Official Edgar Rice Burroughs Tribute and Weekly Webzine Site Since 1996 ~ Over 15,000 Webpages in Archive Volume 8067a  |
|
Official Edgar Rice Burroughs Tribute and Weekly Webzine Site Since 1996 ~ Over 15,000 Webpages in Archive Volume 8067a |
NO FREE LUNCH
<>November 16: On this day in 1959, Life Magazine published the article, “A Jane With a Brain’ about actress, Joanna Barnes, who played Jane opposite Denny Miller in a remake of “Tarzan the Ape Man.”She was the 19th actress to play the role on screen, but the first to won a Phi Beta Kappa key. She won the Smith College award for poetry, immediately following the previous winner, Sylvia Plath. She wrote a book, Starting from Scratch, about home decorating and several novels, including The Deceivers (1970), Who Is Carla Hart? (1973), Pastora (1980), and Silverwood (1985). She wrote a weekly book review for the Los Angeles Times, and her column "Touching Home" was carried by the Chicago Tribune and the New York News Syndicate.For more information about Joanna Barnes: https://www.erbzine.com/mag11/1196.htmlThe drabble for today, “No Free Lunch,” was inspired by Joanna Barnes, one of the several extremely intelligent women who played Jane Porter on film.
NO FREE LUNCH
The agent said, “Joanna, I’ve read your resume. Phi Beta Kappa from Smith, one of the Seven Sisters. Impressive. Why does someone that smart need an agent?”
“I want to become an actress and hope to minimize what it costs to do so.”“I don’t understand.”“Smith taught me that nothing is free. I can pay you or I can learn the hard way. I’ve no idea which will be the most expensive.”
“Exactly what do you need help with.”“Probably everything. The only thing I do know is that I know that I don’t know what I don’t know.”
SAID THE SPIDER TO THE FLY
November 17: On this day in 1917, Edgar Rice Burroughs began writing LITTLE DOOR. ERB sent the story around to numerous publications but it met with rejection each time and was never published until 2001, fifty-one years after his death in the collection, FORGOTTEN TALES OF LOVE AND MURDER.Ed's publisher, Bob Davis, commented: "There is nothing the matter with The Little Door, except that behind it is a tidal-wave of bloodshed, horror, and suggestion. There has been so much written about the terrible Boche and his evil impulses that there is nothing more left to the imagination.... Can the war, Edgar, and believe that I am still your peaceful friend and ally."You can read the story at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag51/5109.htmlor you can buy a copy of FORGOTTEN TALES, several of which are available on EBAY and other sites.The drabble for today, “Said The Spider to The Fly,” is one paragraph written by Edgar Rice Burroughs in his story, “Little Door.” It’s 113 words long, not 100, but I wasn’t going to edit the man who wrote A PRINCESS OF MARS.
SAID THE SPIDER TO THE FLY
From behind the closed blinds of a house across the street a man watched Jeanne with burning eyes. He saw her smile invitingly at each passing officer; he saw a captain ogle her and then turn back and join her; he saw the two enter the house, closing the door after them, and then he threw himself upon the floor and sobbed. A girl who had been watching beside him smiled bitterly. "She has been sitting in her window for three days trying to attract them," she said. "Before that officers went in and stayed a long time. I never saw one come out again, so they must have left late at night."
TRUE TO TYPE
November 18: On this day in 1933, “Liberty Magazine” published the second installment of “Tarzan and the Lion Man.” “Liberty” serialized the novel in nine installments, but not only did they not give the novel a cover illustration, they never even mentioned it on the cover. Shabby treatment if you ask me.Tarzan and his lion companion Jad-bal-ja discover a mad scientist with a city of talking gorillas. To create additional havoc, a Hollywood film crew sets out to shoot a Tarzan movie in Africa and brings along an actor who is an exact double of the apeman, but is his opposite in courage and determination. Later, as John Clayton, Tarzan visits Hollywood to find himself in a screen test for a role in a Tarzan movie. (He is deemed unsuitable for the lead role because he is "not the type.")Details about the publication history, several illustrations, and an electronic version of TARZAN AND THE LION MAN: https://www.erbzine.com/mag7/0726.htmlSPOILER ALERT: The drabble for today, TRUE TO TYPE, was written by Edgar Rice Burroughs as the finale to TARZAN AND THE LION MAN. Tarzan, having been deemed unsuitable to play Tarzan on screen, was cast as white hunter who would be attacked by a lion and rescued by the actor playing Tarzan. The lion went off script and tried to kill the Tarzan actor. Lord Greystoke reacted to the danger.
