Official Edgar Rice Burroughs Tribute and Weekly Webzine Site Since 1996 ~ Over 15,000 Webpages in Archive Volume 7697a  |
ERB 100-Word Drabbles
JUNE V Edition :: Days 16-30
by Robert Allen Lupton
Back to Days 1-15 at ERBzine 7697
With Collations, Web Page Layout and ERBzine Illustrations and References by Bill Hillman
LA'S PLIGHT
June 16: On this day in 1996, the Tarzan Sunday comic story arc, “La’s Plight, began. It ran for thirteen weeks and ended on September 8, 1996. Gray Morrow provided the artwork and Scott Tracy Griffin wrote the story. Griffin is also the author of several articles about Edgar Rice Burroughs (see issues of Cinefantastique) and “Tarzan the Centennial Celebration” and “Tarzan on Film.” You can find both books at the following link:
https://www.amazon.com
Tarzan, accompanied by the beautiful Dr. Gordon return to Opar to save the ailing High Priestess, La. Once saved, La is not grateful. She is angry that Tarzan has brought another woman with him, but after Tarzan saves the Oparians from the evil Barnett, she forgives him. The evil Barnett looks just like the long time President of the Burroughs Bibliophiles, Bob Hyde.
Details about all the Tarzan Sunday pages are available at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag22/2292.html
The drabble for today is, “Jealous Paranoia,” and it was inspired by the comic story arc, “La’s Plight.” . . . featured at https://www.erbzine.com/mag48/4810.htmlLa awoke and saw Tarzan. He said, “You’ve been very ill. This is Doctor Gordon. She saved your life.” LA'S PLIGHT
“Doctor Gordon? She’s a woman. You’re with another woman!”
“No, well, yes. She is a woman, but she’s also an excellent doctor. You understand that she saved your life, right?”
“Tarzan, I understand you’ve brought another woman into my home. I’ll have you both killed for this breach of trust.”
Tarzan stepped back. “La, you’re overreacting. We came to help you. You aren’t seeing things clearly.”
La snarled. “I’m seeing everything perfectly. It’s amazing the clarity that comes with psychotic jealousy!”
IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN AND TALL
June 17: On this day in 1960, actor Thomas Haden Church was born in Yolo, California. Church was born Thomas Richard McMillen, but changed his name to Quesada when his mother remarried, Later he changed it to “Haden Church.” He began his career as a radio disc jockey.’
Church played the vicious green Thark warrior, Tal Hajus, in the Disney film “John Carter” and the Sandman in “Spiderman Three.” He appeared in “George of the Jungle,” “We Bought a Zoo,” and “Hellboy.” He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role in “Sideways” and a Primetime Emmy for his portrayal of Tom Harte in ‘Broken Trail.” IMBD lists seventy-three credits for Church, who was in 46 episodes of “Ned and Stacy’ and 123 episodes of “Wings.”
Details and several pages of photos from the film, John Carter, are at www.erbzine.com . Use the link: https://www.cartermovie.com/
The drabble for today is “It’s Not Easy Being Green and Tall,” and it was excerpted from an interview with Thomas Haden Church conducted by Matt Goldberg and published in The Collider” on February 9, 2012.We rehearsed fighting on the stilts. I’d spend a lot of time rehearsing on them by myself at the ranch where I live in Texas. I started like a baby, just started getting up on them and moving around and getting better and better. Then at the stunt camp in January, I had a greater awareness of what was going to be expected as far as manipulating and movements. I still can’t run. It’s disappointing because I thought I would get to where I’d be able to move with the facility of my normal kind of stature. It’s really difficult. IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN AND TALL
YELL FOR THE AUDIENCE
June 18: On this day in 1993, the Edgar Rice Burroughs Chain of Friendship (ECOF) gathering in Willows, California began. The event was hosted by Ralph Brown and ran through the 20th. The guests of honor were writer John Eric Holmes and artist Thomas Yeates. Holmes, the author of “Mahars of Pellucidar” and “Red Axe of Pellucidar,” received the Edgar Rice Burroughs Lifetime Achievement Award. Thomas Yeates has been involved in many ERB themed projects including comics for Dark Horse and Malibu. He is the current illustrator for Prince Valiant.
