MOVIE PEOPLE
February 17: On
this day in 1880, film producer Sol Lessor, was born.
In 1933, Lessor bought the screen
rights to Tarzan and filmed “Tarzan the Fearless” staring Buster
Crabbe. Burroughs decided to make his own Tarzan films and refused
to renegotiate with Lesser. Burroughs's movie enterprises were short-lived,
and the rights passed to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Burroughs sold Lesser
the option on all his Tarzan novels for seven years but he only one
Tarzan film during that time, “Tarzan's Revenge,” featuring athletes
Glenn
Morris and Eleanor Holm. Lesser sold the his rights back to
MGM, but he regained the Tarzan property in 1943, after MGM relinquished
the rights. Lesser's new Tarzan films were produced for RKO and
starred Johnny Weissmuller, Lex Barker, and Gordon Scott. He produced.
He produced “Tarzan the Fearless,”
“Tarzan’s Revenge,” “Tarzan’s Desert Mystery,” “Tarzan Triumphs,” “Tarzan
and the Amazons,” “Tarzan and the Leopard Women,” “Tarzan the Huntress,”
“Tarzan and the Mermaids,” “Tarzan’s Magic Fountain,” “Tarzan and the Slave
Girl,” “Tarzan’s Peril,”’ Tarzan’s Savage Fury,” “Tarzan and the She-Devil,”
“Tarzan’s Hidden Jungle,” “Tarzan’s Fight For Life,” “Tarzan and the Lost
Safari,” and “Tarzan and the Trappers.” Details about all of these
films are available via www.erbzine.com/movies
~ https://www.erbzine.com/mag5/0502.html
The drabble for today, “Movie People,”
was inspired by the dance for film rights to Tarzan.
MOVIE PEOPLE
Hulbert Burroughs said, “Dad, I saw the new Tarzan serial
with that Buster Crabbe. I understand the company isn’t making another
film.”
“No. I’m keeping the rights for now. I’ll make my own
films. Those Hollywood folks are all the same. They’re like a plague of
insects. They eat all the profits like a locusts eat the crops and weevils
eat the cotton.”
“So you don’t trust any of them?”
“MGM isn’t all that bad and neither is that guy, Sol.
But if I had to choose one, I’d choose. Sol. At his worst he’s the lessor
of two weevils.”
UNDER A BUSHEL, NO
February 18: On
this day in 1939, the daily comic strip adaption of “Tarzan
and the Elephant Men” concluded. Rex
Maxon did the illustrations and Don Garden wrote the continuity.
The story, which ran for 114 days, had begun on October 10, 1938. Maxon
and Garden worked together on the Tarzan daily strip for nine years, except
for an almost two year break beginning in 1936 and ending in 1938. Their
work brought Tarzan to the attentions of countless people who would otherwise
never been exposed to the Lord of the Jungle.
The entire story arc and thousands more daily Tarzan
comic pages are available at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag22/2293.html
The drabble for today is “Under
a Bushel, No,” inspired by the story arc and by brave people who have
traveled the world and faced danger and uncertainty to spread their beliefs,
whatever their beliefs may have been. If you keep doing what you’ve always
done, you’ll getting the results you’ve always gotten.
UNDER A BUSHEL, NO
Tarzan spoke to Stanley Wood, who led an African expedition.
“Why are you here” You should’ve stayed home.”
“We’ve strong beliefs. We’re missionaries. We must
teach others what we know and believe. We can’t sit in our small church
and preach to ourselves until we grow old and die. Unless we spread the
word in new places, it will wither away.”
“People have their own beliefs. They will reject yours,”
said Tarzan.
“Everyone person you don’t ask, says no. If one in
a thousand says yes, our church grows. Hiding smugly in our cloistered
haven, won’t gain a singly acolyte.”
