Official Edgar Rice Burroughs Tribute and Weekly Webzine Site Since 1996 ~ Over 15,000 Webpages in Archive Volume 7661a  |
ERB 100-Word Drabbles
FEBRUARY V Edition :: Days 16-28
by Robert Allen Lupton
See Days 1 - 15 at ERBzine 7661
With Collations, Web Page Layout and ERBzine Illustrations and References by Bill Hillman
JUNGLE FEVER
February 16: On this day in 2019, Olympic pole vaulting champion Donald George Bragg passed away in Oakley, California. Don Bragg wanted to play Tarzan in films, but he never did, even though he pursued the role relentlessly.
The graduate of Villanova University was nicknamed Tarzan because of his size and his strength. He toured Europe and Africa as an United States Goodwill Ambassador, where he entertained the locals by climbing trees, swinging from vines, and doing the Tarzan yell. Weissmuller agreed that Bragg would make a great Tarzan. Bragg built and rebuilt a treehouse at his northern California home. The neighbors complained. The third rendition was almost 700 feet from his home, a distance he traveled by a series of rope swings and tree branches.
Sy Weintraub hoped to cast Bragg after Gordon Scott left the series, but Don injured his foot and Weintraub couldn’t wait for it to heal, so he cast Jock Mahoney instead.
Bragg celebrated his gold medal at the 1960 Olympics with a Tarzan yell, which he repeated at the end a speech at the 2021 Olympics.
His biography, “A Chance to Dare,” is out of print, but occasionally available on EBay and other sites.
For details about Bragg, check out https://www.erbzine.com/mag67/6780.html
The 100 word drabble for today, “Jungle Fever,” is a bit of doggerel verse, with a little credit to Jimmy Buffet for the song on which this is based.JUNGLE FEVER
Mother, mother jungle, I can taste the wild
Wanted to climb your trees since I was but a child.
I was born a Tarzan, I never played the part
Spent my life chasing the dream too long it would seem
‘Till it finally broke my heart.
Several men have played him, Weissmuller, he was best
Admired Scott, Lincoln, and Barker and even all the rest
Great on the screen, great on the screen.
I was born a Tarzan. I never played the part
Spent my life chasing the dream too long it would seem
‘Till it finally broke my heart.
DEPTH CHARGE
February 17: On this day in 1943 according to his “Diary of a Confused Old Man or Buck Burroughs Rides Again,” Edgar Rice Burroughs, the world’s oldest war correspondent, was attached to the USS Shaw, which was traveling in a small convoy consisting of one battleship, one cruiser, five destroyers, and a tanker. Burroughs was awakened about 7 AM by a call to General Quarters. A Japanese submarine was reported in the area.
This diary entry, and his complete diary, is available at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag68/6800.html
The drabble for today, “Depth Charge,” is a 100 word excerpt from the February 17, 1943 diary entry written by Edgar Rice Burroughs.“About 7:00 AM, we made a sub contact. I dressed and went up to the bridge. The ships were zigzagging furiously. They reminded me of chickens trying to dodge a hawk. It’s a good thing that there’s nothing wrong with my heart (a fool doctor to the contrary notwithstanding) for running up and down those ladders would have finished me. DEPTH CHARGE
The Captain ordered, "Stand by to drop depth charges!" A moment later, the lookout announced: "School of porpoises off port bow!" I saw them playing along ahead of us. It was quite a large school. It was also our "sub".”
SIGN HERE
February 18: On this day in Dearholt/Burroughs. Among other things in the chatty letter, ERB said that he was pleased that Caryl Lee wanted to keep his name, but commented that she should learn to spell it correctly. It is not Bourroughs.
She was born Carol Lee, the second child of Ashton Dearholt and Florence Gilbert Dearholt. She began using the name Caryl Lee Burroughs after her mother married Edgar Rice Burroughs.
She was an extremely successful animal trainer and worked for all of the major motion picture and television studios using several names, including Cindy Lee James, Cindy James Cullen and Cindy Cullen. She was a primary dog trainer for many of the Benji films and worked on a 1960 re-make of A Dog of Flanders as well as some of the Gentle Ben TV episodes.
