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Johnny Sheffield
1931-
Updated 4/30/2008.
biography
Born on April 11, 1931 in Pasadena, California, Johnny Sheffield is the son of British character actor Reginald Sheffield (best remembered for his role on the TV series Rocky Jones, Space Ranger as Professor Mayberry). Although as an infant Sheffield was sickly, he soon grew into a strong youth. At an early age, his father encouraged him to be an actor; by age seven, Sheffield was appearing on the legitimate stage, both in Los Angeles and in New York. During a casting call in 1939, he was hand-picked from a lot of 300 child actors by Johnny Weissmuller for the role of "Boy" in the Tarzan series.
Johnny Sheffield in character as Bomba
Sheffield's first film was Tarzan finds a Son! with Johnny Weissmuller. Both the film and Sheffield proved to be popular; producer Sol Lesser cast Johnny Sheffield in eight of the Johnny Weissmuller Tarzan films. By the late 1940s, Sheffield had outgrown his role as Boy. At the age of 16, he made his last Tarzan film, the 1947 feature Tarzan and the Huntress, which was the penultimate Johnny Weissmuller Tarzan film. After returning to high school to complete his studies, Sheffield was signed by Monogram Pictures (later Allied Artists) in 1949 to make a dozen Bomba films; most of these were directed and written by Ford Beebe, a veteran low-budget director who began his career in silent films. Loosely based on Roy Rockwood's series of books from the 1920s and 1930s, in actuality the Bomba series more closely resembled the Tarzan films.
the films of johnny sheffield
Tarzan's Desert Mystery (1943)
With Johnny Weissmuller in RKO's Tarzan's Desert Mystery
Tarzan and the Amazons (1945)
From RKO's Tarzan and the Amazons with Brenda Joyce and Johnny Weissmuller
Tarzan and the Huntress (1947)
With Brenda Joyce and Johnny Weissmuller in Tarzan and the Huntress
Bomba, the Jungle Boy (1949)
From Monogram's Bomba, the Jungle Boy with Peggy Ann Garner
Bomba on Panther Island (1949)
Bomba on Panther Island was Monogram's second entry in the Bomba series
Bomba and the Hidden City (1950)
LEFT: With Sue England in Bomba and the Hidden City. RIGHT: Bomba leads Martin Garralaga, Sue England, Lane Bradford, and James Adamson to safety
African Treasure (1952)
From African Treasure with Laurette Luez
Bomba and the Jungle Girl (1952)
From Bomba and the Jungle Girl. LEFT and CENTER A: With Karen Sharpe. CENTER B: Captured by Chief Kokoli's tribe. CENTER C: With Walter Sande. RIGHT: Wrestling with Don Blackman
Safari Drums (1953)
From Safari Drums. LEFT: With Barbara Bestar. RIGHT: Lobby card
The Golden Idol (1954)
From Allied Artists' The Golden Idol. LEFT: Bomba tries to retreive the Watusi tribe's golden idol. CENTER: With Anne Kimbell. RIGHT: With Kimbbo the chimp
Killer Leopard (1954)
From the Allied Artists release Killer Leopard. LEFT: With series regular Leonard Mudie and Beverly Garland. CENTER: With Donald Murphy and Beverly Garland. RIGHT: Bomba attempts to rescue Beverly Garland's husband
Lord of the Jungle (1955)
From Allied Artists' Lord of the Jungle, the final entry in the Bomba series. LEFT: With Wayne Morris. RIGHT: With Wayne Morris, Nancy Hale, and Leonard Mudie
more on johnny sheffield
With the end of the Bomba series in 1955, Sheffield found himself out of film work. He and his father, Reginald Sheffield, produced a television pilot titled Bantu, which was much in the same vein as Bomba, the Jungle Boy. However, the pilot never found a sponsor and was shelved. Sheffield then hung up his loincloth and completed his college degree. He became successful in various business enterprises. Married in 1959 to wife Patti, the Sheffields have three children. Today, Johnny Sheffield is retired and living in southern California.
Unfortunately, many of Johnny Sheffield's films are not currently available for the home video market from an authorized source.
The Tarzan Collection [DVD] DVD
Johnny Weissmuller swings as the jungle hero, and Maureen O'Sullivan is his true love, Jane, in six classic MGM Tarzan actioners. See how the pair first met in "Tarzan, The Ape Man" (1932); ivory hunters threaten their idyllic life in "Tarzan and His Mate" (1934); Tarzan must rescue Jane from poachers in "Tarzan Escapes" (1936); the tree-dwelling duo take in an orphan boy who they name...well, Boy, in "Tarzan Finds a Son!" (1939); gold seekers take Jane and Boy hostage in "Tarzan's Secret Treasure" (1941); and the ape man takes the Big Apple by storm in "Tarzan's New York Adventure" (1942). Also includes a bonus disc featuring the documentary "Silver Screen: King of the Jungle" and other special features. 8 1/2 hrs. on four discs. Standard; Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital mono, French Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English, French, Spanish; documentary; bonus shorts; theatrical trailers. Four-disc set.
