Trivia for
Tarzan, the Ape Man (1981) More at IMDbPro »

• Lee Canalito, originally cast as Tarzan, was replaced by Miles O'Keeffe at the last minute.
  
  
• The stunt coordinator on this film was Jock Mahoney, who actually played Tarzan in two early 1960s films.
  
  
• This movie was Miles O'Keeffe's film debut.
  
  
• During a scene involving "Jane" attempting to get away from "Tarzan", Miles O'Keeffe found himself face to face with a full grown lion, who took on the part of the gallant gentleman saving the damsel in distress. The lion, escaping his holding pen, dived into the fray, apparently more intent on protecting Bo Derek than attacking Miles O'Keeffe (it was noted that the 200 pound man wasn't injured by the 500 pound cat). The handler was on the scene almost immediately, stopping the incident. Although neither human star were injured, rumor had it that Miles O'Keeffe thereafter made a habit of checking the security of the holding pen whenever other scenes of "violence" toward Bo Derek were done, citing a deep respect for Bo Derek's formidable self-appointed bodyguard.
  
  
• One of the few, if not the only, R-rated Tarzan films. The last Tarzan film before this, Tarzan's Deadly Silence (1970) (actually a compilation of Ron Ely TV episodes), received a G rating. Despite the vast number of Tarzan films made over the years, most of them came out before the MPAA code's establishment in 1968. Later films such as Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984) received a PG, as did Tarzan and the Lost City (1998).
  
  
• Oliver Reed was originally cast as James Parker but was forced to withdraw due to a strike by the Screen Actors Guild, of which he was a member. When the production resumed filming Reed had moved on to star in Venom (1981) and his role was taken by Richard Harris.
  
  

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