Official Edgar Rice Burroughs Tribute and Weekly Webzine Site Since 1996 ~ Over 15,000 Webpages in Archive Volume 7153a  |
ERB 100-Word Drabbles
MARCH II Edition :: Days 16-31
See Days 1-15 at ERBzine 7153
by Robert Allen Lupton
With Collations, Web Page Layout and ERBzine Illustrations and References by Bill Hillman
HIRE THE SWIMMER
March 16: On this day in 1900, Cyril Hume was born in New York City. Hume wrote four Tarzan sceen plays, Tarzan the Ape-Man ~ ERBzine 0611 :: Tarzan Escapes ~ ERBzine 0618 and Tarzan Finds A Son ~ ERBzine 0620 :: all Weissmuller outings, and Tarzan's Savage Fury ~ ERBzine 0580 which starred Lex Barker. He is credited for suggesting that Johnny Weissmuller be hired to play Tarzan.
Hume wrote scrips for 29 films including Trader Horn (1932) ~ ERBzine 6416 "The Great Gatsby (1949), and Forbidden Planet (1956). His eight novels include "Street of the Malcontents" and "A Dish for the Gods."
He was a prolific television writer and his work included "The Rifleman," "Tales of Wells Fargo," and "The Rebel."
"Hire the Swimmer" is today's Edgar Rice Burroughs
and Cyril Hume inspired drabble.
"I don't know, Cyril. He's self-conscious, doesn't
speak well, and has no experience."
"That makes him perfect. People won't associate him
with previous roles. He's not afraid to climb trees. He runs like a deer
and swims like a fish."
"He was raised by apes, not dolphins. His elocution
bothers me."
"I'll write dialogue that he can handle. It's like
you just said, Tarzan was raised by apes, not the cast of a Shakespeare
play."
TARZAN IS FOREVER
March 17: On this day in 1917, Joseph Bray replied to Edgar Rice Burroughs letter dated March 12. ERB complained that the dedication for The Son of Tarzan ~ ERBzine 0487 had been left off his newly published book. Joseph Bray, of McClurg, apologized, writing an answer to ERB's letter probably within a day after receiving it.
ERB had written: "I was very much pleased with the appearance of the book. In only one thing was I disappointed and that was that you forgot the dedication. I wanted a book dedicated to each of my children and wrote you in December to dedicate this one to Hulbert Burroughs. Could the error be rectified in future editions?”
Bray replied in his letter: "I have to apologize to you about that dedication. It seems that I clean forgot to make a note of it and give it to the proper persons. Sure, it shall appear in future editions."
And it did.
“Tarzan is Forever” is today’s Edgar Rice Burroughs inspired drabble.
“I’ve complained to the Bray at McClurg. His reply arrived in the mail. He apologized and promised to correct it.”
That’s small consolation for an eight year old boy.”
“I’ll talk to him. The first edition print run over
30,000 copies. More people will see the story in later editions than will
ever see a first edition.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I do. Movies and comics are in the future. Tarzan
is forever.”
“I thought diamonds were forever.”
“Remember Opar!”
THINK LIKE A MAN
March 18: On this day in 1917, Edgar Rice Burroughs finished writing Jungle Tales of Tarzan ~ ERBzine 0492 This collection of 12 short stories was originally published in Blue Book Magazine ERBzine 0460 in monthly installments beginning in September 2016 and finishing in August 1917. Herbert Morton Stoops drew one black and white illustration for each installment.
One of the stories, “Battle for Teeka” was reprinted in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine in May, 1964 as “Tarzan, Jungle Detective “ and was also included in “Ellery Queen’s 1970 Anthology.”
“Quadrangle-New York Times Books: Love Stories” edited by Martin Levine reprinted “Tarzan’s First Love.”
The back cover blurb for the first Ballantine edition
is today’s drabble – “Think Like a Man."
A NEW GENRE
March 19: On this day in 1950, Edgar Rice Burroughs passed away while reading the comics after breakfast in bed. On a lighter note, 106 years ago on this day in 1914, Edgar Rice Burroughs finished writing The Girl From Farris’s ~ ERBzine 0761 The 40,000 word story was serialized in All-Story Weekly in 1916 and appeared as a 26 part serial in the Tacoma Tribune newspaper in in 1920. The Wilma Company published the first edition of 250 copies in 1959 and the first authorized edition was published by the “House of Greystoke” in August 1965. The House of Greystoke published a reprint as Burroughs Bulletins #59/60 in 1976 and a Charter paperback with John Rush cover art appeared in June 1979.
