First and Only Weekly Online Fanzine Devoted to the Life & Works of Edgar Rice Burroughs
Since 1996 ~ Over 10,000 Web Pages in Archive
presents
Volume 2181
DANTON BURROUGHS

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ALEX CORNELIUS
I am the attorney for the family of Danton Burroughs.  I have the unfortunate job of informing you that Danton Burroughs passed away on Thursday, May 1, 2008.  It appears that he had a heart attack.  Mr. Burroughs was a very generous man and was very committed to the community of Tarzana, the greater Valley community and the legacy of his family with respect to the same.  We are all very saddened by Danton's passing and he will be missed by family, friends and business associates.

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BOB HALL
Bad News. Danton passed on this morning. I don't have any details, I talked briefly to his wife this evening. We must connect later or sooner. 

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LARRY LINGEMAN
Bill -- How are you sir -- I do not know if this will be the first you've heard -- Danton passed away last night and as I spoke with my friend in Los Angeles -- I thought you should know -- the man was a sweetheart and I was to see him at Charlie G's in July. I would love to send you some thoughts for the website.
It's still hard to believe the guy is gone -- it is all cliche' but truly the way many are feeling. I appreciate your getting back to me -- I've enjoyed looking over the web sites -- there is some really great stuff and you have presented it nicely. If you are in town during July-Aug I'd like to have a toast to Dan. take care.

Autumn Moon
Silently, the morning light
finding width among the shadows,
befalls the open spaces green
above the winding meadows.
The final drop of darkness dries
amidst the bleeding rays,
forever to hide within the light
of all the blinding days.
The deathly glow of daytimes’ rest
shall rear its beastly head,
To veil the evening’s sweet refrain
from which we shall be lead.
The comfort lies within our grasp
to shield the pains beset,
for yonder waits the autumn moon
of peace and no regret.

-Written by L. R. Lingeman

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JIM SULLOS
Thanks for paying such high tribute to Dan on the various websites.  His passing is a tragedy for his family and the company. It was totally unexpected and we are in a state of shock.  And it happened on the very day he was to become Chairman of the Board and I President of ERB, Inc.  His legacy will live on and we at the company will remain dedicated to pursuing all the initiatives he and I discussed.  At the top of the list was seeing "John Carter of Mars", and hopefully its sequels, become a reality.  And there are others too to be pursued.

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STACY BURROUGHS
I am so sad I haven't talked to him in ages.  My Mom is coming home today from out of town I will call her to tell her as well. Love. . .

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MARY BURROUGHS
I arrived home just now and was so saddened and shocked to hear from you about Danton. I had not spoken with him for a while. Stacy and I would really like to know and be part of any memorial service or remembrance. Please keep us in this loop.

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NANETTE MARK
This is horrible news. I am deeply shocked and saddened. What especially blows me away was that there had just been a FIRE! Like de-ja-vu of the film fire in the warehouse that destroyed so much.

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PETER O'KEEFE
I just heard about danton. I`m so sad  I did not get to say goodbye. He was a great man and friend. He will be missed very very much

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MIKE RICHARDSON
Danton was a gentle soul whom I genuinely enjoyed, whether discussing business or just making conversation. In either case, the ERB library was always at the heart of our discussion and, since I'm a big fan of Edgar Rice Burroughs,  this was perfectly fine with me. His knowledge of the material and his dedication to it was always apparent. I spoke with Danton on the afternoon of his passing and he was excited about the future and the projects we were discussing, making his sudden and unexpected death all the more shocking. Those of us who knew him have lost a great friend, and he will be sorely
missed.

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JOHN SMALL
The news of Danton's death is a sad blow to those of us who love his grandfather's work and who have come to appreciate both Danton's fierce protection of ERB's legacy and his genuine affection for those of us who have long been fans. Without Danton's guiding hand we might never have gotten to finally see such "lost" ERB works as "Minidoka" and "Marcia Of The Doorstep" see publication at long last ("Marcia" has become a particular favorite of mine since its publication).

This news, coming so closely on the heels of the recent fire at ERB Inc., is almost too much to bear. But perhaps we can take some solace in the notion that ERB, who once famously said that if there is an after life he would like to explore the universe, is now sharing sharing those wonders with the grandson who has worked so diligently and lovingly on his behalf.  Rest well, Danton.

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CHRIS OLSEN
To Linda, Dejah, and Llana:  I was shocked to hear that Danton had passed away. My sincere deep condolences to you and the other members of your family.

I first met Dan in the 1970s. I was going to school at Cal State Northridge, majoring in drama. I had a class in the history of broadcasting, and decided to do my paper on the Tarzan radio shows. I knew Hulbert Burroughs, and made arrangements with him to do some research at ERB, Inc. I believe Dan had only recently started working there, in the warehouse. While doing my research for the paper I got to know Dan. He was a character, and a really neat person. Always congenial, helpful, and extremely generous.

I recall that when Irwin Porges biography, EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS: THE MAN WHO CREATED TARZAN came out, I took my copy to ERB, Inc. to have Hully sign it for me. We were trying to think of something to make it "unique." Dan suggested that Hully might apply black ink to his derriere, and sit on the flyleaf of the book. We settled for Hully signing the book and affixing his thumb print after his signature. I tried to get Dan to sign it too, but he said, "Ah, you don't want my autograph" I guess he thought he wasn't important enough to sign it. I should have insisted.

On another occasion, I remember Dan was quite excited about a collection of antique bottles he had recently acquired that he still had packed in the trunk of his car. I and another friend were not impressed. We chided Dan, accusing him of collecting anything that was old. I and the other friend decided to present Dan with a gift only he would appreciate. I had an old beat up copy of JUNGLE TALES OF TARZAN. We removed all the pages, leaving only the covers, got some old wilted lettuce and some other vegetables, placed the book on top of the bed of lettuce and with great ceremony told Dan we had found a precious antique for his collection, and presented him with the box and the treasure within. Now it was Dan's turn to not be impressed by our most thoughtful gesture.

