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Weissmuller starred in six Tarzan movies for MGM with actress Maureen O ' Sullivan as Jane and Cheeta the Chimpanzee.

The last three also included Johnny Sheffield as Boy.

Then, in 1942, Weissmuller went to RKO and starred in six more Tarzan movies with markedly reduced production values.

Unlike MGM, RKO allowed Weissmuller to play other roles, though a three picture contract with Pine-Thomas Productions led to only one film, Swamp Fire, being made, co-starring Buster Crabbe.

Sheffield appeared as Boy in the first five features for RKO.

Another co-star was Brenda Joyce, who played Jane in Weissmuller's last four Tarzan movies.

In a total of twelve Tarzan films, Weissmuller earned an estimated $ 2, 000, 000 and established himself as what many consider the definitive Tarzan.

Although not the first Tarzan in movies ( that honor went to Elmo Lincoln ), he was the first to be associated with the now traditional ululating, yodeling Tarzan yell.

( During an appearance on television's The Mike Douglas Show in the 1970s, Weissmuller explained how the famous yell was created.

Recordings of three vocalists were spliced together to get the effect — a soprano, an alto, and a hog caller ).