Appearance: Touselled, tanned, big pecs, small vocabulary. Tends to crop up on film whenever a big Hollywood studio notices a gap in its summer release schedule.
Whose turn is it now to play the ape man? Well, nobody's really. Disney's new animated version went on release in America over the weekend. Hopes are high, thanks mainly to a new technique called "deep canvas", a computer-fuelled piece of trickery which lets the cartoonists animate both backgrounds and foregrounds.
Still, won't be a patch on the Bo Derek version, eh? Plenty of actors have taken on the role and lost. Nobody ever eclipsed the legendary Johnny Weissmuller, who made the role his own in the 30s and 40s. More recently, Christopher Lambert emerged with little crediblity from Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan. Miles O'Keeffe, who starred with Bo Derek in 1981's dire Tarzan the Ape Man, is probably now most famous for being one of gay comedian Graham Norton's obsessions.
What do the critics think of it? Early reactions have been good. The animation is "gorgeous", according to one reviewer, although you do have to bear in mind this is standard Disney fare. The big problem is the anodyne script. "Kids will love it, parents will sanction it, and discriminating viewers will get as much satisfaction as they would from a Big Mac," said another.
Known associates: Jane (voiced in the new film by Minnie Driver), Cheetah, and the occasional friendly elephant for transport. A host of Hollywood names are lending their vocal talent, including Glenn Close, Brian Blessed and Nigel Hawthorne. Tarzan is voiced by Tony Goldwyn, the baddy from Ghost.
Known enemies: Panthers, lions, tigers, John Travolta.
Sorry? The General's Daughter, a mystery starring the Walking Dimple, was Tarzan's box office competitor over its opening weekend.
Most likely to say: "Me Tarzan, you Jane."
Least likely to say: "Tell me, old chap, do you go for Armani or Versace?"
