The Tarzan Actor Who Didn't Die From an Elephant Attack

One of Hollywood's most enduring legends claims that Kamuela C. Searle, who played Korak in the 1920 silent film serial The Son of Tarzan, was mauled to death by a raging elephant on set. It's the kind of story that spreads like wildfire—dramatic, tragic, and seemingly plausible given the dangerous stunts of early cinema.

There's just one problem: it never happened.

What Actually Happened

Kamuela C. Searle was indeed injured during the filming of The Son of Tarzan. In one scene, he was bound to a stake on an elephant's back when the animal slammed him to the ground. The incident was serious enough to be remembered decades later, but Searle survived the accident. He not only completed the Tarzan serial but went on to appear in Cecil B. DeMille's Fool's Paradise in 1921 before retiring from acting.

The myth persisted for so long that Searle's own brother felt compelled to set the record straight. In a letter to the Burroughs Bulletin, he explained that his brother had been diagnosed with cancer in 1919—before the Tarzan film was even made—and died from the disease on February 14, 1924, in a Los Angeles hospital. He was 33 years old.

Why the Legend Stuck

Early Hollywood was genuinely dangerous. Actors performed their own stunts without modern safety protocols, and fatal accidents did occur. The combination of exotic animals, daredevil stunts, and silent-era filmmaking created the perfect breeding ground for dramatic rumors.

• Searle was injured by an elephant, giving the story a kernel of truth
• He retired from acting shortly after, fueling speculation
• He died young (at 33), adding tragic weight to the tale
• Silent films left gaps in documentation that rumors could fill

The story also taps into our fascination with Hollywood's wild early days, when making movies felt like genuine adventure—and sometimes genuine peril.

The Real Kamuela Searle

Born on August 29, 1890, Searle wasn't just an actor. He was a talented sculptor and painter who brought artistic depth to his brief film career. His portrayal of Korak—Tarzan and Jane's son—required considerable physical prowess and daring, which he delivered despite already battling a terminal illness.

The fact that he completed a demanding action serial and another major film while fighting cancer makes his real story far more impressive than the myth. He didn't die in a spectacular elephant attack; he persevered through pain to finish his work, then succumbed to a disease that had no cure in the 1920s.

So while the elephant didn't kill him, Kamuela C. Searle's legacy lives on—both in the films he left behind and in the stubborn myth that refuses to die, even when the truth is more admirable than the legend.