Several versions are available through various on-demand printing sites. It has been available to read online in ERBzine since 2002.
It seems that every publication includes an illustration of the scene where the heroine descends the fire escape / drainpipe. Here’s a 1993 illustration by William Stout.
Today’s drabble is 100 words from the introduction
written by the editor of
All-Story for the first installment, dated September
23, 1916. Call it “A New Genre.”
THE PAST IS PAST
March 20: On this day in 1973, the only movie ‘Jane’ actually named Jane was born in Edgwood, London as Jane March Horwood. She appeared on the silver screen under the name, Jane March. Her first movie role was in France, where she played opposite Tony Leung Ka-fai in the film, “The Lover.” False rumors were circulated that the sex scenes filmed were real and not simulated. In truth, five different body doubles were used for those scenes. The rumors allegedly were spread by director, Jean-Hacques Annaud, to build publicity for the film. In 2003 the director apologized to March.
Jane played opposite Casper Van Dien in Tarzan and the Lost City ~ ERBzine 0038
She starred with Bruce Willis in “Color of Night.” After “Tarzan and the Lost City,” Jane’s roles included ‘Beauty and the Beast,” Clash of the Titans,” ‘Grimm’s Snow White,” and Jack and the Giant Killer.”
She appeared in several television shows, but I didn’t find any film or television credits after 2015.
“The Past is Past” is today’s ERB inspired drabble.
Jane March replied, “I was nineteen years old and the director was a lying jerk. I also made ‘Color of Night,” a top twenty video rental in 1995.”
“I don’t know about that. I made a Beastmaster film
and played Johnny Rico in Robert Heinlein’s “Starship Troopers.”
“I looked you up. You were in one of those “Casper,
the Ghost. films.”
“Everyone has made a film or two they regret. You don’t
tell folks about the friendly ghost and I won’t mention “The Lover.”
“Deal.”
BULLY FOR YOU
March 21: On this day in 1925, A. C. McClurg published the first edition of The Cave Girl ~ ERBzine 0755 Part one of the book is the story, “The Cave Girl,” originally published by All-Story magazine in 1913 and part two is “The Cave Man,” published by All-Story Weekly in 1917.
The book was 323 pages in length and had a print run of 5000 copies.
Grosset and Dunlap reprinted the book regularly from 1926 through 1939. My favorite reprinting of the book was the Dell Mapback paperback edition in in August 1949. The Mapback cover was by Jean des Vignes and the map was by Ruth Belew and entitled “Wild Island Home of Nadara the Cave Girl.”
Featured here is Ms. Belew’s map.
“Bully for You” is today’s Edgar Rice Burroughs
inspired drabble.
His parents learned he was alive and sailed the “Priscilla”
to rescue him.
The first mate, William Stark, asked. “How’d you survive?”
You’d never cooked a meal, raised your hands in anger, or even walked a
hundred yards.’
“In Boston, I didn’t have to do those things. Boston bullies, or bullies in the jungle are alike, vain and stupid. An educated man can outsmart stupid anywhere he finds it.
TARZAN ALWAYS WINS
March 22: On this day in 2002, The United States Supreme Court declined to review a lower court ruling between the Estate of Burne Hogarth LLC and ERB Inc. United States Court of Appeals,Second Circuit.
The ESTATE OF BURNE HOGARTH, Burne Hogarth Dynamic Media Worldwide LLC, Michael Hogarth, as the child of deceased author Burne Hogarth, Richard Hogarth, as the child of the deceased author Burne Hogarth and Ross Hogarth, as the child of the deceased author Burne Hogarth, Plaintiffs-Appellants, v. EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS, INC., Defendant-Appellee.
Docket Number 02-7312
Decided: August 29, 2003
The entire ruling by the Court of Appeals Second Circuit is available online at https://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-2nd-circuit/1292854.html.
