Johnny Weissmuller: Twice the Hero
Fury, the owner of Artist's Press and author of other filmographies and biographies, including a forthcoming biography of Maureen O'Sullivan (Weissmuller's onscreen Jane), has written more a tribute than a biography of Weissmuller, known for his Olympic medals and his portrayal of Tarzan. With the constant use of parenthetical asides and exclamation points, Fury's writing style reminds one of fan magazines of the 1950s, and the book is introduced by Johnny Sheffield, who played Boy in numerous Tarzan films, making this even more of a tribute. The book does contain much useful biographical information, particularly concerning Weissmuller's athletic accomplishments, as well as 104 pages of photographs from Weissmuller's film and swimming careers, as well as selections from family collections. Fury's filmography includes lists of acting and technical credits but lacks plot summaries. Also included are lists of swimming medals and records. Fury's Kings of the Jungle: A History of Tarzan on the Screen (MacFarland, 1994) would be a welcome companion to this. Ultimately though, this "biography" is only for Weissmuller's fans and is not generally recommended for library purchase.-Lisa N. Johnston, Sweet Briar Coll., VACopyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.