Official Edgar Rice Burroughs Tribute and Weekly Webzine Site Since 1996 ~ Over 15,000 Webpages in Archive Volume 7592a  |
ERB 100-Word Drabbles
SEPTEMBER IVa Edition :: Days 16-30
See Days 1-15 at ERBzine 7592
by Robert Allen Lupton
With Collations, Web Page Layout and ERBzine Illustrations and References by Bill Hillman
MY TREE, MY RULES
September 16: On this day in 1966, episode # two of the Ron Ely television Tarzan, The Ultimate Weapon, was first broadcast. The episode featured two Tarzans, Ron Ely and Jock Mahoney, although Jock Mahoney played Hoby Wallington, not Tarzan. The episode also featured Alan Cailou, Shelah Wells, and Dennis Cross.
Mahoney, as Wallington is a game warden, who the poacher, Peter Haines tries to murder, but Tarzan saves him. Haines mistakenly believed that Tarzan had killed his father. Tarzan and Haines had a big fight, which Tarzan wins and forces Haines to reconnect with his wife, Kathy. Mahoney tells Tarzan, “You must be the only marriage counselor who lives in a tree.”
ERBzine Review of TV Tarzan Episode: The Ultimate Weapon
https://www.erbzine.com/mag74/7421.html#2
The drabble today, “My Tree, My Rules, was inspired by the cast and storyline of “The Ultimate Weapon.”Tarzan played by Ron Ely and Hoby Wallington played by Jock Mahoney walked back to the village after Tarzan defeated a second generation poacher named Peter Haines. Mahoney said, “When I was Tarzan, I always won in the end, even though I occasionally lost a round or two along the way.” MY TREE, MY RULES
Ely laughed. “Tarzan’s name is part of the title. If Tarzan loses the show is over.”
“So it’s the screenwriting. I always thought it was because I, and now you, was the toughest and bravest man in the jungle.“Partially, but it’s Tarzan’s jungle. Nothing beats home field advantage!”
FALSE HEART
September 17: On this day in 1928, episode number six of the ‘Tarzan the Mighty” film serial, “The Fiery Pit,” appeared in movie theaters across America.
Black John's attempt to drive Tarzan and his friends from the burning hut was frustrated by a sudden rainstorm. Black John found Mary alone and captures her, Mary hoped Tarzan would arrive in time to save her from Black John, who has found the papers identifying Tarzan as Lord Greystoke, and plans to annex the title and estates for himself. Mary’s brother, Bobby went for Tarzan, who knocked out the guards, but one recovered and went to warn Black John. As Tarzan is breaking the last of Mary's chains the shadows of Black John and his conspirators are seen. A knife is raised and plunges down towards the shadow of Tarzan. Cue the music!
Details about this long lost film serial are at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag5/0592.html
The one hundred word drabble for today is “False Heart,” inspired by the storyline.Bobby Trevor, discovered his sister was a captive of Black John, who planned to force her to marry him and to use the paperwork identifying Tarzan as Lord Greystoke to seize the title for himself and steal the Greystoke estates. FALSE HEART
Bobby said, “He can’t steal your identity and claim your rightful inheritance, can he?”
“In the jungle, no, but the laws of civilization are different.”
“And my sister. I read that neither faint heart, nor false heart every won a fair maid.”
“Would that it were true. False heart wins more than a fair share until the truth is revealed.”
STARTED YOUNG
September 18: On this day in 1926, Joe Kubert was born in Jezierzany, Poland, now known as Ozeriany, Ukraine. A well-known comic book artist, Kubert illustrated almost everything during his career, but was well known for Hawkman and various war comics.
For DC Comics, he wrote and illustrated Tarzan #207 - #225, #227-#235, and he wrote #236 and #239-249.
He won an Alley Award for Best Cover in 1962, artist preferred in 1963, and storytelling technique in 1969. He won the Inkpot Award in 1977, an Eisner Award in 1997, and a Harvey award in 1997. We is a member of the Jack Kirby Hall of Fame and the Will Eisner Hall of Fame.
Several articles about Kubert and his Tarzan work are available online at www.erbzine.com, and https://www.erbzine.com/mag28/2898a.html is a good place to start.
