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ERB 100-Word Drabbles
SEPTEMBER II Edition :: Days 1-15
See Days 16-30 at ERBzine 7016a
by Robert Allen Lupton
With ERBzine References by Bill Hillman
METHOD ACTING
September 1, 1875: Happy Birthday to Edgar Rice Burroughs, who was born on this day. A number of first edition hardcovers were released on September first in one year or another.
On this day in 1976, the Amicus Productions film, “At The Earth’s Core,” was released (in USA). The movie starred Doug McClure, Peter Cushing and Caroline Munro. Caroline Munro’s character was renamed “Dia.” Apparently it was too much trouble to leave the “N” in place and call her Dian. The movie was a critical failure, but was well received by the public – it was the 18th most profitable British film of the year.
The New York Times was extremely critical. “All the money used to make "At the Earth's Core" seems to have been spent on building monsters with parrotlike beaks that open, close, and emit a steady squawling as if someone were vacuuming next door. Close up, the monsters look like sections of rough concrete wall, and the decision to film them in close up is only one example of the total lack of talent or effort with which the picture is made...the movie is a kind of no-talent competition in which the acting, the script, the direction and the camera-work vie for last place"
Nevertheless, the film has a steady following and regularly appears on American television.
Director Kevin Connor inspected the Mahar costume and asked David, the little person working inside the beast, “This stinks like a litter box. Is it comfortable?”
“Hell, no. It sucks. I'm crouched over on my hands and knees. My back is killing me. I can work about fifteen minutes at a time.”
“Okay, I’ll make sure everything is ready before you
suit up.”
“Keep the lighting down. It hotter than hell inside
this thing.”
“Anything else.”
“Yeah, I can’t unsuit myself. When I need out, I need
out. I’ve wet myself twice.”
“Really, I thought the smell was method acting.”
September 2, 1893: Stellan Windrow was born on this day in Chicago, Illinois. Everyone regards Elmo Lincoln as the first movie Tarzan because he starred in the first Tarzan movie, Tarzan of the Apes, released in 1918. Some people claim Gordon Griffith, the twelve-year-old boy who played Tarzan as a youth, for approximately the first third of the movie should be credited as the first film Tarzan.
The man first contracted to play the movie role of Tarzan, and the first to actually be filmed, was Stellan Sven Windrow. His father, Sven Vindruvva, was a physician in Sweden. His mother, Anna Malmqvist Holm, was also a physician, who left Sweden and became an obstetrician at Chicago's Memorial Hospital, gave birth to Stellan, then divorced Sven, who stayed in Sweden, in absentia.
After five weeks of shooting, the treetop work nearly completed, Stellan Windrow was drafted to World War I, and he served as an ensign in the Navy. National Film paid him $1000 for his film rights and he agreed not to be credited in the film.
A frantic search began for his replacement, ending a few weeks later when D.W. Griffith hired Elmo Lincoln. His stocky five-foot, eleven-inch, 200-pound frame and his fear of heights, kept Lincoln from doing any tree-work. The final movie shows two Tarzans —athletic Stellan-Tarzan flying through the jungle canopy and barrel-chested Elmo-Tarzan on the ground.
Stellan Windrow sheepishly handed the director, Scott Sidney a letter. “Sorry, Mr. Sidney, I can’t play Tarzan anymore.”
“Stellan, you signed a contract. You have to finish.”
“I want to, but I’ve been drafted. I’m going in the
Navy.”
“Let me read this. ‘Greetings.’ I see, Well, I can’t
fight the government. I’ll pay you a $1000.00, but you won’t get screen
credit. Between the baby, Gordon Griffith, and you, I’ve already got three
Tarzans. The public won’t stand for four."
I don’t care if you don’t use my name. All my relatives live in Sweden. They don’t read English.”
MODESTY FORBIDS
September 3, 1940: On this day. Edgar Rice Burroughs was interviewed on Radio Station KGMB. Some people believe that Burroughs wrote the biographical script. In any event, the interview was “tongue in cheek” and a good time was had by ERB and the interviewer. The introduction claimed Burroughs was one of the first people ever interviewed on radio – well maybe that day. Burroughs was represented as the personification of perennial youth. He compared himself to Tarzan. After all, they’re the same height and both athletic. Burroughs was almost 59 and played tennis, ice skated, skied and planned to learn to surf board.
Burroughs recognized the influences of Romulus and Remus, and Rudyard Kipling. Ed said that a man actually raised by apes would probably be unpleasant to have around and would probably suffer from athlete's foot, halitosis, BO along with jungle diseases and bad habits.