For information, sales, and art by Mr. Yeates, visit https://www.ERBzine.com/yeates/ and http://www.thomasyeates.com/
Details about John Eric Holmes may be found at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag57/5797.html and copies of his two Pellucidar novels are available at: https://www.edgarriceburroughs.com/
The drabble for today, “Yell for the Audience,” is inspired by the Edgar Rice Burroughs Chain of Friendship and it features my old friends Pat and John from New Orleans.John entered the Tarzan yell contest at the Edgar Rice Burroughs International Chain of Friendship. He was the final contestant. He breathed deeply, his eyes went wide, and his yell reverberated from the ceiling and the walls. He won by acclimation. YELL FOR THE AUDIENCE
Pat patted John’s back. “That was better than Weissmuller in his prime. I had no idea you could do that.”
“Neither did I, but the MC, Ralph Brown, shifted his chair and one leg was crushing my left foot. That wasn’t the victory cry of a bull ape, that was the please get off my toe scream of pain.”
THAT'S THE WAY THE MONEY GOES
June 19: On this day in 1999. Dark Horse Comics published the graphic novel, “Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar.” The book was illustrated by Russ Manning and written by Gaylord DuBois. This edition was completely recolored by Keith Wood, using digital techniques. Mark Schultz illustrated the cover and Lia Ribacchi designed the book. The trade paperback reprinted the three issues from the Gold Key Comic book books that made up the story.
Details about the Dark Horse reprint and the original Gold Key comic books are at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag17/1749.html
The 100 word drabble for today is “That’s The Way the Money Goes,” and it was inspired by the ability of a primitive tribe to accumulate incalculable riches.The Belgian army officer, Albert Werper, followed Tarzan to Opar. The treasure vaults amazed him. “Tarzan, how could savages save this much gold?” THAT'S THE WAY THE MONEY GOES
“Werper,” replied Tarzan. They don’t wage wars. They don’t elect officials and pay them to be in charge.”
“What about police and tax collectors.”
“They police themselves. There’re no taxes. Everyone works and everyone eats.”
“Still, riches beyond calculation.”
The Oparians don’t piss away money on exaggerated fears. They don’t build billion-dollar walls and they don’t buy life insurance. Everyone dies and what one man builds, another can destroy. So, Werper, who does that make the savage?”
CHICKEN OF THE SEA
June 20: On this day in 1940, Soviet actor, Vladimir Borisovich Korenev, wa born in Sevastopoi, USSR. Korenev was a Soviet and Russian actor and teacher. He played the lead character in 1962’s “The Amphibian Man,” originally released as “Tarzan des Mers.” ERB Inc. took exception to the use of “Tarzan” in the title.
I’ve watched the film, and the character bears no relationship to Tarzan, however, the Guillermo del Toro film, The Shape of Water,” seems like a remake of the “The Amphibian Man.” The film sold over 100 million tickets in the Soviet Union.
His role, Ichthyader, made Korenev famous in the Soviet Union.
Korenev joined the Moscow Drama Theatre in 1961 and in 2015, he was the artistic director of the Faculty of Theatre Arts in Moscow.
You can watch the film, with the Amphibian Man title for free at: https://tubitv.com/movies/326269/amphibian-man . It’s dubbed in English - no subtitles.
The drabble for today is “Chicken of the Sea,” and it’s based on “Tarzan des Mers aka “The Amphibian Man,” It features my old friends from New Orleans, Pat and John.
“John,” said Pat, The art theater is showing a Russian film, “The Amphibian Man.” Let’s go.”“I don’t speak Russian.” CHICKEN OF THE SEA
“John, that’s not a problem. I checked with the Audubon Zoo. Amphibians don’t speak Russian either.”“That’s not all, Pat. The Russians originally titled the film, “Tarzan de Mers.” That’s just wrong. Buying a ticket encourages bad behavior.”
“Excuse me?”
