movie, titled Tarzan of the Apes (1918), was primarily filmed in Morgan City, Louisiana
. Production took place in 1917, utilizing the lush swamps and bayous of the Atchafalaya Basin as a stand-in for the African jungle. Primary Filming Location: Morgan City, Louisiana Filming in Morgan City
lasted approximately nine weeks during August and September 1917 Atchafalaya Swamps:
The moss-covered cypress trees and bayous provided the "jungle" atmosphere. Lake End Park: Used for many of the village and hut scenes. Avoca Island: Another key wilderness location used for outdoor filming. Shannon Hardware:
This downtown building was used as a prop studio to build sets and costumes. Costello Hotel:
Served as the headquarters and housing for the production crew during their stay. Secondary Filming Locations After completing location work in , the production moved to California for remaining scenes. The Heart of Louisiana Los Angeles Interior scenes and additional work were filmed at Griffith Park and the E&R Jungle Film Company Used for scenes requiring specific animals. Key Production Details Extras & Actors:
The film was notable for using hundreds of local African-American residents as extras. The "apes" were actually gymnasts from the New Orleans Athletic Club dressed in costumes. The "Monkey Myth": Local legend in Morgan City
suggests that monkeys used in the film escaped or were released into the Atchafalaya Basin and that their descendants still live there today. Historical Significance:
This silent film was one of the first in Hollywood history to earn over $1 million. Visiting Today While original sets no longer exist, visitors to Morgan City swamp tours
through the same bayous seen in the film. The city also occasionally hosts the Tarzan Festival to celebrate its cinematic history. Expand map Louisiana Locations California Locations Morgan City that visit these specific historical filming sites?
movie, the silent film Tarzan of the Apes (1918), was primarily filmed in Morgan City, Louisiana
. Producers chose this location because the lush vegetation, bayous, and waterways served as a natural stand-in for the African jungle. Key Filming Locations in Morgan City Lake End Park
: A major shooting site used for many of the "palmetto hut" scenes. Avoca Island
: One of the specific areas where cameras were set up during the nine-week shoot. Downtown Morgan City
: A local hardware store served as the production's prop shop for building costumes and sets. Historical Significance First On-Location Blockbuster
: It was one of the first major motion pictures to film on location outside of the Los Angeles or New York areas. Casting Milestones
: It was the first film to cast Black actors to play Black characters, rather than using white actors in blackface. Box Office Success
: 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
While the very first movie was in Louisiana, other "first" entries in later iterations of the franchise used different locations: Tarzan the Ape Man (1932)
: The first sound film starring Johnny Weissmuller was shot at Silver Springs, Florida Lake Sherwood, California Botanical Garden of Hamma in Algiers, Algeria. Tarzan’s Peril (1951)
: This was the first film in the series to actually film portions on location in (specifically Kenya). documentary
that explores the making of this film in the Louisiana swamps? where was the first tarzan movie filmed top
Did you know the first Tarzan movie was filmed in Morgan City?
The first Tarzan movie, the 1918 silent film Tarzan of the Apes , was primarily filmed in and around Morgan City
. This production marked the birth of Louisiana's film industry and was the first major Hollywood feature shot on location outside of California or New York. Primary Filming Locations
The production spent nine weeks in Louisiana during the late summer of 1917, utilizing the local landscape as a stand-in for the African jungle: Lake End Park
: This waterfront site in Morgan City served as the main location for the hut scenes. The crew built many palmetto huts there, some of which were later burned for dramatic effect on camera. Atchafalaya Basin
: The film utilized the lush vegetation, waterways, and moss-draped cypress trees of the basin—the largest overflow swamp in America—to create a "jungle" atmosphere. Avoca Island
: Another specific local site used for jungle and outdoor sequences. Shannon Hardware
: Located in downtown Morgan City, this hardware store functioned as the production's prop shop and studio for building costumes and sets. Costello Hotel
: The cast and crew stayed here during their time in Morgan City.