TRUE TO TYPE
Clayton leaped erect, placed one foot upon his kill, and raised his face to the heavens. He checked himself and that same slow smile touched his lips.
An excited man rushed onto the set, Benny Goldeen, the production manager."My God!" he cried. "You've killed our best lion. He was worth ten thousand dollars if he was worth a cent. You're fired!"
The clerk at The Roosevelt looked up. "Leaving us, Mr. Clayton?" he asked. "I hope you’ve enjoyed Hollywood."
"Very much indeed," replied Clayton, "I wonder if you’d give me some information?""Certainly.”"What’s the shortest route to Africa?"
TOP SHELF OR NOTHING
November 19: On this day in 1946, Agent Michael Mills suggested the reprinting of 27 of Ed’s books to be priced at $1 or $1.25. Ed decided to give up alcohol. There appears to be no relationship between the two events. These events and many more are listed at: https://www.erbzine.com/bio/years40.htmlThe drabble for today, “Top Shelf or Nothing,” was inspired by those two events and assumes a unsubstantiated relationship between the two primarily because it was more amusing to do so.
TOP SHELF OR NOTHING
Hulbert Burroughs asked, “Wasn’t that Mills, the agent? Whatever did he want?”“He wants us to reprint my books and sell them for about a dollar each. We’ll make about a dime a book.”
“That’s not much?”“He says we’ll make it up in volume. I’ve decided to quit drinking.”“Great. You’re going to follow your doctor’s advice?”“Not exactly. It’s tough to hear a temperance lecture from a man with scotch hidden in his desk. But inexpensive books mean less money to go around. I’m going to quit drinking because I’m just too damn old to drink cheap whiskey.”
CHINAMAN'S CHANCE
November 20: On this day in 1938, the Burne Hogarth illustrated and Don Garden scripted Tarzan Sunday story arc, TARZAN AND THE CHINESE, concluded after a weekly run of twenty-five episodes. Garden had begun scripted the pages in 1934 and would continue to do so until 1947, with about year off during WW2. Hogarth took over illustration duties from Hal Foster in 1937 and drew the strip almost continuously until 1950. Ruben Moreira illustrated the strip for 78 weeks in 1946/1947.The Hogarth Sunday pages have been collected and published in book form twice and several of them are available at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag72/7200.html and hundreds more at https://www.ERBzine.com/hogarth
Tarzan discovers a lost city of Chinese in the jungle. He gains the trust of the Emperor Sun-Tai and the Princess Luling, but General Fang Chu Fang, wants to marry Princess Luling and he threatens to kill Tarzan if she refuses. The issue is complicated by Fang’s possession of DEVIL POWDER, which sounds a lot like gunpowder, but that’s never fully explained.The drabble for today, CHINAMAN’S CHANCE, was inspired by the story arc, TARZAN AND THE CHINESE. A tip of the hat to "Star Wars: A New Hope" for the quote about courage. The final line was used by actress Sonia Darin to Humphrey Bogart in THE BIG SLEEP.
CHINAMAN'S CHANCE
Tarzan was captured a lost city of Chinese. He fought their warriors, defeated lions. helped defend their city and gained the trust of Emperor Sun-Tai and the love of Princess Luling. The evil General Fang said, “Princess, marry me or I’ll kill Tarzan.”
