Official Edgar Rice Burroughs Tribute and Weekly Webzine Site Since 1996 ~ Over 15,000 Webpages in Archive Volume 7997  |
ERB 100-Word Drabbles & Events
September VI Edition :: Days 1-15
by Robert Allen Lupton
Go to Days 16-30 at ERBzine 7997a
With Collations, Web Page Layout and ERBzine Illustrations and References by Bill Hillman
AND THE PARTY NEVER ENDS
September 1: Happy forever birthday to Edgar Rice Burroughs, who was born on this day in 1875. Burroughs was a many of many talents in addition to being one of the most successful writers, maybe the most successful, in the world. He was a U. S. Army cavalryman, a miner, a shopkeeper, a cowboy, and a railroad guard. He managed the stenography pool for Sears and Roebuck and sold pencil sharpeners. He went from riding horses to driving automobiles. Born in a world where the only way to fly was in balloons, he became a pilot and aircraft owner. He worked as a newspaper correspondent covering murder trials and the Scopes trial. He witnessed the bombing of Pearl Harbor, founded the Businessmen’s Training Corps for the defense of Honolulu, and ultimately became the world’s oldest war correspondent.
Along the way, he wrote several novels and short stories, creating the most memorable characters in the English language, Tarzan, Jane, John Carter, and Dejah Thoris are four of those.His books have been translated into more than sixty languages, and appeared in newspaper comics, television shows, movies (in many countries and languages), comic books, and toys. Gatherings of his fans in conventions are annual occurrences.
He passed away in 1950, but through his work, he’s still with us. As one of his most famous characters would say, “I Still Live.”
The 100 word drabble for today, “And the Party Never Ends,” is from the obituary published by the Associated Press. Credit for the title of the drabble goes to recording artist, Robert Earl Keen. As an observation, I can’t identity fifteen books by ERB that were published for the first time after his death, but more than thirty Tarzan films in English have been made, not counting television shows and foreign films.Edgar Rice Burroughs, who dug a literary gold mine in the African jungle with Tarzan, died yesterday, but the ape-man he created lives to delight other generations of youngsters the world over. AND THE PARTY NEVER ENDS
Fifteen novels awaited publication when Burroughs died. A movie producer said he had contracted to make 15 more Tarzan films. A tradition born in 1912, when Burroughs sold his first Tarzan book, apparently will continue for years to come.
Burroughs lived in Honolulu when Pearl Harbor was attacked. Accredited as a LA Times war correspondent, he traveled from island to island with the armed forces for four years.
DON'T ADLIB
September 2: On this day 1923, Ed’s daughter, Joan Burroughs, enrolled in acting class at the Los Angeles’ Cumnock School of Expression. On this day 100 years ago in 1924, she began attending the Marta Oatman School of Theatre.
The Cummock School of Expression opened in 1894, although it wasn’t named as such until 1902. The Cumnock School of Expression in Los Angeles was a private school for women, established in the fall of 1894 by Mrs. Merrill Moore Grigg (Addie Murphy Grigg). Cumnock School included a junior department, an academy, and a school of expression and was distinctive as being the oldest school of expression in Southern California, as well as being one of the most successful in the west. Mrs. Grigg was a graduate of the Northwestern University School of Oratory, and for many years was first assistant of its Director, Dr. Robert McLean Cumnock - for whom her school was named.
The Marta Oatman School of Theatre was operated by actress Marta Oatman, Strangely enough. Very little information about the school or the actress is available.
More about ERB's talented daughter, Joan, starting at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag11/1102.html
The 100 drabble for today is, “Don’t Adlib,” inspired by Joan Burroughs’s thespian training and written a few years ago by some guy who went by the name, William Shakespeare. Good advice for fledgling actors today.Suit the action to the word, the word to the action, with this special observance, that you o'erstep not the modesty of nature. DON'T ADLIB
Speak the speech, I pray you, as I pronounced it, trippingly on the tongue; but if you mouth it, as many of your players do, I had as lief the town-crier spoke my lines. Nor do not saw the air too much with your hand, thus, but use all gently; for in the very torrent, tempest, and, as I may say, the whirlwind of passion, you must acquire and beget a temperance that may give it smoothness.