The photo is of Caryl Lee, her brother Lee, and her mother, Florence Gilbert Dearholt Burroughs
Read the entire letter and many more letters from and to Edger Rice Burroughs at www.erbzine.com. This letter is at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag10/1026.html
During the war years, ERB had become a serious autograph collector (Read ERB's WWII Autograph Books at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag27/2776.html ) and the drabble for today is “Sign Here,” 100 words taken from the letter written by Edgar Rice Burroughs on February 18, 1944.I’ve become an autograph hound. I have more than 575 autographs in four books. They range from seamen to admirals and from privates to generals. There are four governors or former governors. Australians, New Zealanders, Chinese, Koreans, two Netherland East Indies flying officers, a dancer from Java, a girl from Malaya, a lot of pretty Army nurses. I started after I became a War Correspondent, because I have such a poor memory for names. I thought it would be a good way to remember the names of people I interviewed. When I come home, I'll let you see my books. SIGN HERE
JUNGLE LUST
February 19: On this day in 2007, actress Jenn Gambatese, who was starring as Tarzan’s leading lady, Jane, in the Disney Broadway production of Tarzan, hosted “Monday Nights, New Voices, at the Duplex Cabaret Theatre. There was a $12.00 cover charge and a two drink minimum.
Composer Scott Alan launched the Monday Nights, New Voices series to "showcase some of today's brightest new talent in New York."
Jenn Gambatese was currently playing Jane in Disney's Tarzan. She had portrayed both Natalie Haller and Ed in All Shook Up and has also been seen on Broadway in Footloose, Hairspray and A Year with Frog and Toad. Gambatese was also part of Off-Broadway's Reefer Madness and both the European and North American tours of Fame. Her offical website is https://jenngambatese.com/
ERBzine has extensive information about Disney’s “Tarzan” on stage at: https://www.erbzine.com/disney/
The drabble for today, “Jungle Lust,” is 100 words taken from a New York Times review of “Tarzan,” written by Ben Brantley and published on May 11, 2006. The review is extremely critical of the film and Jenn’s Jane in particular. You know what they say about critics – ‘If you can’t say anything nice, be a critic.
In spite of the review, the production ran for 35 previews and 486 performances. Subsequently, the show has been staged in several other countries and by regional theatres. As For Jenn Gambatese, her stage triumphs continue. After Tarzan, she starred in “Annie Get Your Gun,” “Carousel,” “Wicked,” “The Sound of Music,” “School of Rock,” and “Mrs. Doubtfire.”
Here’s what Mr. Brantley had to say.The tree-surfing title character is not the only creature sailing through the air in "Tarzan," Apes, flowers, moths, a snake, a leopard, and a botanist in her underwear. Jane Porter (Jenn Gambatese), the plucky English botanist, must also declare her independence from her father, a doting and dithery professor while shedding her maidenly Victorian inhibitions. (Actually, Ms. Gambatese's Jane seems ready to strip down to her underwear and party from the moment she sets foot in the jungle. She openly drools over Mr. Strickland's naked torso in the manner of Miss Hathaway ogling the muscular Jethro in "The Beverly Hillbillies." JUNGLE LUST
COLD SHOULDER
February 20: On this day in 1937, Argosy Weekly published, “The Resurrection of Jimber-Jaw.” The story was a revision of an earlier story, “Elmer." The entire text of both stories, pictures, and publishing history are available at https://www.erbzine.com/mag7/0779.html.
Emmett Watson drew the cover for the magazine and Samuel Cahan did one interior illustration.
The Resurrection of Jimber-Jaw tells the story of a prehistoric man, frozen in ice, and thawed out in modern times. Jimber-Jaw goes by the name, Jim Stone, and following some of the storyline from, “The Eternal Lover,” sees a movie star named Lorna Downs, whom he believes to be his prehistoric lover, Lilami, but it doesn’t end well. She rejects the cave man, slaps him and orders him to stay away from her. If he lives happily-ever-after it will be in a different time.
The drabble for today, "Cold Shoulder,” was inspired by “The Resurrection of Jimber-Jaw.”Jimber-Jaw, a caveman who was removed from inside a glacier and thawed in modern times had trouble adjusting to civilization. “I hate it here,” he said to his friend, Morgan. Too much clothes. People eat sal-ed. Leafs, I don’t eat leafs.” COLD SHOULDER
“There are other foods.”
“Man offered job selling insurance. Stupid. Man bets he gonna die. Stupid. Even worse, found my Lilami, love of my live, but she’s so cold-hearted, ice wouldn’t melt in her mouth.”“Things will get better."