I kind of lost touch with Dan over the years, only sending a card or a note now and then. I also had become less and less active in ERB fandom. Then, with the advent of the internet, E-Bay, and the on-line fanzine, ERB-Zine, I started collecting again, and became more active. My regret was not keeping up with my friendship with Dan. Of course, my intention was to get back in contact, but I kept putting it off, assuming there was no great hurry, for we had all the time in the world. So much for procrastination.

Again, I am very saddened by your loss. It may sound trite, but Dan will be greatly missed.

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JERRY O'HARA
I feel such a loss with his sudden passing.  Dan brought ERB to life for me, showing and sharing all of his newly discovered mementos with me as he found them as if I also was ERB's grandson (what an honor that would have been).  Hard to believe those times are now gone.

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DAVID BURTON
Thank you for what you've done and for the things you shall do to bring ERB to us. I had wanted to donate some of my Mars art to Danton at some point, we had briefly discuss this, but at the time I had wanted to keep it all together until I could find a larger publisher (which I'm still doing). I do however want to do what I've been planning for sometime now, which is to do a portrait of Danton. He knew of it and was flattered and I had planned on giving to him. I'm hoping to have it completed around the end of June or mid way through July. I'm working from several photo references as that I want to capture him. He had this gleam in his eyes that was like a little kids at Christmas and I want that to be a part of this.

One of the greatest events in my life was meeting him. He was one of the first people to tell me that my style reminded him of St. John (though I never tried to emulate it in any way, it seems to have crept in) and how he thought that my vision of Mars had gotten it right. What I'll never forget one other thing he said about my work,  as that it is the greatest compliment of my life. He said he thought that my vision of Mars was the best done by everyone, including Frazetta. I've had that same compliment made to me by others since, but Danton was the first. And to this day, its his words I hear that still bring me up when I'm not feeling like I can't draw, paint, or that anyone wants my art. I have so many warm memories of him for the first meeting and from all of
the calls that we made.

I feel very sad about his passing and though I didn't know him well, I feel I lost a good friend. With my Deepest Sympathies. . . 

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HARRY KNOWLES (Ain't It Cool News)
Danton Burroughs has joined Edgar & John on Barsoom...
I feel of all the obits I've been tasked with writing this one is the toughest. If you're a fan of Edgar Rice Burroughs' work - then you probably are familiar with his grandson Danton. I was blessed to have had numerous conversations with Danton regarding the Paramount gestation of the JOHN CARTER OF MARS movie. He had invited me out to Tarzana, California to go through some of Edgar's estate - show me the actual sword that John Carter gave his grandfather as proof of his tale - and I was very much looking forward to doing just that - but I told Danton that I didn't feel I would have earned the right till we got the Greenlight to shoot. Unfortunately, that light never came.

It is, perhaps, supremely ironic that Danton died on the weekend of IRON MAN's release. As IRON MAN, to a degree, signaled the end of JOHN CARTER at Paramount. Jon Favreau was incredibly passionate about bringing Danton's dream of seeing Edgar's vision to life. I remember when Danton saw the tests that Kerry Conran put together as a proof of concept to show Paramount... he was so incredibly excited. There were a few filmed moments of John walking and leaping upon the surface of Barsoom... and it was glorious.

The reason this obit is hard, is we let Danton down. Sure Pixar is going to make a brilliant John Carter series, but it is too late now for Danton. Danton has long been the stalwart protector of the Burroughs realm. Making sure that his Grandfather's properties were protected and given the utmost respect that they deserved. I'll cherish sharing a dream of realizing Barsoom with him - just as I love the visions of the great unmade Burroughs epic that I saw with Rodriguez, Conran and Favreau.

However, when Pixar hatches a Tharkian egg and lets John hop upon the Martian plains... I feel that Danton's spirit will be cheering the adventures on... just as he had in life. With his passing, an end of an era for the Burroughs world has passed into the mist. He was a very, very good man.

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JAIRO UPARELLA
I am terribly sorry with the sad news about Danton Burroughs. I had never met him but was looking forward to doing so. It is not difficult to understand you and he were very close friends and we all know the great work you had done together. Adrianita and myself want to express our most sincere condolences. We are with you in these sad hours.

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SEAN EGAN
That's shocking Bill. Thanks for letting me know. 

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PATRICE BONNEYRAT
I'm very shocked to hear about the passing of Danton. If you please, can you let me know when you have more information.

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FRANK & DOREEN WESTWOOD
It is with great saddness that wew have learned of the death of our dear friend and companion Danton, God Rest His Soul. He at least is at rest and with his parents, his grand father, Mike Pierce and all the rest of the family. The people left behind are always the ones who will suffer and grieve over Danton's passing. Linda his wife and Llana and Dejah his two daughters.

You Bill will have been very heavily hit by this tragic passing. You spent so much time at ERB Inc. in the warehouse looking over the various artefacts and papers and books and the wealth of Burroughsiana that is there. I only hope that who ever is the guardian will look after it all with care and dignity. Thank you so much for having given so much of it to us through the medium of your web site. I know and feel that you and Danton had a great time sorting this and that and the other as they say. So much and so little time to view it all.

I have been praying for the repose of Danton's soul, for his wife and children. Also for people who knew him well, like George McWhorter and a myriad of Burroughs fans. I will also pray for you both to help you overcome your grief, and ask the Good Lord to bring some measure of soalce to you both in this time of trial and sadness. All our love to you Bill & Sue and May the Good Lord overshadow you and keep you both safe and Healthy. With all our love . . .

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RON PRINDLE
My condolences on the passing of your good friend Danton.  I was very surprised to hear of it.  I suppose it wasn't sudden, as they say, but it sure seems like it.  Who will carry the banner for the Burroughs family in the future?  Kind of like 9/11 isn't it?  Well, God bless you and George and the others. Once again, my condolences.

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CAMILLE (CAZ) CAZEDESSUS II (Ed. & Pub. ERB-dom)
How amazed and pleased I was when I first met Danton Burroughs. I immediately recognized a that certain character of class and intelligence, a worthy descendent of ERB, and an immediate friend for a mere fan of his grandfather. Now and then he would "introduce" me as someone who "knows almost more about my grandfather than I do." He will be missed by me in a certain, special and personal way. Not everyone gets to go on a double-date with Danton Burroughs, but I did. He was a good guy.

