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 2185
DANTON BURROUGHS TRIBUTES VI

GEORGE McWHORTER
I first met Dan at ERB, Inc. headquarters in 1976 after a long correspondence, and he greeted me like an old friend. When he learned that I was creating a Burroughs Memorial Collection at the University of Louisville, he was immediately enthusiastic and supportive. He remained so for the next 32 years, during which time we became good friends, so his sudden death was a distinct shock. Readers are invited to send in their reminiscences and tributes fo Danton for publication in the next issue of the Burroughs Bulletin.
So long, old friend. . .

---

LAURENCE DUNN
Arriving home late after seeing off a friend who is emigrating to Australia I found my answerphone blinking. It was Frank Westwood calling to give me the sad news. I had been busy all day at work and not had the chance to read my personal email.

I met Dan on my first trip to the U.S. back in 1981. I had just witnessed the first space shuttle lift off and it was while I was flying over to California to see him that it landed. Danton was still on a high having marvelled at the way it just glided in for a perfect touchdown. I cannot recall how long I visited him that day but the memory of how open he was to fans of his grandfathers work is still fresh.

Last year I went to the European Premiere of the musical stage show of Tarzan. I went at the invite of Dan who was unable to travel at the time because his medication had had an adverse effect on him. I was given Dan's seat and sat next to Jim Sullos - the now newly elected President of ERB Inc. I called Dan upon my return to give him my overwhelming support for the show. He was delighted and told me to keep in touch. Unfortunately I had not called him since.

I have been fortunate to have met Dan several times over the years. He once asked if I was independently wealthy to be able to afford so many trips across the pond. I have been at the offices of ERB Inc. and welcomed into his home on a number of occasions. They are memories I will always treasure.

Danton remained close to the fans. He appreciated our loyal following and his door was always open. He was so enthusiastic about everything, not just about his grandfather's work but other interests that he had too. Whenever he could, he attended either the ECOF or Dum-Dum conventions. He was at the 1985 gathering in Louisville, Kentucky where, and I shall never forget it, he decided to give the Tarzan yell at the Saturday night banquet at Masterson's restaurant. It took the staff by such surprise that they came running in from every door to find out what was happening.

1999 was a year of triumph for Danton with the release of the Disney animated movie of Tarzan. I was with Mike Conran and Brian Bohnett on the bleachers at the World Premiere. We watched Dan and his family walk down the red carpet and be stopped by every TV news crew that was there. When he saw the three of us there he was so happy that a few of the real fans could be there to share his moment. If things had worked out differently, he would have once again experienced that moment with the release of A Princess of Mars - something he dreamt about for so many years. If the fruits of his labour come in and they finally make the film, sadly Dan will not be there to see it.

What I find to be the really sad part of his passing beyond missing such a fine man and a friend to us all is that he was the last direct family link that the Burroughs Bibliophiles will have had with his grandfather.

Goodbye Dan, it has been an honour and a real pleasure to know you.

---

J. G. HUCKENPOHLER
The losses come with ever-increasing frequency as we grow older. Now we have lost the last link with the Master himself, his grandson Danton. He was far too young to go, only 63, but his health had been declining for some time due to the ravages of Parkinson’s Disease. He had just been named Chairman of the Board of ERB Inc. when a disastrous fire in his home destroyed much of his collection, including irreplaceable originals of his father’s artwork, and doubtless contributed to his death.

The last time I spoke with Danton by phone was in October, when I called up with a question about the contacts between Editorial Tor of Buenos Aires, publisher of the Argentine Tarzan pastiches, and ERB Inc. His response was “Call me back in 15 minutes.” When I did, he had assembled an impressive sheaf of correspondence between J. C. Torendell of Editorial Tor and Cyril Ralph Rothmund, Secretary of ERB Inc., which Janet of the ERB Inc. staff kindly scanned and sent to me. That was typical of Danton, always ready and willing to help any fan with a question and to do more than the minimum needed to answer the question.

In response to my question about his health, he said that the Parkinson’s had progressed further, as I had suspected based on reports from Bill Hillman and his absence from the 2007 Dum-Dum in Louisville. He had attended the opening of the Broadway Tarzan show, but under heavy medication.

I first met Danton during the 1967 Worldcon in New York. The last time I saw him in person was at the 2003 Dum-Dum in Louisville. He was courteous as usual, and signed one of my first editions.

Rest in peace, Danton. You were a good friend to all of us, and you’ll be missed.

---

BOB BURROWS
I met Danton a few times and he was ever the gentleman and friend.  I was in shock to hear he had passed and being so sudden.  May God bless the family and may Tarzan give him the yell of welcome!  God speed Danton!

---

DR. S. BRADLEIGH VINSON
Danton was a dear friend of my father and to me. His passing was way too soon. He is deeply missed. 

---

HENRY FRANKE
This is really tragic news, from any number of perspectives.  I had no luck staying in contact with Danton or his office when I was in Afghanistan.  I was going to call him the first week I returned to the US, but always seemed to miss the periods I expected he would be in the office, so I put it off.  This evening I was arranging a trip to LA around 15-27 May, with a major hope to meet with Danton about the JCB project. I have no idea what this portends for all of the historical items that have been kept at ERB, Inc or at Danton's homes (and any number of storage areas throughout the area).  I am scared about what the future will hold -- and saddened by the loss of irreplaceable history. The shocking news of Danton's passing raises many questions -- I just can't imagine ERB, Inc without a Burroughs family member, and I certainly had not considered Danton, even with his major health problems, succumbing at such an early age.  I don't think he did, either. Poor Danton -- the last years were really tough on him, but I never expected this. So many lost chances.  As you learn the hard way in war, death is forever. 

