Official Edgar Rice Burroughs Tribute and Weekly Webzine Site Since 1996 ~ Over 15,000 Webpages in Archive Volume 7163  |
ERB 100-Word Drabbles
JANUARY III Edition :: Days 1 - 15
See Days 16 - 31 at ERBzine 7163a
by Robert Allen Lupton
With Collations, Web Page Layout and ERBzine Illustrations and References by Bill Hillman
NATURE'S BEAUTY ral670
January 1: On this day in 1925, The Los Angeles Times published an article by Edgar Rice Burroughs titled “The Saddle Horse in Southern California – Bridle Path System Linking Los Angeles with Sea and Mountains Gives Horsemen Advantages Few Other Cities Enjoy!" ~ Reprinted in ERBzine 1441
Burroughs was an avid and highly skilled horseman. He never missed a chance to extol the virtues and joys of horse riding. The article not only praises the existing bridle path system in the area, but the comprehensive plan for a much larger system planned for the future. Alas, time had other plans and the remaining bridle paths in the Greater LA area are few and far between. The Zoo Bridle Trail Hiking Trail in Griffith Park, and the Euclid Avenue Bridle path still exist in part as multiuse trails, but the Sunset Boulevard Bridle Path from Beverly Hills, like almost all the others has been repurposed or replaced.
The Sunset Boulevard Bridle Trail was dedicated on April 6, 1924, but it was never extended all the way to the ocean as planned. It was replaced by a landscaped center median in 1950.
Interestingly enough, an intrepid adventurer can still rent a horse in Griffith Park and at the Sunset Ranch Hollywood. Saddle up boys, we’re burning daylight. Burroughs’ ability to paint a picture with words shines through in the first paragraph of his article, presented here as the drabble for today, “Nature’s Beauty.”
NATURE'S BEAUTY
TALE OF WOE
January 2: On this day in 1942 Whitman Publishing copyrighted its version of “Tarzan the Terrible,” the Better Little Book version of the novel. The book used Rex Maxon’s Tarzan daily comic strip art and a had a cover by John Coleman Burroughs, who also illustrated another feature, ‘flip art” animation on one corner of the book. The book is the standard BLB size, 3 5/8 inches wide by 4 ½ inches tall. The book contained 209 illustrations from the daily comic strip and was BLB # 1453.
An illustrated bibliography of the Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Big Little Books is available online at:
TALE OF WOE
The two warriors pointed at Tarzan’s backside and whispered
to each other. Tarzan asked, “Something on my back?”
Ta-den asked, “Tarzan, why you got not tail? Lion
eat it?”
Tarzan replied, “Like all men in my country, I was
born without a tail.”
“Your behind looks incomplete without a tail.”
Tarzan glanced over his shoulder. “It’s not much of
a behind, but I’m sort of attached to it.”
I'LL SHOW YOU A SPITFIRE
January 3: On this day in 1935, actress Maria Guadalupe Villalobos Velez (Lupe Velez) filed for divorce from Johnny Weissmuller for the second time and was granted an interlocutory decree, a temporary judgement in her favor, which was later dismissed when the couple reconciled in early February.
She filed for the third time in August of 1938, charging Weissmuller with cruelty and the divorce was finalized shortly thereafter.
Velez is best known for her “Mexican Spitfire’ films, she made eight of them, and her on screen persona, Carmelita Lindsay, appeared to have been based on her mercurial real life personality. Her tempestuous entanglements peppered the tabloids of the day. Velez didn’t deny her behavior, and even went so far as to contact gossip columnists and give the “inside scoop” on her exploits.
She was involved with Tom Mix, Charlie Chaplin, Clark Gable, and Gary Cooper. She was accused attacking Cooper with a knife and even attempting to shoot him at a train station.
Lupe Velez, the Mexican Spitfire, died from a Seconal overdose in 1944 at age 36. She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame that honors her contributions to the film industry.
For more information and several photos of of the couple, visit
I'LL SHOW YOU A SPITFIRE
“The first time you buy a house you think how pretty it is and sign the check. The second time you look to see if the basement has termites. It's the same with men.”
“Your violent temper is common tabloid fodder.”
“Only publicity for my films.”
“Madam, Mr. Weissmuller has photographic evidence
of bruises, scratches, and bite marks.”
“Lupe Velez is a passionate woman. It he can’t stand
the heat, he should stay out of the bedroom.”