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DAVE HOOVER
What a shock it was when I heard the news about Dan.  It had been a few years since I talked to him last, now of course I wish I had taken the time to call on old friend. You get busy with life and all the things that go into trying to raise a family, and it's been a while since I attended one of the Tarzan/ERB gatherings, so it has been a few years since I saw Dan last.

When I think of Dan I will always think of him as sort of a big kid, he seemed to enjoy life immensely.  I will always remember my first meeting with him.  It was in 1977, and I was in California for the first time, 22 years old.  I immediately found Tarzana, went to a pay phone, and called ERB Incorporated.  They put Dan on the phone, and I introduced myself, and I'm sure he thought, "Well here's another dedicated fan."  So he gave me a time when I could stop by.

Armed with my Tarzan drawings I walked through the doorway into "ERB Land."  My original intention was to try to join the Tarzan art studio started by Russ Manning.  I found out at that visit that they had recently ended the studio, but oh well, I was in Tarzan Mecca.  Dan was very patient with me.  I saw ERB's desk and all the book shelves, the paintings on the walls, letting it all sink in.

The surprise of the visit came as I was looking at ERB's desk.  A back door opened, and in walked several people in business suits, one of whom was James Pierce. I was going to have to end my visit because they were having some sort of specail meeting.  As I stood there sort of dumbstruck Dan grabbed a pamphlet they had handed out to me and had Mr. Pierce sign it for me.  I was to much shy to ever ask such a thing.

So I left that day with stars in my eyes.  The next time I saw Dan was at Filmation about a month later.  I think I surprised him because there I was working on the Tarzan cartoon, and I don't think he really expected me to actually make a go of it as an artist.  I guess I was just determined, but it was really a surprise to me too.  Dan was there to pick up a supply of Tarzan frizzbees.  They would pass them out to studio visitors, and Danton seemed to have the run of the studio, mainly because the Tarzan cartoon was a big success for the studio.  Dan told us he liked taking a supply of frizzbees up to the top of the local hills and just letting them fly.  They were the best flying frizzbees I had ever seen, they seemed to just go forever.  And that's what I mean about being a big kid.  I think all of us Tarzan/ERB fans are just big kids at heart.

I saw Dan many times over the years before I left California for good in 1987.  In fact whenever Dan would have a visitor from almost anywhere in the world he would call me up to say that so and so was in town and he thought I would like to meet them.  So I met many ERB fans because of Dan.  Then there was the time when he set up a meeting with Gordon Scott.  I could go on and on.

If you could pass my condolences to Dan's friends and associates I would appreciate it.  We've lost the biggest ERB fan there ever was, and I will miss him.

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KEITH RICKS
Danton, you were a very kind person you will be missed.

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RUSSELL EDSINGER
Please extend to the Burroughs family my heartfelt condolences on Danton's passing. It is a great loss to the family and to the countless fans of ERB's legacies. Danton was always kind to me when I contacted him a few times. And I was saddened upon hearing the news. You are in my prayers . . .

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ANDY MANGELS
Strangely, I was in Tarzana last week, and met Danton for the first time on Tuesday, the day before his unfortunate passing. I was out to lunch at IHOP with Lou Scheimer (founder of Filmation), doing more interviews for his upcoming biography, LOU SCHEIMER: CREATING THE FILMATION GENERATION (out Fall from TwoMorrows). Danton came over and said Hi to Lou, then was introduced to me. He had an extremely firm handshake. We discussed the book, and he invited us to come over to the house to go through the files to see what we could find on Filmation's Tarzan for use in the book. I mentioned that I'd only be there for another day-and-a-half, but if not this trip, perhaps another.  We chatted about him doing the Tarzan yell on the series.

He also talked for a bit about how excited he was with the work Pixar was doing on John Carter. He had just returned from their offices a day or two earlier and had seen early materials, and was quite enthusiastic.  He also discussed with Lou his health, which seemed to be doing much better; the Parkinson's medications were working well. I couldn't even see a hint of him being anything but a guy in great shape and health!

After about five minutes of chatting, he ambled off to pursue his day. I remarked to Lou how nice he had been and how healthy he seemed. We discussed whether or not we could make time to see him while I was still in town.  Regrettably, we did not.

We actually heard the sirens on Wednesday night (Danton lives just down the hill from the Scheimers) but didn't know they were from the Burroughs place. Lou found out yesterday when speaking with a firefighter. He's a bit sad, as he had known Danton for 30-40 years...

My condolences to the Burroughs family and fans.

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DR. NICK NEWTON-FISHER
So sorry to hear about Danton. My condolences to all his family and friends.

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CHRIS WRENN
I just heard the news today about my good friend Danton when I returned from a trip to the East Coast.  How sad!  I was over at his house on Tuesday April 29th and he was in good spirits and talking about all of his upcoming projects.  I will sorely miss my frequent visits with Danton and our dinners at Charlie G's with John.
 He was truly the "keeper of the (Tarzan) flame"!

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KEN MANSON
    I never met Danton in person. I was fortunate enough to talk to him once by phone in the summer of 2006 for an article I was doing for Pioneer Press on the Dum-Dum being held in  Oak Park that year. I think Jerry Spannraft helped me get in contact with him.
    We had hoped Danton could make it to the Dum-Dum, but he had concerns about his health. He mentioned his love of slot machines and I said a slot machine show is held regularly at the Pheasant Run hotel/convention center in St. Charles, hoping that might be one reason for him to come here. He was very cooperative in talking to me. I was awed being in contact with the relative of one of my favorite authors and one who has kept Edgar Rice Burroughs' name alive more than 50 years after the author died.
   I was fortunate that my article and a followup using material not used in the Pioneer Press article was printed in ERBzine. It is odd that ERBzine reprinted the second article just weeks before Danton died. I am hoping to revise those articles and reprint them in the next issue of the Muckers Magazine.
   I was shocked when I read in eRBzine that Danton died and more so that it was not from Parkinson's from which he suffered. That also was the first I heard of a fire in his archives that could have led to his death.