TIME AND WEIGHT
September 3: On this day in 1954, Actor Eugene Pallette, who played Ralph Ashton in “The Isle of Content” and an uncredited role in 1918’s “Tarzan of the Apes, died in Los Angeles, California
“The Isle of Content” was allegedly based on “The Cave Girl,” but ERB wasn’t successful in proving that claim. Details about the film abound at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag23/2380a.html and an astonishing amount of detail about 1918’s “Tarzan of the Apes” at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag5/0503.html
Paulette had over 260 film credits in his career, but he is best known for his portrayal of Friar Tuck in “The Adventures of Robin Hood.” He was originally a slender leading man, but he is best known as a stout, Friar Tuck stout, character actor. It’s hard to believe that he worked as a jockey in his youth. He had roles in Topper, My Man Godfrey, The Mark of Zorro, and Heaven Can Wait. He played Aramis in Douglas Fairbanks’ The Three Musketeers.”
In 1946, convinced that there was going to be a "world blow-up" by atomic bombs, Pallette received set up a "mountain fortress" on a 3,500-acre (14 km2) ranch in Oregon as a hideaway from universal catastrophe. The "fortress" reportedly was stocked with a sizable herd of prize cattle, enormous supplies of food, and had its own canning plant and lumber mill.
The drabble for today is “Time and Weight,” inspired by Eugene Paulette.Mr. Paulette, you used to be a handsome leading man, but you got much heavier over the years.” TIME AND WEIGHT
“Yes, you might say that I grew into the parts that I now play.”
“Was that intentional?”
“No one can play the handsome lothario forever, but it was more unintended good fortune than a plan.”
“Now that you’re retiring, do you plan to diet?"
“Of course I don’t. I plan to eat a lot more. There’s a nuclear war coming. A man of my girth will live longer than a skinny thing like you. Besides, dine and wine, weight for no man."
TOUGH NEGOTIATION
September 4: On this day 2001, Episode # 2, Tarzan and the Trading Post, The Legend of Tarzan animated series, was released. Michael T. Weiss voiced Tarzan, Olivia d’Abo was Jane, Jeff Bennett was Professor Porter, Jim Cummings trumpeted as Tantor, April Winchell cavorted as Terk, and Odo, Rene Auberjonois was Renard Dumond.
Details about all the Tarzan television series, live action and animated, are available at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag0/0014.html#5
Tarzan and Jane visit a trading post established by a French trader named Renard Dumont. After a brief scuffle with his men, Tarzan decides to allow them to stay as long as they don't interfere with the gorillas. After Jane does some shopping, Terk and Tantor realize that the trading post was constructed on the old Watering Hole of the local rhino herd and wonders where they went. The rhinos are now rampaging through the jungle and are heading towards the gorilla nests and Tarzan must find a new place for the rhinos or be forced to move the gorilla troop elsewhere. After an attempt to reason with the rhinos fails, Tarzan returns to Dumont's trading post and gets some dynamite which he uses to redirect a stream and create a new watering hole for the rhinos.
The one hundred word drabble for today is, “Tough Negotiation,” and it was inspired by the television episode.Tarzan visited Renard Dumond’s Trading Post. ‘Dumond, you’ve placed your building on the location of the rhino’s watering hole.” TOUGH NEGOTIATION
“Rhinos, I don’t see any rhinos.”
“That’s because they’re seeking water elsewhere. They’ll trample the homes of the gorillas.”
“Tell them to go somewhere else.”
“It’s as hard to negotiate with thirsty rhinoceros as it is to deal with a greedy man.”
“Why's this my problem?”
“Give me enough dynamite to open a new path for the rhinos”
“Nothing is for free.”
“Okay, I’ll lead the rhinos back here.”
“Okay, it's problem. Will you need my help carrying the dynamite?”