CONFUSION DOWN UNDER
January 4: On this day in 1943, an article war correspondent, Edgar Rice Burroughs wrote on Christmas day, 1942 was published. Burroughs was in Australia, and while he enjoyed the country, he bemoaned some of the language and customs. The entire article is available at: TARZAN'S CREATOR, NOW COVERING WAR, FINDS AUSSIE CUSTOMS ODD
CONFUSION DOWN UNDER
COVER ART
January 5: On this day in 1926, artist, Robert Kennedy Abbett, a popular Tarzan cover artist, was born on this date in Hammond, Indiana. He grew up to illustrate for "True" and "Argosy" magazines and, eventually, for Edgar Rice Burroughs paperbacks.
From the early 1950s through the 1970s, Robert Abbett, aka Bob Abbett, illustrated war novels, detective novels, science fiction, and even the occasional historical drama. He authored or coauthored a number of art related books including “A Season for Painting: The Outdoor Paintings of Robert K. Abbett” and “Wings From Cover: The Upland Images of Robert Abbett and Ed Gray.” Abbett illustrated covers for several paperback publishers including Ballantine Books, Pyramid Books, Ace Books, Gold Medal, Avon and Pocket Books.
He painted Tarzan covers for Ballantine, 21 of them, and all eleven Barsoom books. His cover for “The Chessmen of Mars” was the first Edgar Rice Burroughs book I ever purchased. When I picture John Carter and Dejah Thoris in my mind, the Abbett illustrations are the way I see the characters. Along with a Burroughs’ cover. I’ve included Abbett’s illustration for a Rex Stout novel.
For more information about the artist and all of his Edgar Rice Burroughs cover art, go to:
COVER ART
BEST IN SHOW
January 6: On this day in 1913, the New York Evening World (owned by Joseph Pulitzer) began serial publication of a novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs, "Tarzan of the Apes.”
According to ERB researcher, Dave Sorochty in ERBzine (https://www.erbzine.com/mag17/1750.html) “The newspaper novel version was published nationally before the first edition hardcover of the book. The text of the newspaper version is a condensation of the All-Story magazine text and is not the version as published in the book.”
The Evening World would go on to publish “The Maneater” in six parts in 1915, and A Princess of Mars in six parts in 1921.
The newspaper’s first issue was on October 10, 1887. It was published daily, except for Sunday. The final publication was on February 26, 1931.
In 1899, The Evening World was the subject a large scale newsboy strike, immortalized by the Disney film and stage musical, "Newsies."
The drabble for today, “Best in Show,” was inspired by the newspaper publication of “Tarzan of the Apes.”
BEST IN SHOW
“He wrote this Mars thing. I checked with All-Story and he’s promised to deliver the manuscript of “The Return of Tarzan” this very week.”
“Stay in touch with All-Story. Sales with the Tarzan
story have been great. The writer should get a prize.”
“There aren’t prizes awarded for anything we publish,
fact or fiction.”
Pulitzer said, “There should be. We’ll make one.”
IF I ONLY HAD A BRAIN
January 7: On this day in 1921, Edgar Rice Burroughs began writing my favorite novel of his, “The Chessmen of Mars. The fifth book in the Barsoom series was about 93,000 words long according to Henry Hardy Heins, making it one of his longest books.
The story of Tara of Helium and Gahan, Jed of Gathol was first published in Argosy All-Story Weekly in 1922. A. C. McClurg’s first edition was published with a J. Allen St. John cover on November 29, 1922.
Robert B. Zeuschner lists 42 editions in “Edgar Rice Burroughs The Bibliography." Jim Goodwin’s Edgar Rice Burroughs: The Descriptive Bibliography of the Ace and Ballantine/Del Rey Paperback Books identifies 24 paperback variations by Ballantine / Del Rey and one by Ace. Joe Lukes’ Bibliography of “Pre-war Grosset and Dunlap editions (1918-1942) says that “Up to 20 editions have been identified. Making a reasonable, but not exhaustive effort to combine the three sources, allowing for duplications, the total I come up with for US publications is 64 editions of the book. I’m expect that total is low because the most recent of the three bibliographies is dated 2019, and no doubt someone, somewhere, is preparing to publish another unauthorized version using the public domain text from Argosy All-Story.
See publication details and several illustrations at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag4/0426.html
The illustration for today, featuring Tara of Helium, a kaldane, and a rykor, is by the incomparable Frank Frazetta.
The drabble for today, “If I Only Had a Brain,” was inspired by “The Chessmen of Mars” by Edgar Rice Burroughs.
IF I ONLY HAD A BRAIN
“Men without any brains, imagine that. Seems a common
enough occurrence to me.”
“I’m concerned about the Rykors. I don’t see how they
can survive with brains. Surely, we can help them."
Dejah Thoris laughed, “I wouldn’t worry about it.