Tarzan escaped and attacked Fang and his men. Sun-Tai said, “he certainly has courage.”Princess Luling replied, “What good will that do if he gets himself killed?”Tarzan prevailed, declined marriage to the Princess, and said, “Forget me. You’ll find someone else.”
“I may, but some people you don’t forget even though you’ve only met them once.”
BOLSHEVIK BARBEQUE
November 21: On this day in 1907, Hungarian actor, Robert Korvin, who played Rokov in “Tarzan’s Savage Fury,” was born. November 21st was a slow day in the extended world of Edgar Rice Burroughs. I only have eight events that happened on that day through the years and since this is the sixth year for these posts, I only have two more. I try not to repeat.Korvin left Hungary for American in 1940, just prior to WW2. After a contract dispute with Universal, and though blacklisted by the House Un-American Activities Committee in 1951, he played a number of villain, thief and philanderer roles for different studios including the evil Russian, Rokov, in “Tarzan’s Savage Fury.” I have to figure that “Rokov” is a tribute to the Russian Rokoff, who was the badie in RETURN OF TARZAN.For details about the film several photographs, lobby cards, and posters, TARZAN’S SAVAGE FURY, visit https://www.erbzine.com/mag5/0580.htmlThe 100 word drabble for today, “Bolshevik Barbeque,” was inspired by Hungarian actor, Charles Korvin, and his role in the film ‘Tarzan’s Savage Fury.” Just a quick note that after his Tarzan films, Lex Barker became a star of German cinema.
BOLSHEVIK BARBEQUE
Lex Barker said, “Charlie, you make a great Russian.”“I knew several Russians in Hungary. I left in 1940. I believed that when the shooting stopped, the Russians be the ones left standing.”“Really?”“Doesn't mean I like Russia. It was obvious. Bigger country, more people, more resources, and Russian winters."“But the House Un-American Activities Committee blacklisted you.”"They did. My associates speak Hungarian. Russia runs Hungary. That made me guilty.”“Are you?”“I do like vodka, borscht, blini, and pirozki.”“I like beer and bratwurst, but no one thinks I’m German.”“Give it time, Lex. Give it time.”
<><>
LIFE IS WHAT YOU MAKE IT
November 22: On this day in 1986, actor Scatman Crothers, aka Benjamin Sherman Crothers, who played Tyana in “Tarzan and the Trappers,” died in Van Nuys, California. Tyana was a friend from a local village who keeps Tarzan informed about the activities of the white men and trappers in the jungle.Crothers’ entertainment career began as a singer. He formed a band in the early 1930s and often appeared on Ohio radio shows. He became a recording artist and did USO tours with Bob Hope during the Second World War. He appeared on numerous television shows and films. He was a prolific voice actor. The International Movie Data Base lists 135 performing credits for the actor.Details, photos, trivia and more about ‘Tarzan and the Trappers” may be perused at your discretion: https://www.erbzine.com/mag19/1956.htmlYou can watch a colorized version of the complete film at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnVQ9nXhpO4The 100-word rabble for today, “LIFE IS WHAT YOU MAKE IT,” is a collection of quotations attributed to Benjamin Sherman Crothers.
LIFE IS WHAT YOU MAKE IT
“I think it’s so foolish for people to try and hide their age. I don’t understand that. You should be happy and glad to be living. Age ain’t nothing but a figure. Let’s go out there and play some kick the can. It’s all in the mind; let’s become kids. That’s been my philosophy of life anyhow. I’m seventy years old. I’m a young man, and I’ve still got lots to learn, that’s right, and I’m learning every day. You know, it’s nice being an overnight success after fifty years. I’ve been an actor all my life, just not professionally.”
