Frank Merrill (born Otto Adolph Poll; March 21, 1893 in Newark, New
Jersey â€" February 12, 1966) was a Southern California and national
title-winning gymnast (with over 58 titles to his credit), police
officer, stuntman, and actor, most famous for being the fifth actor to
portray Tarzan on film.Merrill had doubled for the screen's first
Tarzan, Elmo Lincoln, in the 1921 movie serial The Adventures of
Tarzan, and was cast in the role himself in the 1928 movie serial
Tarzan the Mighty. A year later, he starred in the movie serial Tarzan
the Tiger, which, though shot as a silent feature, was partially
dubbed into sound. Merrill was thus the first actor to voice Tarzan's
"victory cry" on film.With the coming of sound films, it was decided
that Merrill's voice was unsuitable for the "talkies," and he was not
asked back in the role. This suited Merrill fine, as he had so enjoyed
meeting youngsters via his tenure as Tarzan that he devoted the rest
of his life to working with children in the Los Angeles city
administration, the Los Angeles Parks Commission, as a recreation
director and as a volunteer gymnastics instructor with the
YMCA.Merrill died on February 12, 1966, in Hollywood, California. His
mausoleum is in Hollywood Forever Cemetery.
Jersey â€" February 12, 1966) was a Southern California and national
title-winning gymnast (with over 58 titles to his credit), police
officer, stuntman, and actor, most famous for being the fifth actor to
portray Tarzan on film.Merrill had doubled for the screen's first
Tarzan, Elmo Lincoln, in the 1921 movie serial The Adventures of
Tarzan, and was cast in the role himself in the 1928 movie serial
Tarzan the Mighty. A year later, he starred in the movie serial Tarzan
the Tiger, which, though shot as a silent feature, was partially
dubbed into sound. Merrill was thus the first actor to voice Tarzan's
"victory cry" on film.With the coming of sound films, it was decided
that Merrill's voice was unsuitable for the "talkies," and he was not
asked back in the role. This suited Merrill fine, as he had so enjoyed
meeting youngsters via his tenure as Tarzan that he devoted the rest
of his life to working with children in the Los Angeles city
administration, the Los Angeles Parks Commission, as a recreation
director and as a volunteer gymnastics instructor with the
YMCA.Merrill died on February 12, 1966, in Hollywood, California. His
mausoleum is in Hollywood Forever Cemetery.
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