Gordon Scott

Gordon Scott

Born: August 3, 1926
Died: April 30, 2007
in Portland, Oregon, USA
Gordon Scott 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. He was "discovered" poolside, and offered "a seven-year contract, a loin cloth, and a new last name."

"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".

Scott's Tarzan movies ranged from rather cheap re-edited television pilots to large-scale action films with high-production values shot on location in Africa. In his early Tarzan films, he played the character as unworldly and inarticulate, in the mold of Johnny Weissmuller, an earlier Tarzan portrayer. In Scott's later films, after a change in producers, he played a Tarzan who was educated and spoke perfect English, as in the original Edgar Rice Burroughs novels. Scott was the only actor to play Tarzan in both styles.

Fearing he would become typecast as Tarzan, Scott moved to Italy and became a popular star in epics of the péplum genre (known in the United States as sword-and-sandal), featuring handsome bodybuilders as various characters from Greek and Roman myth. Scott was a friend of Steve Reeves, and collaborated with him as Remus to Reeves's Romulus in Duel of the Titans. Scott also played Hercules in a couple of international co-productions during the mid-1960s. As the péplum genre faded, Scott starred in spaghetti westerns and Eurospy films. His final film appearance was in The Tramplers (filmed in 1966; released in the United States in 1968).

Movies for Gordon Scott...

