Montyne, Sherman LaMont Sudbury, was briefly a contract artist for View-Master. He
only created two three-reel packets, “Tarzan of the Apes”, and “Beetle Bailey”. Both of these
packets were very innovative and different. Beetle Bailey had paper cutouts molded and painted
to give depth. Some fully sculpted objects were used in the dioramas. This gave the scenes a
very cartoon like appearance.
Tarzan of the Apes by contrast had fully sculpted figures and realistic dioramas.
Montyne sculpted the young Tarzan in anatomically correct realistic nudity. The fight scenes
were bloody and looked violent. The View-Master management was not pleased according to
Wolfgang Sell. These two factors together may have contributed to Montyne’s contract not
being renewed. The nudity was not full frontal, and was no more sensational that what could be
seen on the beach or in “classical” reliefs on many US buildings. It has a spectacular scene, with
awesome depth, of Tarzan flying through the trees.
Montyne was born in 1916 and died in 1989. He showed early talent, but was frail and
sickly. He studied anatomy with medical students and became a physical culturist. He became
an athlete and performed for a while in a physically demanding circus act. He traveled the
world, authored a book, View-Master reels, and a number of diverse art works. Some of his art
works were stolen by Las Vegas thugs, and he was gypped out of an extensive commission
payment. He had a great interest in 3D art. He died in his son’s arms after an illness.
(Information culled from the official Montyne website)
Bibliography: View-Master Memories by Mary Ann & Wolfgang Sell
List of View-Master projects by Montyne
1963 B518 Beetle Bailey
1968 B444 Tarzan of the Apes