The drabble for today is “Started Young,” and it is excerpted from an interview with Joe Kubert that appeared in “The Comic Journal” on August 14, 2012. The entire interview is at: https://www.tcj.com/the-joe-kubert-interview/.I started in comic books when a young fellow, Melvin Budoff, who was in grammar school in my class. His uncle, who I think was, was one of the founders and owners of what is now the Archie Group, which was then called MLJ. Melvin said, “Joe, why don’t you take your drawings and show my uncle? He publishes comic books.” STARTED YOUNG
I thought, why not? I was about 11. I went to their office on Canal Street in Manhattan. That’s how I got my first jobs and I got the opportunity to ink Bob Montana’s Archie strip. Just like that.
ENOUGH KNOWLEDGE TO BE DANGEROUS
September 19: On this day in 1936, Argosy Weekly published the first part of “Tarzan and the Magic Men,” which would be combined with “Tarzan and the Elephant Men,” to become the novel, “Tarzan the Magnificent. The issue also contained an article by the ‘editor,’ The Fame of Tarzan. The cover was by Hubert Rogers and featured a blonde Tarzan.
Rogers also was the dust jacket artist for Robert Heinlein’s “Rocket Ship Galileo.”
Details about “Tarzan the Magnificent,” and an electronic version of the entire novel is available at https://www.erbzine.com/mag7/0728.html
The drabble for today is “Enough Knowledge to be Dangerous,” was inspired by “Tarzan and the Magic Men.”Woora, a magician of the Zuli tribe who possessed a magic emerald, threatened Tarzan. “Tarzan, fear me for I possess great magical powers and the ability to control men’s minds.” ENOUGH KNOWLEDGE TO BE DANGEROUS
Tarzan smiled. “Not my mind. I have met Queen Gonfala, and she taught me everything I need to know about your magic. Your magic is powerless where I’m concerned.”
Woora sneered. “There’s no way a person, even a queen, could teach you everything about magic in one day.”
“I didn’t say she taught me everything there was to know. She taught me everything I need to know. There’s a difference!”
WHO WAS THAT MASKED MAN
September 20: On this day ninety-eight years ago in 1924, Argosy All-Story Weekly published the second installment of six parts of “The Bandit of Hell’s Bend. The cover by Paul Stahr illustrated part one of “Mrs. Marbury’s Alibi” by Elizabeth York Miller, who was a journalist and writer with over fifty novels to her credit. She moved to Britain in the early 1930s.
“The Bandit of Hell’s Bend” was Burroughs’s first western and in my opinion every bit as good as those by more ‘famous’ western writers.
Dian Henders inherited the Bar-Y ranch in Arizona and her new foreman, Hal Colby plans to steal her ranch and gold mine. The entire area is threatened by the bandit of Hell’s Bend, but who is he?
The drabble for today is “Who Was That Masked Man,’ and it was inspired by the Bandit of Hell’s Bend, another masked man who might be familiar to some people, and just a hint of Dudley Do-right.Diana Henders stood bravely before the Bandit of Hell’s Bend. “Only an evil coward wears a mask. Show yourself.” WHO WAS THAT MASKED MAN
“Men mask for many reasons. To protect their families from reprisals is one.”
“You’re a thief and murder, you’re not protecting anyone.”
“A human face is, after all, nothing more or less than a mask.”
“Oscar Wilde said, ‘The masked man will speak the truth.’ You still speak in riddles.”
“Nevertheless, I see a time when everyone will wear masks every day, but until that day, hand over the deed to your ranch or I’ll throw you on the railroad track.”
HAM SANDWICH
September 21: On this day in 1939, Whitman published Big Little Book #1477, “The Son of Tarzan,” adapted from the 96 Rex Maxon Tarzan Daily Comic Strips that ran in 1929. Actually the book was labeled as a Better Little Book. These strips are all reprinted in ERBzine at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag20/2040.html
The book divided the 96 daily comic pages into 209 interior illustrations. The cover art was by Henry Vallely. The back cover advertised the ‘best’ of the Better Little Books, Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, The Lone Ranger, Dick Tracy, Tom Mix, Buck Jones, Tarzan of the Apes, Little Orphan Annie, Dan Dunn, and King of the Royal Mounted.
The drabble for today “Ham Sandwich” was inspired by the Better Little Book series.Mickey Mouse said, “I’m not happy with my exploits being in a Big Little Book.” HAM SANDWICH
Donald Duck quacked, “Get over yourself, Mickey. There’re no small books, just small characters."
The Lone Ranger said, “I’m okay with it. It doesn’t matter what they say about you as long as they say something.”Little Orphan Annie nodded. “It’s like the riddle, what’s better, complete happiness in life or a ham sandwich? The answer is a ham sandwich because nothing’s better than complete happiness and a ham sandwich is better than nothing.”