“Not for me. Better when I frozen. Jimber-Jaw go back to sleep in glacier.”
“Okay, have an ice life.”
SORRY WE BROKE YOUR BALLOON
February 21: On this day in 2006, ABC News published the article, “Frankenstein of the Skies,” with the subtitle, ‘New Tarzana Aircraft Blends Elements of Helicopter, Airplane, and Blimp.
Their rigid lighter-than-air aircraft aren’t quite Barsoomian flyers, but they’re the closest thing on Earth. Worldwide Aeros Corporation is an American manufacturer of airships, founded in 1993. The Dragon Dream is a rigid airship funded by the US Government through various military programs. The airship was completed in 2013 and, after extensive systems tests was granted an airworthiness certification by the FAA in September 2013. The ship suffered serious damage in 2013 when a Navy hanger collapsed on it.
The drabble for today is, “Sorry We Broke Your Balloon,” and it was inspired by the rise and fall of the Dragon Dream.Igor Pasternak, founder of Worldwide Aeros Corporation confronted Marine Captain, McIntire. ‘You’ve destroyed our airship. You owe us eighty million dollars.” SORRY WE BROKE YOUR BALLOON
“In the Barsoom stories, the rigid airships engage in great air battles. They’re tough. Your Dragon Dream was a piece of crap.”
“You idiots dropped a building of her.”
“In our defense, it wasn’t all that big a building and we didn’t drop it on her. The building slowly collapsed. Anyway, your ship was supposed to be rigid.”“Captain, there’s no point talking to you. Rigid doesn’t mean invulnerable. I speak nine languages, but imbecile isn’t one of them.”
AS LONG AS IT LASTS
February 22: On this day in 2023 Edgar Rice Burroughs Amateur Press Association Number 156 arrived in the mail. The publication is published quarterly and has been published continuously for 39 years years. Past editors include John Guidry, George McWhorter, Scott Tracy Griffin, and Bob McGeeney – apologies to anyone I’ve left out.
ERBAPA was founded in 1984 by John Guidry. He modeled the organization after other typical amateur press societies, seeing the organization as one which would allow ERB fans to share their “comments, musings, rantings and ravings, fond memories, whatever....”
John decided to limit membership to 36 -- to commemorate the age at which ERB began writing. Members would pay a nominal membership fee and would then, four times a year, type up a minimum of two pages of material and send 50 copies to John. He would then collate and bind the material, and return a copy to each member. Six slots were set aside for “Honorary Members” (chosen by member vote) which were honored for their lifetime commitment to ERB fandom.
Dues are $35.00 annually. Members are expected to contribute a minimum of two pages per quarter and receive the four quarterly mailings. More information is available at: https://www.erbzine.com/apa/ and on the Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ERBforum
ERBAPA typically features 30 to 36 articles and included ERB news, artwork, reviews, commentary and fan fiction, among other things. A few membership spots are available- contact the official editor, Scott Stewart, at ssitasca@gmail.com.
The 100 word drabble, “As Long As It Lasts,” was inspired by those days 39 years ago in New Orleans. Thank you, John Guidry. FYI, The longest lasting (I believe) Robert E. Howard APA was the REHupa, the Robert E. Howard United Press Association, which is now available online as the REHEAPA (E for electronic). It lasted 86 issues, I believe. That’s how many I have.John Guidry arrived at Pat’s and Dixie’s house in Algiers, Louisiana. “I gonna start an Edgar Rice Burroughs APA. Thirty-six members, who submit at least two pages of new material four times a year.” AS LONG AS IT LASTS
Pat asked, “Do those things really work?”
“There are comic book and science fiction Amateur Press Associations that have been around for years. I belong to a Robert E. Howard APA that’s doing pretty good.”
Pat said, “I could write something for a few years. How long do these things last?”John shrugged. “Who knows? It’s like rain, it will last as long as it lasts.”
WORTHY ADVERSARY
February 23: On this day in 1952, actress Lillian Worth died in Los Angeles, California. Born Lillian Burgher Murphy in 1884, she appeared in over 60 films, including her the role of Queen La of Opar in 1921’s “The Adventures of Tarzan and in “Tarzan the Tiger.” She was using the name of her second husband, Erville Anderson, when she died. Lillian Anderson is buried in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.
