His father had been a major in the Union army during the Civil War. Edgar Rice Burroughs attended the Brown School then, due to a diphtheria epidemic, Miss Coolie's Maplehurst School for Girls, then the Harvard School, Phillips Andover and the Michigan Military Academy. He was a mediocre student and flunked his examination for West Point. He worked a variety of jobs all over the country: a cowboy in Idaho, a gold miner in Oregon, a railroad policeman in Utah, a department manager for Sears Roebuck in Chicago. He published "A Princess of Mars" under the title "Under the Moons of Mars" in six parts between February and July of 1912. The same "All-Story Magazine" put out his immediately successful "Tarzan of the Apes" in October of that year. Two years later the hardback book appeared, and on January 27, 1918, the movie opened on Broadway starring Elmo Lincoln as Tarzan. It was one of the first movies to gross over $1,000,000. Burroughs was able to move his family to the San Fernando Valley in 1919, converting a huge estate into Tarzana Ranch. He was in Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941 and remained in Hawaii as a war correspondent. Afterward he returned home with a heart condition. On March 19, 1950, alone in his home after reading the Sunday comics in bed, he died. By then he had written 91 novels, 26 of which were about Tarzan. The man whose books have sold hundreds of millions of copies in over thirty languages once said "I write to escape ... to escape poverty".
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Biography from TMDB.
- September 2, 1875
- March 19, 1950 (aged 74)
- Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Writer, also producer
- 46 on MovieCove · 74 credits in all
What are Edgar Rice Burroughs' films like?
Across their 42 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Survival.
Genres
Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.
Themes
What they feel like to watch
Ironic 0 · Wry 1 · Earnest 37
Light 33 · Serious 5 · Dark 1
Grounded 12 · Stylized 23 · Heightened 4
Gentle 8 · Charged 28 · Intense 3
A split, not a type: Steady 20 · Shifting 18 · Whiplash 1
Straight-faced 14 · Some laughs 24 · Funny 1
Slow burn 9 · Even-paced 29 · Relentless 1
Casual 34 · Engaged 5 · Full focus 0
Easy watch 34 · Affecting 5 · Heavy 0
Resolved 39 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0
Moods and endings
- Happy36
- Bittersweet5
- Ambiguous1
AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.
Where can I watch Edgar Rice Burroughs' films?
As of October 24, 2026, 22 of their 46 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (12).
- Tarzan of the Apes (1998) · writer · free
- The People That Time Forgot (1977) · writer · free
- Tarzan the Fearless (1933) · writer · free
- Tarzan (2013) · writer · free
- At the Earth's Core (1976) · writer · free
- Tarzan and the Trappers (1960) · writer · free
- Tarzan and the Green Goddess (1937) · writer, producer · free
- Tarzán (1991) · writer · free
- Tarzan in Manhattan (1989) · writer · free
- Tarzan and Jane (2017) · writer · free
- Princess of Mars (2009) · writer · free
- The Land That Time Forgot (2009) · writer · free
Subscription and free streaming for Edgar Rice Burroughs' titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.
Filmography
74 credits, 46 with a MovieCove page.

Zenimation(2020)
Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all shows
Tarzan and Jane(2017)
Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all shows
The Legend of Tarzan(2016)
Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films
Tarzan(2013)
Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films
John Carter(2012)
Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films
Princess of Mars(2009)
Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films
Tarzan & Jane(2002)
Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films
Tarzan(1999)
Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films
Tarzan of the Apes(1998)
Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films
Tarzan and the Lost City(1998)
Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films
Tarzan: The Epic Adventures (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

Tarzán(1991)
Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all shows
Tarzan in Manhattan(1989)
Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films
Tarzan the Ape Man(1981)
Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows
At the Earth's Core(1976)
Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films
Tarzan and the Brown Prince (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

Tarzan's Deadly Silence(1970)
Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Tarzan and the Jungle Boy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

Tarzan and the Four O'Clock Army (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

The Mountains of the Moon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

Tarzan and the Great River (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

Tarzan and the Valley of Gold (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

Tarzan the Fearless (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

Tarzan's Three Challenges (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

Tarzan Goes to India(1962)
Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films
Tarzan the Magnificent (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

