When Big John gave me instruction, he swam or stood close to me. He held my hand or shoulder and engaged my eyes
with his, smiled and spoke to me softly. He encouraged me always. He instructed me and said, “You can do it, Johnny; go ahead and
try.” It was good for me being with and doing things with this champion. Whether on location or at the studio cafeteria, Big John
had a place for me at his table. We didn’t always eat together, but there was a place for me. My real father saw the importance of
this relationship and would allow me to go places alone with Big John. Big John took me to swimming and diving competitions, to the
beach for a rough water swim; they would be having a diving contest off a pier somewhere and we would go. When we went off together,
Big John was accompanied by his friends. They were all champions. Imagine being at a diving or swimming event and being introduced
right along with Johnny Weissmuller, Stubby Kruger and Sammy Lee. You hang around champions like that and it rubs off — especially
if you are young. You start to think you are a Champion, too! Sometimes we went out to lunch together. Sammy liked “Stink Fish” and
Big John would take us all to lunch at an old oriental cafe in downtown Los Angeles to try the Stink Fish; Stubby and I liked the
Duck!
The point is Johnny Weissmuller was happy, buoyant, generous, playful, unassuming, loved people and sports,
and most of all he had a positive winning attitude ticking away in his inner self that made him a champion. That clock never lost
a beat no matter what was going on around him. By working, playing and being with Johnny Weissmuller I was able to see and understand
that and start a little clock of my own ticking away in me. You can start one too. Fun and Games with Big John for me was an
opportunity of a lifetime. He was Tarzan, I was Boy, he was my coach, and most important, Big John was my friend. To this day, wherever
I go, he goes with me!
JANE... I think in a Johnny Weissmuller Foreword it is fitting that I add a word about
Big John’s first Jane, Maureen O’Sullivan. She was my first Jungle mother and Tarzan and I loved her a lot. Maureen was the Jane of
the much quoted “Me Tarzan, you Jane” scene and without her in Tarzan Finds a Son, Tarzan might have named me “Elephant”! Jane prevailed
and I was named Boy and the movie days of my Tarzan, Jane, Boy, and Cheetah family began. There was Tarzan with “Jungle Wisdom” and
the physique of a world champion and Jane with a calming voice and a “figure” that could stop an elephant! Imagine growing up with
such parents! You may have noticed we all had a pretty good (GREAT) time together in our Edgar Rice Burroughs’ escarpment hangout.
Maureen and Big John shared a common desire to do other films and not be forever typed as Tarzan and Jane. At that time, Maureen O’Sullivan
wanted to be remembered for her acting abilities which she felt were limited by the role as Jane, so she left my Tarzan family for
bigger and better roles.
The last time I saw Maureen personally was February 15, 1993, while attending the annual
American Cinema Awards charity banquette in Hollywood. I was talking to Uncle Milty (Milton Berle), who was seated across from me,
when I felt a hand on my shoulder and heard a voice say, “Hello, Boy, how are you?” That voice, Maureen’s voice, took me back 51 years.
Before I turned around to look, I could see all of my jungle family in my mind. Tarzan, Jane, Cheetah, Bulie, Leo, and myself all
together in our escarpment paradise. What a moment. In the course of that evening, Maureen confided in me that in spite of all the
roles she had played in her life, she now felt fortunate to have played Jane with Johnny Weissmuller in the Tarzan series and fortunate
the Weissmuller Tarzan series became a Classic and that she was reconciled to that fact. Maureen was a working actress all her life
and played many other roles, but she will be remembered for “All Time” for her role of Jane in the Weissmuller Tarzan adventures.
I love and remember her as my Jungle mother and all that that means to me.
SEX & THE JUNGLE... My sexual
education was not lacking as Boy. As a lad, when my father, Reginald, was teaching me about the “Birds and the Bees,” Tarzan was teaching
me about the “Crocodiles and the Flamingos.” So, by the time I reached adolescence I was pretty well informed on the subject. I remember
one day while rehearsing a scene Big John caught me STARING at Jane’s curves. I came out of it when he nudged me on the shoulder.
I looked up at Big John and he was smiling. He said quietly to me: “Pretty nice, Boy, huh?” I had to agree, but boy was I embarrassed.
Tarzan then said for ALL to hear: “Boy growing up, now!” I guess it was pretty obvious to the whole crew the discovery I had made.
After that my education grew.
That one was on me and this one is on Big John. There was a time when we had a CALL
other than the Tarzan yell on the set. “Brenda Swims Tonight” echoed around the sound stage. Perhaps it is time that you be let in
on it. Big John was training a young woman swimmer, Brenda, for a series of races. (Please understand this “Brenda” was not Brenda
Joyce, my second Jane.) She was under his care and in STRICT TRAINING. The idea was to reserve all her strength for the competition
and that meant NO SEX just before a race. This approach was not working as Brenda was not winning. Big John told me he was going to
try something new. So when Tarzan told me, “Brenda Swims Tonight,” I knew what that meant. She WON! Soon the crew caught on and were
delighted when Big John came on the set and announced: “Brenda Swims Tonight.” My jungle schooling has stood me well. Patty, my beautiful
wife, and I just celebrated 41 years of marriage. On the escarpment or anywhere else, Big John taught me a healthy attitude about
SEX. He had a little trouble with the marriage thing at first; I have not, so far, thank God!