COME TO ME, MY PRECIOUS
February 19: On
this day in 1954, the John Celardo illustrated and Dick van Buren
scripted Tarzan daily comic story arc, “Tarzan
and the Blood Ruby,” began. The story ran for 64 days. The entire strip
may be read at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag38/3807.html
The 100 word drabble for today stars
my old friends, John and Pat, from New Orleans. The title is “Come To
Me, My Precious.”
COME TO ME, MY PRECIOUS
Pat found John by a swimming pool with four other men.
“Watcha doing, John?”
“Looking for Tarzan fans.”
“In a swimming pool?”
“Think of it searching for jewels.”
“John, there aren’t jewels here.”
“Fans are like precious gems, but they should come
to us. We email each other and post on our private sites.”
“The ‘jewels’ don’t see your message board or read
your emails.”
“Pat, this is the way we’ve always done it. The ‘jewels’
will find us if they want to be here.”
“Interesting concept, but most prospectors find it
more effective to go where the jewels are.”
SEEK AND YE SHALL FIND
February 20: On
this day in 1941, actor and director, Lorimer Johnson, died in Hollywood,
California. While hardly a household name, Johnson directed sixty-nine
films, wrote thirteen, and acted in thirty films. On screen he appeared
in Tarzan the Mighty,
Son
of Frankenstein, Little Lord Fauntleroy, Crime and Punishment, Silvia Scarlett
(wonderful film), and Scaramouche.
He directed The Cricket on the Hearth,
The Tigress, Devil McCare, and The Gun-Runner – all silent films.
His career began in 1913 and lasted
until 1940, averaging about four films a year in one capacity or another.
Pretty impressive for a young man from Maysfield, Kentucky
The 100 word drabble for today is
“Seek and Ye Shall Find,” inspired by the lengthy career of this
regrettably mostly forgotten pioneer on the film industry. This short fable
has a pretty simple message. If you want to be in pictures, go to where
pictures are made. What’s the line in the song from “Cabaret,” “What
good is sitting alone in your room ...”
SEEK AND YE SHALL FIND
On the set of Tarzan the Mighty, Frank Merrill said, “Lorimer,
you were a director in 1913. How’d you get the job?”
“I said I could. I figured that even if I couldn’t
I’d know more when they fired me than I did when I applied and maybe do
better next time.”
“Must’ve worked. Did they beat a path to your door?”
“No, I beat a path to theirs. You want a job, go where
they’re hiring. Hungry, find a restaurant. Thirsty, go to a tavern. Nobody
ever found work waiting for a job to knock on their front door.”
WALK PROUD
February 21: On
this day 107 years ago, actress Luz del Fuego, who appeared in “Tarzan
and the Great River,” was born in Brazil. He stage name translates
as “Firelight.” Born as Dora Vivacqua, the feminist, ballerina, naturalist,
and dare we say, a striptease artist, first used the stage name Luz Divina,
or Divine Light.
She had only seven film credits, including
“Curucu, Beast of the Amazon” and “Poeira de Estrelas.”
She was famous for performing on stage
in the nude wrapped with live pythons. She established the Brazilian Naturist
Club, a nudist organization, and parlayed that into a political party,
the Brazilian Naturist Party and ran unsuccessfully for congresswoman.
Shortly after filming “Tarzan and the Great River, she was murdered
by a fisherman she’d threatened to report for violating fishing laws.
David Neves directed actress Lucelia
Santos in the biopic, ‘Luz Del Fuego,” in 1982. Details about Tarzan
and the Great River may be found at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag19/1962.html
The drabble for today, “Walk Proud,”
is inspired by the actress and dancer Luz del Fuego.
WALK PROUD
Direct Robert Day approached actress Luz del Fuego. “Senorita,
those snakes make the rest of the cast nervous. I’m a bit concerned myself.”
“It’s hot today. The cold blooded snakes cool me and
my name means Firelight. I keep them warm.”
“Nevertheless, stop letting them crawl all over your
skin. I may be sick.”