Tarzan smiled. “Better a little book than no book at all!”
PITHY FIT
September 22: On this day in 1975, prolific actor, Ian Hunter died in London, England. Hunter was born in the Kenilworth area of Cape Town, in Cape Colony when the British controlled what is now known as South Africa. He played Austin Lancing in “Tarzan Finds A Son.”
IMDB lists 102 credits for Hunter, including King Richard in 1938’s the “Adventures of Robin Hood,’ Captain Crewe in Shirley Temple’s “The Little Princess,” and Doctor John Layton in Spencer Tracy’s “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.”
Read all about “Tarzan Finds A Son” at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag6/0620.html
The 100 word drabble for today, “Pithy Fit,” was inspired by Ian Hunter’s character in “Tarzan Finds a Son.”“I hate this stupid hat. It smashes my ears and it absorbs all the heat and makes my eyes fill with sweat. Not only that, but it messes up my profile.” PITHY FIT
Director Richard Thorpe responded. “Ian, It’s what Englishmen wear in the jungle. Get used to it.”
“Tarzan is English and he isn’t wearing a stupid hat.”
“He was born in Africa.”
“And I was born in South Africa, thank you very much. The hat makes me uncomfortable. I hate it.”
“You don’t have to get pithed off! In this case, it’s better to be pithed on, than pithed off”
PARTY LIKE IT'S NINETEEN FORTY-FIVE
September 23: On this day in 1944, the world’s oldest war correspondent, Edgar Rice Burroughs, wrote a letter to his daughter, Joan. He thanked her for a group photo which included an old friend, Loraine, and said to tell his friends to call him “Ed.”
The entire letter may be read at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag10/1026.html#September%2023
The drabble for today is ‘Party Like It’s Nineteen Forty-Five,” and excerpted from Edgar Rice Burroughs’ letter to his daughter on this day in 1944.I haven’t been behaving lately. Two or three Marines from Saipan have made my room their headquarters when they come in town from the hospital (they’re all casualties). They’ve brought in half dozen bottles of Bourbon and a couple of cases of beer, and they come in and make whoopie. One is my friend, Captain Don Jackson, and when his division was camped on one of the other islands, I saw quite a little of him when he got leave to come to Oahu. They have to return to the hospital every night - thank God! But I like them. PARTY LIKE IT'S NINETEEN FORTY-FIVE
TABLE FOR FOUR
September 24: On this day in 1928, episode number seven of the film serial, “Tarzan the Mighty,” “The Leopard’s Lair” appeared in movie houses across America.
The episode began with Tarzan ducking a knife and fighting with the natives while Mary and Bobby escaped. Tarzan defeated Black John and was asked to become the tribal chief that night. Mary convinced him to accept. Tarzan became chief during a ceremony that evening while Black John slept.
Bobby took Tarzan’s inheritance papers from the sleeping John and fled into the jungle, pursued by John. Tarzan led the tribe in a search for the boy, but Bobby hid in a cave inhabited by leopards. While Tarzan rushed to save the boy, Mary was captured by Taug, a great ape and taken to face a fate worse than death or maybe death, itself.
See photographs and read chapter summaries at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag5/0592.html
The drabble for today is “Table For Four,” and it was inspired by episode number seven of “Tarzan the Mighty.”Bobby raced through the jungle to escape the evil Black John from whom he’d taken papers proving Tarzan was Lord Greystoke. The boy took refuge in a cave. A mighty leopard growled at the Bobby. TABLE FOR FOUR
The leopard said, “This is my cave. Don’t come in here and threaten my three cubs.”
“I’m not here to threaten anyone.”
“My children are hungry and so am I. I’ve been too weak to hunt.”
Bobby nodded. “I can hunt for you.”
“That won’t be necessary. I didn’t order Doordash, Grubhub, or Cavecaterers and yet here you are. You look like dinner to me!”
OUT OF MY MIND
September 25: On this day in 1931, Edgar Rice Burroughs finished writing “Tarzan and the Leopard Men.” The novel was first serialized in Blue Book Magazine from August 1932 through January 1933. Art by Joseph Chenoweth graced the first three issues. The first edition was published on September 7, 1935 by ERB INC., with a wraparound dust jacket by J. Allen St. John.
The novel was inspired at some level by the secret Leopard Men Society, the Anyotos, who carried out numerous murders of Belgian colonial authorities, using tactics that made the Belgians believe that the killings were committed by leopards. However, as the terror against the Belgians continued, the secret association was unveiled. The Anyotos were persecuted, convicted and totally dismantled in the 1930s.