“Tarzan of the Apes. Not Tarzan of the Sea. Sounds like a tuna fish ad or a pasta order. Apes, not eels, not sharks, and not octopi. Underwater no-one can hear the Tarzan yell. It’d just be blub, blub, blub.”
LYDIE DENIER
June 21: On this day in 2001, Pete Ogden hosted the annual Burroughs Bibliophile’s Dum-Dum in Tampa, Florida. The guests of honor were Steve Hawks and Lydie Denier.
Pete Ogden published the fanzine, ERBANIA, for many years. Wonderful man.
Hawks was born Stjepan Sipek and he starred as Tarzan in “Tarzan and the Golden Grotto” and ‘Tarzan and the Brown Prince,” both unapproved Tarzan films which were released under several titles.
Lydie Denier played Jane to Wolf Larson’s Tarzan on the syndicated TV series, “Tarzan,” broadcast in the US from 1991 through 1994.
The drabble for today, “Play Nice with the Animals,” was inspired Lydie Denier’s attendance at the gathering in Tampa Bay in 2001. Later she would write an autobiography, “Me Jane – You Not,’ which was published electronically by Magellan Books. I found several ‘links’ to the book online, but none of them worked. I haven’t been able to find a copy, but a summary, a discussion, and an excerpt from the first chapter are available at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag33/3338.html. The drabble is taken from an interview with Lydie about playing Jane. The entire interview is available at: https://joynthejourney.typepad.com/My first scene was with a giraffe. When the director said, “Cut!” I turned around. The giraffe kicked me in the butt like a horse. LYDIE DENIER
In the second scene, I fed bananas to a baby elephant. Baby elephants have thorns on top of their back and on their trunk. I found him so cute and so friendly. I wanted to pet him. Aoutch! Thorns shot into my hand. The on-set doctor applied tweezers to each thorn. Each time she jerked one out, it felt like she eviscerated my hand. She disinfected my hand with alcohol. God, it burned like hell.
WHOSE JUNGLE IS IT
June 22: On this day in 1856, writer H. Rider Haggard was born in Norforkshire, England. Haggard spent seven years in South Africa and was there when Edgar Rice Burroughs was born. Haggard wrote about ninety-one novels including three “She” novels, four if we consider “She and Allan” as a "She" novel, 14 Allan Quatermain novels, and many more. He was an avid advocate for land reform during his lifetime. If you haven’t read much of Haggard’s work, I recommend the Delphi Kindle collection – over a hundred novels and short stories for $2.99. https://www.amazon.com/
Burroughs and Haggard sold stories to the same magazines. It was at the beginning of ERB’s career and the twilight of Haggard’s. There are certain similarities in some of the characters. La, the High Priestess of a lost race loves Tarzan and Ayesha, Priestess of a lost race loves Horace Holly. I gotta tell you, I like the name Tarzan a lot better than Horace Holly.
Haggard could be credited with creating the “Lost Race” novel. There is an excellent article about the influence of Haggard on Edgar Rice Burroughs titled “Edgar Rice Burroughs Meets Rider Haggard” written by R. E. Pringle and available at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag28/2897.html
Links to the complete text of several of Haggard’s novels are also at this ERBzine address.
R. E. Pringle gets credit for today’s drabble, “Whose Jungle is It,” it’s from his excellent article referenced previously in this article. Henry Curtis was a constant companion of Allan Quatermain. The Great Sandow was a real circus strongman."What most people think of and when anyone thinks of Haggard. is his character Allan Quatermain. Fourteen Quatermain novels were published during Haggard's lifetime, the best known being King Soloman's Mines and Allan Quatermain. WHOSE JUNGLE IS IT
Both were highly influential on Burroughs. Tarzan was fashioned to some extent on the character Sir Henry Curtis, the original white giant. While most people look for the Tarzan’s origins in the Romulus and Remus myth, that is only a small part of it that reflects Burroughs' understanding of ancient mythology. The models for Tarzan are more diverse including not only Curtis but The Great Sandow.