Tarzan: Lord of the Movies
Title: Tarzan: Lord of the Movies
Character: Host / Tarzan (Archived Footage)
Released: January 1, 2017
Type: Movie
The history of the Tarzan films is presented through behind-the-scenes footage and scenes from the Jungle King’s many classic movies.
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In Search of Tarzan with Jonathan Ross
Title: In Search of Tarzan with Jonathan Ross
Character: Himself
Released: December 22, 1998
Type: Movie
A look at Tarzan on the big and small screen with interviews with some of those who have played him.
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Investigating Tarzan
Title: Investigating Tarzan
Character: Self
Released: January 1, 1997
Type: Movie
A look at the history and cultural impact of Tarzan.
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Women in Cell Block 7
Title: Women in Cell Block 7
Character: (Archive Footage)
Released: July 5, 1973
Type: Movie
A woman goes behind bars in order to save her father's life.
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The Movie Orgy
Title: The Movie Orgy
Character: Self (archive footage)
Released: January 1, 1968
Type: Movie
Clips from assorted television programs, B-movies, commercials, music performances, newsreels, bloopers, satirical short films and promotional and government films of the 1950s and 1960s are intercut together to tell a single story of various creatures and societal ills attacking American cities.
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Top Secret
Title: Top Secret
Character: John Sutton
Released: May 13, 1967
Type: Movie
A man escapes from a Russian prison and then from a United States embassy, taking with him some very important top secret information from both sides.
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Danger!! Death Ray
Title: Danger!! Death Ray
Character: Bart Fargo
Released: January 28, 1967
Type: Movie
Secret Agent Bart Fargo chases the kidnappers of the inventor of a death ray.
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The Tramplers
Title: The Tramplers
Character: Lon Cordeen
Released: December 31, 1965
Type: Movie
After the war of secession, the aging Cordeen, who owns thousands of acres in Texas, rules his numerous and quarrelsome sons with an iron hand. He sends them out to deal with the threat of the representatives from the North. However, not all the sons share their father's unlimited hatred for the Northerners and they find it increasingly difficult to obey his despotic commands. To add to the family's unrest, a prodigal son decides to return to the fold, provoking two other sons to down tools and leave. Cordeen, outraged, pursues them and tries to kill them. An absurd family feud ensues, prolonged by the participation of the entire Cordeen family.
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Hercules and the Princess of Troy
Title: Hercules and the Princess of Troy
Character: Hercules
Released: March 8, 1965
Type: Movie
Hercules (Gordon Scott) sets out to save the city of Troy from a horrible sea monster. Meanwhile, the city is threatened by a different kind of monster--a smarmy politician who will stop at nothing to seize the throne.
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L'Attaque de Fort Adams (Une aventure de Buffalo Bill)
Title: L'Attaque de Fort Adams (Une aventure de Buffalo Bill)
Character: Buffalo Bill
Released: February 17, 1965
Type: Movie
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Buffalo Bill, Hero of the Far West
Title: Buffalo Bill, Hero of the Far West
Character: Buffalo Bill
Released: November 19, 1964
Type: Movie
Colonel William Cody, alias Buffalo Bill, intends to put an end to the dishonest relations between a gang of white swindlers and the Indian, Yellow Hand. So he goes to the chief of Yellow Hand's tribe, Wise Fox, and tries to convince him to sign a peace treaty with the Federal troops. In order to avoid this, Yellow Hand abducts Wise Fox's daughter, pretending that the soldiers have done it.
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Thunder of Battle
Title: Thunder of Battle
Character: Coriolanus
Released: August 19, 1964
Type: Movie
Coriolanus leads the plebians in a revolt against Roman oppression.
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Hero of Rome
Title: Hero of Rome
Character: Mucius
Released: April 22, 1964
Type: Movie
In ancient Rome, the people finally oust their despised king, Tarquinius, and declare the city a republic. Tarquinius makes an alliance with the Etruscan king, Porsenna, to take back power in Rome, but a Roman general, the heroic Mucius, sets out to stop him.
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The Lion of St. Mark
Title: The Lion of St. Mark
Character: Manrico Venier
Released: November 21, 1963
Type: Movie
In 1620 pirates are terrorizing the Adriatic coast. Our hero sets out to defeat them.
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The Tyrant of Lydia Against the Son of Hercules
Title: The Tyrant of Lydia Against the Son of Hercules
Character: Goliath / Gordian
Released: September 4, 1963
Type: Movie
Italian sword & sandal thrills as the son of Hercules is pitted against an evil king and his wretched followers.
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Hero of Babylon
Title: Hero of Babylon
Character: Nippur
Released: August 22, 1963
Type: Movie
The rightful heir to the throne of Babylon leads a slave revolt against an evil ruler.
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The Conquest of Mycenae
Title: The Conquest of Mycenae
Character: Glauco / Hercules
Released: April 22, 1963
Type: Movie
Gordon Scott plays Glaucus, the prince of Tiryns, a powerful warrior who goes undercover in Mycenae to infiltrate the evil cult of Moloch, which is exacting tribute from neighboring kingdoms in the form of attractive young hostages, both male and female. Calling himself "Hercules," Glaucus defeats Mycenae's champions and gains the favor of the voluptuous Queen Demetra (Rosalba Neri) whose son, covered in a dog's head mask, has been raised as the living embodiment of the dark god Moloch and receives sacrifices in his sprawling underground grotto.