REALITY BITES
November 23: On this day in 1992, Episode #17, season #2, of the Wolf Larson Tarzan television series, “Tarzan and the Movie Star.” Was broadcast. A quick note that the episodes were not always broadcast in the order that they were filmed and different sources give different dates. The series starred Wolf Larson as Tarzan and Lydie Denier as Jane. Just a quick note that Lydie Denier had more screen time as Jane than any other actress.A list of the episodes, photographs, and some commentaries are available at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag0/0014.htmlIn the episode, Jane agrees to host movie star, Nick Dimato, played by Graham Heywood, but the actor annoys everyone with his arrogance. He ignores Tarzan’s warnings about the dangers of the jungle and has to be rescued several times.The 100-word drabble for today, “Reality Bites,” was inspired by the episode, “Tarzan and the Movie Star.” A tip of the hat to comedian, Bill Crosby, from one of his first albums.
REALITY BITES
Tarzan saved actor, Nick Dimato from a crocodile. Nick said, “It was going to eat me. Seems unfair. I was having fun.”
“You’re the only one. Everything in the jungle is trying to eat someone or to avoid being eaten.”
“Seems harsh.”“I bet you like casinos. You probably drink, smoke, and party while they take your money. The dealer and the pit boss aren’t having fun. They’re working. Animals are the same. While you’re having fun, the animals are working.”
“Should I be afraid?”“Yes, you have to escape every time. The jungle only has to catch you once.”
A GOOD STORY
November 24: On this day in 1849, Author Frances Eliza Hodgson Burnett was born in Cheetham Hill, Manchester, United Kingdom. Several of her books were in Edgar Rice Burroughs personal library. She is best known for three novels, “The Secret Garden,” "Little Lord Fauntleroy,” and “A Little Princess.” I read all three books several years ago.She and her family emigrated to the US when she was four. At age 19, she began selling stories to magazines to earn money to support the family. Like ERB, she discovered that nothing motivates you to write more than poverty. Baroness Orczy and Gaston Leroux also learned that hard lesson. She died a year before "A Princess of Mars," under a different title, appeared in “All-Story Magazine.”The drabble for today, “A Good Story,” was inspired by Frances Hodgson Burnett and her stories.
A GOOD STORY
Joan Burroughs said, “All the girls are reading ‘A Secret Garden.’ I was surprised that you have a copy in your library.”
Her father, Edgar Rice Burroughs, replied. “I’ve several Frances Hodgson Burnett books. I’ve read them all.”
“Everyone at school said she wrote books for young girls to read.”
“She wrote about fifty books and saved herself from poverty. I learned a valuable lesson from her.”
“Really, your Princess isn’t little. What did you learn.”“A good story appeals to everyone, regardless of age and gender. Girls read about the Scarlet Pimpernel and boys read about Dorothy in Oz.
WHY THE CHANGE
November 25: On this day in 1973, Tarzan daily and Sunday newspaper comic strip story artist, Rex Maxon, died in New York. Maxon took over the Tarzan daily strip in June 1929. He briefly illustrated the Sunday pages in 1931. Between 1929 and 1947 Rex Maxon illustrated all but five of the 27 Tarzan story-strips that were published in newspapers. He continued the strip with original material when the story-strips finally caught up with ERB's output of novels.The Maxon image of Tarzan changed over the years. His original version of the apeman seemed to draw from James Pierce, as he appeared in Tarzan and the Golden Lion. He illustrated him with short hair and a shoulder-draped leopard skin. Through the years, however, the progression of Tarzan's appearance reflected the public's changing tastes, with Maxon illustrating a loincloth clad Tarzan with longer hair.You can see every panel of Rex's body of Tarzan work at https://www.erbzine.com/maxon and read a biography of him at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag8/0827.htmlThe drabble for today, “Why The Change,” was inspired by the changes in Tarzan’s attire. The pompadour hairstyle became popular in the 1940s.
WHY THE CHANGE
The comics editor called Rex Maxon. “I got next week’s Tarzan installments. I noticed you’re drawing the character differently.”
“That’s right. Young men are wearing their hair longer these days. I want a younger audience to identify with Tarzan so I’m making his hair longer.”
