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Tarzan in Manhattan

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Tarzan in Manhattan
DVD cover
GenreAction
Adventure
Written byAnna Sandor
William Gough
based on characters created by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Directed byMichael Schultz
StarringJoe Lara
Kim Crosby
Tony Curtis
Jan-Michael Vincent
Music byCharles Fox
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producersMax A. Keller
Micheline H. Keller
ProducersCharles Hairston
Max A. Keller
Micheline H. Keller
Gina Scheerer (associate producer)
Production locationsNew York City
Hawaii
The Burbank Studios
CinematographyLaszlo George
EditorDann Cahn
Running time94 minutes
Production companyAmerican First Run Studios
Original release
NetworkCBS
Release
  • April 15, 1989 (1989-04-15)

Tarzan in Manhattan is a 1989 action adventure CBS television film. Joe Lara portrays Tarzan, and Kim Crosby appears as Jane Porter. Tony Curtis and Jan-Michael Vincent co-star. The telefilm was produced by Max A. Keller, Micheline H. Keller and Gina Scheerer, written by Anna Sandor and William Gough (based on characters created by Edgar Rice Burroughs), and directed by Michael Schultz. It aired on April 15, 1989.

Plot

Tarzan leaves Africa and goes to present-day New York City to seek vengeance for the murder of his Ape mother Kala, and to rescue Cheeta who was taken by hunters working for B. B. Brightmore (Jan-Michael Vincent) and his Brightmore Foundation. Soon Tarzan discovers this supposed philanthropic organization is conducting illegal tests on animal brains in an effort to transfer the thoughts and knowledge of one creature to another, and he sets out to rescue the animals and expose Brightmore. He is aided by Jane Porter (a cab driver, played by Kim Crosby) and her father, Archimedes "Archie" Porter (Tony Curtis), a retired police officer, now the head of his own security agency.

With Brightmore's operations shut down, Jane joins her father's security agency, and both talk Tarzan into coming on board at minimum wage, but with all the bananas Cheeta can eat.

Cast

  • Joe Lara as Tarzan
  • Kim Crosby as Jane Porter, reluctant ally of Tarzan
  • Tony Curtis as Archimedes "Archie" Porter, Jane's father
  • Jan-Michael Vincent as B. B. Brightmore, villain who kidnaps animals for illicit research
  • Joe Seneca as Joseph, African storekeeper, mentor and friend to Tarzan
  • Sloan Fischer (who played Professor Quackenbush and Professor Majorchord on Kidsongs in 1990 and 1993-1994) as Some Man

Production

Joe Lara also later starred in Tarzan: The Epic Adventures, an otherwise unrelated interpretation of the character.

Soundtrack

Warren Zevon's Leave My Monkey Alone plays on the soundtrack as Tarzan's plane flies over prominent New York landmarks. Also, Grace Jones's Pull Up to the Bumper plays on the soundtrack in Jane's taxicab.

Preceded by Tarzan in Manhattan
Tarzan in Manhattan

April 15, 1989
Succeeded by
Tarzán
1991–1994