She dropped the snakes and stood up proudly. “Is this
better.”
“For God’s sake, you’re naked. Put the boas
back on.”
Luz picked them up. “They’re pythons, not boas. I’m
not naked, I’m just not wearing any clothing.”
“Pythons, boas, naked, clothesless, just distinctions
without differences.”
WE WERE HERE, WHERE WERE
YOU?
February 22: On
this day 1913. Edgar Rice Burroughs wrote Thomas Metcalf
at All-Story and thanked
him for rejecting, “The Return of Tarzan.” Ed was especially
pleased because he sold the story to New Story Magazine for more
money than All-Story would have paid. Metcalf may have been willing to
reconsider, but it was too late. The story was sold elsewhere. He who hesitates
is lost, etc. A day late and a dollar short. ERBzine links to ERB/Metcalf
letters at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag28/2836.html
"In
a way I am awful sorry about the Ape-Man, for I really wanted you to have
it; at the same time my grief is tempered by the knowledge that it couldn't
have been quite as rotten as you thought it, for I got the best price for
it that I have had for any of my stories, nor did I have to alter a line
of it."
The drabble for today is, “We Were
Here, Where Were You?
WE WERE HERE, WHERE WERE YOU?
Garbuc, one of the great apes, stood alone under the Dum-Dum
Tree. The other apes were preparing to leave. “When’s the meeting?”
“Yesterday, We voted unanimously to move north.”
“I didn’t vote. Everyone is disrespecting me. Decisions
shouldn’t be made until I say so.”
“We were here when we were supposed to be. You weren’t.
Who’s being disrespectful, the ape who’s tardy are those who tire of waiting
on him.”
Garbuc threw a screaming fit and then sat pouting against
the Dum-Dum Tree.
The ape said “We’re leaving now. You should come with
us, but go or stay. Suit yourself.”
OPPORTUNITY OF PITFALL
February 23: On
this day in 1931, Edgar Rice Burroughs wrote his book publisher,
Metropolitan,
and said that he’d decided to publish his own books, making him, no doubt,
the most successful self-published author in the world. It couldn’t have
been an easy decision, but it worked out for him. A couple years later,
he decided to make his own films, but that didn’t go as well as he’d hoped.
The first book he published as Edgar
Rice Burroughs Incorporated was ”Tarzan
the Invincible” It sold well. It still does. It must have been
a great decision. The company is still family owned and still publishing
almost 100 years after that first book. Most other publishing companies
that were around in 1931 have gone out of business or been sold since then.
Metropolitan, Grosett & Dunlap, and A. C. McClurg are nothing but faded
memories.
The drabble for today, “Opportunity
of Pitfall,” was inspired by that decision.
OPPORTUNITY OF PITFALL
“Hulbert,” Ed told his son. “I’m tired of other people
making decisions about my work. I’m going to publish my own books. I won’t
have to argue about print runs, deal with poor editing, or fight about
the illustrations.”
“That’s a brave decision. It could hurt.”
“It will hurt for a while. The learning curve will
be difficult. Courage is expecting something to hurt, but doing it anyway.”
“Dad, stupidity works the same, like sticking your
hand in the fire.”
“Correct. That’s what makes life so darned hard, but
I think I’ve been burned enough times to know the difference.”
WHAT HAVE YOU DONE
February 24: On
this day in 1943, Edgar Rice Burroughs,
the world’s oldest war correspondent, was on board the USS
Shaw. He began writing a 20,000 world humorous murder mystery,
“More Fun! More People Killed!” He finished the story a few days
later. It has never been published. Ed later adapted it as a film synopsis,
‘Night of Terror,” but it was never produced.
We don’t know a lot about the story
except that there are more than a dozen people killed in the story. I’ve
heard the story takes place at a carnival, but I have no confirmation.
Sounds like a story written forty of fifty years too soon. It would have
fit right in with “Halloween,” “Nightmare on Elm Street,” and “Scream.”