LESSON LEARNED
September 5: On this day in 1940, ERB wrote an unpublished and unperformed play, a parody, “Tarzan’s Good Deed Today.” There’s no information about the length of the play whether or not it was ever submitted to anyone, or even if the play has survived. Makes me wonder how many more unpublished items there are. We know that ERB’s epic poem, Genghis Khan, long and unfinished is among the unpublished items in the vault. However, the poem is available at https://www.erbzine.com/mag58/5880.html.
One of the photos attached is of Johnny Sheffield, who played Boy, not Tarzan, but it was the best photo of an actor from a Tarzan film with a lion cub I could find.
The drabble for the day, “Lesson Learned,” is 100 words inspired by the title of the play, which was certainly longer than 100 words. The drabble is entirely made up and has no resemblance to the play unless some type of cosmic coincidence has occurred. I never learn, but this was a lesson reinforced to me again this week.Tarzan stubbled home and Jane said, “Goodness, you look terrible. What happened.” LESSON LEARNED
“I found a lost lion cub and I picked it up to return it to its mother.”
“That’s nice. You’re such a sweetheart.”
“It wasn’t nice. The cub wasn’t lost. Momma and daddy lions were right there. They didn’t need help. I had to fight them both, and the cub bit me.”
“Well, dear, they say no good deed goes unpunished.”
“Yes, but they don’t say that doing a good deed could get you killed.”
“No, but sometimes, during the aftermath, you might wish that you were dead.”
FINAL NEGOTIATION
September 6: On this day 1922, the contract between Edgar Rice Burroughs and A. C. McClurg for publication of The Chessmen of Mars was signed. McClurg wasted no time and published the first edition on November 29th. The print run was approximately 12,500 copies. J. Alen St. John painted the cover illustration and also eight sepia interior drawings.
Chessmen is the fifth Barsoom novel and was the first book by Edgar Rice Burroughs that I read. I don’t count Tarzan comics or Big Little Books. It remains my favorite.
The publishing history, several illustrations, and an EBook of the novel ate at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag4/0426.html A sampling of the books many covers are included in this article.
The fictional drabble for today, ‘Final Negotiation,” was inspired by the signing of the contract.McClurg and Edgar Rice Burroughs were negotiating the contract for “The Chessmen of Mars.” Burroughs said, “I’m fine with the advance and the royalties, but I’d like larger print runs. You never print enough copies and my books always sell out.” FINAL NEGOTIATION
“The idea is to sell the entire print run. We plan to print ten thousand copies.”
“I insist on a print run of fifteen thousand. It’s your move.”
“Ed, we’ll split the difference with you. Twelve thousand five hundred. What do you say to that?”
“Burroughs signed the contract with flourish. He held out his hand. “I say, check.”
DEATH BECOMES THEM
September 7: On this day in 1985, Director Wilhelm Thiele, Tarzan Triumphs, Tarzan’s Desert Mystery, died in Woodland Hills, California. Thiele, born in Austria, directed several films in Germany, but his career in Germany came to an abrupt end because as a Jew he was no longer able to work there. He went to England where he shot the movie "Waltz Time (1933) and later to Austria where he filmed the movie "Grossfürstin Alexandra" (1933) and then to the USA.
He directed mostly “B” movies in Hollywood, but is credited with giving Dorothy Lamour her big break, casting her in the film, “The Jungle Princess.” He also worked in American television and directed twenty-six episodes of “The Lone Ranger.”
He returned to Germany in the late 1950s and his last two films were directed there.
Interestingly, both Tarzan films directed by Thiele featured Tarzan battling the Nazis. Details about Tarzan Triumphs and Tarzan’s Desert Mystery may be found respectively at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag6/0623.html and https://www.erbzine.com/mag6/0624.html .
Tarzan Triumphs was considered the most violent of the Tarzan movies, with someone being killed about every seven minutes and the fictional drabble for today is ‘Death Becomes Them,” was inspired by William Thiele and Tarzan Triumphs. A little credit to Todd Snider for one of the lines.Frances Gifford approached director William Thiele on the set of Tarzan Triumphs. “Bill, I can’t help noticing that every few minutes another person gets killed. I didn’t see all those deaths in the script.” DEATH BECOMES THEM
“The world is at war. I’m changing the script as I go. The people who die are Nazis. I had to flee my homeland to escape them.”