June 23: On this day in 2018, Disney’s Tarzan appeared on Netflix for the first time. The film premiered at the El Capitan Theatre on June 12, 1999 and the full US release took place on June 16, 1999. The cast included Tony Goldwyn as Tarzan, Minnie Driver as Jane, Glenn Close as Kala, Lance Henriksen as Kerchak, Nigel Hawthorne as Professor Porter, Rosie O’Donnell as Terk, Wayne Knight as Tantor, and Brian Blessed as William Cecil Clayton. Blessed also did the Tarzan yell for the film.
McDonald’s offered Tarzan Happy Meals with pretty cool toys, jungle burgers, and banana sundaes. There were straws that made the Tarzan yell, but they weren’t as good as Blessed was. You can hear his yell at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Nef4fhw5oM
Tarzan was notable for being the first major feature release to have been produced, mastered, and projected digitally. The film was also released on LaserDisc in Japan on June 23, 2000 – the last Disney animated feature released in that format.
There are several articles about the film at www.erbzine.com .
The drabble for is “Who’s Happy Now?, and it was based on the Tarzan film and some of the commercial tie-ins.Brian Blessed, Tony Goldwyn, and Minnie Driver snacked between recording sessions for Disney’s Tarzan film. WHO'S HAPPY NOW?
Brian gobbled McNuggets. Minnie said. “You like those, do you?”
Tony interrupted, “My children love them. Especially in Happy Meals.”
Minnie said, “I hear our characters will be Happy Meal toys. I’m not sure how I feel about being a Happy Meal.”Brian boomed a laugh. “I’ve fought polar bears and I’ve climbed Mount Everest. I’ll tell you one thing. When you’re cold and hungry, every meal is a happy meal, but it’s better to be the diner than the dinner. Pass the ketchup, please.”
TIGER TIGER, BURNING BRIGHT
June 24: On this day in 1969, character actor Ted Hecht died in Hollywood, California. Hecht was born in New York City in 1908. IMBD lists 75 credits for Ted, including “Tarzan and the Huntress,” “Tarzan’s Magic Fountain,” and “Tarzan and the She Devil.”
His credits also include “Adventures of Superman,” “Jungle Jim,” “Terry and the Pirates,” “Rocky Jones, Space Ranger,” “Sheena of the Jungle,” “Boston Blackie,” “Man-Eater of Kumaon,” and “Lost City of the Jungle.” For shame, the man doesn’t even have a Wikipedia page.
The drabble for today. “Tiger Tiger, Burning Bright,” was inspired by character actor, Ted Hecht.On the set of “Adventures of Superman,” George Reeves handed Ted Hecht some coffee. “Ted, you’ve acted forever, but you’ve never played the lead.” TIGER TIGER, BURNING BRIGHT
“George, leading actors come and go, but guys like me always have work.”
“I suppose so.”
“I’ve been a cowboy, a cop, a thug and a reporter. I’ve explored Africa with Tarzan, Jungle Jim, and Sheena. I’ve visited the Sahara, the Nile. I fought man-eating tigers, and next, I’m going to Mars with Rocky Jones.”George shrugged. “But stars gets the money and fame.”
“The brightest candle burns out the fastest. Enjoy it while you can.”
EDITOR'S CORNER
June 25: On this day in 1947, Vern Corriel released the first Edgar Rice Burroughs fan publication, “The Burroughs Bulletin” #1. The magazine had a July cover date. Over the next 21 years Vern published 68 issues. George McWorter resumed publication of “The Burroughs Bulletin.” It is still published today by the Burroughs Bibliophiles. The editor is Henry G. Franke III. To join the Bibliophiles, visit https://www.burroughsbibliophiles.com/
Vern got permission from ERB to publish “The Burroughs Bulletin” and he promised that he would never sell the issues. He kept his word, but to receive copies a person had to be a member in good standing and of course, there was a membership fee.
That first issue was four pages and included a movie review of “Tarzan and the Huntress,” “Edgar Rice Burroughs Creator of New Worlds” by Forrest J. Ackerman. A short article about “Nyoka, the Jungle Girl,” and a comment that a recent newspaper article that claimed that Alex Raymond would take of the Tarzan newspaper comic strip. Alas, that never happened.