The drabble for today is “Out of my Mind,” and it is the book blurb summary from the Ballantine paperback edition of the book.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’d been Orando's ancestor. There were traitors among Orando's people. And in the village of the Leopard Men was the captive, Kali Bwana, the white girl who had come to Africa to find a missing man. Only Tarzan could save her.... OUT OF MY MIND
THE JONNY QUEST OF TARZAN
September 26: On this day in 1924, visual artist Tony Sgroi was born.
Tony Sgroi was an animator and comic artist. He drew several adventure and western strips for Dell/Western Publishing in the 1950s. He created such Disney comics for Dell as 'Robin Hood', 'Stormy the Thoroughbred', 'Young Davy Crockett', 'Man in Space', 'Mars and Beyond' and 'Spin & Marty'. He also did 'Range Rider', 'Gene Autry', 'Johnny Mack Brown', 'Champion' and 'Tarzan'. He was an animator for Warner Bros, Walter Lantz, Bob Clampett and Hanna-Barbera. For Clampett he worked on the animated TV series 'Beany and Cecil' (1962-1969) and worked on the animated feature film 'Hey, It's Yogi Bear' (1964) for Hanna-Barbera. At Hanna-Barbera he was also lay-out artist and art director various of their TV series, namely 'The Flintstones', 'The Jetsons', 'Jonny Quest', 'The Secret Squirrel Show', 'Space Ghost', 'The Herculoids', 'Super-Friends' , 'Scooby-Doo', 'Alvin & The Chipmunks' and 'The Smurfs.'
He illustrated the Whitman editions of “Tarzan and the City of Gold” and “Tarzan and the Lost Safari.”
Details about those editions are at: www.erbzine.com
The drabble for today, “The Jonny Quest of Tarzan,” is based on Sgori’s animation work.Bill Hanna interviewed Tony Sgori for Hanna Barbera. “So you did a bunch of comic books and helped animate Benny and Cecil. How does that qualify you to do animation for us? Most of your comics were westerns.” THE JONNY QUEST OF TARZAN
But not everything, I illustrated “Man in Space,” ”Mars and Beyond,” and a fair share of Tarzan comics.”
“We’re planning two series, “The Jetson’s is about the future and the Flintstone’s live the past.”
“Tarzan was filled with lost civilizations from the past and my space comics were about the future."
“You’re hired. Meet George Jetson. Flintstone, meet the Flintstones. Yabba-dabba doo!”
GIVE HIM THE MITTEN
September 27: On this day in 1924, Argosy All-Story Weekly published the third installment of “The Bandit of Hell’s Bend.” The cover by Modest Stein illustrated a Max Brand novel, but not a western.
The novel, “Clovelly,” tells the story of Michael Clovelly, who might not have been the greatest swordsman ever to come to London town during the reign of the Merry Monarch, Charles the Second, but if a better man ever wielded a blade, he had not yet stepped forth to claim the distinction. Seeking gold with which to elevate his beggarly fortunes, Clovelly chances to encounter a bully, and his fierce sword work brings him to the attention of Lord Teynham, who has need of a resourceful man with a rapier. The commission: to turn highwayman and rob a certain coach.
The issue also contained a short story, “Matched Wits” by George Allan England.
Details and numerous illustrations for the Bandit of Hell's Bend are at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag7/0771.html
Back to The Bandit of Hell’s Bend, one of the two stories in the issue featuring a highwayman, a girl, Lillian Manill, unfamiliar with western slang, introduced herself to Texas Pete who enjoyed poking a bit of fun at her tenderfoot ways.
The drabble for today is “Give Him the Mitten,” cowboy slang for a woman rejecting a man and it was inspired by the encounter between Lillian and Pete.Texas Pete doffed his hat. “Ain’t you the cutest little heifer!”
Lillian glared. “Heifer?”
“Compliment. You ain’t no broomtail nag. Nor no soiled dove, neither. You’re the finest feathered-out filly in this here town.”“I don’t like your tone!”
“Easy now, pull in your horns. Don’t get your hair in the butter. I’ll give you a fair shake.”
“For God’s sake, does anyone here speak English?”
“Yep, cowboy English. I was hoping we’d get us some eatin’ irons and put on the feedbag.”
“Have dinner with crowbait like you, on just a lick and a promise? That dog won’t hunt.”
