ERBzine 1029: 1941 Illustrated War Years

From Tarzana, California
Memories from the
Danton Burroughs
Family Archive

Edgar Rice Burroughs
Oldest Correspondent in the WWII Pacific Theatre
An Illustrated Time Line of Events
1941: The War Years
Collated by Bill Hillman

Volume 1029

1941 ERBzine 1029
* Jungle Girl was released as a 15-part Republic serial starring Frances Gifford. Ed's friend Rochelle Hudson had hoped to get the role. Rochelle starred in Girls Under Twenty-One, Men Without Souls, and Island of Doomed Men.

* Tarzan's Secret Treasure with Weissmuller and O'Sullivan was released by MGM

January: "John Carter and the Giant of Mars" appeared in Amazing Stories under ERB's name (the magazine hit the stands on November 10, 1940). A controversy soon followed as to authorship over this story which was actually written by John Coleman Burroughs. Hulbert later explained that "Giant" was originally written as a Whitman Better Little Book and later expanded into novelette form - although ERB might have had some input from Honolulu, Jack (perhaps with input from Whitman editors) did most of the work on it.
January 5-8: The 3,300-word story, "Misogynists Preferred" was written under the pen name John Tyler McCulloch. It was rejected in February by Esquire, New Yorker, Romantic Story and Hillman Periodicals. It was not published until 2001.
January 15: ERB wrote the poem, "The Skunk in Defeat," and later "A War-Job Striker To A Soldier."
January 23 - October 7: "Wizard of Venus," the first of a planned new Venus series, was written. All magazine submissions were rejected.
February: Two of the world's best-known authors, Ed and fellow-Chicagoan Ernest Hemingway dined with their wives at the same Honolulu restaurant but neither introduced himself. Ernest Hemingway and leopard

March: "Captured on Venus" appeared in Fantastic Adventures as "Slaves of the Fish Men" ($472).
March: "The City of Mummies" ("John Carter and the Pits of Horz") appeared in Amazing Stories.
March 14 or 18: Florence and the kids sailed for the mainland at noon on the Lurline. Ed had to borrow the money for their fares. She filed for divorce on July 23. He wrote I Am a Barbarian and The Wizard of Venus during this period.

March 20: Ed wrote Bert Weston of having met long-standing fan, pulp writer, and professional wrestler, Prince Ilaki Ibn Ali Hassan. He said Florence left the islands because of the increasing Japanese threat. Ed and pulp writer Prince Ilaki Ibn Ali Hassan

Ed and pulp writer Prince Ilaki Ibn Ali Hassan

March 27 (early morning): Tormented over Florence and finances, Ed had a slight stroke or angina attack in his sleep.
Spring: Ed started writing I Am A Barbarian.
April 8: Ed's diary entries indicated that he had fallen into deep depression and complete withdrawal.
April 19: Ed sent Rothmund instructions to be followed after his death.
May 3: Ed swore off drinking. He had lost 11 pounds in the last month.
May 5: The Honolulu Star-Bulletin printed a scathing letter from ERB in which he blasted the Hawaii Legislature. In a follow up letter he outlined a plan in which an intelligence test could be administered to potential leaders to better help the voters choose the best people for the job of governing.
May 17: Ed noted in his diary that his article concerning the Legislature was viewed favourably in the governor's office.
June: "Black Pirates of Barsoom" appears in Amazing Stories. Also included in the issue is the 750-word article, "An Autobiographical Sketch."
June: "Meet the Authors" by ERB appeared in Amazing Stories
June 1: Recurring bladder condition.
June 2: Ed's old bladder obstruction problems were returning.
June 12: Admitted to hospital for treatment of bladder/urinary problem.
June 13: Sent home but was bedridden for 10 days.
June 22: Doctor advised him to return to hospital but Ed treated himself with alcohol and went to a baseball game.
June 25: Returned to the hospital for 13 days.
July: "The Fire Goddess" appeared in Fantastic Adventures. ($405.60)
July: "Uncle Miner and Other Relatives" (22,800 words) was written in and out of hospitals. He signed the preface, "Joe Louis." The wildly imaginative story was rejected by New Yorker on August 28, 1941 and was never published.
July 2: Ed left the hospital prematurely after treatment with sulfathhiozal. A recurrence of the illness forced him to return later in July and August. The doctor suggested that he start drinking again - the results were not satisfactory. WWII Sulpha Drugs

July 23: Actress Florence Gilbert announced through her attorney that she was filing a suit for divorce against Edgar Rice Burroughs, the author, charging him with mental cruelty. The Star Bulletin reported that Florence had filed for divorce. Ed's legal matters were delegated to Rothmund.
July 24: Honolulu Star-Bulletin reported that Ed's reaction to the divorce announcement was, "News to me."
August: A month of severe health problems - uretha wire insertions, infections, anti-biotic sulfathhiozal treatments, high temperatures, vomiting, delirium, and muscular convulsions.
August: "Yellow Men of Mars" appeared in Amazing Stories.
August 1: Ed submitted a letter from longtime fan, Frank Shonfield, of the English Army, to Life Magazine. It was rejected.

August 12: Ed instructed his children to elect Rothmund as president of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. and to look after him financially.
August 13: Ed drafted a new will.
August 23 - September 6: Tarzan and the Castaways appeared as a three-part serial in Argosy. It was revised and retitled "The Quest of Tarzan" ($450).
September 1: Ed's 66th birthday.
September 7: Hully arrived on the Mariposa for a "vacation" and to be with his dad. They moved into new quarters at the Niumalu Hotel.

