Johnny Weissmuller autographed photographic display, comprising an ink signature mounted with a 8 x 6 in. movie studio photograph of Weissmuller in h

Johnny Weissmuller autographed photographic display, comprising an ink signature mounted with a 8 x 6 in. movie studio photograph of Weissmuller in his famous role as Tarzan, under glass in clip frame, 40 x 30 cm. Johnny (Janos) Weissmuller (Austro-Hungarian/American, 1904 - 1984) an American competition swimmer and actor. Weissmuller was one of the world's fastest swimmers in the 1920's, having won five Olympic gold medals for swimming representing the US in the 1924 Paris Summer Olympics in the 100 metres and 400 metres freestyle competitions and as a member of the 4 x 200 meter freestyle relay winning team, also winning a bronze medal with the water polo team. In the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam he won two further gold medals in the 100 meter freestyle and as part of the 4 x 200 meter freestyle relay team. Weissmuller having signed with Bradley, Voorhees & Day (BVD) in 1929, travelling America doing swim shows, promoting the BVD brand of swimwear through modelling, signing autographs and doing radio shows. He made his first motion picture appearance in Glorifying the American Girl as Adonis, then in several Crystal Champions movies with other Olympic champions from the period. His acting career took off when he signed a seven year contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) and played the role of Tarzan in Tarzan the Ape Man in 1932 movie by author Edgar Rice Burroughs. He starred in six Tarzan movies for MGM with actress Maureen O'Sullivan. In 1942 he moved to Radio-Keith-Orpheum (RKO) and starred in six further Tarzan movies with Johnny Sheffield. Starring in a total of twelve Tarzan movies he established himself as what many movie historians consider the definitive Tarzan.