100 words from the United Press International report
on the ruling is
“Tarzan Always Wins,” today’s drabble.
A judge and an appeals court ruled for ERB Inc., and the Supreme Court denied review Monday without comment."
WHAT HIDES INSIDE
March 23: On this day in 1968, the Tarzan daily comic strip story line with an unwieldy title, Tarzan, Jad-Ben-Otho – Chapter Three Page Two, Tarzan and the Blonde Waz-Don ~ ERBzine 2610 written and drawn by Russ Manning concluded. While the strip section was titled ‘Page Two,” this section ran for nine days. Chapter Four, “Korak, Dor-Ul-Otho would follow and conclude this storyline
Tarzan is searching for Jane (isn’t he always) and fears that she has been eaten by a Basilosaurus, a carnivorous plesiosaur and one of the largest, if not the largest, animals of the Paleogene. It was the top predator of its environment, preying on sharks, large fish and other marine mammals, namely the dolphin-like Dorudon, which seems to have been their predominant food source.
It was originally thought to a reptile, hence the suffix “osaurus,” but was determined to be a whale. Efforts to correct its name have not been successful.
Tarzan,, Jad-Ben-Otho-Chapter Three Page Two is available to read in its entirety at https://www.erbzine.com/mag26/2610.html
Russ Manning’s words from the story are today’s
drabble, “What Hides Inside.”
Driven by his need to know Jane’s fate and fearing that she has fallen prey to the Basilosaurus, Tarzan slays the prehistoric cetacean and chipping a crude knife from flint, he begins a gruesome task!
After gutting the monster, he ponders, “Not here, but where then? Is she still in the terrible dark mountains or washed down this river to meet how many other monsters?
March 24: On this day in 1923, A. C. McClurg published the first edition of Tarzan and the Golden Lion ~ ERBzine 0495 the ninth Tarzan novel. The book was 333 pages long with a first edition print run of 25,000 copies.
Grosset & Dunlap published two reprint editions in 1924 and a Photoplay edition ~ ERBzine 0496 in 1927. G&D published four more reprint editions. At least four Ballantine paperback editions were published.
Jad-Bal-Ja, the Golden Lion, is introduced in this book and appears in several subsequent novels.
Publishing details and cover art is available at https://www.erbzine.com/mag4/0495.html
The cover reproduced here is of the Photoplay movie edition, not the first edition, even though the J. Allen St. John dust jacket art is considered by some to be the definitive Tarzan illustration.
A tip of the hat to rock and roll star, Meatloaf, and Jim Steinman, songwriter for today's Drabble.
“I’ll Do Anything” is today’s Edgar Rice Burroughs
inspired 100 word drabble.
They encountered a Waziri hunting party and the warriors, believing Esteban to be Tarzan, agreed to carry the stolen gold and jewels for him.
Esteban came to believe that he was actually Tarzan. When they encountered safari lead by Tarzan’s wife, Flora demanded Esteban kill Jane.
Esteban shook his head. “I’ll do anything for love, but I won’t do that.”
NOTHING UP MY SLEEVE
March 25: On this date in 1921, Nancy Kelly, who played the female lead while Jane was off in London in "Tarzan's Desert Mystery," was born in Lowell, Massachusetts,
She was a member of the cast for CBS Radio’s “The March of Time” and made 78 movies, in 27 of which, she played the female lead, including “Jesse James” with Tyrone Power and “Stanley and Livingstone” with Spencer Tracy. She played the distraught mother in “The Bad Seed,” and received a Tony Award for the 1955 stage production and an Oscar nomination for the film. She was Dorothy Gale on the 1933-1934 radio production of “The Wizard of Oz.”
She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Her brother was Jack Kelly, best known for playing Bart Maverick on television.
She played Connie Bryce, a female magician opposite Johnny Weissmuller in Tarzan’s Desert Mystery ~ ERBzine 0624
Today’s Edgar Rice Burroughs inspired drabble is
“Nothing Up My Sleeve.”
“I’m not sure about magic, but I do illusions.”
“What’s the difference?”
“Perhaps not much. Many people think that everything they don’t understand is magic.”
“Will you show me?”
Connie Bryce filled her hat with sand and poured the sand into the top of her clenched fist. She poured in more than ten times the amount of sand that her hand could hold. She blew into her fist and opened it. The sand was gone.
