Full Name Otto Poll Years active 1921–1929 | Name Frank Merrill Role Actor | |
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Movies Tarzan the Mighty, The Little Wild Girl Similar People Henry MacRae, Jack Nelson, Ray Taylor | ||
The trailer part 2 of 2 frank merrill early tarzan actor 1925 silent western film
Frank Merrill (born Otto Adolph Poll; March 21, 1893 in Newark, New Jersey – February 12, 1966) was a Southern California and national title-winning gymnast (with over 58 titles to his credit), police officer, stuntman and actor, most famous for being the fifth actor to portray Tarzan on film.
Contents
- The trailer part 2 of 2 frank merrill early tarzan actor 1925 silent western film
- The trailer part 1 of 2 frank merrill early tarzan actor 1925 silent western film
- Tarzan Films
- Later life
- Death
- Filmography
- References
The trailer part 1 of 2 frank merrill early tarzan actor 1925 silent western film
Tarzan Films
Merrill had doubled for the screen's first Tarzan, Elmo Lincoln, in the 1921 movie serial The Adventures of Tarzan, and was cast in the role himself in the 1928 movie serial Tarzan the Mighty. A year later, he starred in the movie serial Tarzan the Tiger, which, though shot as a silent feature, was partially dubbed into sound. Merrill was thus the first actor to voice Tarzan's "victory cry" on film.
Later life
With the coming of sound films, it was decided that Merrill's voice was unsuitable for the "talkies," and he was not asked back in the role. This suited Merrill fine, as he had so enjoyed meeting youngsters via his tenure as Tarzan that he devoted the rest of his life to working with children in the Los Angeles city administration, the Los Angeles Parks Commission, as a recreation director and as a volunteer gymnastics instructor with the YMCA.
Death
Merrill died on February 12, 1966, in Hollywood, California. His mausoleum is in Hollywood Forever Cemetery.