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ROBERT BEERBOHM
I met Danton the first time during the 1974 Toronto World SF Convention. He had come into town to check out a reputed mint dust wrapper to A Princess of Mars Camille Cazedessus had for sale. If I remember correctly, Caz wanted three grand for it, a princely sum in those says, when the popular legends held forth there were only 3 DJs to ERB's first hard cover known to exist at the time. I got to see the DJ before the deal went down, it was truly a beaut, and both parties walked away from it very happy. Though I have a set of the McLurg ERB firsts, I have never seen another one since either -

It was that weekend when I learned ERB, Inc. was becoming active again. The old hard covers damaged in the fire were dusted off to be sold, most likely when Danton began working in the warehouse, discovering the holes in the family archives.

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GEORGIA PINE
What an untimely and tragic loss to the ERB world.  My mother introduced me to the Tarzan books of Edgar Rice Burroughs when I was eight years old.  I’ve been a Tarzan fan ever since and a little bit of John Carter too.  I was thrilled when I discovered the family tree of ERB sites on the Internet. They all together have provided me and others with a wealth of information.   Danton Burroughs brought a special insight about his grandfather and made him live (again) through all of the memorabilia Danton shared with others.  The huge legacy that Danton left us still needs to be continued.  It is my hope that someone (within the Burroughs family maybe) will take up the fallen torch and fill the enormous gap left by Danton’s untimely death.

My condolences to the Burroughs family.  May his memory be Eternal.

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BRUCE AND KRISTA MEYER
I have been quite busy lately starting up a new business.  It has been a number of weeks since I have taken time to check out the web site.  Therefore it was quite a shock to pull up the web site this morning and learn of Danton's passing. Losing a best friend is one of  life's most introspective times.  Krista and I want to send along our heart felt sympathies to you.

I am sure Danton's life was made more pleasurable due to your companionship.  His grandfather's legacy and imagination have been kept active due to your combined works.  I hope that you will be able to continue with the work you do. Best wishes to you.

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WARD ORNDOFF
I don't recall exactly when I first spoke to Danton.  Sometime in the 70's, I believe.  I called ERB, Inc to inquire about the availability of some hardbacks (back at the time the '48 reprints were $30 apiece, it turned out), and Danton himself talked with me.  In that very first conversation his consciousness of, and consideration for, us fans was obvious.

I didn't meet him in person until 1989, when I went to the gathering in Tarzana.  I was overwhelmed by all the treasures we got to see, and by how Danton opened his office and home to us.  I had driven my old sports car out from Florida, intending to fly home for work, and fly back a couple off weeks later for a track event at Riverside.  The plan was to leave my car at the airport.  Bill Ross mentioned this to Danton, who agreed to keep the car at his house for the 2 weeks.  This for someone he barely knew.  That's the kind of person Danton was.  (He didn't drive the car himself, although I told him he was welcome to.  I seem to recall Linda did, though.)

I next made it out for the 1996 gathering, which was as much fun as the '89 event.  I won't say it was the same, as there were always new things to discover and share.  But the sense of friendship and generosity were the same.

That marked the last time I saw Danton in person.  We spoke occasionally over the years -- too seldom, it seems.  His enthusiasm and efforts for his grandfather's legacy and his regard for us fans were always undiminished.  He will be deeply missed.

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CHARLES EDWARD POGUE
I didn't know Danton well, but I remember his first phone call to me out of the blue, where he praised my PRINCESS OF MARS script and felt I had caught the spirit of his grandfather's seminal science-fiction work.  His continued praise and trumpeting of it over the years after many other scripts by many other hands had been written was always a welcomed ego-boost.

He was always a friendly cheerful presence when I'd meet him at Burroughs events or at book fairs where we frequently ran into each other and occasionally found ourselves pursuing the same rare item.

His openness and accessibility to Burroughs fans and businesses wanting to explore the world of Burroughs has helped to revive the legacy of ERB's work and insured its continued enjoyment by at least another generation or so of devotees.

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SHAWN DUECK
My dearest condolences to the family and Friends of Mr. Danton Burroughs.

Many people fail to appreciate the value of their own heritage until nearly all tangible remnants of it have vanished.  Danton Burroughs was not only a good steward of his family’s legacy, he was an active promoter and defender of it, to the benefit of his loved ones and of the millions of Burroughs fans worldwide.  And it seems to me that Danton was able to accomplish this without becoming lost in the shadow of his forebears, instead distinguishing himself as an individual to be reckoned with.  That is ability both Tarzan and John Carter would admire.

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DAN BERSTLER
Goodbye, old buddy. As a fan of your grandfather since the 30's, I'll miss you as much as I miss him.

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SANDY SIVACOE QUIGLEY
I am so very sorry to hear of Danny's passing.  My twin brother and I went to high school with Danny and my brother, Bob Sivacoe lived in Catalina with Danny in their late teens for awhile and had a great time.  Danny and Bob were in the Tri-Chi Fraternity at Pierce College in the middle 60's.  That was such a fun time in all of our lives.  Bob and I had lunch at Monty's with Danny and have pictures of that day and later went up to his house to see his treasures, so many.  That was about a year ago or so and I am so glad we did that.  For our 40th birthday Dan brought over a jukebox and we had about 100 friends from the old days of Tarzana (we grew up in Tarzana also) and had a ball.  My brother and Dan did the Tarzan yell all the time and were two birds of a feather.  We will always treasure our times and memories with and of Danny.  He was one of a kind, unique, smart and loved his family history.  He looked so much like his dad and grandfather.  He loved his mom so much too and Linda and the girls.  Love to you Danny . . . 