He mentioned that his family's pronunciation of Tarzan
(Tar-zen) differed from Webster's Dictionary and the movies. (I felt good
about this, when I read the books, I always pronounced it Tar-zen in my
head.) He said that his biggest problem as an author was being typecast
as a Tarzan and tall tales writer and being not able to sell other types
of material. This lament was aired by more than one movie Tarzan or Jane
over the years.
The accompanying photo is a rare copyrighted photo
from ERBzine 4139
shared with us exclusively by ERB's Wartime friend Deedee (Cecil) Burnside
it’s intended with the same irreverent sense of humor as the original broadcast it honors.
“Welcome Listeners to KGMB Radio in Honolulu. Today we welcome Edgar Rice Burroughs, the author of the Tarzan books.”
“Thank you. Happy to be here.”
“Mr. Burroughs, were you your own inspiration for
Tarzan.”
“Modesty forbids, but we’re the same height. I ride
horses and Tarzan’s been known to mount an elephant. I’m almost 60, but
I’m fit enough to ski, play tennis, and ice skate. Tarzan’s quite intelligent,
you know. I’m a better writer and bridge player, but he’s plenty smart
for a man raised by apes.”
“Is Tarzan based on you?”
“The evidence is clear. Decide for yourself.”
JUST DRAWN THAT WAY
September 4, 2011: On this day, Edgar Rice Burroughs artist, Dave Hoover, passed away. He’d had two open heart surgeries. His work encompassed a who’s who of American comic books and included Spiderman, Captain America, Wolverine, Star Trek, and the Wanderers.
He was a prolific animator and contributed to the series, Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids, The Archie Show, Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle, The New Adventures of Flash Gordon, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, She-Ra: Princess of Power, The Super Friends, The Smurfs, Men in Black: The Series, The Godzilla Power Hour, and RoboCop: Alpha Command.
He was well known for his good girl art and in 2004 Hoover joined EAdultComics's lineup of artists. Having established himself as a good girl artist, Hoover's first assignment for the online adult comics’ publisher was Jungle Love.
He produced several “try out strips” for the Tarzan Sunday newspaper comic, but no new strips were commissioned after Gray Morrow’s. The illustration attached is one of those tryout strips.
Hoover produced four Tarzan Portfolios. Information about those and an interview with Dave is available at www.erbzine.com/mag3/hoover01.html.
Spiderman walked into Kirby’s Bar and ordered a round
for the house. “A Toast to Dave Hoover. I loved the way he drew me.”
Captain America answered, “You looked okay, but his
Mary Jane was awesome.”
Captain Kirk quaffed his Romulan Ale. “He took me
where no man has gone before.”
Tarzan replied. “His trees were big, his jungle’s
verdant. He made me look good.”
Dejah Thoris smiled. “The man captured my beauty.”
La, the beautiful, but dangerous, jungle priestess
was wistful. “I miss him. I’m always beautiful, but when he drew me, I
wanted to be a good girl.”
WE GOT A DEAL FOR YOU
September 5, 1992: On this day, Fritz Leiber, the author of “Tarzan and the Valley of Gold” passed away in San Francisco. Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. recently added “Tarzan and the Valley of Gold” to the official Burroughs’ canon, meaning the book is officially part of the Burroughs Universe. The beautiful first hardcover edition is available from ERB, Inc.
Besides being a writer of fantasy, horror, and science fiction, Leiber was also a poet, actor in theater and films, playwright and chess expert. Leiber should be considered one of the fathers of sword and sorcery fantasy, having coined the term.
A complete bibliography and biography would take several pages. The man was a prolific writer and multi-talented. His novels, “The Big Time” and “The Wanderer” won Hugo Awards, as did his Novellas, “Ship of Shadows” and “Ill Met In Lankhmar.” His Novelette, “Gonna Roll the Bones” won both a Hugo and a Nebula. I hope he’s in a bar somewhere drinking with Fafhrad and the Gray Mouser and they’re buying.
“So, Mr. Leiber, we want you to write a novel based on the movie, “Tarzan and the Valley of Gold.”
I’ve won a fistful of Hugo awards and I’m busy with Fafhrad and the Gray Mouser.”
We’ll pay you three times your usual advance.”
“I’m afraid it might hurt my career to be associated with Hollywood.”
“It didn’t hurt Willian Faulkner, Capote, Steinbeck, Raymond Chandler or that F. Scott Fitzgerald guy. It helped their book sales. More money and more publicity. What’d ya say?”