“I understand, but in America, we try the accused first. That’s justice."
“Film goers in America consider justice irrelevant on the silver screen. They want the bad guys dead before the stars kiss and ride off into the sunset.”
ONE HAND BEHIND MY BACK
September 8: On this day in 1917, Edgar Rice Burroughs began writing a story with the working title, “The Lost U Boat.” Once completed the story was published as “The Land That Time Forgot.”
The story was the first of three parts that would become the novel, "The Land That Time Forgot.” All three parts, “The Land That Time Forgot,” “The People That Time Forgot,” and “Out of Time’s Abyss,” were published by Blue Book Magazine in 1918. The trio were combined in to the novel with the same name as the first installment, “The Land That Time Forgot,” and published by A. C. McClurg on June 14, 1924.
The three stories were reprinted in Amazing Stories in 1927, and by many publishers over the years. Doug McClurg starred in a 1975 film based on the story. A second and unauthorized film used the title in 2009.
More about THE LAND THAT TIME FORGOT Trilogy in ERBzine https://www.erbzine.com/mag7/0766.html Publishing History ~ pulp and book covers and interior art, etc
The film version: https://www.erbzine.com/mag21/2117.html
The drabble for today, ”One Hand Behind My Back,’ is a fictional conversation between Edgar Rice Burroughs and Emma, his wife, while Ed was writing the story.Ed leaned back from his typewriter. “Well, Emma, that’s the first three thousand words of my newest story, “The Lost U-Boat.” ONE HAND BEHIND MY BACK
“That sounds German. There’s a war in Europe. That doesn’t seem like a good idea.”
“You want me to give it a French title. The French do have submarines.”
“French would be good. I saw this charming Frenchman in the Vaudeville yesterday. He was a mime. He only used one hand. It was both comic and tragic.”
Ed pondered, “The hand that mime forgot?”“That’s clever.”
“I’m going to try to forget that, but now I have an earworm..”
NEVERENDING STORY
September 9: On this day in 1964, “Golden Anniversary Bibliography of Edgar Rice Burroughs” by Henry H. Heins, was published by Donald Grant. This massive and well-researched book is one of the two “Go-To” books about Edgar Rice Burroughs, his life and his work. The other being “Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Man who Created Tarzan,” Brigham Young University Press by Irwin Porges, published in 1975.
The Golden Anniversary Bibliography of Edgar Rice Burroughs was reprinted by Grant in 2001 with a new postscript by the author.
A tribute to the author and details about the book are located at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag8/0894.html
The 100 word drabble for today, ”Neverending Story,” isn’t really a drabble because it’s 129 words long. It was written by the Reverend Henry Hardy Heins for that 1964 edition of “Golden Anniversary Bibliography of Edgar Rice Burroughs. I just couldn’t shorten it.Edgar Rice Burroughs is beyond doubt one of the most widely-read and enjoyed authors in 20th century literature. An unassuming American writer, his tales have been translated into thirty or more languages.... Burroughs' works have become literary classics. Formal recognition of this fact came in 1962 when a study-edition of his first story, A Princess of Mars, was published for British school use, as one volume in a series comprising such native authors as Conan Doyle, Sir Walter Scott, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Shakespeare -- and the publisher who ranked ERB as the only American among this distinguished company was none other that the venerable Oxford University Press. ... "He being dead, yet speaketh." And we shall not soon see his like again. NEVERENDING STORY
CAREER MOVE
September 10: On this day in 1960, artist Fred Charles William Small died in Tucson, Arizona. The prolific artist painted the covers for the pulp magazine publications of “The Warlord of Mars,” “The Cave Man,” “The Beasts of Tarzan,” and “The Mad King.” He also drew interior head pieces for “Under the Moons of Mars (the first illustration of a Green Martian), “Sweetheart Primeval,” and “The Man Without a Soul,”: The Warlord of Mars https://www.erbzine.com/mag4/0424.html ~ The Cave Man https://www.erbzine.com/mag7/0755.html ~ The Beasts of Tarzan https://www.erbzine.com/mag4/0485.html ~ "The Mad King": All-Story Weekly: March 21, 1914 ~ Cover Art
https://www.erbzine.com/mag7/0758.htmlMost pulp artists worked freelance and were treated as hired guns, but Fred W. Small worked full-time to illustrate pulp magazines published exclusively by Frank A. Munsey. The company offices were located at 280 Broadway on Chambers Street across from the Tweed Courthouse and City Hall in Lower Manhattan.
