and the other family members are usually stuck with cleaning up after him. His mischief, however, sometimes ends up doing more good than first assumed.
• Renard Dumont (voiced by René Auberjonois) - Slick, opportunistic French proprietor of "Dumont's Trading Post" (est. 1912) whose lust for material gain is compromised only by his persistent attempts to, through oily charm and token gestures, lure Jane from her cozy life with Tarzan. Though somewhat of a nemesis in his first appearance, he later becomes a reluctant ally of Tarzan. A good example is when he disguises himself as a high-ranking official in order to secure the release of Tarzan, Hugo and Hooft.
• Hugo and Hooft (voiced by Dave Thomas and Joe Flaherty) - Loose caricatures (though not in appearance) of Bob Hope and Bing Crosby, circa the "Road to" series. Deserters of the French Foreign Legion, these Americans now work for Dumont, though they still have the occasional run-in with Lt. Colonel Staquait (their former superior), who considers their insubordination (refusal to raze a village of women and children) a capital offense. They also seem to owe money to Joey the Shark, a loan shark in Chicago, which is probably why they joined the Legion in the first place. Although they are smooth-talking conmen who try to cheat people out of money, they are good-natured and willing to do anything for their friends. A good example is when they are arrested and sent to prison. When Tarzan helps them escape, they have the chance to flee, but return to save him from being executed.
• Jabari (voiced by Taylor Dempsey) - Elephant offspring of Baruti and Jamila bearing an uncanny resemblance to the young Tantor. He and "Mr. Tantor" have bonded over their shared phobias and paranoia.
• Chief Keewazi (voiced by James Avery) - Leader of the Waziri tribe, a group of natives who live deep in the jungle.
• Basuli (voiced by Phil LaMarr) - Chief Keewazi's headstrong son and future leader of the Waziri tribe. He becomes good friends with Tarzan. Tarzan once aided Basuli in retrieving an eagle's feather, which he needed as part of a rite of passage in order to marry. Though he and Tarzan are friends, they compete in many ways.
• Dr. Robin Doyle (voiced by Sheena Easton) - A female anthropologist who began her studies in the jungle and has the Professor smitten. The first time she came to Africa to study the Waziri people with Professor Porter, he was afraid he was too old for her and sought out a fountain that he thought would make the drinker young again. Another time, she brought her nephew Ian.
• Moyo (voiced by Neil Patrick Harris) - Another gorilla in Tarzan's family. He once believed Tarzan cared more about Jane than the family. He challenged Tarzan for leadership after Hista, a python, attacked while Tarzan was with Jane and defeated Tarzan, though only because Tarzan had saved Moyo from falling to his death. Moyo led the family away and, by an error of judgment, into a tar pit. Tarzan was able to save the family with Jane's help. When Hista went after her, Moyo went after Hista while Tarzan got the family out. Tarzan lured Hista into that same pit, forever ending the python's reign of terror. Moyo finally saw that Jane was part of their family and stepped down as leader.
• Hazel, Greenly, and Eleanor (voiced by Tara Strong, Grey DeLisle, and Nicollette Sheridan) - Three upper-class women and Jane's friends from England, who came to the jungle to "save" Jane from Tarzan because they thought that she was unhappy in the jungle. When she tried to show them that she was still the same polished girl they knew from London by throwing a picnic, she asked that Tarzan to wear his father's suit. Tarzan, thinking Jane was embarrassed by him, wasn't too thrilled on "being something he wasn't", but after a heart to heart talk with the Professor, he put on the suit. Meanwhile, her friends were being chased by the panthers, Sheeta and Noru. Using the skills she learned in the jungle, Jane was able to help her friends survive until Tarzan was able to save them. The next time her friends came to visit, they brought Greenly's boyfriend, Henry, to the jungle to "toughen him up". After an earthquake created a tidal wave, they ended up lost in the jungle with Henry. The geologist showed exceptional ingenuity and resolve in helping the group survive until Tarzan could save them (again), including wrestling a crocodile and winning. Hazel is mentioned in "Tarzan and the Flying Ace" as being the biggest gossiper in the British Isles, which is how Robert knew where to find. Hazel also happens to be the name of best friend in the books, sharing her last name with the voice actor, Tara Strong.