In my experience, most men hardly use their brains at all. I’m sure the
Rykors will be just fine.”
AND HER NAME IS LA
January 8: On this day in 1913, at nine pm, Edgar Rice Burroughs finished the second Tarzan book, which he was calling “The Ape-Man.” His other working title for the story had been “Monsieur Tarzan.”
All-Story Magazine wasn’t happy with the book and ultimately rejected it on January 18, saying that the novel “lacked balance.” Eleven days later, the Street and Smith publication, “New Story Magazine,” offered $1000 for “The Ape-Man.” Burroughs accepted and New Story serialized the story as “The Return of Tarzan” in seven monthly installments from June through December 1913.
Two of the seven magazine covers featured Tarzan and one, the July issue, had an unillustrated tri-colored red, white and blue cover featured a headline covering the entire magazine, “The Return of Tarzan – Sequel To “Tarzan of the Apes” In This Number.” “The Return of Tarzan” was mentioned on three more of the covers, but the illustrations were for other stories contained in the those issues. The last issue of the seven issue run didn’t mention “The Return of Tarzan.” The entire cover was a blurb for a new “Rider Haggard” serial, which is not identified on the cover. (“Allan and the Holy Flower” – the seventh of seventeen Quartermain novels.)
New Story Magazine started as “Gunther’s Magazine” in February 1905, and became “New Magazine in October 1910, It was published as “New Story Magazine” from October 1911 through November 1915 after which it became “All-Around Magazine” until its demise in March 1917.
For more publishing details about "The Return of Tarzan" and several illustrations : https://www.erbzine.com/mag4/0484.html
The drabble for today, “And Her Name is La,” was, as always inspired by Edgar Rice Burroughs – this time with a nudge from H. Rider Haggard.
AND HER NAME IS LA
Burroughs replied. “Son of Tarzan” in works. If Haggard can keep Allan Quartermain busy in Africa for seven books, I can certainly find more for Tarzan to do. I’ve got an idea about an ancient mine ruled by the priestess of a long forgotten religion.”
“Don’t make it too much like “She” or King Solomon’s
Mines.”
“La-ti-da. My character, my stories. You don’t think
that a big continent like Africa only has one jungle goddess and one lost
treasure trove.”
DIAMONDS CAN'T BUY ME LOVE
January 9: On this day in 1915, All-Story Magazine finally accepted “Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar,” at Edgar Rice Burroughs’ price of $2500.00 – almost $65,000 today. Opar has proven to be an engaging and long lasting creation – first appearing in “The Return of Tarzan” and spawning a cottage industry of other novels.
Philp Jose Farmer wrote ‘Hadon of Ancient Opar,' "Flight to Opar,” and “Time’s Last Gift.” Even his “Tarzan and the Dark Heart of Time,” references Opar.
Christopher Paul Carey wrote “Blood of Ancient Opar,” “Hadon, King of Opar,” “Exiles of Kho,” and with Philip Jose Farmer, “The Song of Kwasin.” Again with Farmer, Carey has a well written short story, “Kwasin and the Bear God.”
Jim Malachowski wrote “Song of Opar,” a beautiful book a couple years ago.
Those are the best, in my opinion, but there is a cornucopia of others that I haven’t mentioned.
Opar appeared in several Tarzan films and was included in the Disney’s television Tarzan series. The artwork attached is from Disney.
There’s even a flower named, “Jewels of Opar.”
Every book listed above is available. All from Amazon, some from ERB Inc., and others from Meteor House Press. A brief visit to Google will help you find them all.
The drabble for today, ”Diamonds Can’t Buy Me Love”, was inspired by Edgar Rice Burroughs, and a couple films and songs.
DIAMONDS CAN'T BUY ME LOVE
“He is an outlander who came to steal our gold and
jewels.”
“It’s not theft if I give them to him.”
“Our treasure is not yours to give. Remember, diamonds
are a girl’s best friend.”
“Nonsense. Diamonds are pretty when they reflect the
bright noonday sun, but all stones look the same in darkness. A true love
will keep you safe and warm until sunrise.”
“A diamond is forever.”
“No, loneliness only seems like forever.”
SWAMP VAMPIRES
January 10: On this day in 1936, Whitman Publishing copyrighted the Big Little Book, “Tarzan Escapes,” allegedly based on the recent film of the same name – with one important difference.
The Weissmuller – O’Sullivan film was originally filmed under the title “The Capture of Tarzan.” Preview audiences considered the film too gruesome and it was reshot and recut before its final release. Many scenes including the “vampire bat attack in the swamp” were deleted. No copy of the original “Gruesome” version is known to exist.