The drabble for today, “What Have You Done?” was
inspired by the little we know about the story.
WHAT HAVE YOU DONE
Police detective, Chris Conrad, handcuffed the carnival
worker, Buford Buckley. “You killed all these people.”
“Did not.”
“You’re covered with blood. You were holding a chainsaw
when I caught you. You’ve got the knives in your pocket, you’re wearing
a hat you took from a victim, and you’re carrying five purses.”
“Well, so I am. I guess that you got me, copper. Ole
Buford killed ‘em all. I got a dozen of them, I think.”
Officer Conrad shoved Buford into the police car. “Twelve.
Why on Earth twelve people?”
“That’s your fault. You caught me before I could kill
thirteen.”
LORD ALFRED
February 25: On
this day in 1961, Alfred Guillory, Jr., cofounder of ERB-dom,
was killed in a car wreck. Guillory was also the United States agent of
Pete Ogden’s Erbania
magazine.
After Alfred’s death, cofounder Camille
"Caz" Cazedessus, Jr. continued to publish ERB-dom, which won a
Hugo award, for several years. Issue
#3 of ERb-dom was dedicated to Alfred Guillory Jr. The front
and rear cover
were illustrated by R. Horvath.
The drabble for today is “Lord
Alfred,” and it’s 100 words taken from the memorial in ERB-dom # 3
written boy Camille Cazadessus, Jr.
LORD ALFRED
Al had been Pete Ogden’s agent for nearly four years when
we began discussing publishing our own fanzine. I do not depart from the
truth when I say that this very magazine you are reading was Al's dream
and his alone. I offered my assistance and it became my dream too, but
without Al's continued initiative ERB-dom would not be the reality that
it is today.
Now, even though Al is gone from this world, his efforts
were not in vain, his dream lives and will live on, and he will not easily
be forgotten."
MAY HE REST IN PEACE.”
.
ART OF THE DEAL
February 26: On
this day in 1989, The Gray Morrow / Don Kraar Sunday Tarzan comic story
arc, “Return to the
Land That Time Forgot,” began. The story ran for fourteen weeks
and ended on May 28, 1989. https://www.erbzine.com/mag35/3528.html
All the Gray Morrow Sunday pages may be found by visiting
https://www.erbzine.com/mag35/3501.html
and https://www.erbzine.com/mag22/2292.html
for an index.
Tarzan accompanied the crew onboard a French submarine
on a visit to “The Land That Time Forgot.” The battled dinosaurs including
a tyrannosaurus, of course they did. A female member of the expedition
was kidnapped by the Weiros, a tribe of winged humans who capture human
females for breeding purposes (they only father male children.) They finally
escape the island and Tarzan encouraged them not to return.
The drabble for today is “Art of
the Deal,” and it was inspired by the comic story arc, “Return to the
Land That Time Forgot.”
ART OF THE DEAL
The submarine captain turned to Tarzan. “We’re clear of
the island. Scary place. Dinosaurs, cavemen, sabretooth tigers, and winged
humans. I’m coming back and and bringing a bigger boat and a lot more men.”
“Leave well enough alone.”
“I force the inhabitants to negotiate with me. We’ll
make treaties and alliances. Viva La France!”
“Negotiate?” Dinosaurs don’t negotiate with their lunch.”
“The cave men, then.”
“He who has the biggest club is the best negotiator.
.”
“Fine, the men with wings.”
SELL AND SELL AGAIN
February 27: On
this day in 1913, the “New York Evening World” concluded its serialization
of “Tarzan of the Apes.” Edgar Rice Burroughs sold the magazine
rights to All-Story, but retained the right to serialize the novel in newspapers.
The Evening World was the first newspaper to publish a novel by ERB, beginning
on January 6, 1913. “Tarzan of the Apes” was later serialized in “The Los
Angeles Record,” “The Bowman Citizen,” “The Toledo Blade,” “The New Mexico
Ruralist,” “The Dallas Journal,” and the “Wichita Eagle,” among others.