---

TRACY GRIFFIN
I am writing a memorial to Danton. The magnitude of the loss is only now settling in.

---

BRIAN BOHNETT
 What a loss. He seemed to be a very decent, down-to-Earth person, and I'm glad I got the opportunity to get to know him at least a little. I had always planned on heading out to Tarzana again (following my research trip back in 2003), but somehow never got the opportunity to do so. While there, Danton was a very gracious and accommodating host, and I was able to not only spend hours going through the Burroughs archives (researching ERB's days spent at the Michigan Military Academy and also Phillips Academy), but spent all of my free time with Danton as well. We hit some of the local flea markets (looking of course for new "treasures" for Danton's ever growing collections), and hung out at Charley G's and other places Danton frequented. I was in town during the "Cinco de Mayo" celebration, so we went out for Mexican food and marguerita's on that particular evening.

I kept in touch with Danton through email via his secretary, Cathy Wilbanks, and with an occasional phone call, but it was clear that Danton was having a difficult time with the Parkinson's and probably the medications he was taking. His voice sounded tired, and it was sometimes difficult to carry on a conversation, so we slowly lost contact over the past couple of years.

Danton assisted me on my last book, "Tarzan Big Little Books," by providing scans of gorgeous preliminary artwork which his father, John Coleman Burroughs, had done for some of the 1940s Big Little Books. He showed me a scrapbook which ERB had kept from his days at Phillips Academy, but unfortunately never got around to sending photocopies of the treasure. He also discussed having me work on a photo history book of his grandfather, which unfortunately is another project which never came about.

Danton was a very giving person at times, and enjoyed sharing the history of his family with others. But he also felt that many of the "fans" had betrayed the trust he had put in them. I was honored that Danton trusted me enough to help out on such things. The last time I saw him in person, he made the comment, "I wish you lived closer."

I wish I had too.

---

JIM VAN HISE
This is all so terrible. I just saw Danton last month and he was hail and hearty and very happy. I spoke to him the Saturday before he died and we were planning to get together about ten days later to discuss his plans for ERB, Inc. 

---

BOB O'MALLEY
It was always my great pleasure to see and chat with Danton at conventions, the ERB, Inc. office or at his home through the years.  My condolences to his family and to us all on the loss of such a fine man.  I will miss him.

---

JOAN BLEDIG
I first met Danton in 1974. He was most gracious and hospitable to me on my first visit to ERB, Inc. And he remained so to me and all ERB fans throughout the years.
Danton, you will be missed.

---

DICK SPARGUR
Remembrance and Testament of Dick Spargur, “Joog, the Giant of Mars
I must admit that I personally didn’t know Danton Burroughs very well, certainly not as well as did so many others.  That said, however, I must state that I still felt I knew him anyway, and rather well too, from the frequent references to and from him I read and heard over the years since I returned to the fold of Burroughs fandom.

I first met Danton in 2002 when I attended the Tarzana ECOF he hosted along with the good, hard work of Rob Greer and Tracy Griffin and the other LA area fans.  I was so impressed with his accessibility and his allowing us to freely wander about the inner sanctum at the Tarzana Office, a place I’d wanted to see for decades.  I can still visualize seeing a number of mint copies of The Oakdale Affair and The Rider on the shelves there and being able to nonchalantly pull one out to look it over.  And, seeing a number of J. Allen St. John's original paintings was a boyhood dream come true.  It was a joy.

My highlight with Danton, however, came the following year when George McWhorter hosted the Dum-Dum in Louisville.  Danton flew in and was met by Bill and Sue-On Hillman.  Mary and Stacie Burroughs, whom Ginnie and I had befriended in Tarzana in 2002, were already there in Louisville and we found ourselves teamed up for the weekend right in the midst of the Burroughs family when we were invited to accompany Mary and Stacie and Sue-On for a good bit of the time.  That included a great time at a blues restaurant where we sat at one end of a table, the head of which had been reserved for Danton.  So, then and there I got to talk with and listen to the Danton Burroughs.  The photographs of that event are very special to me just as was the time we spent with our new friends Mary and Stacie.

Danton probably saw fan contact as a form of PR, but I am sure that he also and mainly saw it as a source of easy and close friendship with like-minded people, people who loved his grandfather as much as he and his family did.  To that end he was quite open and direct with fans and generous with his knowledge of the inner workings of the company.  He obviously trusted and valued us all.

I have heard it said that no one is truly dead who is still loved.  The outpouring of grief and sympathy and remembrance of Danton Burroughs are a testament to that fact.  He may no longer be with us physically but he’s still here anyway and will be just as is Edgar Rice Burroughs himself.

---

BILL HILLMAN
My Friend Dan
Goodbye dear friend ~ So many good times ~ So many memories
To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die. 

---

Danton at the Dum-Dum 2003 Banquet and Awards Ceremony in Louisville, KY

Dan with his father's John Carter sword at ERB's desk: ERB, Inc. offices, Tarzana, CA
Photos courtesy J. G. Huckenpohler

Danton at the 1996 NATPE convention  where the Kellers were selling Tarzan the Epic Adventures.	Danton and Joe Lara  from January 1996 in Las Vegas

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

To be a part of our condolences and memories pages send your tributes to:
Tarzan@westman.wave.ca

Armada of ERB Web Sites
Over 10,000 Webpages
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