“Okay, but don’t you dare let it become shoulder length. My comment was more about his loincloth instead of an over-the-shoulder leopard skin.”
“James Pierce and a couple other Tarzans wore that over-the-shoulder rig. Weissmuller wears a loincloth.”
“I can’t argue with that, but I should think he’d get cold.”“Haven’t you heard about global warming?”
THERE MUST BE A COST
November 26: On this day in 2000, the Gray Morrow illustrated and Mark Kneece scripted Tarzan Sunday comic story arc, The Contest, concluded after a run of 15 weeks. Gray Morrow illustrated the Sunday Tarzan page from 1983 to 2001, a run of 18 years. You can read his Sunday page strips in ERBzine at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag34/3499.html and https://www.erbzine.com/mag35/3501.html This particular story arc is at: http://erbzine.com/mag34/3487.htmlIn a Romeo and Juliet inspired story, a woman, Oola, from one feuding tribe and a man, Tsahago, from the other are pitted against each other in a race to settle the feud over access to a waterhole. The couple are secretly in love. Tarzan monitors the race to be sure the participates are safe and that they compete fairly. The woman wins, but unlike Shakespeare, the lovers don’t kill themselves. Instead, they marry and the feud is resolved.The drabble for today is, “There Must Be A Cost,” was inspired by the story arc. As Robert A. Heinlein said, “There’s no such thing as a free lunch.”
THERE MUST BE A COST
At the wedding of the lovers from the feuding tribes, Tarzan asked the chief, “They marry and the tribes join together and share the waterhole.”
“Why not just let them marry? They’re in love. Why require a dangerous race between them?”
“People don’t value things without costs. Once given free things, they believe they’ve the right to receive them forever. The race was so our tribes acknowledge the cost associated with our newfound peace. Things received without effort are given no value by the recipient.”
“No free lunch,’ said Tarzan.“Exactly, no free lunch.”
THAT'S NOT FUNNY
November 27: On this day in 1946, Edgar Rice Burroughs unsuccessfully submitted the short story, “Night of Terror,” retitled More Fun! More People Killed!, to many magazines. Ed had begun the story on February 24, 1943 while abord the USS Shaw. He finished the comic detective story March 30, 1943. The story ran a little over 20,000 words. The story remains unpublished to this day. Reports are that 14 people are killed in the story. Ed revised the story into a move script, but alas, he found no takers for it.The 100-word drabble for today, That’s Not Funny, is a fictional conversation between Edgar Rice Burroughs and Ralph Rothman about the rejections of the story, “More Fun: More People Killed.
THAT'S NOT FUNNY
Burroughs read the rejection notices and said, “Ralph, I just don’t understand why this doesn’t sell.”
“Well, Sir, when it was titled “Night of Terror.” That confused the editors. No genre for a comedy with that title.”
“Didn’t we change the name to “More Fun! More People Killed?”“Yes, we did. The editors don’t think their readers are ready to have the words ‘fun’ and ‘killed’ in the same sentence. Ed, you had fourteen people murdered in the story.”
‘I did. Murder is like potato chips. You can’t stop after just one."“It's too soon, Ed. The war's barely over.”
AXE ME NO QUESTIONS
November 28: On this day in 2020, actor David Prowse, who played the executioner in the film, “The People That Time Forgot,” died in London, England. David Charles Prowse an English actor, bodybuilder, strongman and weightlifter. He portrayed Darth Vader in the original Star Wars trilogy and a manservant in Stanley Kubrick's 1971 film “A Clockwork Orange.” In 2015, he starred in two documentaries concerning his Darth Vader role, one titled The Force's Mouth, which included Prowse voicing Darth Vader's lines with studio effects applied for the first time, and the other titled “I Am Your Father,” covering the subject of the fallout between Prowse and Lucasfilm.For details and several photographs about “The People That Time Forgot,” visit: https://www.erbzine.com/mag30/3029.htmlThe 100 word drabble for today, “Axe Me No Questions," was inspired by David Prowse’s appearance as the executioner in “The People That Time Forgot.”