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RICHARD ROSE
 I have not seen you in a long time. I surely would liked to have seen you at least one more time.  It looks like you aged better than I.  While it was your brother John that I knew best, we did spend times together.  I came to your house, at your invitation, years ago when you first got it and already you were totally refurbishing it.  Even then you had old cash registers, old juke boxes and so many other collectables all over the house.  That certainly was our common bond.  Of course you collected things way beyond anything I could hope to have collected.  It looks like many of the things you collected (that I can see) are things I would have collected, just because they are old or unique and old. I was an energetic guy, but you were so much more energetic.

Thanks, mostly to you, Tarzan lives on. I collected comics as a kid and certainly Tarzan was one of my favorites. What I would like to thank you for is preserving a part of all of our lives that started around the end of the War and that we shared in this greatly expanded Valley.  The way things were was so calm and beautiful and you and your Dad and Grandfather helped save it as well as build it and help develop Tarzana and other parts of the Valley. A lot of the Valley has moved on, as everything does, but thanks to you a part of this Valley can live on for years to come, as it did so many years ago.  I had not seen your house for years, but the photos of it are amazing.  Hopefully that house will become a landmark.

I hope to come to the Memorial.  God Bless you Dan.

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RUSSIE OFRIA
GOODBYE MY DEAR FRIEND.
My heart weighs heavily as these words are set down.
Always my friend, inspiration and encourager when times were rough.
Always generous and kind, yet with strength and great wisdom you guided me.
Never shall I forget what you have done for me, and many others.
Your spirit shall live on in my heart until such time as I shall be delivered to the arms of God, then to see you again.

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RICK BENAVIDES
I was a personal friend of Dan along with my father and I would just like to add that he will be missed. On behalf of my whole family we  would like to express our sympathy.

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KATHY SPAIN
I am Joan Burroughs Pierce's granddaughter.  My Mom, Joanne Burroughs Pierce Anselmo loved Danny (as she called him).  I know that she would want me to share with you her love of Dan and total faith she had in him at ERB.  I always heard warm memories of every conversation they had and he was always kind and loving to my mom.

Dan - I wish I could have met you and you are joined with many loving arms waiting to welcome into your final home.  My heart goes out to Dan's wife and girls.  I'm so sorry for your loss. With a heavy heart . . .

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DEBBIE AND DAVID T. ALEXANDER
Dear Linda, Dejah, Llana and the extended Burroughs family,

David and I have known and been a friend of Danton's before and after he married. We have such fond memories of our friendship, the laughter, lunches, dinners and visits to the Danton "mansion". I can still see him swinging out on the Tarzan rope and doing the Tarzan yell. My last memory was just before we moved to Florida when David and I were invited to join him at the Miss Tarzana beauty contest.  Jock Mahoney and Gordon Scott were there at our table, along with a young man from Midland,Texas (one of my home towns in West Texas - the other was neighboring Odessa) who was a bigggg Burroughs collector.

David had sold him many Burroughs items we had in our stores and warehouse in Studio City, CA - The American Comic Book Company. David's last time to see Danton was at a Dum-Dum convention about 4  years ago. Ironically our church minister of music, Ron Upton, was there too. He is also a big Burroughs fan and collector.

Linda, I must say that yours and Danton's girls are beautiful young ladies. Dejah looks just like how I remember you, except she is a blonde version. Llana Jane is lovely too. They were both young girls when we moved away from CA. Don't know if you remember, but we had three children - Tyler now 29, Carri nearly 28, and Cassidy 24. We inherited one more son in 1992 - Austin 15 since living in Tampa.

Over the years I have thought about Danton, and asked David if he visited him whenever he traveled to LA for the San Diego Comic Con. He never seemed to have the time. Some years I would send a Christmas card and newsletter. I prayed for Danton when I heard about his battle with Parkinson's. The one time I made the trip with David to LA, I wanted to look up Danton to say "Hi", but our time was so short after the Comic Con and I was on David's schedule pretty much.

I will pray for your family and the extended Burroughs family in the days ahead. May God bring you comfort and strength to bring you through this time of grief. What a total shock it was to hear from another LA friend about the news of Danton's death! I wish we could be there in person for the memorial on Saturday. Know that David and I will be there in spirit and tribute to a wonderful, witty and gracious man that Danton was to us and many others. He will truly be missed. God bless you and your family . . . 

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STEVE ALLSUP
The years with Danton at the helm have been marvelous! I remember well back in the 1980's, first hearing about him on a news segment on the radio. In his interview he gave an authentic Tarzan cry, and was swinging from his vine in the back. I knew then that this ERB descendant was the real deal. A year later I wrote to ERB Inc. to inquire if they still had any hardbacks left for sale in their warehouse, and Danton sent me a personal reply, enclosing a list of the volumes remaining. That greatly impressed me and I still have that letter.

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MICHAEL TIERNEY
Danton Burroughs was a good friend for years.

What made Danton so special was his friendly demeanor. He was one of those unique people who could make friends with any and everyone. His knowledge and understanding of his grandfather's writings, and the network of fans inspired by them, made him the perfect person to manage the intellectual properties of Edgar Rice Burroughs.

He will be missed.

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JIM COLOVIN
In Memory of someone that I would have enjoy talking with for hours. He deserves his own Hollywood Walk of Fame STAR! 

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GEORGE T. McWHORTER
It is with grief and shock that I learned of Danton's death, knowing that we had been good friends since 1976, and that I could never again see him or chat with him over the phone.  He had become a way of life which I never thought would end.  It will be difficult to find a new way of life, since the memory of Edgar Rice Burroughs and his works are all that I live for.  It is my hope that another Burroughs family member will step forward to take his place.  Meanwhile, my sincere condolences in this time of grief. 

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KIM (BURROUGHS) SIFLINGER
Danny Remembered:
So long Danny.  We will miss you even though I haven't seen you in many, many years.
Love . . .

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JERRY FECHT
I would like to thank all of the folks involved in the generous tribute to the life and adventures of Dan Burroughs. Now the Tarzana Community Center will always be for me a sacred place. 