ACCENT, WHAT ACCENT?
September 28: On this day in 1918, actor William True Boardman died of influenza during what was known as the ‘Spanish’ flu epidemic. Boardman appeared in over 134 silent films including “Tarzan of the Apes” and “The Romance of Tarzan,” films in which he portrayed Lord Greystoke, John Clayton, Tarzan’s father. Depending on the production dates, the Tarzan films could have been his final films, or it may have been “The Terror of the Range.” He made several short westerns playing the heroic Irving ‘Stingaree’ Randolph and the sheriff in several ‘Broncho Billy’ short films.
He was the father of Ture Eames Boardman, who had a long career as a writer for radio, film, and television and was also a child actor, appearing with Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford.
Details about both films are available at www.erbzine.com, and https://www.erbzine.com/mag5/0503.html is a good place to start.
The drabble for today is “Accent, What Accent?” and it was inspired by Boardman’s several western roles.Virginia, True Boardman’s wife said, “Honey, it’s great that you’re playing an English Lord in that Tarzan film. I’m afraid you’ve been typecast as a cowboy!” ACCENT, WHAT ACCENT?
“I agree. It’s exciting to have a chance to showcase my skills.”
“I confess I’m concerned. You’ve used a cowboy accent so long that I don’t know how you can sound like an Englishman Lord. Upper crust British isn’t Cockney, and neither are at home in a western saloon.”“Virginia, films are silent. You know that. It doesn’t matter how I speak.”
“Act with a British accent.”
“I will, but the apes won’t care.”
TO DROOL OR NOT TO DROOL
September 29: On this day in 1967, episode number thirty-four of the Ron Ely Tarzan series aired. “Thief Catcher,” is a story about escaped convicts featuring George Kennedy and Yaphet Kotto.
George Kennedy’s character, Crandell. is an angry prison escapee who wants money to leave Africa, and to kill the racketeer, Kesho (Yaphet Kotto). He also wants to be the man who killed Tarzan. Good episode with a nice music score by Nelson Riddle.
A detailed review and summary of the story is at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag74/7429.html
George Kennedy’s escaped convict is a far eviler man than the convict, Dragline,” he played in “Cool Hand Luke,”
The drabble for today, To Drool or Not to Drool,” is taken from interviews with George Kennedy.“I had the good fortune of speaking with Orson Wells many decades ago and he said, “Success is primarily luck anyway.” And I have been very lucky. Of course, Orson Wells was enormously talented and brilliant, so who am I to argue with him. TO DROOL OR NOT TO DROOL
“Now that I've been getting some good roles, people recognize me on the street sometimes, but they don't drool exactly. Unlike Paul Newman, let's face it, that's not the kind of guy I am. I look substantially the same as I did in high school, and the girls didn't drool then, and they don't drool now.”
NEVER MIND
September 30: On this day in 1916, 1916 All-Story Weekly published part two of The Girl From Farris’s.
The cover honors went to “Contraband,” the first Randall Parrish novel published serially. The issue contained a host of other stories by writers mostly forgotten, but to mention two of the titles, “Woolly Billy Comes to Brine’s Rip” by Charles G. D. Roberts and ‘Breath of a Dragon’ by Abigail Hetzel Finch.
The Burroughs’ story features Maggie, a one-time resident of Chicago's notorious Red light district, Maggie Lynch, mistakenly assumed to be a member of the world’s oldest profession, sets out determinedly to end her alleged life of sin and find a decent job. But on entering the respectable world Maggie finds that deceit and greed are as rampant in corporate offices as on the streets she so desperately wants to escape.
Details about the publishing history of ‘The Girl From Farris’s’ and several illustrations are available at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag7/0761.html
The original pulp cover and an illustration by William Stout are included herein.
The drabble for today, “Never Mind,” was inspired by the Burroughs’ novel and a sense of the ridiculous.Mr. Smith asked a question from the jury box. “Officer Doarty, you arrested this woman on charges of prostitution. Do you have any real evidence against her?” NEVER MIND
“I caught her leaving a known bordello. She came from Farris’s.”
“How unfair. I agree that Paris, France is rampant with sin and corruption. Can-can dancers, houses of ill repute, consumption of absinth, public stalls for urination, but it’s inappropriate to condemn every woman from Gay Paree as a practitioner of prostitution.”
“Mr. Smith, I said she was from Farris’s not from Paris.”
“Oh, Farris’s. Never mind. Everyone in Chicago knows about Farris’s.”