His last pulp magazine illustrations appeared in 1921, because he accepted a full-time job to create artwork that publicized motion pictures.
The 100 word drabble, “Career Move,” for today is a fictional conversation between Edgar Rice Burroughs and Robert Davis, editor at Munsey Magazines.“Bob, I’m glad you liked ‘Tarzan and the Golden Lion.” I’d like that Fred Small guy to do the cover if he’s available. I really like his work.” CAREER MOVE
“So do I, Ed, but he quit and moved to California. Said that he’s gonna work in the movies drawing advertisements and posters.”
“That’s silly. Why would he give up a great career to move to California and take a shot at making movies.”
“I’ve wondered about that myself, Ed. How about you stand in front of the mirror and ask the man you see there. Let me know what he says.”
DRESS FOR SUCCESS
September 11: On this day in 1961, The article, “Enid Markey Played Tarzan’s First Jane,” by Barbara Bundschu, published in the Hayward Daily Review.
The entire article may be read at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag29/2985.html
The drabble for today, “Dress for Success,” is an excerpt from that article.I was the only Jane who ever wore clothes. Mother had that dress made. It was very expensive -- $150. It had a plaid skirt and a green jersey top with white flannel collar, and a patent leather belt around the hips with big pockets over it. DRESS FOR SUCCESS
As time passed, the dress gave way, sleeve by sleeve, so to speak, and the leopard skin took over.
Miss Markey turned down a contract for five more years of Jane to come to New York in 1918, because "I had no interest in pictures at all. I was studying for the stage."
DIFFERENT ISN'T ALWAYS BETTER
September 12: On this day in 1922, Argosy’s editor, Robert Davis, bluntly rejected “Beware,” Burroughs had written the story under a pseudonym, John Tyler McCulloch. The story, unlike most of Burroughs’ work, didn’t sell until 1939. It was purchased by “Fantastic Adventures,” retitled “The Scientists Revolt,” and suffered through a major rewrite by the publisher, Ray Palmer.
Beware was finally published as originally written by the Burroughs Bulletin in July 1974 with a Richard Corben cover and two interior illustrations. ERB-dom reprinted The Scientists Revolt in three issues from January to March 1971 and The Burroughs Bulletin reprinted The Scientists revolt in August 1974 – the Ray Palmer butchered version.
Both versions are free to read at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag7/0770.html
The drabble for today, “Different Isn’t Always Better,” is by Irwin Porges and it concerns the original rejection of the story and its quest for publication.Davis' evaluation of "Beware," was blunt: "I think Beware is the nearest approach to mediocrity that ever came from your pen." DIFFERENT ISN'T ALWAYS BETTER
One rejection had never been convincing to Burroughs. Refusals came from Blue Book, Detective Tales, and Weird Tales. In 1939, "Beware" was purchased by Raymond Palmer, editor of Fantastic Adventures, for $245. With some characters and plot elements changed by Palmer, and the time setting projected to the year 2190, "Beware" was transformed from a hodgepodge royal intrigue-detective mystery novelette to a science-fiction story and published in the July 1939 issue of the magazine, and retitled "The Scientists Revolt.
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ROLLING IN DOUGH
September 13: On this day in 1982. Artist Reed Leonard Crandall died in Wichita, Kansas where he was working as a night watchman and janitor at the general headquarters for Pizza Hut. He was best known for the Blackhawk comic book in the 19403 and EC Comics during the 1950s. Reed was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 2009.