“I always loved Tarzan. Give me the script and tell me how many words you want?”
SAY SOMETHING NICE
September 6, 1953: On this day the Bob Lubbers and Dick Van Buren Tarzan Sunday Strip “Tarzan and the Mongol Horde” concluded after a run of fourteen weeks. Dick Van Buren wrote the Sunday strip from September 24, 1950 through November 16, 1958 and the daily strip from 1951 through most of 1954.
I couldn’t find a photo of Dick Van Buren and I’ve posted photos of Bob Lubbers before in this series. I don’t have any artwork from “Tarzan and the Mongol Horde,” but I found a picture of Tarzan with Genghis Khan and decided to include it in this post.
Tarzan and Nkima watched the decimated Mongol horde move through the jungle. Their leader, Munch Khan, was shorter than Nkima, the monkey, but a fearsome and ruthless leader.
The horde was like a horde of locusts and devoured everything in its path.
Tarzan called the jungle animals. Elephants, zebras, wildebeests, rhinos, and hippopotami stampeded and trampled the Mongols. Crocodiles caught some in the river, but some escaped into the jungle canopy.
In the aftermath, the diminutive Mongol leader climbed
slowly down a jungle vine.
Nkima said, “He looks silly dangling there.”
Tarzan said, “Stop it. That’s a little Khan descending.”
DANGER, LORD GREYSTOKE, DANGER
September 7, 1935: Edgar Rice Burroughs Inc. published the first edition of “Tarzan and the Leopard Men.” The book, complete with a J. Allen St. John wraparound dust jacket, was 332 pages in length. The print run was 7,500 copies. The story was originally serialized in Blue Book Magazine in six parts from August 1932 to January 1933.
Detailed publishing information and cover art is available at
www.erbzine.com/mag7/0724.html
Today’s drabble is “Danger, Lord Greystoke, Danger.” I didn’t write it. It was written by some unknown editor at Ballantine Books as the blurb on the back of the 1964 paperback edition.
The steel-clawed Leopard Men were looking for victims for their savage rites. The secret cult struck terror in the hearts of all the villagers. Only Orando of the Utengi dared to declare war on them. And with Orando went Tarzan of the Apes—but a strangely changed Tarzan, who now believed that he was Muzimo, the spirit or demon who had been Orando's ancestor. There were traitors among Orando's people. And in the village of the Leopard Men was Kali Bwana, the white girl who had come to Africa to find a missing man. Now, only Tarzan could save her...
I SOLEMNY SEAR
September 8. 1925: Denise Darcel was born on this date as Denise Billecard in Paris France.
In 1950 Producer Sol Lesser announced a search for a “panther woman” to co-star in RKO’s “Tarzan and the Slave Girl”. The part evolved into a sexy blonde nurse, who wants Tarzan (Lex Barker) and fights Jane (Vanessa Brown).
Denise Darcel got the part and Lesser was so pleased he announced her role might become a recurring one, but it never happened.
Darcel was a nightclub singer before she was named the “Most Beautiful Girl in France.” She played a torch singer in “To the Victor” shot in post-war France. Darcel emigrated to the U.S. with her G.I. husband. She had several movie roles, including “Battleground” “Westward the Women” (1951), featuring “Flame of Calcutta.” She was married five times and died in a Los Angeles hospital on December 23, 2011.
Denise Darcel sat with Lex Barker and Vanessa Brown while the crew prepared for the next scene. Darcel said, “I like these movies. Mr. Lessor promised that he’ll use me in all of them.”
Vanessa laughed. “He says that to a lot of people,
but the only characters in every film are Tarzan and his monkey. Even Jane
comes and goes. He’s tried to kill her several times.
Actresses are interchangeable in the jungle. Don’t
stop looking for work.”
“But he promised me.”
“Brides and grooms make promises, too. You’ve been
married three times already. You should pay better attention.”
JUNGLE LESSON
September 9, 1934: On this day the / Hal Foster/ George Carlin/ Don Garden Tarzan Sunday strip Tarzan and the Mysterious Maiden Part Two began. Part One began on June 17, 1934 and concluded twelve weeks later on September 2, 1935. George Carlin’s contribution to the strip ended with the last page of part one. Tarzan and the Mysterious Maiden Part Two ran for 18 weeks. The episode title was “The Floating Menagerie.”
A summary of each episode is available at www.erbzine.com/mag8/0816.html and the entire series of strips is available at www.ERBzine.com/foster