Villains

• Tublat (voiced by Keith David) - A former member of Tarzan's gorilla family. He challenged Kerchak for leadership but was defeated and cast out. He is considered dangerous by all the gorillas. He is based on Kala's husband (and Tarzan's foster father) in the original Tarzan novel. His personality is also very much like the original Kerchak and/or Terkoz from the novel. He once took over another gorilla family that Gobu belonged to. But the family overthrew him and Gobu replaced him. The original Tubalt's personality is just like Kerchak's in the Disney movie.
• Samuel T. Philander (voiced by Craig Ferguson) - The Professor's academic rival who frequently attempts to steal his ideas or garner fame by turning Tarzan in as the "missing link". He is modeled on the British comedy actor Terry-Thomas; he is named after Professor Porter's bumbling assistant in the original Tarzan novel.
• Queen La (voiced by Diahann Carroll) - In the original novels, a high priestess of a blood cult who fell in love with Tarzan. In her adaptation for the series, she is an utterly vicious sorceress who rules over the abandoned city of Opar, where she lords over the Leopard Men, leopards whom she has changed into humanoid form to serve her. She falls in love with Tarzan after he comes to rescue Jane's father from the Leopard Men, who were capturing males as potential husbands for La. Her attempts to seduce Tarzan fail every time, as his loyalty is firmly with Jane, and in almost every encounter, La is trying to kill Jane and take Tarzan for herself. She could actually be considered Tarzan's archenemy.
• Lt. Colonel Staquait (voiced by Jim Cummings) - A vicious Colonel in the French Foreign Legion. He sees himself on the right side of the law, but his draconian means do not justify his actions, putting him at odds with Tarzan. He acts as judge and executioner, and has made it his goal to hunt down Hugo and Hoof, after they refused his order to burn down a village full of women and children. Tarzan helped fake their demise, but eventually he learned the truth and imprisoned them. Tarzan ended up imprisoned in Fort Doom as well, then after allowing Hugo and Hoof to escape, was sentenced to hang. But Tarzan was released after Renard impersonated a French general, which Staquait realized as the heroes safely returned to Africa by steamship.
• Nuru and Sheeta - They are two panthers that frequently find and battle Tarzan from time to time. They once hunted down Jane and her friends when they were lost in the jungle. Though they often hunt with no one but each other, they have been seen with leopards.
• Mubaya - A rogue bull elephant who originally belonged to the same herd as Jabari and his parents. Mubaya, like all rogues, is almost constantly angry and tramples anything he sees for almost no apparent reason. He is easily recognized by his broken left tusk and bloodshot red eyes. Episodes featuring Mubaya usually require Tantor to overcome his fears and face down the renegade in an elephantine match of strength.
• Histah - A giant snake that threatens the gorilla family and no one seems able to fight evenly.
• Johannes Niles (voiced by John O'Hurley) - Two miners who first came to the jungle to mine diamonds. Niles is the tall, blond haired and calmer of the two. Tarzan agreed to guide them to a volcano to dig for diamonds, on the condition that he get one to give to Jane. After a mishap, they lose their diamonds and leave in chains. They later return to retrieve the diamonds, which may not of survived the lava. They are attacked by Tubalt, who they capture, and are about to take him around the world until Tarzan, along with a protesting Terk, rescue him. Once again, Niles and Merkus leave the jungle empty handed.
  • Merkus (voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson in the first appearance, Jim Cummings in the second appearance) - Merkus is Johannes' partner. He is shorter, muscular, and more violent.
• Lady Waltham (voiced by Amanda Donohue) - An aristocratic lady and the sister of the deceased Clayton who wants revenge on Tarzan for killing her brother—at least, in her own mind. He had her valet Hobson capture those close to him and she then poisoned Tarzan. Tarzan was then given a challenge by Lady Waltham which was either save those he is close to from danger or head to a mountain she dubbed "Clayton's Peak" where the antidote is. Though Tarzan managed to save his friends and family, he then ended up saving Lady Waltham from leopards. Afterwards, she gave Tarzan the antidote knowing that Tarzan didn't "kill" her brother.
  • Hobson (voiced by Jim Cummings) - Lady Waltham's valet.
• Robert Canler (voiced by Jeff Bennett) - Jane's old childhood friend and next door neighbour who knew her since she was five, nicknamed Bobby. He is an ace pilot who carries a sword disguised as a cane with a silver edge and a Webley pistol and flies in a Sopwith Biplane with floats. He was once working for the British Intelligence but switched to the German army as a double agent when he realised how profitable it would be, by bringing them a code machine, which was disguised as a music box he gave Jane. Despite his betrayal of Jane, he prevents her from certain death and is eventually arrested by Captain Nigel Tailer of the RAF.

Minor characters

• Bob Markham (voiced by Mark Harmon) - A logger, widower, and single father to his daughter Abby. After his wife died, he sunk everything he had into logging. However, the way he was logging tore up so much soil, that a long dormant plague was released and threatened to kill his men, and daughter. With help from Tarzan and Terk, Markham gathered all but one of the ingredients for the cure. The last one was a flower that was only found in one part of the jungle, until Markham's men bulldozed over them while logging. By some luck, Abby had picked one of them before, and Jane showed her how to press it, thus preserving it. After Abby and Markham's men were cured, they ceased logging and starting to plant the seeds saved from the flower.
• Abigale "Abby" Markham (voiced by Nicolette Little) - Abby Markham is the daughter of Bob Markham, she appears to be 5–9 years old, but may be older. Markham loves his daughter, and will do anything for her. When she falls ill with the same plague that threatens his men, he asks for Tarzan's help to cure her. Together, they get all but one ingredient for the cure, a flower found only in an area that Markham's men had bulldozed over; Luckily, Abby had picked one of the flowers and preserved it by pressing it. She is last seen playing tag with Jane and Terk.
• Zutho (voiced by Jason Alexander) - A shady mandrill that Tarzan, Terk, and Tantor first encountered as kids at the forbidden side of the river. While teaching Zutho and his friends how to make spears, a fire broke out and nearly destroyed the jungle if it had not rained. Tarzan blamed himself and ended up in Zutho's debt. Years later, Zutho resurfaces in order to get Tarzan to fulfill his favor into dealing with some annoying monkeys that were keeping him up. With help from Jane, Terk, and Tantor, Tarzan did the right thing and admitted what happened the day of the fire to Kala who then dealt with Zutho and his friends.
  • Gozan (voiced by John DiMaggio) - A mandrill who is one of Zutho's friends.

Episodes

Main article: List of The Legend of Tarzan episodes

Funding

• Chuck E. Cheese's (June 23,2009-Present)
• Sun-Maid (June 23,2009-2010)
• Rainforest Cafe (June 25,2009-Present)
• Pillow Pets (January 18,2010-Present)
• Airport Pet (February 8,2010-Present)
• National Science Foundation
• Huggies (March 1,2010-Present)
• PNC Grow Up Great (July 5,2010-Present)
• Kiddie Academy (August 9,2010-Present)
• United States Department of Education
• Haribo (October 4,2010-Present)
• Geek Squad (January 17,2011-Present)
• Corporation For Public Broadcasting
• Viewers Like You

External links

• The Legend of Tarzan at IMDb
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• Template:Tv.com show