Gordon Scott (August 3, 1926 â€" April 30, 2007) was an American film
and television actor known for his portrayal of the fictional
character Tarzan in five films (and one compilation of three
made-as-a-pilot television episodes) of the Tarzan film series from
1955 to 1960. Gordon Scott was the eleventh Tarzan, starting with
Tarzan’s Hidden Jungle (1955). He was "discovered" poolside, and
offered "a seven-year contract, a loin cloth, and a new last name."He
was born Gordon Merrill Werschkul in Portland, Oregon, one of nine
children of advertising man Stanley Werschkul and his wife Alice.
Scott was raised in Oregon and attended the University of Oregon,
located in Eugene, Oregon, for one semester.Upon leaving school, he
was drafted into the United States Army in 1944. He served as a drill
sergeant and military policeman until he was honorably discharged in
1947. He then worked at a variety of jobs until 1953 when he was
spotted by a talent agent while working as a lifeguard at the Sahara
Hotel and Casino, located on the Las Vegas Strip in Nevada."Due in
part to his muscular frame and 6-foot-3-inch [1.91-metre] height, he
was quickly signed to replace Lex Barker as Tarzan" by producer Sol
Lesser. Lesser had Gordon change his name because "Werschkul" sounded
too much like "Weismueller".
and television actor known for his portrayal of the fictional
character Tarzan in five films (and one compilation of three
made-as-a-pilot television episodes) of the Tarzan film series from
1955 to 1960. Gordon Scott was the eleventh Tarzan, starting with
Tarzan’s Hidden Jungle (1955). He was "discovered" poolside, and
offered "a seven-year contract, a loin cloth, and a new last name."He
was born Gordon Merrill Werschkul in Portland, Oregon, one of nine
children of advertising man Stanley Werschkul and his wife Alice.
Scott was raised in Oregon and attended the University of Oregon,
located in Eugene, Oregon, for one semester.Upon leaving school, he
was drafted into the United States Army in 1944. He served as a drill
sergeant and military policeman until he was honorably discharged in
1947. He then worked at a variety of jobs until 1953 when he was
spotted by a talent agent while working as a lifeguard at the Sahara
Hotel and Casino, located on the Las Vegas Strip in Nevada."Due in
part to his muscular frame and 6-foot-3-inch [1.91-metre] height, he
was quickly signed to replace Lex Barker as Tarzan" by producer Sol
Lesser. Lesser had Gordon change his name because "Werschkul" sounded
too much like "Weismueller".
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