Tarzan and the Trappers(1960)
Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films
Tarzan, the Ape Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)
Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films
Tarzan's Fight for Life(1958)
Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films
Tarzan's Hidden Jungle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

Tarzan and the She-Devil(1953)
Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films
Tarzan's Savage Fury(1952)
Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films
Tarzan's Peril (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)
Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films
Tarzan's Magic Fountain (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

Tarzan and the Mermaids(1948)
Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films
Tarzan and the Huntress(1947)
Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films
Tarzan and the Amazons(1945)
Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films
Tarzan's Desert Mystery(1943)
Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films
Tarzan Triumphs(1943)
Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films
Tarzan's Secret Treasure(1941)
Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films
Jungle Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

Tarzan Finds a Son!(1939)
Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films
Tarzan's Revenge (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

Tarzan Escapes(1936)
Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films
The Lion Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

The New Adventures of Tarzan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)
Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films
Tarzan and His Mate(1934)
Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films
Tarzan the Fearless(1933)
Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films
Tarzan the Ape Man(1932)
Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films
Tarzan the Tiger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

Tarzan the Mighty (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

Tarzan and the Golden Lion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

The Adventures of Tarzan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)

The Revenge of Tarzan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1920)

The Son of Tarzan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1920)

The Oakdale Affair (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1919)

The Romance of Tarzan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1918)

Tarzan of the Apes(1918)
Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films
The Lad and the Lion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1917)

Tarzan: Beast Of The Jungle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
Career shape
A full career of 72 titles, 71 of them dated from 1917 to 2020.
Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.
How do Edgar Rice Burroughs' films land?
Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 29th percentile, the median of all 42; across their 39 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 34th percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up3
- 50th to 74th15
- 25th to 49th8
- Below 25th20
Shape of the crowd
18 of their 46 titles are Mixed.
- Universally Loved2
- Universally Panned1
- Cult Classic1
- Crowd Pleaser17
- Broadly Agreed7
- Mixed18
Reviewers score the dialogue 36/100 and the plot and story 40/100 in their films, across 38 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a writer.
Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.
Is Edgar Rice Burroughs' work okay for kids?
Across up to 9 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity runs lighter than most films.
Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.
Who does Edgar Rice Burroughs work with?
People who share at least 2 of Edgar Rice Burroughs' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Sol Lesser shares the most, 13.
Directors
- Kurt NeumannShared titles: Tarzan and the She-Devil (1953), Tarzan and the Huntress (1947), Tarzan and the Leopard Woman (1946), Tarzan and the Amazons (1945), Tarzan's Desert Mystery (1943)See all 5 shared titles with Kurt Neumann

- Richard ThorpeShared titles: Tarzan's New York Adventure (1942), Tarzan's Secret Treasure (1941), Tarzan Finds a Son! (1939), Tarzan Escapes (1936)See all 4 shared titles with Richard Thorpe

- Kevin ConnorShared titles: The People That Time Forgot (1977), At the Earth's Core (1976), The Land That Time Forgot (1974)See all 3 shared titles with Kevin Connor

- H. Bruce HumberstoneShared titles: Tarzan and the Trappers (1960), Tarzan's Fight for Life (1958), Tarzan and the Lost Safari (1957)See all 3 shared titles with H. Bruce Humberstone

Writers
- Carroll YoungShared titles: Tarzan and the She-Devil (1953), Tarzan and the Mermaids (1948), Tarzan and the Leopard Woman (1946), Tarzan Triumphs (1943), Tarzan's Desert Mystery (1943)See all 5 shared titles with Carroll Young
- Cyril HumeShared titles: Tarzan's Savage Fury (1952), Tarzan Finds a Son! (1939), Tarzan Escapes (1936), Tarzan the Ape Man (1932)See all 4 shared titles with Cyril Hume
- Bob TzudikerShared titles: Tarzan 2: The Legend Begins (2005), Tarzan & Jane (2002), Tarzan (1999)See all 3 shared titles with Bob Tzudiker

