ERBzine 8202: Martin

In 2012, my grandson Schuyler, then 14, rode Amtrak with me to attend the Dum Dum in Woodland Hills, California. There, he met Denny and Nancy Miller and was quite impressed to meet one of Tarzan's screen personas. Denny gave Schuyler a poster and autographed it for him.

We got it safely home on the train back to Washington state. We didn't get around to having it framed but it was kept flat so it wouldn't wrinkle.

Then, for Schuyler's 28th birthday this year, I took it to Michael's to be framed, so Schuyler can display it much easier and more visibly.

He remembers Denny well, and was thrilled to be able to interact with him at the Dum Dum. When announcement was made that there would be a Tarzan yell contest, Schuyler asked Denny if he was going to participate. Denny quipped that he wouldn't be entering because his own Tarzan yell "sounds like a sick goat."

Schuyler also was thrilled to talk with Denny by telephone a few times after the Dum Dum and was greatly saddened when Denny passed away of Lou Gehrig's Disease in 2014.

Denny, who starred in 1959's "Tarzan the Ape Man," was a great friend of fans and was mourned by many. Denny was also the one who, upon meeting the then chairman of the Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee, had recommended to him that there be an Edgar Rice Burroughs stamp.

The issuance of that stamp at nearby Tarzana, California, on Aug. 17, 2012, was the main impetus for the scheduling of the Dum Dum at that time and place.

Denny inscribed the poster with a message that it had been nice to meet Schuyler. The three photos on the poster are, at left, Denny on the court in high school basketball in Indiana; middle, Denny as Tarzan; right, the senior citizen.

Denny whose dedication to physical fitness enabled him to fit into the same loin cloth he had worn in his youth as Tarzan.

As far as basketball, Denny and his brother Kent went on to play for the UCLA Bruins under legendary coach John Wooden.

Here's a photo I took the other day of Schuyler with his newly framed poster. It rekindled memories, along with a big smile.

Schuyler White with his autographed poster
of Denny Miller, now nicely framed.

Denny Miller and Schuyler White
at the 2012 Dum Dum.

First-day cover I made, featuring Denny Miller,
when the John Wooden stamp was issued.

Hobbyists have put images of many Tarzan actors on first-day covers of the Edgar Rice Burroughs stamp,
but the one who most deserves such a placement is Denny Miller,
who was the one who is responsible for there even being an ERB Forever stamp. See:
https://www.erbzine.com/mag43/4395.html

REFERENCES

John "Bridge" Martin Articles in ERBzine
https://www.ERBzine.com/martin

Denny Miller Features in ERBzine
https://www.erbzine.com/denny/

Dum-Dum 2012 ~ Woodland Hills, California
https://www.erbzine.com/mag41/4101.html

Tarzan, The Ape Man ~ Starring Denny Miller
https://www.erbzine.com/mag19/1959.html