However, there are still several gruesome scenes in the final film. Victims were tied to separate trees and ripped in half when the trees were released to spring free in a version of being quartered, thrown into pits with a giant ape, and shot in the head with arrows. Rated V or violent.
Burroughs supplied the original script to Whitman and the Big Little Book was based on that "terrifying" script, not the final cut of the film. If you want the original story, you’ll have to read the Big Little Book, or go to https://www.erbzine.com/mag6/0648.html, where Bill Hillman has laboriously typed out the entire BLB.
One of the more annoying things to me in the BLB is in chapter two – Fry, a hunter refers to a race of baboons led by a white man named Tarzan. Baboons, indeed! The second is that one of the hunters is named 'Bomba.'
A portion of the Big Little Book, “Swamp Vampires,” is today’s drabble. To find out how the battle with the vampires ends, you’ll need to visit the website listed above or find a copy of the Big Little Book.
SWAMP VAMPIRES
Suddenly a vampire swooped up Jane. Tarzan rushed to defend her.
A vampire now attacked the litter. Shouting and waving their clubs, Major Fry and the natives fought it off.
Tarzan and Bomba had battled the creature that attacked Jane forcing it off. Now the vampire renewed the attack, directly upon Tarzan.
It came closer, seemingly impervious to the knife thrusts. At last, with a powerful swing, Tarzan caught the thing in the throat.
The vampires were gaining. The situation looked hopeless as the vampires settled in a thick swarm.
FEAR OF COMPETITION
January 11: On this day in 1923, the Los Angeles Times published a story about Edgar Rice Burroughs filing an application to start his own transit system – "The Tarzana Stage Line.” His proposed bus line (buses, not actually stage coaches) would provide service between Zelzah and Hollywood. Burroughs’ really wanted the existing bus company to improve service and intended his application to goad them into action.
"I have no desire to go into the stage line business," said Mr. Burroughs to the utilities board, "but I am interested in obtaining stage service across San Fernando Valley. The existing stage line buses go like hell, are always crowded, and give no local service, so I thought I'd start a stage line myself."
The managers of the stage lines told the board they believed plans could be worked out by which the existing lines could give the cross-valley local service which Mr. Burroughs's proposed line would give. The board took the Tarzana stage line application under advisement, pending negotiations between Mr. Burroughs and the stage line owners. In case the conferences result in an agreement for satisfactory local service, Mr. Burroughs's application for a new line will be withdrawn. I can only assume that such an agreement was forthcoming, because Burroughs’ proposed Tarzana stage line never happened.
Today’s drabble is “Fear of Competition,” and it’s inspired by Burroughs’ proposal to build a bus line.
FEAR OF COMPETITION
“Of course not. I only want the existing company to improve their service. A little fear of competition will be good for them.”
“You think that’ll work?”
“Sure, fear is the best salesman. Insurance exists because of fear of loss - death, fire, storm damage. New clothing sells every year because of fear of being out of style. Makeup products sell because of fear of not meeting a purely manufactured appearance standard.
“How does that apply?”
The company fears competition and competition breeds
better service and lower prices.”
TROGLODYTE
January 12: On this day in 2002, Jane Ralston Burroughs died in Santa Barbara, California. Jane, the wife of John Coleman Burroughs and mother of Danton and Dian Burroughs, posed as the model for Dejah Thoris and other Burroughs’ heroines for her husband, the artist, John Coleman Burroughs.
Jane contributed background art, inking and lettering to John’s ERB comic strips, especially for the “John Carter of Mars” strip. Here’s what she said about that in 1998.
“Perhaps it would be of interest to elucidate on the "John Carter of Mars" comic strip panels drawn by my husband, John Coleman Burroughs, in 1942. My facial features were drawn and I posed in a swim suit and Martian harness for the body proportions and positions. Never has it been known that I also drew all the backgrounds and buildings, did all of the coloring and all of the lettering, and very much enjoyed the project.”
Jane also coauthored a series of short stories with her husband and brother-in-law, Hulbert, some of which have been collected in “The Lightning Man and Other Stories,” also titled “The Bottom of the World.” Copies are readily available from EBay and other online sources.
The four stories in the collection are ‘Hybrid of Horror,” “The Man Without a World,” “The Bottom of the World,” and “The Lightning Men.” Specific authorship of the four stories is attributed differently in different places. Many of these stories have been reprinted in ERBzine.
A lovely tribute site to Jane Ralston Burroughs featuring correspondence, photographs, and reminisces by friends and family is located at:
https://www.erbzine.com/jrb/
“Hybrid of Horror” may be read online at:
https://www.erbzine.com/mag14/1465.html
The drabble for today is, “Troglodyte,” an excerpt from that short story.