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The Shortest Day
Title: The Shortest Day
Character: Soldato (uncredited)
Released: February 14, 1963
Type: Movie
Two jerks are enlisted in the Italian army during W.W.1 and by pure luck manage to help win an important battle.
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Zorro and the Three Musketeers
Title: Zorro and the Three Musketeers
Character: Zorro
Released: February 14, 1963
Type: Movie
In the first half of the 1600's, France is at war with Spain. The cousin of the king of Spain, Isabella, is held captive in the French castle, and the Count of Seville is sent to France as a diplomat. While there, he is escorted by the Three Musketeers, who discover that he has secretly made a deal with Cardinal Richelieu to disclose Spanish military secrets in exchange for Isabella's release. However, he is merely bluffing and plans to take Isabella by force. When the musketeers discover this, they come to his aid, and together the four of them work at freeing the Countess. Meanwhile, the Count doubles as Zorro to free the Spanish court from a treacherous suitor.
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A Queen for Caesar
Title: A Queen for Caesar
Character: Julius Caesar
Released: December 22, 1962
Type: Movie
Story of the power struggle between Egyptian queen Cleopatra and her brother Ptolemy, and how a common soldier risks his life to serve her.
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Gladiator of Rome
Title: Gladiator of Rome
Character: Marcus
Released: September 13, 1962
Type: Movie
A warrior protecting a slave girl, who is really a princess, winds up as a gladiator in the Roman arenas.
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Kerim, Son of the Sheik
Title: Kerim, Son of the Sheik
Character: Kerim
Released: June 29, 1962
Type: Movie
In the Middle East, circa 1860s, the evil Omar seeks to become Khadive by killing off his adversaries and by marrying the reluctant Fawzia, favorite niece of the current Khadive. Omar's brutal policies result in the death of a young woman named Laila. Laila's brother, Kerim, then becomes Omar's sworn enemy.
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Duel of the Titans
Title: Duel of the Titans
Character: Remus
Released: December 6, 1961
Type: Movie
Twin brothers were raised by wolves, revolt against tyranny in pre-Roman Italy and then come to a parting of the ways as they lead their people toward the founding of a new city, the founders of Rome.
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Samson and the 7 Miracles of the World
Title: Samson and the 7 Miracles of the World
Character: Maciste / Samson
Released: October 31, 1961
Type: Movie
Samson must rescue a beautiful Chinese princess from a marauding horde of warriors.
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Goliath and the Vampires
Title: Goliath and the Vampires
Character: Maciste (Goliath)
Released: August 24, 1961
Type: Movie
Maciste's village is attacked by pirates. The women, including Maciste's fiancee Guja, are carried off to Salmanak, where dwells the lair of the blood drinking Kobrak. Maciste vows to rescue them.
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Tarzan the Magnificent
Title: Tarzan the Magnificent
Character: Tarzan
Released: July 20, 1960
Type: Movie
After the Banton family rob a store is a small village and kill the local police constable, Tarzan captures one of them, Coy Banton. He decides to return him to the authorities so that the dead policeman's family will benefit from the $5000 reward. The head of the clan, Abel Banton and his two sons have no intention of letting Tarzan deliver Coy and burn the river boat they were to use. Several of the passengers are now stranded forcing Tarzan to take them along on a trek through the jungle. Abel Banton trails them intent not only getting his son back but getting rid of Tarzan.
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Tarzan's Greatest Adventure
Title: Tarzan's Greatest Adventure
Character: Tarzan
Released: July 8, 1959
Type: Movie
The greatest adventure of jungle king Tarzan. Four British villains raid a settlement to obtain explosives for use in a diamond mine. In doing so they nearly destroy the settlement, so Tarzan pursues them to their mine.
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Tarzan's Fight for Life
Title: Tarzan's Fight for Life
Character: Tarzan
Released: August 15, 1958
Type: Movie
Dr. Sturdy is trying to establish a modern hospital in the jungle. His efforts are strongly opposed by Futa, the witch doctor, and Ramo, a native warrior.
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Tarzan and the Trappers
Title: Tarzan and the Trappers
Character: Tarzan
Released: January 1, 1958
Type: Movie
Tarzan goes up against a baddie by the name of Schroeder, who is trapping animals and selling them illegally to zoos. A twist is thrown into the plot when Schroeder's brother, with the help of money-hungry trader Lapin, hunts a different kind of quarry, human game. Now Tarzan must not only fight to save the animals of the jungle, but he must also save himself. Three episodes of a failed TV series edited for theater release.
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Tarzan and the Lost Safari
Title: Tarzan and the Lost Safari
Character: Tarzan
Released: April 12, 1957
Type: Movie
Tarzan leads five passengers from a downed airplane out of the jungle. En route white hunter Hawkins tries to sell them to the Oparian chief.
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Title: The Steve Allen Show
Character: Self
Released: June 24, 1956
Type: TV
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Tarzan's Hidden Jungle
Title: Tarzan's Hidden Jungle
Character: Tarzan
Released: February 16, 1955
Type: Movie
Hunters trespass into Sukulu country, where animals are sacred, posing as photographers.