To be fair, some sources claim that he part of "Queen La of Opar" was played by Kithnou (akaMlle. Kithnou) a Hindu actress, and not by Lillian Worth. Most sources, however, believe that Kithnou was a stage name used by Worth for the film.
Details about the two films are at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag5/0593.html and https://www.erbzine.com/mag5/0590.html
The 100 word drabble for today is “Worthy Adversary,” and it was inspired by Lillian Worth’s “two” appearances as the Queen of Opar. A small nod of the head to Abbott and Costello.Tarzan talked to Queen La of Opar. She said, “You’ve come for our treasures.” WORTHY ADVERSARY
“Depends on the value. What’s it worth?”
“Not what, ask who. That’s me. I’m Worth.”
“La, La, La. I know who you are. Where’s the treasure?”
“Worth sits on the throne and I wear my clothing and tiara.”
“Where, not wear, and worth, as in value.”
“That’s correct. I’m Worth and this is what I’m wearing.”
“Got it! You’re worthy, wear gold and jewels, and won’t tell where the treasure is. Why?”
“There is no “Y.”
“Why, why not. I don’t know what we’re talking about.”
SNOW TOUR
February 24: On this day in 1922, Chapter Thirteen, “The Jungle’s Fury” of the fifteen chapter film serial, The Adventures of Tarzan,” was released. It starred Elmo Lincoln and Louise Lorraine. Lincoln did a promotional tour in early 1922 visiting several states and Canada. (Baby, it’s cold up there.) In 1928, the film was re-edited to ten chapters, sound effects were added, and it was re-released.
Abundant details about the film serial are at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag5/0590.html
The 100 word drabble for today, “Snow Tour,” is 107 words long, and it was inspired by Lincoln’s tour for the film. It’s cold up north in the winter, and by a song by John Prine, “Sabu, the Elephant Boy,” about another actor who suffered the same fate a few years later, a tour the north and Canada in the cold. So with apologies to John Prine, who deserves better."Adventures of Tarzan" wasn’t doing so fine SNOW TOUR
The film was dying on the vine
Why folks didn’t watch, no one was sure,
The producer said, “Elmo, you go on tour”
Look, here comes the Tarzan man
Looks really cold, but his cheeks are tan
Headed up north toward Montreal
He”ll need boots before the next snowfall
His producer tried to hold back tears
The tour fulfilled his greats fears
Ashamed he’d sent an aging actor
To freeze in the land of the wind chill factor
Look, here comes the Tarzan man
Looks really cold, but his cheeks are tan
Better buy boots as fast as he can.
February 25: On this day in 1931, Cassell and Company published “Tarzan and the Lost Empire” in Great Britain.
Cassell & Co is a British book publishing house, founded in 1848 by John Cassell (1817–1865). In 1969, Cassell was acquired by the American company Crowell Collier & Macmillan (later renamed Macmillan Inc.). Macmillan sold Cassellto CBS in 1982. CBS sold Cassell in a buyout in 1986. In 1995, Cassell & Co, a subsidiary, acquired Pinter Publishers. In December 1998, Cassell & Co was bought by the Orion Publishing Group. In January 2002, Cassell imprints, including the Cassell Reference and Cassell Military were joined with the Weidenfeld imprints to form a new division under the name of Weidenfeld & Nicolson Ltd. Cassell Illustrated still exists as an imprint of the Octopus Publishing Group.
In the novel, Tarzan wanders about with his new best friend, Nkima, the monkey, and Jane and Korak are not even mentioned. Tarzan agrees to help find the lost, Erich Van Harben, a name we’ll see again.
Publishing details about Tarzan and the Lost Empire and several illustrations and covers from around the world are at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag7/0720.html
The drabble for today, ”All Roads Lead Nowhere,” was inspired by “Tarzan and the Lost Empire.”While captive of the Lost Empire, von Harben read the history of Marcus Crispus Sanguinarious, who fled Ceasar and established “Castra Sanguinarious” in darkest Africa.” ALL ROADS LEAD NOWHERE
Harben said, “Your lost empire is Roman.”
His captor, Fulvus Fupus, replied. “All glory to Rome.”
“How is it you’re lost in a hidden valley?”
“We crossed burning sands, braved the wild jungles, and encountered a witch doctor. Marcus Crispus asked directions.The African asked our destination and Marcus said that he didn’t know?”