The Tarzan Collection, Vol. 2 [DVD] DVD
Jungle hero Johnny Weissmuller moved from MGM to RKO for his next six swinging action sagas. First, "Tarzan Triumphs" (1943) over Nazis who attempt to conquer a lost civilization; the search for a plant that will yield a malaria serum leads Tarzan and Boy (Johnny Sheffield) back into conflict with German agents, in "Tarzan's Desert Mystery" (1943); Tarzan and Jane (Brenda Joyce) help defend a female tribe from some nosy archeologists, in "Tarzan and the Amazons" (1945); a bizarre African cult must contend with an angry ape man when they attack Jane and Boy, in "Tarzan and the Leopard Woman" (1946); the jungle king goes up against poachers out to repopulate a zoo, in "Tarzan and the Huntress" (1947); and Weissmuller plays Tarzan for the last time in "Tarzan and the Mermaids" (1948), rescuing a young girl from a pearl trader posing as a tribal god. 7 1/4 hrs. total on three discs. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English, Spanish, French.
Knute Rockne All American [DVD](1940) DVD
In his most famous role, Pat O'Brien delivers a captivating performance as the legendary Notre Dame football coach who revolutionized the game. This moving biodrama chronicles Rockne's life, from his discovery of football during childhood and his fleeting attempt to follow an academic path to his invaluable contributions to the sport. The cast includes Gale Page, Donald Crisp, several famous college and pro grid stars, and Ronald Reagan as "the Gipper." 98 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English, Spanish, French; radio broadcast; bonus shorts "Teddy, The Rough Rider" (1940), "Porky's Baseball Broadcast" (1940); theatrical trailer.
The Lost Volcano [DVD](1950) DVD
This actioner was the third entry in the "Bomba, The Jungle Boy" film series starring Johnny Sheffield (Boy in MGM's Tarzan movies) as the adolescent African hero. Here Bomba swings to the rescue when shady hunters kidnap a young boy who can guide them to a lost city located in the middle of an active volcano. With Donald Woods, Marjorie Lord and Tommy Ivo. AKA: "Bomba and the Lost Volcano." 67 min. Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital stereo.
filmography
Lord of the Jungle (1955) with Wayne Morris, Nancy Hale, Paul Picerni, Leonard Mudie, and Juanita Moore
The Golden Idol (1954) with Anne Kimbell, Paul Guilfoyle, and Leonard Mudie
Killer Leopard (1954) with Beverly Garland, Russ Conway, Donald Murphy, and Leonard Mudie
Safari Drums (1953) with Barbara Bestar, Douglas Kennedy, Leonard Mudie, and Russ Conway
Bomba and the Jungle Girl (1952) with Karen Sharpe, Walter Sande, and Leonard Mudie
African Treasure (1952) with Lyle Talbot, Woody Strode, and Leonard Mudie
Bomba and the Elephant Stampede (1951) with Donna Martell, Myron Healey, and Leonard Mudie
The Lion Hunters (1951) with Morris Ankrum, Ann Todd, Douglas Kennedy, and Woody Strode
Bomba and the Hidden City (1950) with Sue England and Paul Guilfoyle
The Lost Volcano (1950) with Marjorie Lord, Donald Woods, Elena Verdugo, and Tommy Ivo
Bomba on Panther Island (1949) with Allene Roberts and Lita Baron
Bomba, the Jungle Boy (1949) with Peggy Ann Garner
The Sun Comes Up (1949) with Jeanette MacDonald, Lloyd Nolan, Lewis Stone, Percy Kilbride, and Margaret Hamilton
Tarzan and the Huntress (1947) with Johnny Weissmuller, Brenda Joyce, and Patricia Morison
Tarzan and the Leopard Woman (1946) with Johnny Weissmuller, Acquanetta, and Brenda Joyce
Tarzan and the Amazons (1945) with Johnny Weissmuller, Brenda Joyce, Maria Ouspenskaya, Barton MacLane, and Steven Geray
Roughly Speaking (1945) with Rosalind Russell, Jack Carson, Robert Hutton, Andrea King, Ann Doran, Mona Freeman, and Ray Collins
The Great Moment (1944)
The Man in the Half Moon Street (1944)
Tarzan Triumphs (1943) with Johnny Weissmuller and Frances Gifford
Tarzan's Desert Mystery (1943) with Johnny Weissmuller, Nancy Kelly, Otto Kruger, Lloyd Corrigan, and Robert Lowery
Tarzan's New York Adventure (1942) with Johnny Weissmuller, Maureen O'Sullivan, Virginia Grey, Charles Bickford, Paul Kelly, and Chill Wills
Million Dollar Baby (1941) with Priscilla Lane and Ronald Reagan
Tarzan's Secret Treasure (1941) with Johnny Weissmuller, Maureen O'Sullivan, Reginald Owen, Barry Fitzgerald, and Tom Conway
Little Orvie (1940)
Knute Rockne, All American (1940) with Pat O'Brien, Ronald Reagan, Donald Crisp, and Kane Richmond
Lucky Cisco Kid (1940) with Cesar Romero, Mary Beth Hughes, and Dana Andrews
Babes in Arms (1939) with Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland
Tarzan Finds a Son! (1939) with Johnny Weissmuller, Maureen O'Sullivan, Henry Wilcoxon, and Laraine Day
links
Johnny Weissmuller (1904-1984)
The Johnny Weissmuller site, created by Geoff St. Andrews, contains lots of information about the Tarzan series. You'll find a nice biography of Johnny Sheffield under the Co-Stars heading.
Bomba the Jungle Boy Movie Guide at the Tarzan Movie Guide Site
Matt Winans has created a great tribute page to Johnny Sheffield; included here are many small photos from the Bomba series, biographical information, and an interview with Johnny Sheffield.
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This page premiered July 7, 1999.
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