Boy marveled. “Where did the sand go?”
“It’s a desert mystery.”
LABOUR DISPUTE
March 26: On this day in 1923, Edgar Rice Burroughs incorporated adding Inc. to his name and began doing business as “Edgar Rice Burroughs Inc. A few months later, The Girl From Hollywood ~ ERBzine 0769 was the last book published with copyright by “Edgar Rice Burroughs” on the title page. “Pellucidar" was the first book with the “Edgar Rice Burroughs Incorporated copyright. Burroughs didn’t publish his own work until later, 1931 – Tarzan the Invincible ~ ERBzine 0722
Here’s my first day postal cover for “The Girl From Hollywood.” It’s a limited edition of one – I made it myself a few years ago.
The Edgar Rice Burroughs (Inc.) inspired drabble
today is “Labor Dispute.”
“Things were fine, but I think the writer is going on strike. I put Edgar on notice that he has to increase his output.”
He said, “Mr. Burroughs, I’m on salary. If you want more work, pay me by the word.”
“I told me that if I paid myself by the word, I must furnish my own supplies. I called myself a robber baron and ripped up five pages of manuscript.”
“That’s a problem.”
“It is. We’re both quite stubborn.”
“Dad, you two should negotiate over drinks.”
“Splendid idea. You can mediate.”
IT'S A FAMILY
March 27: On this day, a Saturday, in 1920, All-Story Weekly ~ ERBzine 0224 published part two of Tarzan and the Valley of Luna ~ ERBzine 0493 Valley of Luna was published in book form as part one of “Tarzan the Untamed.” Burroughs wasn’t mentioned on the cover. The illustration was for “Oblivion” by Jeremy Lane, author of “The Fragrant Web.” Lane, Herman Dale Schuchert, had a short pulp career, from 1919 to 1923 and is the author at least three ‘Lost Civilization” tales: Yellow Men Sleep, published in All-Story as "The Fragrant Web,” “Oblivion,” and “The Left Hand of God.” He legally changed his name to avoid anti-German WW1 backlash and as “Jerry” Lane led a dance band known as The Symphonic Step Stimulators which toured the Midwest from the early 1920s into the 1940s. In the 1950s and 1960s he was a reporter and feature writer for a local newspaper in New York State’s Mohawk Valley region.
The issue contained part five of “The House with a Bad Name” by Perley Poore Sheehan, who wrote hundreds of stories including a Tarzan pastiche or two and “Dr. Martone’s Microscope” by Charles B. Stilson, author of the Polaris of the Snows series.
“It’s a Family” is today’s Edgar Rice Burroughs
inspired drabble.
“The pulps can’t survive on my output. No magazines, no pay check. I’d rather people wrote westerns, contemporary mysteries, and historical romances, but every fantasy story a reader likes, no matter who wrote it, wets his appetite for more. I suspect that it’s good for me.”
“How can that be?”
“Modesty doesn’t prevent me from saying that my stuff
is better than their stuff – no matter who they are. If folks like their
stuff, they’ll love my stuff. Let ‘em keep writing.”
NEW WORLD
March 28: On this day in 1929, ERB notified "Blue Book" magazine’s editor, Edwin Balmer, (co-author of “When Worlds Collide) that he was planned to start a new series, this time set on Venus. Four years later, the first story, Pirates of Venus ~ ERBzine 0748 was published, but not in ‘Blue Book.” It was serialized in Argosy Weekly ~ ERBzine 0220
The illustration is from the 1935 to 1936 Dutch serialization of “Pirates of Venus” in ABC Magazine. Australian artist, Mabel Dickinson Lapthorn drew 43 illustrations. I picked this one because it had a Tarzan-like feel.
“New World” is today’s Edgar Rice Burroughs inspired drabble.
“Ed, you know I love your work. So Tarzan, Mars, and Venus every year?”
“I couldn’t say. I’ve some ideas that won’t fit on Earth or Mars.”
“Sounds good. I’d like to see it if I’m still around.”
“Quitting?”
“Maybe, I’m working on a novel with Philip Wylie and the owner likes this kid, Donald Kennicutt.”