Fall: Times were good: lazing about, drives, sunbathing, drinks, fishing, walks, movies, wrestling matches, paddle tennis, etc.
September/October: Ed returned to the hospital for short stays.
October: A 2,400-word article, "Fall of a Democracy," was completed. Magazine submissions were turned down and it was never published.
October: "Invisible Men of Mars" appeared in Amazing Stories. All four of these Mars novelettes appeared in the 1948-ERB, Inc. book, Llana of Gathol.
October: George's wife Edna died. She had been committed to a mental institution in August. George invited old friend Lew Sweetser to share the Fontana home. Brother George Burroughs

October 11: He writes of visiting scenic Hanauma Bay with Hully where they swam. He expresses disappointment with the Nova/Baer prize fight -- and boxing matches in general.
October 20: Hulbert reports to Rothmund that he had talked his father out of drinking so heavily and that his health was much improved.
October 25 - November 20: "The Skeleton Men of Jupiter," the first of a planned new John Carter series, was written. It was rejected by Blue Book but appeared in Amazing, February, 1943.
November: "The Living Dead" appeared in Fantastic Adventures. ($400.60)
November: I Am A Barbarian was completed. It was rejected by McCall's Red Book and Blue Book as being: "...too gruesome and downbeat a story for us to consider at this time, can't you give us something a little cheerier?" Frank Shonfeld and Danton Burroughs thirty years later.

Frank Shonfeld and Danton Burroughs thirty years later.

December 1: He forwarded more letters for Ralph to file from Sgt. Shonfeld. With Hully's encouragement Ed stopped drinking and smoking and his weight was down to 183 -- he expressed irritability since he'd smoked for 50 years.
December 2: Christmas presents were sent home to the Pierce grandchildren but Ed can't get into the Christmas spirit. Honolulu is a poor place to shop. A new Carson of Venus story was started but soon abandoned because of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

THE JAPANESE ATTACK PEARL HARBOR ~ AMERICA ENTERS WWII
December 7 - 7:55 a.m.: "Watched Japan bomb Pearl Harbor and Hickam field while we played tennis...." The old military man was finally in the right place at the right time. Ed and Hulbert watched the attack from the hotel tennis court, at first thinking it a military practice exercise. Ed, Hulbert, and friend Anton Rost volunteered for sentry duty with Patrol 2, Company A, 1st Battalion, stationed on the wharf warehouse at Honolulu Tuna Packers Ltd. and to patrol Ward Avenue. Later Ed was assigned to guard and then to escort "enemy aliens" (Japanese) to the Immigration Station. The march almost killed him. ERB observing Pearl Harbor attack

December 7: Ed reported to Brigadier General Kendall Fielder's office at General Headquarters and volunteered his services for the war effort. He was asked to write a humorous series of Laugh It Off columns for the Honolulu Advertiser and joined the Business Mens' Training Corps home guard. Ed was extremely proud of his new role of War Correspondent.

December 7: John Carter of Mars illustrated by John Coleman Burroughs appeared as a Sunday feature for United Feature Syndicate. Wartime paper shortage forced its demise in the spring of 1943. John Coleman Burroughs with model Martian thoat

John Coleman Burroughs with model Martian thoat

December 12: Ed and Hulbert were attached to G-I at Iolani Palace. They were serving as chauffeurs, because they each had a car -- Ed's and one borrowed from Cecile Bumside whose husband commanded a sub at Manila. They worked from 8-4 and ate dinner at the hotel at 4:30. Early dinner was the result of island blackout.

December 23: Hulbert expressed his pride in his father in a letter to Joan.
December 24: Hulbert asked Rothmund to tried to persuade ERB to return to the mainland as he was reluctant to enlist until his father had left.
December?: In the 2,800-word article "Came the War" Ed described his and Hulbert's activities during and after the Japanese attack.

Updates will be added to this timeline as more dates become available.

**The Dean of WWII Correspondents in the Pacific**
**Edgar Rice Burroughs: The War Years**
**INTRODUCTION & CONTENTS**
ERB WWII Time Line: 1940-1942	ERB WWII Time Line: 1943-1945	Photos 40-42 Photos 43-45
1940 Letters	1940 Letter Highlights	1940 Illustrated Timeline
1941 Letters	1941 Letter Highlights	1941 Illustrated Timeline
Pearl Harbor: Eye Witness Account	USS Shaw / ERB Connection	ERB-Truman H. Landon Connection
1942 Letters	1942 Letter Highlights	1942 Illustrated Timeline
1943 Letters	1943 Letter Highlights	1943 Illustrated Timeline
1944 Letters	1944 Letter Highlights	1944 Illustrated Timeline
1945 Letters	1945 Letter Highlights	1945 Illustrated Timeline
ERB: War Correspondent	Pre- and Post-Wartime Timelines	ERB Visits WWII Australia Text Only
Our Japanese Problem ~ Hawaii Magazine	ERB & Military: Early Years	ERB Bio Timeline ~ 1875-1950
ERB Wartime Files v.1: Hawaii Clippings	ERB Wartime Files v.2: Articles	ERB Wartime Files v.3: Laugh It Off

ERBzine Volume 1029

. WEBJED: BILL HILLMAN .
Visit our thousands of other sites at:
BILL AND SUE-ON HILLMAN ECLECTIC STUDIO
ERB Text, ERB Images and Tarzan® are ©Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc.- All Rights Reserved.
All Original Work ©1996-2003/2010 by Bill Hillman and/or Contributing Authors/Owners
No part of this web site may be reproduced without permission from the respective owners.