Tarzan yell

plural Tarzan yells

1. A loud, long, yodeling call characteristic of the fictional character Tarzan as played by film actor Johnny Weissmuller from 1932 to 1948.

   When Don Bragg cleared 4.70m to win the pole vault at the 1960 Olympics in Rome, he delighted the crowd by celebrating with a Tarzan yell.

   2003 February 16, The Independent on Sunday, London, page 17

   5 more examples

   Did You Know [...] That Johnny Weismuller often releases his terrific "Tarzan" yell that can be heard from one end of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios to an other when he feels good.

   1933 August 19, Bailey's Weekly, Perth, page 2, column 5

   Miles O'Keeffe, as The Ape Man, demands equal body time. His physique resembles "The Discus Thrower," and so does his performance. Except for five Tarzan yells, he's mute.

   1981 July 25, “Me Tarzan, You Bo-ring in Aped Epic”, in The Boston Globe, page 1

   The loopy hardcore wham of “Apeman Hop,” complete with dopey jungle noises and Tarzan yells, will also have you slamdancing with a smile.

   1986 June 17, David Fricke, “Animal Boy”, in Rolling Stone

   Surveying the living-room from on high and seeing that it was good, I climbed down the date palm, but not before I gave out three hearty Tarzan yells as I banged my bare chest with both fists.

   1991 November 22, The Jerusalem Post, page 18

   Carol Burnett donned a hardhat and let out one of her Tarzan yells at the dusty, 12-acre (5-hectare) site construction site of an arts center. "Perfect acoustics," she said after surprising construction workers with the noise.

   1993 July 2, International Herald Tribune, Paris, page 18