Gordon Scott facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gordon Scott
As Hercules for a 1965 ABC Television special
Born	Gordon Merrill Werschkul (1926-08-03)August 3, 1926 Portland, Oregon, U.S.
Died	April 30, 2007(2007-04-30) (aged 80) Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Resting place	Kensico Cemetery Valhalla, New York
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1955–1967
Height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Spouse(s)	Janice Mae Wynkoop ​ ​ (m. 1948; div. 1949)​ Vera Miles ​ ​ (m. 1956; div. 1960)​
Children	2

Gordon Scott (born Gordon Merrill Werschkul; August 3, 1926 – April 30, 2007) was an American actor. He was famous for playing the jungle hero Tarzan in movies and TV shows from 1955 to 1960. Gordon Scott was the eleventh actor to play Tarzan. He was discovered while working as a lifeguard and was offered a movie contract.

Early Life and Military Service

Gordon Merrill Werschkul was born in Portland, Oregon. He was one of nine children. His father, Stanley Werschkul, worked in advertising. Gordon grew up in Oregon and went to the University of Oregon for a short time.

In 1944, he joined the United States Army. He worked as a drill sergeant and a military policeman. He left the Army in 1947. After that, he had many different jobs. In 1953, a talent agent saw him while he was a lifeguard in Las Vegas.

Acting Career and Famous Roles

Gordon Scott was chosen to play Tarzan because he was tall and muscular. He was 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 metres) tall. The movie producer, Sol Lesser, asked Gordon to change his last name from "Werschkul" to "Scott." This was because "Werschkul" sounded too much like "Weismueller," another famous Tarzan actor.

Gordon Scott played Tarzan in different ways. In his first movies, Tarzan acted wild and did not speak much. This was like how Johnny Weissmuller played Tarzan. Later, the producers changed. Scott then played Tarzan as an educated person who spoke perfect English. This was more like the Tarzan from the original books by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Gordon Scott was the only actor to play Tarzan in both styles.

After playing Tarzan, Scott moved to Italy. He became a popular star in movies called péplum films. These movies are also known as "sword-and-sandal" films in the United States. They often featured strong actors playing characters from Greek and Roman myths. Scott was friends with Steve Reeves, another famous actor in these films. They acted together in Duel of the Titans (1961). Scott also played Hercules in some movies in the mid-1960s.

When péplum movies became less popular, Scott started acting in Spaghetti Westerns. These were Western movies made in Europe. He also appeared in Eurospy films, which were spy movies. His last movie was The Tramplers, filmed in 1966.

Personal Life and Later Years

Gordon Scott was married two times. His first wife was Janice Mae Wynkoop. They met when he was a lifeguard in Oakland, California. They married in 1948 and had a daughter named Karen. They divorced in 1949.

From 1956 to 1960, he was married to actress Vera Miles. She was also in one of his Tarzan movies. They had a son named Michael.

For the last 20 years of his life, Gordon Scott often went to film events. He enjoyed meeting fans and signing autographs.

Gordon Scott with a fan in 1995

Death

Gordon Scott passed away at age 80 in Baltimore, Maryland. He had problems from heart surgeries earlier that year. He is buried in the Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla, New York.

Filmography

Tarzan Films

Other Roles

See also

In Spanish: Gordon Scott para niños

• List of people from Oregon
• Tarzan in film and other non-print media