Tarzan Star Gordon Scott Dies

Even though this blog deals with many stars who have moved on to the stage beyond, I like to focus all of my posts on the life these actors and actresses led – not the fate that succumed them in the end. After all, the reason behind the blog was to help keep the golden era alive.

However, a sad reality is that we have to report on one that we’ve lost on occasion. This time, we’ve lost Tarzan. At least, one of the Tarzans.

Gordon Scott, a muscular actor with an extremely kind face portrayed Tarzan in 1950s movies. Those who remember his version of Tarzan remember it as a “kind and intelligent” Tarzan.

Scott, who had been living in south Baltimore, died Monday at Johns Hopkins Hospital of post-heart surgery complications, a hospital spokesman said. He was 80.

Gordon Scott’s birthname was Gordon M. Werschkul. He was a 6′3″ Physical Education major at the University of Oregon – however, he left after only one term. Apparently he had even more exciting things in mind. He became an infantry drill instructor (rifle, pistol and bayonet; judo and hand-to-hand combat; close order drill), then a military policeman. After his honorable discharge in 1947, he was a fireman, cowboy, and farm machinery salesman. In 1953, while serving as a Las Vegas lifeguard, he was spotted by a pair of Hollywood agents who introduced him and his 19-inch biceps to Sol Lesser, who had already conducted 200 tests in search of a new Tarzan.

He was given a 7 year contract, a loin cloth, and a new last name. When the studio decided they wanted to take Tarzan in a leaner direction, Scott moved on to spaghetti westerns. Apparently they loved him muchly in Europe.

On a personal note, he was married three times, including once to actress Vera Miles.

Below is his filmography from IMDB, followed by some pretty nice pics. We’ll do him the honor and ourselves the pleasure of remembering him as he was.

Segretissimo (1967) …. John Sutton
… aka Secretísimo (Spain)
Raggio infernale, Il (1967) …. Bart Fargo
… aka Danger!! Death Ray
… aka Death Ray
… aka Nest of Spies (International: English title)
… aka Nido de espías (Spain)
Uomini dal passo pesante, Gli (1966) …. Lon Cordeen
… aka Showdown
… aka The Tramplers (USA)
Hercules and the Princess of Troy (1965) (TV) …. Hercules
… aka Hercules vs. the Sea Monster
Buffalo Bill, l’eroe del far west (1965) …. Buffalo Bill
… aka Attaque de Fort Adams, L’
… aka Buffalo Bill (USA)
… aka Buffalo Bill, Hero of the Far West
… aka Buffalo Bill, le héros du Far West (France)
… aka Das war Buffalo Bill (West Germany)
Coriolano: eroe senza patria (1964) …. Coriolanus
… aka Coriolanus: Hero Without a Country
… aka Terreur des gladiateurs, La (France: dubbed version)
… aka Thunder of Battle
Colosso di Roma, Il (1964) …. Muzio Scevola
… aka Hero of Rome (USA)
… aka Muzio Scevola (Italy)
Ercole contro Molock (1963) …. Glauco/’Hercules’
… aka Conquest of Mycene (USA)
… aka Conquista di Micene, La (Italy: alternative title)
… aka Hercule contre Moloch (France)
… aka Hercules Against Moloch (USA)
… aka Hercules vs. the Molloch
Eroe di Babilonia, L’ (1963) …. Nippur
… aka Goliath (Italy)
… aka Goliath, King of Slaves (informal English title)
… aka Héros de Babylone (France)
… aka Hero of Babylon (informal English title)
… aka The Beast of Babylon Against the Son of Hercules (USA: TV title)
Goliath e la schiava ribelle (1963) …. Goliath
… aka Arrow of the Avenger (UK)
… aka Goliath and the Rebel Slave (USA)
… aka Goliath et l’esclave rebelle (France)
… aka Gordian the Glorious Avenger (Europe: English title: video box title)
… aka The Tyrant of Lydia Against the Son of Hercules (USA: TV title)
Leone di San Marco, Il (1963) …. Manrico Masiero
… aka The Lion of St. Mark (USA)
… aka The Marauder (USA)
Zorro e i tre moschiettieri (1963) …. Zorro
… aka Mask of the Musketeers (USA: TV title)
… aka Zorro and the Three Musketeers
Figlio dello sceicco, Il (1962) …. Kerim
… aka Kerim, Son of the Sheik (USA)
… aka Retour du fils du sheik, Le (France)
Giorno più corto, Il (1962) …. Soldato
… aka Giorno più corto commedia umoristica, Il
… aka The Shortest Day (USA)
Gladiatore di Roma, Il (1962) …. Marcus
… aka Battles of the Gladiators (UK)
… aka Gladiator of Rome (USA)
Regina per Cesare, Una (1962) …. Julius Caesar
… aka A Queen for Caesar (USA: dubbed version)
… aka Cléopâtre une reine pour César (France)
Maciste alla corte del Gran Khan (1961) …. Maciste/Samson (U.S. English version)
… aka Géant a la cour de Kublai Khan, Le (France)
… aka Goliath and the Golden City
… aka Maciste at the Court of the Great Khan
… aka Samson and the Seven Miracles of the World (USA: promotional title)
Maciste contro il vampiro (1961) …. Maciste (Goliath)
… aka Goliath and the Island of Vampires
… aka Goliath and the Vampires (USA)
… aka Maciste vs. the Vampire
… aka The Vampires (USA)
Romolo e Remo (1961) …. Remus
… aka Duel of the Titans (USA)
… aka Romulus et Remus (France)
Tarzan the Magnificent (1960) …. Tarzan

Tarzan’s Greatest Adventure (1959) …. Tarzan
Tarzan’s Fight for Life (1958) …. Tarzan
Tarzan and the Trappers (1958) …. Tarzan
Tarzan and the Lost Safari (1957) …. Tarzan
Tarzan’s Hidden Jungle (1955) …. Tarzan

Click each Thumbnail for the larger picture. He doesn’t look 6′3″ in these pics, or in others I’ve seen, for that matter. I wonder if the studio got creative with the yardstick!

Rest in Peace, Tarzan!

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