California Locations: After wrapping in Louisiana, the remainder of the filming was completed in Hollywood at Griffith Park , the E&R Jungle Film Company , and the old . Morgan City was Chosen
Producers selected the area for several practical and aesthetic reasons:
Louisiana Tarzan - Home to the First King of the Jungle Movie
The first Tarzan movie ever made, the 1918 silent classic Tarzan of the Apes, was primarily filmed in the lush bayous and swamps of Morgan City, Louisiana. While the story is set in the African jungle, producers chose this South Louisiana location because its thick vegetation and vine-draped trees closely mimicked the environment described in Edgar Rice Burroughs' original novel. Primary Filming Location: Morgan City, Louisiana
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 Atchafalaya Basin: The dark bayous and waterways of the Atchafalaya Swamp served as the backdrop for most of the jungle scenes.
Lake End Park: This waterfront area in Morgan City, known for its iconic moss-covered trees, was the specific site for many "hut scenes," including the construction of palmetto huts used by the film’s characters.
Logistics & Casting: The city was selected not only for its scenery but also for its practical infrastructure, such as a railway-serviced wharf and local hotels for the crew. The production also utilized the large local Black population to cast extras, marking one of the first times Black actors played Black characters rather than using white actors in blackface. Secondary and Studio Locations
While the majority of the "jungle" was found in Louisiana, certain scenes were shot in California to round out the production:
Griffith Park, Los Angeles: Some additional outdoor sequences were filmed here.
Selig Zoo, Hollywood: Used for scenes involving specific animals and controlled environments.
E&R Jungle Film Company: A studio facility in Hollywood used for interior or technical shots. A Cinematic Milestone movie, titled Tarzan of the Apes (1918), was
The 1918 film, starring Elmo Lincoln as the first cinematic Tarzan, was the first feature-length motion picture shot on location in Louisiana and the first major U.S. feature filmed outside of New York or California. It was an instant blockbuster, becoming one of the first silent movies to gross over $1 million at the box office. Tarzan of the Apes - 64 Parishes
The first-ever Tarzan movie, the 1918 silent classic Tarzan of the Apes , was primarily filmed in Morgan City, Louisiana
. This location served as a stand-in for the African jungle due to its lush vegetation, bayous, and moss-draped cypress trees. Key Filming Locations in Morgan City
While much of the original set was temporary or has since changed, several specific sites in the area were instrumental to the production: Lake End Park
: This waterfront area served as the backdrop for many of the film's "jungle" scenes. The production team built native palmetto huts here, some of which were dramatically burned for the movie's climax. Avoca Island : Located south of Morgan City
, this private island was used for various jungle and wilderness sequences. Atchafalaya Basin
: Aerial shots and wider landscapes were filmed across this massive swamp basin, which is the largest in North America. Shannon Hardware (Front Street)
: Now a local landmark, this downtown hardware store functioned as the film's prop shop and production office. Atchafalaya River Banks
: The untamed riverbanks were used to simulate the African coastline and waterways. Secondary Locations
After five weeks of location shooting in Louisiana, the production moved to California
for the remaining nine weeks to complete the film. These scenes were "stitched together" so seamlessly that audiences of the era reportedly could not distinguish between the two states. Why Morgan City ?
Producers chose this specific Louisiana town for several practical and aesthetic reasons:
Exotic Appearance: The moss-covered trees closely matched the "moss-covered branches" described in Edgar Rice Burroughs' original novel.
Infrastructure: The town offered necessary amenities for a large film crew, including hotels, a railway-serviced wharf, and local storage warehouses.
Casting: Producers recruited hundreds of local residents as extras, including members of the local Black population to portray natives—marking one of the first times Black actors played Black characters in a major film instead of using blackface. Visiting Today
If you're looking to explore this cinematic history, you can visit the Cajun Coast
, where self-guided movie location driving tours are occasionally organized. While the original sets are gone, Lake End Park
remains open to the public, offering the same mossy vistas seen in the 1918 blockbuster. Expand map Outdoor Filming Sites Production History
Did you know the first Tarzan movie was filmed in Morgan City?
The story of where the first Tarzan movie was filmed is a fascinating journey through early Hollywood history, a time when the line between reality and the backlot was often blurred by the magic of cinema. To answer the question of "where" regarding the very first adaptation, we must look not to the jungles of Africa, but to the swamps and studios of the United States.
