One of the figures that I picked up at Hackensack was the Marx 54mm Jungle Jim figure. This is a figure you do not see often. The figure is from the Jungle Jim Playset that was issued in 1957. The set was based on the television show that ran from 1955 to 1956. The series ran for 26 episodes and starred Johnny Weissmuller, who had played Jungle Jim in the movies. For the series, they added a son Skipper and Haseem his Hindu servant. Also on the series was Tamba the Chimpanzee, who had been in the movies.
The playset was a great set which had hunters and African natives. The set came with a fort that has been called the wilderness fort. It is smaller in height to the Fort Apache stockade fence and has been reissued. The hunter mold had 12 cavities 8 figures different figures and dead tiger. For some reason Jungle Jim’s servant Haseem is listed as Kulu. The figures were later used in the Daktari playset with two figures removed: the priest or minster and the lady hunter and replaced by a female which collectors call Paula a character on Daktari and a seated driver. They also removed the slugs with Jungle Jim and Kulu’s names from the molds. This version of the mold is in Mexico and has been reissued. The missing figures: the minister and lady hunter were reissued by Glencoe Models.
To tell the difference on which version of Jungle Jim you have beside if it has the logo or not, the other way to tell the difference is the type of plastic used. The Jungle Jim and other hunter figures from the playset are in a flat cream, the Daktari version are in a waxy cream. Interesting Tamba which is in the African native mold still has his logo in the Mexican reissue of the figures.
For more information this playset and others check out Kent Sprecher’s web site Toy Soldiers Headquarters.
Old Johnny a Graduate of Lane Tech High School in Chicago back when it was an all male public school with 7,000 guys.
Two years ago they opened a MIB Jungle Jim set at OTSN, it was interesting.
OMG…I remember that tv show and the day I got my playset ! Thanks so much.