- Noni WhiteShared titles: Tarzan 2: The Legend Begins (2005), Tarzan & Jane (2002), Tarzan (1999)See all 3 shared titles with Noni White

Actors
- Johnny WeissmullerShared titles: Tarzan and the Mermaids (1948), Tarzan and the Huntress (1947), Tarzan and the Leopard Woman (1946), Tarzan and the Amazons (1945), Tarzan Triumphs (1943), Tarzan's Desert Mystery (1943), Tarzan's New York Adventure (1942), Tarzan's Secret Treasure (1941), Tarzan Finds a Son! (1939), Tarzan Escapes (1936), Tarzan and His Mate (1934), Tarzan the Ape Man (1932)See all 12 shared titles with Johnny Weissmuller

- Johnny SheffieldShared titles: Tarzan and the Huntress (1947), Tarzan and the Leopard Woman (1946), Tarzan and the Amazons (1945), Tarzan Triumphs (1943), Tarzan's Desert Mystery (1943), Tarzan's New York Adventure (1942), Tarzan's Secret Treasure (1941), Tarzan Finds a Son! (1939)See all 8 shared titles with Johnny Sheffield

- Maureen O'SullivanShared titles: Tarzan's New York Adventure (1942), Tarzan's Secret Treasure (1941), Tarzan Finds a Son! (1939), Tarzan Escapes (1936), Tarzan and His Mate (1934), Tarzan the Ape Man (1932)See all 6 shared titles with Maureen O'Sullivan

- Gordon ScottShared titles: Tarzan and the Trappers (1960), Tarzan's Greatest Adventure (1959), Tarzan's Fight for Life (1958), Tarzan and the Lost Safari (1957)See all 4 shared titles with Gordon Scott

Composers, cinematographers and editors
- Paul SawtellShared titles: Tarzan and the She-Devil (1953), Tarzan's Savage Fury (1952), Tarzan and the Slave Girl (1950), Tarzan and the Huntress (1947), Tarzan and the Leopard Woman (1946), Tarzan and the Amazons (1945), Tarzan Triumphs (1943), Tarzan's Desert Mystery (1943)See all 8 shared titles with Paul Sawtell
- Alan HumeShared titles: The People That Time Forgot (1977), At the Earth's Core (1976), The Land That Time Forgot (1974)See all 3 shared titles with Alan Hume

- John IrelandShared titles: The People That Time Forgot (1977), At the Earth's Core (1976), The Land That Time Forgot (1974)See all 3 shared titles with John Ireland
- Karl StrussShared titles: Tarzan and the She-Devil (1953), Tarzan's Savage Fury (1952), Tarzan and the Leopard Woman (1946)See all 3 shared titles with Karl Struss

Producers
- Sol LesserShared titles: Tarzan and the Trappers (1960), Tarzan's Fight for Life (1958), Tarzan and the Lost Safari (1957), Tarzan and the She-Devil (1953), Tarzan's Savage Fury (1952), Tarzan and the Slave Girl (1950), Tarzan and the Mermaids (1948), Tarzan and the Huntress (1947), Tarzan and the Leopard Woman (1946), Tarzan and the Amazons (1945), Tarzan Triumphs (1943), Tarzan's Desert Mystery (1943) and 1 moreSee newest 12 of 13 shared titles with Sol Lesser

- John DarkShared titles: The People That Time Forgot (1977), At the Earth's Core (1976), The Land That Time Forgot (1974)See all 3 shared titles with John Dark
- Max RosenbergShared titles: The People That Time Forgot (1977), At the Earth's Core (1976), The Land That Time Forgot (1974)See all 3 shared titles with Max Rosenberg
- Samuel Z. ArkoffShared titles: The People That Time Forgot (1977), At the Earth's Core (1976), The Land That Time Forgot (1974)See all 3 shared titles with Samuel Z. Arkoff

Mixed roles
- Max A. KellerShared titles: Tarzán (1991), Tarzan in Manhattan (1989)See all 2 shared titles with Max A. Keller
- Micheline H. KellerShared titles: Tarzán (1991), Tarzan in Manhattan (1989)See all 2 shared titles with Micheline H. Keller