Here is a detailed look at the filming locations of the first Tarzan movie. The most famous scene filmed in Morgan City
While many people might think of Johnny Weissmuller or the 1980s Greystoke film as the early days, the very first time Tarzan appeared on screen was in the 1918 silent film Tarzan of the Apes. The movie starred Elmo Lincoln as the Ape Man and Enid Markey as Jane Porter.
The production of this film was a massive undertaking for the time, and its locations were split between two vastly different environments: the wilds of Louisiana and the controlled sets of California.
Since this was a silent film, there was no need for authentic African animal sounds, but they did need wildlife. The filmmakers brought in trained animals from a California zoo, but for background shots, they used:
The most famous scene filmed in Morgan City is the “ape fight” sequence. The actors playing the Mangani apes (men in hair suits) wrestled in knee-deep swamp mud. Elmo Lincoln, who played Tarzan, later recalled that the mosquitoes were so ferocious that actors had to have smoke pots lit between takes.
Understanding where the first Tarzan movie was filmed is not just trivia—it’s a window into early cinematic ingenuity. Here is why this location remains at the “top” of film history lists:
If you are a die-hard Tarzan fan or a film history buff, you can visit Morgan City, Louisiana. Here is a quick guide to the “top” spots:
Pro tip: Visit in the fall. The summer humidity is exactly as miserable (and authentic) as the actors endured in 1918.
When people search “where was the first Tarzan movie filmed top,” they often see conflicting answers. Let’s correct them:
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.
The "civilized" scenes, such as the interior of the Porter cabin and the early sequences involving Tarzan’s parents, were likely filmed on studio stages or constructed sets in the Los Angeles area. Additionally, certain coastal scenes were filmed along the California coastline, doubling for the African shores where the shipwrecked characters first land.
To summarize the keyword “where was the first tarzan movie filmed top” :
The top filming location was Morgan City, Louisiana, along the Bayou Teche and Avery Island. The film was Tarzan of the Apes (1918), starring Elmo Lincoln.
This location remains the “top” answer because it was the first successful attempt to bring Burroughs’ jungle to life. Without the swamps of Louisiana and the ingenuity of a 1918 film crew, the iconic yell of Tarzan (which, ironically, wouldn’t be added until the talkies) might never have echoed through cinema history.
So, the next time you watch a jungle movie, remember: the true “Tarzan’s Africa” was actually the deep, moss-draped heart of the American South.
Title: Location as Character: The Filming Sites of the First Tarzan Movie (1918)
Abstract The first cinematic adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Tarzan of the Apes was a silent film released in 1918. While the fictional jungle of “West Africa” serves as the story’s setting, the actual filming locations were confined to the United States. This paper identifies the primary filming site as Morgan City, Louisiana, with additional sequences shot in Chicago, Illinois.
Introduction The 1918 film Tarzan of the Apes, directed by Scott Sidney and starring Elmo Lincoln as the titular character, holds the distinction of being the first Tarzan feature film. Determining its filming location is crucial for film historians, as it marks the beginning of a century-long tradition of using exotic locales (or their substitutes) to represent the African jungle.
Main Findings
Primary Location: Morgan City, Louisiana The majority of jungle scenes were filmed along the Bayou Teche and in the swamps surrounding Morgan City. In 1918, this region was selected for its dense, overhanging moss, cypress trees, and murky waterways, which cinematographers framed to mimic a West African jungle. The humid, subtropical environment provided a practical substitute for Africa without the logistical expense of overseas travel.
Secondary Location: Chicago, Illinois Interior scenes, including the cabin built by Tarzan’s parents and certain staged jungle sets, were filmed at the Universal Studios facility in Chicago. At the time, Universal had a major production hub there before shifting entirely to Universal City, California.
Production Context The choice of Louisiana over California or actual African locations was driven by early cinema’s logistical constraints. The filmmakers prioritized:
Conclusion To answer the query directly: The first Tarzan movie was filmed primarily in Morgan City, Louisiana (USA) , with studio interiors done in Chicago, Illinois (USA) . No footage was shot in Africa. This precedent established a trend for early Hollywood jungle films: substituting American Southern swamps or studio backlots for the African continent.
Keywords: Tarzan of the Apes (1918), Elmo Lincoln, silent film, filming location, Morgan City, Louisiana cinema history