He worked with Jack Kirby on early issues of Captain America and illustrated a handful of Classic’s Illustrated. Jungle Comics allowed artists to channel their inner Tarzan, and make copycat characters, but still showcased beautiful scenery, animal adventures, and human anatomy. Reed Crandall showcased plenty of that in Jungle Comics 42, 1943. This page was so celebrated at Fiction House that Joe Doolin traced Reed’s splash page and used it as the cover to Jungle Comics 67, 1945.
Crandall illustrated “Tarzan and the Madman” and ”John Carter of Mars” for Canaveral Books and contributed several illustrations to ERB-dom.
Enjoy more Reed Crandall art at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag23/2302.html
The drabble for today, "Rolling in Dough,” was inspired by Reed Crandall’s last job, working for Pizza Hut as a night watchman and janitor. I couldn't think of a way to honor his artistic career in only a 100 words.Frank Carney, one of the founders of Pizza Hut, took a call from the night watchmen. “Mr. Carney, this is Reed Crandell at the office. Some kids tried to break in a few minutes ago. I ran them off.” ROLLING IN DOUGH
“Thanks. Reed Crandall? I once had a huge pile of EC comic books. My favorite artist was named Reed Crandall. Any relation?”
“That’s me.”
“Why are you working as a janitor and night watchman.”
“Work for hire rules. Folks said I’d make lots of dough in the pizza business.”
Frank laughed. “And do you?”
“Well, I do clean up every night.”
CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE
September 14: On this day in 1948, the Dan Barry/ Rob Thompson Tarzan daily story arc, Tarzan and the Fires of Kohr, began. The story ran until April 9, 1949, a total of 180 episodes. The production team changed twice during the run. Rob Thompson wrote the entire script, but John Lehti illustrated episodes 61 through 126, and Paul Reinman illustrated episodes 127 through 189 inclusive. There are claims that several, if not all, of the issues credited to John Lehti, were ghosted by Emil Gershwin.
According to Ron Goulart, who had an interview with John Lehti, Lethi, as some people have claimed over the years, did NOT do the Tarzan dailies. But, according to Bob Barrett, however, Vern Coriell did an interview with John Lehti and Dan Barry in which they claimed that Lehti was ghosting for Barry and DID the Tarzan daily. Who knows?
Read the entire strip at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag34/3434.html
The fictional drabble for today is, “Credit Where Credit is Due,” and it was inspired by the confusion about who actually illustrated “Tarzan and the Fires of Kohr.”The interviewer said, “Mr. Thompson, I understand you wrote the continuity for “Tarzan and the Fires of Kohr, the Tarzan daily comic strip.” CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE
“I did. 1948 and 1949, right?”
“I’m wondering who drew the strip. Dan Barry gets credit, but I’ve read that John Lehti ghosted the strip for him. Then Lehti gets credit, but I read that Emil Gershwin drew it instead of John. Finally, Paul Reinman finished the strip. So, who drew what?”“I don’t know. Everyone had deadlines and artists subbed for each other. The art should have been credited to Manny Hands for all I know.”
TEST PILOT
September 15: On this date in 1940, Edgar Rice Burroughs completed writing “Return to Pellucidar,” the first installment of four that became the novel, “Savage Pellucidar.’
The story was written under the working title, “Hodon and O-aa.” It was published by Amazing Magazine in February 1942, with two interior illustrations by J. Allen St. John. The novel “Savage Pellucidar” was published by Canaveral Press on November 25, 1963, with a cover by and six interior illustrations by J. Allen St. John.
Extensive details and beautiful illustrations abound at; https://www.erbzine.com/mag7/0747.html
The drabble for today is “Test Pilot,’ inspired by the story, “Return to Pellucidar.”Abner Perry built an aeroplane, but it exploded on the ground. Perry said, “I believe I’ll proceed with aviation the same way men did on the surface. First, I’ll build a balloon.” TEST PILOT
After completion, Dian the Beautiful climbed into the gondola. “Abner, it’s smaller than I expected. What does this rope do?”
Abner screamed no, don't, but Dain pulled the rope, untethered the balloon, and flew into the sky.”
Her husband, David Innes, shouted. “She doesn’t know how to pilot a balloon. How will she make it land?’
Abner said, “Not a problem. The balloon will land when it’s ready.”
