Official Edgar Rice Burroughs Tribute and Weekly Webzine Site Since 1996 ~ Over 15,000 Web Pages in Archive Presents Volume 4588a |
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Official Edgar Rice Burroughs Tribute and Weekly Webzine Site Since 1996 ~ Over 15,000 Web Pages in Archive Presents Volume 4588a |
I met Denny Miller for the first time at the first ERB gathering I ever attended -- the 1989 ECOF at Woodland Hills, Calif.Denny was one of the Tarzan movie stars to attend, along with Gordon "Tarzan" Scott and Eve "Jane" Brent. The three of them were present at a banquet at the Braemer Country Club in Tarzana, and I made sure I brought along my copy of Gabe Essoe's "Tarzan of the Movies" to get the signatures of the three stars.
Denny walked in carrying several posters he had for sale. These posters featured two photos, one of him as Tarzan with a live chimp and the other of him as he looked in 1989, with a stuffed chimp. Denny, who has remained physically fit all his life, was wearing the same loin cloth in both pictures.
I bought one of Denny's posters and he signed it for me: "John, Still a Man of the Cloth after all these years." Next I wanted Denny to sign my "Tarzan of the Movies," so while he was signing the poster I flipped the book open to Chapter 15, the chapter that reported on Denny's 1959 Tarzan movie, "Tarzan the Ape-Man." I had seen other fans having Gordon Scott sign their books, not on the title page, but on the chapter which had a story about Gordon. I had done the same thing and thought I would have Denny sign on "his" page, too.
But when I opened it up, I remembered that Gabe had titled Denny's Chapter "Tarzan the Worst," not really a reference to Denny but to the movie itself. I thought: "I can't ask Denny to sign THAT page!" I figured he would feel bad about being asked to sign the page where it said "Tarzan the Worst." So I turned instead to the flyleaf in the front of the book and asked him to sign it there. Since that was my first meeting with Denny, little did I realize what a great sense of humor he has and how he himself often joked about the production values of that movie. He would have been delighted to sign my book there.
I've gotten to know Denny a lot better since that day, and maybe someday I'll have the opportunity to ask this best of the Tarzans to sign next to the place where the book says "Tarzan the Worst."
John 'Bridge' Martin
edgardemain@comcast.net
I actually wrote this, but I "interviewed" [my grandson] Schuyler about his memories and then he approved the final draft. So, it's essentially "his" memories. I've included a photo of Denny and Schuyler.
John MartinDenny Miller is the first Tarzan actor I ever met. I was 14 years old and went to the Dum Dum in Woodland Hills, Calif., with my grandpa, John Martin, in 2012.
Before we went down there, on Amtrak, my grandpa and I watched Denny's Tarzan movie, "Tarzan the Ape Man," on our DVD. Actually, we watched only half of it, because the DVD started skipping halfway through. But I had seen enough to see Denny as Tarzan. My grandpa told me that was many years ago so Denny would look different when I saw him, but that he was still a great guy and a great Tarzan actor.
When we got to the Dum Dum, I helped my grandpa set up his stuff in the Huckster Room. After awhile, my grandpa and I went over and grandpa introduced me to Denny Miller and his wife, Nancy. They were very nice.
Later, I heard there was going to be a Tarzan yell contest, so I asked my grandpa if Denny Miller was going to enter it. "Why don't you go over and ask him," my grandpa said. So I did. Denny said he would not enter the Tarzan yell contest because his vocal cords were worn out.
It was fun meeting Denny, and he signed a photo and gave it to me. Later, my grandpa and I had our pictures taken with Denny. When Denny found out our DVD of his Tarzan movie had been skipping, he gave me another one. And Denny has talked to my Grandpa on the telephone a couple times and my grandpa has put me on the phone to say hello to Denny.
Schuyler J. White, Centralia, WA
The first time I saw Denny Miller was on Wagon Train and then found out he was a Tarzan, I tried to follow his career very closely. I think that I have seen most of his on-screen career. When I finally had the opportunity to meet Denny, I was surprised on how down to earth he was, easy to talk to. If you have something to say he will listen. As Denny has said, an actor is nothing without fans.
Lee J. Barrie
leejb10003@comcast.net
I first met Denny in person (as opposed to in the movies) was during the 1990 Dum-Dum in Louisville. He and I were in the same carload returning from the Ekstrom Library to the Galt House, and after a couple of miles without seeing a familiar landmark (for most of us it was our first visit to Louisville) I happened to look out the window and commented, "Shouldn't the sun be on the OTHER side of the car?" We had been going south instead of north. It gave Denny a good chuckle, and I've referred to it since as "the ill-fated Tierra del Fuego expedition of 1990."
Huck/AQPorter
jhuckenp@aol.com
I remember when I was a kid that my father told me I had to come watch a film with him on television. He explained to me that it was an extremely funny movie called 'The Party' starring Peter Sellers. However, as I watched I noticed another familiar face and new that this film would be OK. With both Peter Sellers and Tarzan I knew my Dad had me watching a winner. I still love this film and Wyoming Bill Kelso. Classic Denny.
Oh! Bang! Howdy Partner!Quentin Castle
quentin.castle@y7mail.com
