movie, the silent film Tarzan of the Apes (1918), was primarily filmed in Morgan City, Louisiana
If you're interested in more filming locations, I can provide: Locations for the iconic Tarzan movies. Modern Tarzan filming locations (such as in Gabon). Details on how the 1918 production was filmed. Let me know which you'd like to explore next! Tarzan of the Apes - 64 Parishes
: 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
The producers chose Morgan City, a small town in South Louisiana, as the primary shooting location for its uncanny resemblance to their vision of an African jungle. The area's created a mysterious and exotic landscape perfect for the story. The entire production was a significant logistical undertaking for its time, with a budget of $250,000 —a massive sum in 1918.
While the exterior jungle scenes were shot in Louisiana, the production team returned to Hollywood for filming.
It wasn’t the jungles of Africa! 🌍 The very first Tarzan movie, the 1918 silent film Tarzan of the Apes , was actually filmed in the lush, wild landscapes of ! 🎬🐊
A waterfront area filled with moss-covered cypress trees used for many of the "jungle" and coastal scenes .
| Film | Primary Filming Location | Significance | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Morgan City, Louisiana, USA | First-ever Tarzan film, one of the first major on-location shoots | | Tarzan the Ape Man (1932) | Hollywood, California, USA (studios) & stock Africa footage | First successful sound Tarzan, first appearance of Johnny Weissmuller | | Tarzan's Peril (1951) | USA (most) and Kenya, Africa | First Tarzan film to shoot scenes in Africa | | Tarzan and the Lost Safari (1957) | Nairobi, Kenya & Elstree Studios, England | First Tarzan film shot in color and widescreen | | Greystoke (1984) | Kauai, Hawaii, USA & Cameroon, Africa | Used real African locations for authenticity | | The Legend of Tarzan (2016) | Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden, England & Gabon, Africa | Recreated jungle on soundstages with authentic backdrop footage |
The first Tarzan movie was filmed in Africa. Instead, the production chose the swamps, bayous, and dense woodlands of the American South.
served as the production's prop shop for building sets and costumes Supplemental Filming Locations Morgan City
: 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
: The cast and crew stayed here during their time in Morgan City.
Here is a look back at the top filming locations for the pioneering Tarzan movie. Top Filming Locations for Tarzan of the Apes (1918) 1. Morgan City and the Atchafalaya Swamps, Louisiana
In the spring of 1917, filmmakers from Hollywood ventured far from California to find a location that matched the "moss-laden" jungle described in Edgar Rice Burroughs' original novel, Tarzan of the Apes . They decided that the lush vegetation, intricate waterways, and thick bayous of , offered the perfect, authentic, yet cost-effective backdrop for the African jungle.
The first Tarzan movie ever made, the silent film Tarzan of the Apes , was primarily filmed in Morgan City, Louisiana