AXE ME NO QUESTIONS
The executioner pushed Major McBride and lifted the beautiful Ajor overhead. McBride grabbed the giant’s belt. “Wait Kill me first.”
“No. In our world, we put beauty before age,” he said and slapped the Major’s hand aside.“In my world, we say age before beauty. Are you masked to hide your hideousness?”“No, I have a handsome face. At the first glance, women lose their heads.”“Sounds like that would save some work.”“Not at all, no matter how you slice it, if I don’t chop their heads off, I don’t get paid.”“That’s terrible. The unkindest cut of all.”
I CAN'T FIND A BISTRO
November 29: On this day in 1943, the Rex Maxon scripted and illustrated Tarzan daily newspaper story arc, “Little Peter,” began in newspapers across an American involved in WW2. The Tarzan dailies and Sundays were a constant in a world of rationing, repurposing, and repairing rather than replacing. Tires were retreaded, shoes were resoled, and hand-me-down clothes were a way of life. Even the newspapers were saved and either gathered up in paper drives or assigned a second life in almost every household.“Little Peter” ran for sixty days and concluded in early February 1944. Thousands of Tarzan daily episodes are available to read for free at https://www.ERBzine.com/maxon LITTLE PETER is located at https://www.erbzine.com/mag54/5435.htmlThe story involves the missing son of a count and countess, hidden jewels, and thieves who are after the valuable diamonds, rubies, and emeralds. Tarzan and Jane seek to unravel the mystery of a child’s footprints they found in the company of those of a great ape. In a reverse of the Tarzan legend, one of the main characters is a jungle primate, Jakko, who was raised by humans, but now finds himself back in the wilds of Africa.Tarzan is drawn in only a loincloth that looks amazingly similar to tight fitting swimming trunks, not unlike Johnny Weissmuller in Speedos!The 100 word drabble, "I Can't Find a Bistro," for today was inspired by the story arc. I haven't capitalized the word, apache, because in this Sunday comic story and this drabble, apache refers to Parisian criminals, not to the Native American people.
I CAN'T FIND A BISTRO
Tarzan said, “Jane, I’ve talked to the countess. Her son, Peter is lost in the jungle. The family fled the Nazis. They converted their fortune to jewels and she sewed the jewels in the baby’s blanket.”
“That would explain the diamond I found. Can you track the child?”“I can track the wind. The countess says that apaches are after the child?”“American Indians?”“No, in Paris, France, an apache is a criminal.”“You’ll have to hurry.”“I’ve plenty of time. The jungle isn’t the streets of Paris. French apaches with no baguettes, no wine, and no cheese travel slowly.”
WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS
November 30: On this day in 1935, artist Gino D’Achille was born in Rome. Gino illustrated wraparound covers for the Barsoom books for a series of Ballantine reprints of the series in 1973. Breathtaking. Gino illustrated more than 100 covers for science fiction books published by Ballantine, Daw, and others. He also illustrated covers for the Flashman series, and many western, crime, war, romance, and children’s books. A characteristic D’Achille style for book illustrations consists of muted, hazy backgrounds from which dramatic, fantastical scenes spring.Excellent images of his Barsoom paintings are located at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag70/7028.htmlThe 100-word fictional drabble, “Worth A Thousand Words, for today was inspired by this amazing artist and his work.
WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS
Betty Ballantine said, “Mr. D’Achille, this connection isn’t very good.”“I and my translator can hear you just fine.”“I’ll need a John Carter cover monthly.”“That’s not a problem as long as you pay on time. You’re buying first rights only. The originals will be returned to me.”
“Of course. You understand how the characters are supposed to look?”“I don’t speak Martian, but art is a universal language.”“So, I should be comfortable Americans will understand your paintings?”“Assuredly, Madam. I don’t speak medieval English either, but my illustrations of King Arthur speak volumes in a thousand tongues.”
Back to Days 1-15 at ERBzine 8067