“You like my idea well enough for an advance contract and payment?”
“You’ll get me fired. I thought you liked me.”
“I do, but I had to ask?”
ONLY BE ONE
March 29: On this day in 1957, Christopher Guy Denis Lambert, who performed as Tarzan for half the movie in Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes ~ ERBzine 2152 was born in Great Neck, Long Island, New York. His best known role is that of Connor McCleod in the Highlander films.
“Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes” was released in 1984 and met with great critical acclaim for both Lambert and its director. The film was nominated for three Academy Awards and won a BAFTA Award, as well as a César Award amongst other nominations. It was rumored that Director Hugh Hudson cast Lambert because of Lambert’s myopia, because when he took off his glasses it seemed he was always looking into the distance.
“Only Be One” is today’s Edgar Rice Burroughs inspired
drabble.
“Without my glasses, the world is a mystery to me. Every woman is beautiful, every man is handsome, and every sunrise is gorgeous.”
“That’s a great way to see the world. How do you choose without your glasses? One flower is prettier than another and one piece of candy looks sweeter.”
“Appearances are misleading. A woman’s soul isn’t in her makeup. A broken candy bar tastes as sweet. I’ve learned that it really doesn’t matter. In the end, there can be just one.”
LOOK THE PART
March 30: On this day in 1949, Ajor, a centerfold from Caspak, was born. Wait. I take it back. I’m wrong. It wasn't Ajor! It’s Dana Gillespie, the girl who played Ajor in the 1977 film, The People That Time Forgot ~ ERBzine 3029 At birth, in London, Dana's full name was Richenda Antoinette de Winterstein Gillespie.
Besides making numerous films, Dana appeared in several stage productions, including being the original Mary Magdalene in the first London production of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's Jesus Christ Superstar, and appeared on over 45 musical albums. She’s recorded pop, folk, and the blues.
The song "Andy Warhol" was originally written by David Bowie for Gillespie, who recorded it in 1971, but her version of the song was not released until 1973 on her album “Weren't Born a Man.” The album's pretty good. I expect that you can't call your ERB collection complete unless you have all her albums. Stop reading and go to Amazon and EBay and buy, buy, buy.
Here’s the album sleeve. She’s came a long way from living in a cave in Caspak.
“Look The Part” is today’s drabble.
“Thank you, Mr. Rice. My fans think I’m divine, but I never expected to play Jesus on stage.”
Andrew Lloyd Webber said, “You’ll play Mary Magdalene. Your big song will be “I Don’t Know How To Love Him.”
“Wasn’t Magdalene a prostitute?”
“A reformed prostitute.”
“So I look like a hooker to you?”
“Sorry?”
“Relax, these looks sell records and get me stage roles. Although the song seems a strange one for a scarlet woman to sing. It’d be a poor streetwalker what don’t know how to love.”
ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS
March 31: On this day in 1937, Edgar Rice Burroughs wrote response to a letter from Randolph Altrocchi. Altrocchi was a professor of Italian studies at the University of California, Berkely. I’m not sure what Italian studies have to do with Tarzan, but the character always has had universal appeal. Porges and ERBzine quoted ERB's response. An excerpt from ERB's letter comprises today's drabble entry.
Altrocchi was researching his book, “Sleuthing in the Stacks” published in 1943 by Harvard University Press. I ordered a copy in DJ today for $19.00.
Rudolph Altrocchi was born in Florence, Italy. Altrocchi's family immigrated to the United States when he was a child. He attended Harvard University, earning his Ph.D. in 1914. Between 1910 and 1928, he taught at Columbia University, Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Chicago, and Brown University. From 1928 to his retirement in 1947, he served as chairman of the Italian department at the University of California, Berkeley.
He married in 1920. His wife, Julia Cooley Altrocchi, published a large number of children's books including, “Girl With Ocelot and Other Poems” in 1964. They had two sons, John and Paul. Paul Hemenway Altrocchi became a renowned neurologist.
Altrocchi served in the American Expeditionary Force during World War I, managing propaganda and liaison functions in Rome and Lyon, France.
An excerpt from Burroughs’ letter in reply to Altrocchi’s
questions
serves as today’s drabble, “On the Shoulders of
Giants.”
Click for full size
