You Bet Your Life
1950
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Johnny Weissmuller. Actor: Tarzan the Ape Man. Johnny Weissmuller was born as Peter Johann Weißmüller in Freidorf, today a district of the city of Timisoara in Romania, then a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
On July 9, 1922, Weissmuller became the first person ever to break the minute barrier in the 100m freestyle, clocking in at 58.6 seconds and breaking the old record of 1:00.4 by nearly 2 seconds – a huge milestone in sports achievement.
Johnny Weissmuller was swimming’s first superstar by winning five Olympic gold medals. He won the 100m freestyle and the 4x200m relay team event at both the 1924 Paris Games and 1928 Amsterdam Games. He also won gold in the 400m freestyle and a bronze medal in the water polo competition in Paris.
Johnny Weissmuller (1904–1984) captivated the American public with his dual Olympic-Hollywood celebrity status, making him one of the most unusual and impressive stars of the twentieth century.
Jan 22, 1984 · Johnny Weissmuller, the Olympic swimming champion who went on to fame as Tarzan of the Jungle in the movies, died at his home here Friday night, according to a funeral home. He was 79 years old.
Johnny Weissmuller was an American Olympic swimmer, water polo player and actor. He was known for having one of the best competitive swimming records of the 20th century. He set world records alongside winning five gold medals in the Olympics.
Although his records have long since been surpassed, and although others have won more Olympic medals, Johnny Weissmuller remains the best known swimmer of all time.
