Where Was The First Tarzan Movie Filmed Top Jun 2026

The first film adaptation, Tarzan of the Apes (1918), was filmed in .

Filmed in 1917 and released in early 1918, the production was a landmark event for both the film industry and the state of Louisiana.

. The lush, untamed bayous of the Atchafalaya Basin served as a convincing stand-in for the African jungle. Top Filming Locations in Morgan City Atchafalaya Basin where was the first tarzan movie filmed top

Before we dive into the location, it is crucial to identify the correct film. Many people mistakenly believe that the 1932 Tarzan the Ape Man starring Johnny Weissmuller was the first. It was not. The very first adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ iconic character was a silent film titled , released in 1918.

It is interesting to note that the choice to film in Louisiana set a precedent for early Tarzan productions. While later films, such as the Johnny Weissmuller era in the 1930s and 40s, would rely heavily on the famous "Los Angeles Arboretum" and sound stages with stock footage of African animals, the 1918 film relied on the genuine, untamed wildness of the American South. The first film adaptation, Tarzan of the Apes

Producers chose this specific Louisiana town for several practical and aesthetic reasons:

However, most historians and film archives recognize as the very first feature-length Tarzan movie. And its exotic "African" jungle wasn't filmed in Africa at all—it was shot deep in the humid swamps and woodlands of Louisiana . The lush, untamed bayous of the Atchafalaya Basin

As the Tarzan franchise grew into a cinematic juggernaut, subsequent films moved away from the Louisiana bayous and explored new backdrops. Tarzan of the Apes - 64 Parishes

Several sites in and around Morgan City were used:

The first Tarzan movie ever made, the 1918 silent film classic Tarzan of the Apes starring Elmo Lincoln, was filmed primarily in the swamps and bayous of .

While the deep jungle scenes were shot in Louisiana, the production also utilized the burgeoning film infrastructure in Los Angeles, California. This was the transitional era of filmmaking, where studios were moving from the East Coast to the West Coast to take advantage of the consistent sunlight and varied landscapes.