Yodel-ay-hee-hoo for Tarzan the great

THE cinema was a popular form of entertainment in the early Thirties. Most towns (including ours) had more than one. On a Saturday, there would be a matinee for the children; Laurel And Hardy and Tarzan The Ape Man were particularly popular. Many actors have played Tarzan over the years, but one of my favourites was Elmo Lincoln. He was a good tree climber and leaper — he could swing from vines at great speed and he had the ability to yodel. We heard that, on the coming Saturday, one of our cinemas would be showing a Tarzan film with Elmo in it. We arrived early to make sure we got a good seat. After the film,

just as we were about to leave, an ex-Army commissionaire jumped up on the stage and demanded we should sit down and not leave until he instructed us to do so. He then continued: ‘While making your way out of the building, I want you to show that you enjoyed the film by giving a good, loud yodel.’ The noise was terrific. According to my mother, who was outside waiting, her friend had said: ‘What the hell is going on?’ The noise could be heard at the end of the street. All of a sudden, an unexpected gust of wind blew through the streets, causing the branches of an adjacent tree to bend and sway. It was as if Tarzan had been summoned and had passed through swinging from the tree’s branches!

Bob Hunt, Bengeo, Hertford.