Archimedes Q. Porter

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“	Those magnificent creatures shivering in cages. What is this world coming to?!?	„
	~ Professor Porter

Archimedes Quincy Porter is a major character in Disney's Tarzan franchise. He is Jane Porter's father who ventures into the African jungle to search for and study gorillas.

In the 1999 version, he was voiced by the late Nigel Hawthorne in the original film. In the TV series The Legend of Tarzan, he was voiced by Jeff Bennett. In the 1999 video game, he was voiced by the late Val Bettin.

Personality[]

Archimedes is a quirky yet kind-hearted individual who is deeply fond of his daughter, Jane Porter, and desires her happiness. He encouraged her to listen to her heart and return to live with Tarzan, soon deciding to go back himself. This illustrates his strong paternal instincts. He enjoys a good rapport with his son-in-law, Tarzan, yet exhibits a degree of paranoia, as evidenced by his suspicion that Tarzan could be a spy, despite the fact that having a spy in the jungle seems unnecessary. In the episode "One Punch Mulligan," his somewhat sexist attitude is highlighted when, after Tarzan declines to fight, Porter questions whether Jane is the reason and then inquires about who is in charge in their household. Tarzan, not grasping the implication of dominance in their relationship, responds that no one is dominant.

Appearance[]

Professor Porter is characterized as a short, stout man with light skin, slender limbs, white hair and mustache, gray eyebrows, and green eyes. His attire consists of a cream-colored exploration shirt, a blue bow tie, and light brown trousers. In one scene, he can be seen wearing a sturdy safari hat.

Biography[]

Tarzan[]

In the film, Archimedes Q. Porter serves as a professor and scientist who journeys to Africa alongside his daughter, Jane, and their guide, Clayton, to research gorillas. During their exploration, while Tarzan observes them from the treetops, Porter notices Jane standing in a gorilla nest. They discover additional nests, which Porter and Jane refer to as a family group. However, when Clayton spots movement in the tree and attempts to shoot, he merely frightens away some birds. Despite Porter's and Jane's pleas to avoid shooting, fearing it might be a gorilla, Clayton dismisses their concerns, insisting it isn't a gorilla and instructing them to proceed. As Porter and Clayton venture deeper into the jungle, they lose sight of Jane and start looking for her. Eventually, they hear commotion at their campsite and rush back, only to find the area in disarray. Porter joyfully embraces Jane upon finding her safe, but she quickly recounts how a swarm of baboons attacked her and that she was saved by Tarzan, who departed with the gorillas that had previously wreaked havoc at the camp. The following day, Jane sketches Tarzan on a blackboard and explains to Porter that Tarzan walked in a manner similar to a gorilla. She mentions that when he saved her, he looked at her with confusion, as if encountering another human for the first time, and that his eyes were truly remarkable. Porter humorously suggests that he might need to leave Jane and the blackboard alone for a moment. Jane then insists to her father that they ought to find Tarzan since there is much to learn from him, but Clayton advises Porter not to buy into Jane's fantastical ideas. However, just then, Tarzan appears, prompting Porter to jump with excitement. Yet, Clayton aims his gun at Tarzan, leading Jane to shove it aside, which accidentally causes it to discharge. Tarzan turns to Porter, mistakenly interpreting the sound as a gunshot. Porter starts to speculate that Tarzan could represent the missing link in evolution, while Clayton views Tarzan as a potential connection to the gorillas. To clarify, he sketches a gorilla on the blackboard, yet Tarzan does not comprehend. Thus, Porter and Jane decide to teach Tarzan themselves, initiating the song "Strangers Like Me." Porter shows Tarzan the stars and comets using a telescope and teaches him to ride a bicycle, whereupon Tarzan surprises Porter by lifting him during their ride.

Subsequently, Porter and Jane request that Tarzan guide them and Clayton to the gorillas, but Tarzan explains he cannot do so because Kerchak, the leader of the gorillas and Tarzan's adoptive father, harbors a strong aversion to humans. One day, a ship arrives to take Porter, Jane, and Clayton back to London, but Porter refuses to depart without first seeing a gorilla. Consequently, Tarzan opts to introduce them to his gorilla family while his friends, Tantor the elephant and Terk the gorilla, create a diversion for Kerchak.

When Tarzan leads the humans to the gorillas, the Professor faints from sheer excitement at the sight of the apes. Some of the gorillas begin to groom Porter socially. However, Kerchak soon appears and starts to drive Porter, Jane, and Clayton away, but Tarzan successfully restrains the gorilla leader, allowing the humans to make their escape. The following day, Tarzan puts on his father's clothing and makes the decision to travel back to England accompanied by Porter, Jane, and Clayton. Just before they embark on the ship, Porter mentions that notable figures in England, including Charles Darwin, Rudyard Kipling, and Queen Victoria, will be eager to meet Tarzan. However, upon boarding, Clayton's henchmen confine Tarzan, Porter, and Jane to the ship's brig, as Clayton aims to capture Tarzan’s gorilla family and sell them to a zoo in London for £300. While in the brig, Porter starts feeling sympathy for the trapped gorillas and furiously strikes his hand against the wall, causing the ship to sway. Believing it's his strength causing the movement, Porter is unaware that it is actually Tarzan's elephant friend Tantor and Terk who come to their aid. Once freed, Tarzan, Porter, and Jane confront Clayton and his goons in order to save Tarzan's gorilla family. Sadly, Porter and Jane observe as Tarzan reunites with his ape father, Kerchak, who instructs Tarzan to guide the ape family before dying, leading Tarzan to take his gorillas away.

The next day, Porter and Jane say their farewells to Tarzan and board a small boat heading toward the ship. However, Porter advises Jane to remain behind since she has feelings for Tarzan. After embracing her father, Jane leaps from the boat and swims back to Tarzan on the shore. Choosing to stay as well, Porter informs the captain that he has not located the group in London, claiming that people often get lost in the jungle. He then jumps into the water and swims back to join Tarzan and Jane. Ultimately, Porter is depicted swinging from a vine alongside Tarzan and Jane.

The Legend of Tarzan[]

By the era of the television series, both Porters had acquired the ability to communicate with animals, similar to Tarzan. In earlier episodes, Professor Porter was adamant about studying the gorillas while donning his fur loincloth from the movie’s finale. However, at Terk's urging, he eventually abandoned this practice completely.