James Pierce was born in the small southern Indiana town of Freedom in 1900. He would take the train from Freedom to Spencer to attend school, as it had a better curriculum. After graduating, he attended Indiana University, becoming their first All- American football player as a center and set Indiana University’s discus record.

After graduating he accepted a coaching position for the University of Arizona for two years and did some acting in his spare time. On his way to Arizona, their basketball coach died and he also was offered that position. Coaching for a time in both sports, his basketball won/lost percentage record (83.3%) was better than that of the great Coach Lute Olson (76.4%). 

During the time in Arizona, Pierce wanted to become an actor and accepted a coaching position at Glendale High School to be closer to Hollywood (one of his players was John Wayne). Edgar Rice Burroughs, the writer and producer of Tarzan scripts and movies, invited him to a gathering. Upon their introduction, Burroughs was extremely disappointed that he had already hired one to play Tarzan in “Tarzan and the Apes.” He remained close to the Burroughs and fell in love was their daughter Joan. They were married on his 28th birthday and together played, him as Tarzian and her as Jane for many radio episodes.

After their acting career, they returned to Indiana where Pierce’s father had moved to Shelbyville, becoming its mayor. James became active in the real estate business until his death in December of 1983.

Other Indiana connections to the Tarzan series include:

- The first Tarzan, Elmo Lincoln of Rochester.

- Denny Miller, born in Bloomington (the family was originally from Waldron, Indiana, where his father and uncle were local basketball stars). The family later located in Silver Springs, Maryland, where he and his brother Kent played on the basketball team, transferred to Los Angeles and University High School in his senior year. There, they caught the attention of UCLA basketball coach John Wooden and both were given full athletic scholarships.

- Johnny Weissmuller, the famous 1924 Olympic swimmer, was the fourth Tarzan with Indiana connections. He was Bloomfield’s 1924 Olympian Wayne Johnson’s very best friend and visited during the 1956 Olympic diving trials held at Shakamak State Park in Jasonville, Indiana.