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MICHAEL PASQUA
A few years ago, my old pal and former Del Rey editor, Steve Saffel, was staying with my family in California.  One Saturday, he told me that he had an appointment lunch with Danton Burroughs and invited me along.  Steve knew that my father was a HUGE Burroughs fan and thought that I would get a charge out of it.  First, we went to the vaults to see the original handwritten drafts of Tarzan Of The Apes and A Princess Of Mars, which was proposed to be part of a new special edition that was to be put out by Del Rey (a plan that, unfortunately, never saw fruition).  As we went to lunch, Danton was unbelievably kind as my ramblings about  my father's love of his grandfather's writing and was impressed with the fact that, when my father and mother first came to the United States from the Netherlands, the two authors that he read exclusively were Edgar Rice Burroughs and Mickey Spillane.  When we returned to the offices, Danton pulled out a hardcover copy of Tarzan And The Foreign Legion and autographed it to my dad.  I was overwhelmed at the generosity of the gift and that my father still treasures this simple act of kindness to a longtime fan to this day.  That day, I got a real understanding of the making of this fine individual.  Danton - Godspeed - there really is a special place in heaven for you. 

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DAN DARO
I received a call from my longtime friend Russ Ofria around noon today (5-17-08) informing me of my good friend Danton's passing. I was taken aback to learn he had died two weeks before and no one told me. That took a while to sink in, yet it's understandable since Danton was loved by so many and I had little interaction with his family.

The memorial was going to be held in two hours, so instead of arranging to take flowers, I spent the next hour writing a poem. This was the first time I was writing a poem for a man and not some girl I was trying to date. At the time, I had no idea of the circumstances of his passing. (The poem follows this).

At his house many many times over the last half dozen years if only to pull the cover off of one cache of  'things' in the corral to use it to cover more valuable 'things' 25 feet away as the rain poured down. His old friend John and I scampering around with tarps as Danton would call out: "No cover these over here instead" while shining a 300,000 candle power flashlight in our eyes.

There were times Russ, Danton and I would set in the middle of his living room surrounded by boxes of records and playing them on a battery operated portable record player. Don't ask me why. Electricity was three feet away. He'd hand me a record, I'd set the needle down and 18 seconds into the song he'd hand me another one and say: "Here put this one on."

I am glad we had talked on the phone just a day or so before he died. We frequently would talk about getting together for dinner but only get the chance a few times a year.

Although I've know Danton for over 30 decades, thru our mutual jukebox and music friends, only in the last handful of years had we become closer.

I wasn't an admirer of Danton due to anything connected with Tarzan. In fact I'm not even a Tarzan fan. I just loved this guy. He was a character. He brightened my day as he told me I did his.

He would purposely call when he suspected I might not be home and leave a message telling he loved to hear my voice on my outgoing message. I in turn would call his home and leave silly messages he said cracked him up.

This was a man know and respected all over the world, yet when I was in his company, he made me feel like I was someone important. He had that effect on everybody he met. He always wanted to know how my son (the DJ in SD) was doing. And he really did want to know. I knew I would bring my son to meet Danton someday, but now its too late.

I didn't have big time dealings or corporate meetings with Danton. I wasn't a Broadway producer or Disney Studios. I was just his 'small time' friend and I am so privileged to be able to even say that. I already miss you, Danton.

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RICK KEENEY
I can only imagine the number of emails you have received since the passing of Danton.

When I was a young boy devouring and loving everything I could find by ERB I somehow ran across an address. I sent a typical fan letter in and not long after I received a handwrittenreply from Danton.  I recall being stunned.  His distinctive penmanship and the way he answered every question is a vivid memory.  I was a fickle letter writer, but every time I wrote Danton replied.  You cannot imagine how impacting this was to me.  I was saddened to hear of his passing and to
think I let the communication lapse.

I'll bet there are letters in Danton's files from my friend Joe Davies and I from Sierra Vista, AZ.  (I was Rick Hayes at the time.)

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MICHAEL PRESCOTT
I   CANNOT   BEGIN   TO   EXPRESS   MY    SINCERE   SORROW,   AND   EXTREEM   GREAT   LOSS   THAT   I'M   FEELING   IN   MY   HEART   BY  THE   PASSING   OF    DANTON.   I   ONLY   LEARNED    ABOUT   HIS   PASSING   THE   OTHER   DAY.

I   HAD   THE   GREAT   PRIVLEDGE   AND   HONOR   TO   MEET   DANTON   ONLY   ONCE,   A   FEW   YEARS   AGO,   AT   THE   TARZANA   E.R.B.   OFFICE.   NEEDLESS  TO   SAY,   IT   LEFT   A   LIFELONG   IMPRESSION   ON   ME.   DANTON   ALLOWED   ME   AND   MY   WIFE   THE   ACCESS   TO   THE   OFFICE,   A   UNANOUNCED    TOUR   OF   THE   FACILITY,   CONSTITUTING   A   BREAK   IN   DANTON'S   BUSY    MORNING   ROUTINE. DANTON   TOOK   THE   TIME   FOR   A   FEW   PHOTOGRAPHS,   AND  TO   SHOW   US   AROUND    HIS   GRANDFATHERS   OFFICE.  THE   BOOKS   AND   THE   MANY   WONDERFULL   PHOTOGRAPHS   EVERYWHERE   WERE   ASTOUNDING   TO   A   E.R.B.   LONG   TIME   FAN.

MY   VISIT   REPRESENTED   MORE   THAN   A   GRACIOUS   TOUR   OF   THE   FACILITY.   I   HAVE   ALWAYS   FELT  A   CONNECTION   TO   EDGAR   RICE   BURROUGHS,   AND   ESPECIALLY   DANTON   BURROUGHS,   THAT   I   COULD   NOT   FIGURE   OUT   OR   PUT   MY   FINGER   ON. THESE   FEELINGS   WERE   ALOT   MORE   THAN   JUST   BEING  A   FAN   OF   TARZAN   AND   JOHN   CARTER,   AND   MANY   OF   THE   OTHER   BOOKS   WROTE   BY   E.R.B.   I   WAS   BORN   SHORTLY   AFTER   THE   PASSING   OF   E.R.B   IN   1950,   AND   WAS   RAISED   IN   THE   SAN   FERNANDO   VALLEY,   GROWING   UP   IN   TARZANA,   ONLY   A   FEW   BLOCKS   FROM   THE   E.R.B.   OFFICE   ON   VENTURA   BLVD.

