This weekly half-hour series starred former film Tarzan Johnny Weissmuller as James Bradley, a guide and adventurer in Africa whom the natives called “Jungle Jim”.
The series co-starred 14-year-old Martin Huston as Bradley’s young son, Skipper, and featured Norman Frederic as his East Indian aide, Kaseem, and Tamba the chimpanzee – who bore a striking resemblance to Tarzan’s pet chimp, Cheetah.
Jungle Jim was action-packed, and in the first episode alone, Jim fought natives, lions and crocodiles, and battled a raging jungle fire.
Even though Weissmuller was no longer the athlete he had once been as an Olympic swimming champion – and was obviously older and overweight – he insisted on performing all his own stunts on the show.
When Jungle Jim ended production, Weissmuller rarely appeared on television again, preferring to concentrate on his swimming pool construction business.
James ‘Jungle Jim’ Bradley Johnny Weissmuller
Skipper Bradley
Martin Huston Kaseem
Norman Frederic