TROGLODYTE
His breath was fetid, as though he had been dead for centuries.
A cross between a snarl and a frozen smile lifted the corner of his flabby mouth, revealing a dirty, yellow fang. I was struck by the prominence of the supra-orbital ridges and the short, receding forehead -- the indication of an extremely thick skull. His round, owl-like eyes gleamed like twin holes into hell. The short cane he grasped in one hairy hand seemed fashioned of greenish stone. It had been broken, leaving a wicked, jagged end.”
MICHAEL RENNIE WAS ILL
January 13: On this day in 1967, the 18th episode of the Ron Ely Tarzan television show, “The Day the Earth Trembled,” was broadcast. The episode featured actress and pilot, Susan Oliver.
Those of us who were addicted to that sort of thing will remember Susan as the green girl in the original rejected Star Trek pilot episode, “The Cage,” most of which was included in the Star Trek season one, two part, episode, “The Menagerie.”
Susan was also an accomplished pilot. She held a commercial pilot license for single engine and multi-engine aircraft - including jets. She held a private glider license. She was the fourth woman to fly solo across the Atlantic and the second to do so from New York. Fittingly, her only Emmy nomination was for her portrayal of Netta Snook in the made-for-tv movie, “Amelia Earhart,”
In the Tarzan episode, Susan, who appeared on over a 100 television shows and even directed a couple including one M*A*S*H episode, played Peggy Dean, a caretaker lost in the jungle with three children. Tarzan and three helpful convicts fight army ants and crocodiles. Tarzan recruited the convicts, but he never fully trusted them.
She passed away at age 58 from cancer in 1990.
The drabble for today is “Michael Rennie Was Ill.”
MICHAEL RENNIE WAS ILL
“Don’t worry about it. The writers work for several shows. They have to come up with a dozen titles a week. Believe me, I’ve seen much worse.”
Susan Oliver yelled at Carey Wilbur, the writer. “Hey, how did you come up with this title?”
“I was drinking with Michael Rennie. Michael said he’d kick my butt if I reused “The Day the Earth Stood Still.”
Susan said, “Klaatu barada nikto.”
NIGHT LIGHT
January 14: On this day in 1939, “Rob Wagner’s Script,” a magazine that published several of Burroughs’ Inspector Muldoon mysteries, published a Burroughs’ story, “Even Apes Fight For It.” While not advertised as a Tarzan story, the story features an ape tribe, Tantor, Numa, and Usha. When the head ape goes on a rampage, the “Jungle Lord,” arrives to settle him down. The term “Kreeg-ah” meaning either surrender or I surrender, depending on inflection and context is the story, and the Jungle Lord is twice called by name, “Tarzan.”
Some sources give the cover date of the issue as February 25, 1939.
The entire story is available to read at:
The drabble for today is “Night Light,” and was inspired by Tarzan and his friend, Nkima.
NIGHT LIGHT
Concerned for his companion’s health and safety, Tarzan took Nkima to the healer in the Waziri village. “He glows in the dark. Help him.”
The healer said, “Give him a bath. He’s been playing in foxfire, a fungus that grows on dead trees. It’s all over him and it makes him glow.”
“So he’ll be okay?”
“Nothing to worry about. Monkeys are always getting
into the foxfire. In our village, we call it Monkeyshines!”
TWO MONTHS
January 15: On this day in 1987, Vern Coriell, founder of The Burroughs Bibliophiles and publisher of “The Burroughs Bulletin” and “The Gridley Wave” died. Coriell, a talented circus performer, published several other Edgar Rice Burroughs related books, including reprints of daily and Sunday Comics, aka
“The Illustrated Tarzan Books” and the “Tarzan Sunday Page Folios" with a numbering system, that seemed, at least to me, inconsistent at best. He also published a tribute to Jock Mahoney, “Jocko Jungle Lord,” and published the “David Innes of Pellucidar,” and “John Carter of Mars,” Sunday pages – drawn by John Coleman Burroughs and Jane Ralston Burroughs.
This isn’t intended to be a complete summary of publications by Vern. For more details about the old juggler and acrobat, visit
TWO MONTHS
Vern pointed to himself.
The agent nodded and said, “I got your guy right here.
I’ll sign him up.” He asked Vern, “Can ride a unicycle?”
“I’ve two months. A lot can happen in two months. I could die, the man on the phone could die, the country could go to war, or the deal could cancel. Hell, in two months I might even learn to ride the damn thing.”
See Days 16-31 at ERBzine 7163a
JANUARY III ILLUSTRATIONS COLLAGE
Click for full-size promo collage