ONLY   RECENTLY,   HAVE   I   DISCOVERED   THAT   I   ALSO   ATTENDED  THE   TARZANA   GRAMER   SCHOOL   THAT   DANTON   ATTENDED!   ALSO,   I   ATTENDED   RIDGEWOOD   MILITARY   ACADEMY   WHERE   DANTON   WAS,   AND   SEQUIOA   JR.   HIGH   AS   WELL! FROM   THE   1ST   MOMENT   AND   HANDSHAKE   I   RECIEVED   FROM   DANTON,   I   FELT  A   VERY   DEEP  CONNECTION,   AS   IF   MEETING   A   VERY   CLOSE   FRIEND   OR   CLOSE   BROTHER.   I   CAN'T   EXPLAIN   THESE   FEELINGS   THAT   WERE   STIRRING,   BUT   IT   WAS   AS   IF   I   HAD   KNOWN   DANTON   MY   ENTIRE   LIFE.

MY   HEART   GOES   OUT   TO   HIS   WIFE   AND   DAUGHTERS,   AND   THE   REST   OF   THE   BURROUGHS   FAMILY.   THE   SERVICES   FOR   DANTON   WERE   HELD   ON   MY    BIRTHDAY, MAY   17-08  FOR   SOME   UNKNOWN   REASON    THIS   YEAR,   I   WAS   FEELING   A   DEEP   SADNESS   ON   THAT   DAY   THAT   I   COULD   NOT   EXPLAIN!   AS   I'VE   SAID,   I   ONLY   FOUND   OUT   ABOUT   DANTON'S   PASSING   LAST   WEEK.

THIS   EXPLAINS   ALOT   FOR   ME!    I   HAVE   ALWAYS   BEEN   ABLE   TO   FEEL   THINGS   HAPPENING   IN   THE   WORLD   BEFORE   THEY   HAPPEN,   WITHOUT   BEING   ABLE   TO   KNOW   EXACTLY   WHAT   I'M   FEELING.   A   FAMILY   TRAIT   I'VE   INHEIRTED   FROM   MY   MOTHER.   I   KNEW   THAT   SOMETHING   WAS   WRONG   ON   MY   BIRTHDAY,   THAT   I   DIDN'T   OR   COULDN'T   IDTENTIFY,   OR    AS   I   CALL   IT,   A   DISTURBANCE   IN   THE   FORCE! SOMETIMES   YOU   HAVE   THE   OPPORTUNITY   TO   MEET   SOMEONE   ONLY   ONCE,   FOR   A   SHORT   BRIEF   MOMENT,   BUT   YOU   KNOW   IN   YOUR   HEART  &   SOUL   THAT   THERE   IS   A   UNKNOWN   BOND   BETWEEN   YOU    AND   THAT   PERSON!    THIS   IS   HOW   I'VE   FELT   ABOUT   DANTON  FROM   THE   1ST   MOMENT.

I   WILL   ALWAYS   TREASURE    MY   ONE   AND   ONLY   MEETING   WITH    DANTON,   BUT   I   WILL   ALWAYS   HAVE   SOMETHING   SO   VERY   MUCH   MORE   IN   MY   HEART!   AS   I'VE   STATED   BEFORE,   ABOVE,   DANTON   COULD   HAVE   BEEN   A   LONG   LOST   BROTHER I   WAS   MEETING   FOR   THE   1ST   TIME!   THESE   FEELING   RUN   DEEP!   AGAIN,   IT'S   SOMETHING   I   CAN'T   EXPLAIN,   OR    TRY   TO   EXPLAIN. I   CANNOT   EXPRESS   MY   SORROW   ENOUGH,   AND   I   WILL    KEEP   THE   FAMILY   IN   MY   PRAYERS.   I   HAVE   LOST   A   FRIEND   &   BROTHER   WITH   THE   PASSING   OF   DANTON.

MY   BEST    ALWAYS,  MICHAEL   G.   PRESCOTT ~ NIPOMO,   CA.

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REIMER BOLLER
A bad news. I get it too late. Danton was a good man and his working for the world of Tarzan and Edgar Rice Burroughs wonderful.
I met him on my work on the Lex Barker biography and the book "Tarzan and Hollywood" (co-author: Julian Lesser).
He was a friend and help very much. Thanks for all. In his book comments he will be unforgettable for the German audiences.
Thanks Danton.
Reiner Boller, Germany
Author of "Lex Barker - The Biography" and "Tarzan and Hollywood"

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STEPHEN J. CASSINELLI
Hello, just a fellow collector of ERB sending a warm condolence to  Danton's family. I can't believe this has really happened.
I was just going to contact Danton about an original painting of an  ERB book I have recently located in which I know would have brought a smile, the first re-release of ERB material in paperback form during the 60's in which Danton accredits for his grandfather's revival at that time, .....only to find this sad news.
I am in complete shock...
I feel I have much in common with Danton, having spent so much of my existence protecting my father's legacy, a legend in his field of music, I know all too well, the worry one has doing so..... it's truly a burden that Danton has handled quite admirably. I only wish I would have thought to contact him sooner. I will always have him in my thoughts from this day forward.

Thank you for publishing all you have via the website. My daughter saw the picture of Danton with the baseball hat and said we almost look alike.
Take care.
Stephen J. Cassinelli
Art collector/musician/songwriter

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RICHARD BUCK
Mr. Burroughs kept alive the spirit of his grandfather's works with enthusiasm and respect.
He will be greatly missed, but perhaps like John Carter, he too has found himself on another world sharing adventure and peace.
Thank-you Sir.
Richard Buck

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ROBERT PARKER
My name is Robert Parker, Danny and I were close friends while growing upon on Topeka Dr. in Tarzana.
Dan was an exceedingly unique individual with tremendous energy and intelligence.
Over our young years we experienced truly amazing and hilarious adventures.
If anyone could come back it would be Danny.  I shed a tear! Rest well Danny, my friend, see you in the future.