The first eleven issues, including this one, all published by Vern, are available to read at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag71/7171.html
The drabble for today is “Editor’s Corner,” written by Vern Corriel and published in that first issue of “The Burroughs Bulletin.”WELL, here it is, the 1st issue of the Burroughs Bulletin fanzine! I hope you’ll enjoy reading it as much as I’ve enjoyed publishing it. I want to thank the many Burroughs fans who’ve helped me and sent in articles to be published. All your ideas and suggestions are welcome and with your help the Burroughs Bulletin can become the best fanzine going. To my knowledge this is the first time a fanzine about the works and characters of one author and I promise to do my best to make it worthy of the author whose name this publication bears. EDITOR'S CORNER
SOME MANY BOOKS
June 26: On this day in 1964, the local newspaper, The Brownsville Bulletin, in Brownsville, Texas, published a brief article about the number of Edgar Rice Burroughs paperback books available for sale locally. There was no byline. The entire article may be read at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag70/7043.html
The article was written at the height of “Burroughs Renaissance. Those were the days my friends. Paperbacks and comic books were displayed on spinner racks placed side by side. You could buy the newest issue of Fantastic Four and take one step and find Robert Heinlein on the same rack with Harper Lee, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and Zane Grey.
The drabble for today is “Some Many Books,” and was excerpted from that article in the Brownsville Bulletin. The article referred to 26 different Tarzan novels available for sale. For the life of me, I can only think of 24 Tarzan titles. I’m not sure what the other two books are, but I’d like to have copies.In the past readers had to depend on libraries for most Burroughs titles since most of the books were not available in bookstores. The problem is now solved. SOME MANY BOOKS
The shelves in the Merchandise Mart on Center Avenue showed no fewer than 37 Burroughs titles on sale. The Tarzan series is published in paperback form by Ballantine Books. The local store has 26 titles in stock.
The Mars, Pellucidar, and Venus books are published by Ace, with eleven titles on hand. The books are apparently selling, since a few titles seen on the shelves earlier were missing at a later check.
MEMORY, WHAT MEMORY?
June 27: On this day in 1937, the Los Angeles Times Sunday magazine published the article, “Tarzan’s Father,” written by Kenneth Crist. The entire article is available to read at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag11/1106.html
The drabble for today is, “Memory, What Memory?” It’s by Edgar Rice Burroughs as quoted by Kenneth Crist in that LA Times article."I can't dictate Tarzan stories, though I've tried it dozens of times. I can't remember what I just said. That makes secretaries awfully sore. When I use a mechanical recorder and try to dictate into that. I about wear the record out playing it back to myself. . . to see what I just said. MEMORY, WHAT MEMORY?
"Names are particularly tough on me. I can carry a whole Tarzan plot in my mind when I want to; I don't have to use an elaborate outline. Do you think I can remember the cast of characters for it? I write down every name!
NO SHOW
June 28: On this day in 1941, artist Michael W. Royer was born in Lebanon, Oregon. In 1965, he assisted Russ Manning on Gold Key’s “Magnus, Robot Fighter.” He assisted Manning on Gold Key’s Tarzan comics beginning in June 1966, and worked on Korak, Son of Tarzan. 220 comic book credits are listed at: http://www.mikesamazingworld.com
Royer worked with Jack Kirby in the 1970s and lettered and inked the last six months of Russ Manning’s Tarzan Sunday pages. He also teamed with writer Dale Broadhurst to publish a comic version of the Edgar Rice Burroughs story, “The Wizard of Venus.” The entire Wizard of Venus comic is at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag45/4565.html
The drabble for today is “No Show,” and it taken from an interview that Mike Royer did with Bryan Stroud. Royer wanted to meet Russ Manning and Manning didn’t attend a Dum-Dum, but Camille Cazedessus, editor and publisher of ERB-dom, did attend and helped Royer get in touch with Russ Manning. I’m glad he did.
