1 9 2 2 – 1 9 7 0 ) ▁John ▁was ▁an ▁Italian - American ▁ac rob atic ▁st unt man ▁and ▁ent ert ainer ▁known ▁by ▁the ▁stage ▁names ▁of ▁ ▁the ▁Human ▁Fly , ▁the ▁F lying ▁Ph antom ▁and ▁the ▁Brook lyn ▁T arz an . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁child , ▁Ci ampa ▁had ▁been ▁fasc in ated ▁by ▁the ▁ac rob atic ▁ag ility ▁of ▁film ▁stars ▁such ▁as ▁Er rol ▁F lyn n ▁and ▁ ▁Douglas ▁Fair b anks ▁Sr . ▁and ▁by ▁the ▁character ▁of ▁T arz an ▁of ▁the ▁A pes ▁as ▁port rayed ▁by ▁El mo ▁Lincoln ▁and ▁later ▁Johnny ▁We iss m ull er . ▁ ▁In sp ired ▁by ▁his ▁screen ▁hero es , ▁Ci ampa ▁began ▁to ▁clim b ▁trees ▁and ▁buildings ▁in ▁his ▁Brook lyn ▁neighborhood ▁at ▁a ▁young ▁age , ▁pers isting ▁with ▁the ▁activity ▁into ▁his ▁te en age ▁years ▁and ▁early ▁ad ul th ood . ▁ ▁Career ▁in ▁the ▁entertain ment ▁business ▁▁ ▁By ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁Ci ampa ' s ▁unusual ▁h ob by ▁had ▁gained ▁him ▁some ▁local ▁not or iety . ▁ ▁Co inc ident ▁with ▁the ▁release ▁of ▁the ▁feature ▁film ▁T arz an ' s ▁New ▁York ▁Advent ure , ▁Ci ampa ▁was ▁featured ▁in ▁a ▁Param ount ▁Pictures ▁news re el ▁exhib iting ▁some ▁of ▁his ▁fe ats ▁of ▁ac rob atic ▁builder ing ▁and ▁fre est yle ▁tree ▁clim bing . ▁▁▁▁ ▁A ▁brick layer ▁by ▁profession