All my best to Linda and Danny's family.
Robert Parker

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STEPHEN KORSHAK
Most people who are born into a famous family have trouble finding their own identity in the world.  Some get lost or overwhelmed living in those shadows.  This was not the case with Danton Burroughs.  Danton found his purpose in preserving the Burroughs family legacy.  This preservation of the family legacy was a natural outgrowth of Danton’s love of collecting.

But this in itself would not tell the full story of Danton.  Not only was he a loving family man but he was an inspiration to all of us with his noble fight against Parkinson's for so many years.

Personally he was a tremendous help to me recently in completing my new book on J.  Allen St. John, the great illustrator who collaborated with Edgar Rice Burroughs on the McClurg first edition on Tarzan, John Carter, et. al.  Danton wrote an important contribution to the St. John book.  When we finished the book, he told me that this was the kind of recognition that St.  John deserves and one my grandfather would have been proud of.  Those words meant a lot to me.

 Danton touched so many of us, not only with his life story, but with his words, his warmth and his humor.

 His legacy is not lost in the shadow of great ancestors, but found in those collection of memories we will treasure forever.

Stephen Korshak
Vanguard Productions

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JAMES A. BERGEN, JR.
Farewell to a friend and a collector of Edgar Rice Burroughs . . .
I will miss him very much.. Danton was the heart of Tarzan and John Carter of Mars and all of Edgar Rice Burroughs stories. .I just found out of his passing. I am really sorry I was not there... He will truely be missed.....
James A. Bergen, Jr.

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JOAN BLYTH
I am shocked and feel a great loss over Danton’s death.  I was born on May 11, 1934, and as soon as I was old enough to look at the artwork on books, I was hooked by their mysteries.  My mother had a huge collection of the Tarzan books of Edgar Rice Burroughs.  They were the first books I was allowed to hold and my parents would read to me from them.  With that kind of incentive it wasn’t long before I was reading, at a very early age, and my mainstay was Tarzan.  From there I progressed to the famous classics.  In my heart, Tarzan will always be a classic also.

In the sixties and seventies I bought the whole collection of the paperbacks by Ballantine Books and Ace Books.  During the years before I used to go to Plainfield, New Jersey, where they had a wonderful old book store and I got the original hardbacks.  At the time I didn’t have a lot of money and I remember they had “The Girl From Hollywood,” in pristine condition, with a fabulous book jacket on it.  It was all of $5.00, but I felt guilty buying it as I would have to use my grocery money.  So I didn’t.  I always regretted it.  Then about five years or more ago, my teen-aged granddaughter Sarah, found out how angry I was at myself for not buying the book, and she found a copy of it on the Internet and presented it to me as a Christmas gift.  I was speechless and there are no words to use to tell how it affected me. I think I have all the biographies of Edgar Rice that were published, especially the really large one done by a university in Utah.

It is people like Danton, who have an uncanny connection to someone like his grandfather, that know how important it is to save, for future generations, the sheer genius of a loved one.  I thank him.  I would never have amassed my small, insignificant collection, if Danton hadn’t worked hard to keep his grandfather’s legacy alive.

The world is poorer with the loss of such a dedicated, special human being.  I, for one, salute Danton, and his selfless dedication, to something so very special.  How blessed we are for having Danton’s presence in our lives, and how true it is that he will live on in our hearts and thus never really die.

May I pass on my sincere condolences to his family.

Joan Blyth
Bound Brook, NJ 

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JOHN H. URAM
Thank you for offering this chance to post my thoughts and memories of Mr. Danton Burroughs.  I met him only once, when I was a younger man, on my wanderings throughout the west. I arrived at his offices in Tarzana, unannounced, and with my whole family in tow.  I was the only one who wanted to be in Tarzana, you see, I had dragged the two children and wife, 2 hours out of the way, on our family vacation. I wanted to touch just a small part the idolized world of my youth.

Danton was extremely accommodating in his time that he shared with me and my family, taking over an hour of his day, even though he was in obvious pain and discomfort,  to inform and educate me on his, and his families world. He even allowed me to tour his family home, which at the time, was under construction, repair, and renovation. It was wonderful

I have been an Edgar Rice Burroughs fan my whole life, since I was a boy in the 5th grade, and asked my mother to buy me my first adult book; the 11th book in the Tarzan series.  I was forever hooked.

On my departure, he lent me a video I had never seen, and only asked me to mail it back to him so he could lend it out again to the next fan. This I did, with a piece of memorabilia from my personal collection, an 8mm Tarzan film in its original box. I hope the film was entered into the family collection, museum, and library in Tarzana so that all can enjoy seeing it.

I thank the whole Burroughs family, and Danton, for the hour he gave to me and my family that day so long ago.  My kids, and wife, actually told me they ended up not missing the two hours from our vacation anyway.

My deepest sympathies
John H. Uram

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Intro Contents	Memories 1. Hillman	Memories 2. Friends	Memories 3. Yeates	Memories 4. Griffin	Memories 5. School Chums
Photos 1 Ages	Photos 2 Treasures	Photos 3 Conventions	Photos 4 Broadway	Photos 5 Tarzana	Memories 6. Bibliophiles
Memories 7. Phil Burger	Celebration of Life 1. Memorial Card	Celebration of Life 2. Friend's Eulogy	Celebration of Life 3. Hillman Eulogy Notes	Celebration of Life 4. Mertes ~ Photos I	Celebration of Life 5. Photos II
Remembered Photos III	Remembered Photos IV	Remembered Family Archive	Remembered Hillman Eulogy	Remembered Early Years	Remembered Later Years

Press Stories
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From

tarzana.ca
The Fantastic Worlds of Edgar Rice Burroughs

Tarzan.com	ERBzine.com	DantonBurroughs.com	Tarzan.org
BurroughsBibliophiles.com	JohnColemanBurroughs.com	Tarzan.com/tarzine	JohnCarterOfMars.ca
erbzine.com/edgarriceburroughs	Weekly Webzine	Weekly Webzine	Pellucidar.org