Jungle Jim (1948)

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Jungle Jim is a 1948 American adventure film directed by William Berke and starring Johnny Weissmuller. It is based on Alex Raymond's Jungle Jim comic strip and was distributed by Columbia Pictures. It is the first picture in the Jungle Jim series that consists of 16 films originally released between 1948 and 1955.

Production

The Jungle Jim comics had already been turned into a radio series in 1935 and a film serial two years later.

Weissmuller had appeared in Tarzan movies since 1932 but in the late 1940s his contract with producer Sol Lesser was about to expire. In February 1948 producer Sam Katzman had signed a five-year deal with Johnny Weissmuller to make "jungle movies" starting with two films a year for two years where the budgets would be at least $350,000. Hedda Hopper reported that these would be an adaptation of the Jungle Jim or King of the Jungle comic strips.

Initially it was thought there was still a chance Weissmuller might continue as Tarzan as well, but by April 1948 Lex Barker had signed to take over that role and Katzman announced Weissmuller would make Jungle Jim.

Weissmuller dropped out of Tarzan in part because he had been putting on too much weight. Katzman had a penalty clause in his contract with the actor that insisted Weissmuller had to weigh in at 190 pounds or less, or be penalised $5,000 a pound up to ten pounds, or $50,000. The actor's fee was $75,000. "If he can't take it off by exercise he takes it off by worry", said Katzman.

Filming started on August 3 on the first "Jungle Jim" movie. Weissmuller would make two films a year for five years. Virginia Grey was cast as female lead shortly before filming commenced.

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