Read the entire interview at: https://www.nerdteam30.com/I went to a convention in 1964 and took a comic book that Dale Broadhurst did the writing adaptation. I did the drawing for an Edgar Rice Burroughs story, “The Wizard of Venus.” We got permission from Hobart Burroughs. We printed it and took it to the convention. I met a lot of interesting people. NO SHOW
I went because I wanted to meet Russ Manning, who I’d learned was an Edgar Rice Burroughs fan. I thought, “Well, everybody will be going to the Dum-Dum in the 1964 World Science-Fiction Convention.” He didn’t show up because he had a career and a life.
HIGH BID
June 29: On this day in 1950, artist Michael Whelan was born in Culver City, California. Whelan illustrated science fiction and fantasy cover illustrations for more than thirty years before pursuing a fine art career. His work is available on his website, https://www.michaelwhelan.com/ and his Burroughs Mars cover art at:
Whelan, who illustrated wraparound covers for the Barsoom books published by Ballantine, is the most honored artist in Science Fiction. He won 15 Hugo Awards, three World Fantasy Awards, and 13 Chesleys from the Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists. Reader’s’ polls in Locus Magazine named him the best Professional Artist 31 times. He was inducted in to the Science Fiction Writers Hall of Fame in 2009.
Over the years, he’s done countless cover illustrations for books, including the works of Piers Anthony, Larry Niven, Brandon Sanderson, Robert Jordon, Stephen King, Michael Moorcock, Anne McCaffery, and Edgar Rice Burroughs: https://www.erbzine.com/mag70/7027.html
The drabble for today is, “High Bid,” and it’s based on a true story that happened at the 1978 Worldcon in Phoenix when Harlan Ellison was the guest of Honor. At an auction a beautiful Photostat of Whelan’s cover for “Thuvia, Maid of Mars, was being bid upon. True story. I still have the framed Photostat.The auctioneer pointed to the framed Photostat of “Thuvia, Maid of Mars,” by Michael Whelan. “I have $125 once, twice …” HIGH BID
Harlan Ellison made a big entrance. “$125 for a painting by Michael Whelan? That’s bullshit. You folks are a bunch of cheapskates. I bid $1000.00.”
The auctioneer pounded his gavel. “Framed Photostat of Michael Whelan’s cover art for “Thuvia Maid of Mars,” sold to Mr. Ellison for $1000.00.”
Ellison shouted. “Photostat, not an original. Then it’s worthless. I’m not paying anything for that crap.” He stomped out.
As I was saying,” said the auctioneer. “I’ve $125 once, twice …”
SILENCE IS GOLDEN
June 30: On this day in 1917. All-Story Weekly published the first of three installments of “The Lad and the Lion,” the story of a young man trapped on a boat with a lion – sound familiar. If it doesn’t sound familiar, have a piece of pie while you think about it. The cover for this issue was by Modest Stein and had the blurb, “On the Screen / Selig Polyscope Co.” The Selig film is a lost film, no copies are known to exist.
In 1936, Normandy pictures remade the film as “The Lion Man” starring John Hall and Kathleen Burke. It should be noted that “The Lion Man” has little resemblance to either the Edgar Rice Burroughs novel or the 1917 film.
ERB’s working title for the novel was “Men and Beasts.” ERB added 21,000 words for the first edition, which wasn’t published until 21 years later.
Details about the publishing data, the film, and the text of the entire book are located at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag7/0760.html
The drabble for today is “Silence is Golden,” and it was inspired by the Edgar Rice Burroughs novel, “The Lad and the Lion.”The All-Story editor said, “Ed, I loved the idea of a boy and a lion tapped on a small ship, but why did you put an old man with them.” SILENCE IS GOLDEN
“Lions can’t talk. Prince Michael needed someone to talk to.”
“And you made him a prince.”
“People are fascinated with royalty in dire straits. Makes them feel better about themselves.”“The old man was a deaf mute and a mean one at that. He couldn’t talk to the boy.”
“Sign language. Besides the old man was a good example. When you don’t have anything to say, keep your mouth shut.”