The old man pointed down a river and said, “If it doesn’t matter where you go, all directions are the same.”
UNION SHOP
February 26: Happy birthday to Robin Maxwell, the writer of “Jane, the Woman who Loved Tarzan,” and one hundred and two years ago on this day in 1921, Argosy All-StoryWeekly published the third installment of “Tarzan the Terrible.” The issue’s cover by P. J. Monahan, was for the novel, “Lonesome Ranch,’ by Charles Alden Seltzer, who wrote at over fifty westerns for the pulps.
Publishing details, summaries, and several illustrations for the novel are at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag4/0494.html
The novel takes us to Pal-ul-don, a valley inhabited by two tribes of tailed humans, people-eating triceratops (gryfs), and other dinosaurs. In the end, Korak comes to their rescue.
The drabble for today is “Union Shop,” and it was inspired by “Tarzan the Terrible.”Korak rescued Tarzan and Jane from Pal-ul-don and the tailed humans who reside there. They crossed a savannah inhabited by hundreds of lions and their prey. The lions didn’t notice Tarzan’s family. UNION SHOP
About halfway across, Jane said, “Tarzan, I’m hungry. Kill an antelope and let’s eat.”
“After we leave this area. It belongs to the lions. Notice they’re ignoring us. If we hunt here, they’ll see us as competition and attack."
“But, Tarzan,” she said. “There’s food enough for everyone.”
Korak replied, “Mom, it’s like the lions have formed a union without having a meeting. Non-union hunters are summarily eaten.”
I GOTTA GO
February 27: On this day in 1913, Edgar Rice Burroughs made the decision to quit his day job as a pencil sharpener salesman. Emboldened by the success of “Under The Moons of Mars” and “Tarzan of the Apes,” ERB decided to write full time, a decision that made him a millionaire and changed the lives of millions of people. His books ultimately employed thousands of people worldwide, including publishers, printers, typesetters, artists, and people who make up all the trades necessary to make a film. Let’s not forget toy designers and even ice cream manufacturers. There’s really no way to list them all.
Nice call, Ed. We appreciate it.
The 100 word drabble for today is, “I Gotta Go,” and it was inspired by Edgar Rice Burroughs’s decision to write full time. Johnny Paycheck might have contributed a little bit.“Boss, I’m out of here. I quit. I’m going to write magazine stories full time.” I GOTTA GO
“Think about it, Ed. You’re not the brightest streetlamp on the block.”“I may not be the highest card in the deck, but I that I’ve been dealt a good hand. I have to play it out.”
“We do important work here.”
Important work? We sell pencils sharpeners, it’s not like we’re doctors or firemen. Take this job and shove it. I ain’t working here no more. I’m not the sharpest pencil in the box, but I’ll use it to write myself a happy ending.”
PROMISES, PROMISES
February 28: On this day in 2016, Actor George Kennedy (George Harris Kennedy Jr. died in Middleton, Idaho. Kennedy appeared in over 100 films and television series during his career. Among those, he played Crandell in the episode, “Thief Catcher.” Of the Ron Ely Tarzan television series. It was the third episode of season three and aired on September 29, 1967.
In 1967, Kennedy won the Academy Award for “Dragline” in “Cool Hand Luke,” for which he was also nominated for a Golden Globe. He appeared in all four “Airport” films, “The Sons of Katie Elder,” “The Flight of the Phoenix,” “The Dirty Dozen,” and virtually every western television series made.
He authored three books, “Murder on Location,” “Murder on High,” and his autobiography, “Trust Me.”
A complete list of the Ron Ely televisions series and several individual episode reviews are at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag74/7420.html
The drabble for today, “Promises, Promises,” was inspired by George Kennedy’s career and features movie lines and quotes by the actor.Tarzan confronted Crandell, a convict he’d captured. “You tried to sneak away during the night. You’re just like every other criminal.” PROMISES, PROMISES
Crandell said, “That ain’t true. I’m a professional. Bushwhackin! Backshootin! That’s all the young ones know. They ain’t got no dignity. Besides, I didn’t think you’d catch me. Running through the jungle semi-naked, I figured you couldn’t find your tallywacker with a six-man search team."
“Crandell, you gave me your word not to try anything.”
“I didn’t give you my word. I gave you my promise.”
“Same thing.”
“No, they ain’t. One’s my promise and the other’s my word!”