Artwork was created especially for
these serializations. It’s difficult to identify the artist, but it appears
to be G. Bushe or G. Boshe.
Other novels to be appear in newspaper
include “A Princess of Mars,” “The Gods of Mars,” “The Outlaw of Torn,”
“The Return of Tarzan,” “The Son of Tarzan,” and “The Cave Girl.”
Details about and reproductions of
newspaper serializations of Burroughs novels may be found at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag14/1439.html
The 100 word drabble for today, “Sell
and Sell Again,” was inspired by the newspaper serialization of “Tarzan
of the Apes.”
SELL AND SELL AGAIN
Emma looked at the copy of the New York Evening World.
“Ed, I thought you sold your Tarzan book to those people at All-Story magazine.”
“I did and now I’ve sold it to a newspaper.”
“Is that legal?”
“Absolutely. I’ve also sold it to papers in Los Angeles
and North Dakota.”
“Why would different newspapers buy the same story?”
“Folks in LA don’t read New York papers and people
in North Dakota don’t care much about big cities.”
“Lord, how many times are you going to sell it?”
“As many times as I can, Emma. As many as I can.”
CALL IT TREASON
February 28: On
this day in 1925, All-Story Weekly published the second installment
of “The Moon Men,” the middle story in the Moon
maid trilogy, following “The Moon Maid” and preceding “The
Red Hawk.”
Publishing details are located at:
https://www.erbzine.com/mag7/0767.html
The relationship between Earth and
the moon has become a reign of terror. Treasonous Earthmen have betrayed
humanity to the Moon Men, who rule the planet with an iron fist and reduced
the world to a poverty stricken wasteland. Nevertheless, there are those
who will fight for freedom.
The drabble for today is “Call
It Treason” and it was inspired by “The Moon Men.” Credit to Marcus
Julius Cicero for most of it. What was true 2000 years ago, is true today.
CALL IT TREASON
Julian 9th, a citizen on an Earth betrayed to evil overlords
from the moon, spoke to the rabbi, Moses Samuels. “Old Father, how could
this happen to our world?
Moses replied, “Traitors! A nation can survive fools.
But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less
formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly. The traitor
moves within the gate freely, his sly whispers rustling through the alleys,
and heard in the halls of government itself.”
“What can we do?”
“Speak up. Betrayal flourishes best when cloaked by
the silence of good people.”
PRINCESS OF MARS
February 29: On
this day in 1972, actor Antonio Sabato Jr., who played John Carter
in the Asylum film, “Princess
of Mars,” was born in Rome, Italy.
He began his career as a Calvin Klein
underwear model, but soon turned to acting and appeared on General Hospital
from 1992 through 1993. He also graced the cover of Playgirl magazine.
He made an unsuccessful run for congress in 2018. He has 91 film and television
credits.
In real life, he had problems with
drug abuse and that combined with his political activities, which he claims
blacklisted him in Hollywood, may have contributed to his relocation to
Florida in 2018.
Details about the film, “Princess
of Mars,” are at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag30/3033.html
The drabble for today was inspired
by Sabato’s career and especially, “Princess of Mars.” It’s a fictional
conversation.
PRINCESS OF MARS
Dejah Thoris smiled. “Didn’t you model underwear in a
previous life? Why’d you leave your planet and relocate to Mars.”
John Carter, Antonio Sabato Jr., replied. “Yes, I did.
I left Earth for a new life, a life without politics or prescription drugs.”
“I don’t know prescription drugs. Politics are everywhere.
That’s how things work.”
“Dejah, the people I worked with hated my political
beliefs so I left.”
“On Mars, when people disagree about politics, they
settle it with swords. Duel to the death. Quite simple, don’t you think?”
“Interesting solution, but I think I want to go home
now.”
Back
to Days 1-15 at ERBzine 7787
