What the Boys in the Camps Are Reading And Some New Books That They Will Want — Publisher’s Weekly, V. 94, October 19, 1918, p.1308
This list was compiled from reports returned to the Chicago Daily News from 35 camp and base hospital libraries containing from 200 volumes to 100,000 volumes and serving some 1,500,000 men. It presents clearly for the first time the average nontechnical reading tastes of the entire American army and navy.
Fiction
1. All novels by Zane Grey.
2. Tarzan books by Edgar Rice Burroughs.
3. Rex Beach’s Western Stories.
4. Anything by Jack London.
5. Harold Bell Wright’s Western Stories
“The Girl from Hollywood” — Vogue, V. 59, No. 12, June 15, 1922, p.16
“The Return of Tarzan” — Numa-Goldwyn — Photoplay Magazine, V. XVIII, No. 4, September 1920, p.74
I am not sure “The Return of Tarzan” should not be listed with the educationals. Certainly in no other picture can one learn how best to kill lions with the bare hands and feet. Seriously, have you the least idea of what to do if you should come face to face with a lion in the jungle? No, you haven’t. Well, in the first place you glare steadily at him, the while you shift from one foot to the other to distract his attention. Then you maneuver until you are either able to get in back of him or in a tree above him. This accomplished, the rest is comparatively simple. Leaping suddenly upon the animal’s back, you apply what the wrestlers know as the body scissors by winding your legs around him and at the same time place both thumbs directly back of his ears. Then you frown fiendishly, and press the thumbs nearer and nearer the base of the ears, which is the most sensitive spot on a lion’s body. In a moment the animal’s struggles are over. The tickling of the thumbs so amuses him that he just naturally laughs himself into a state of coma, where you leave him until the next reel.
The adventures of Tarzan are all exciting. In “The Return” the ape man is back in civilization and a good looking fellow. But he has a natural gift for getting into trouble. Soon he has inspired the enmity of a card sharp and is accused of being the lover of a lady he merely hoped to befriend while her husband was absent. Later the villains push him off a South African steamer, and when he swims boldly to shore he recognizes his old jungle. Soon he has found himself a leopard’s skin and established communications with his old friends, the monks and the elephants. Then the heroine is wrecked, fortunately near the same island, which makes it possible for Tarzan to rescue her two or three times and finally to return home with her. The thrills are carefully staged and guaranteed and the acting and direction are as good as need be. Gene Pollar is the lion tickler, Karla Schramm the heroine and Armand Cortez a persistent villain.
Oak Park. — The Economist, V. LXI, No. 11, March 15, 1919, p.476
Walter W. Fowler of W. W. Fowler & Со., coal dealers, has purchased from Otto C. Doering, superintendent of Sears, Roebuck & C0., the handsome l4-room stucco residence in Oak Park avenue, 266 feet north of Erie street, east front. 141x222, in Oak Park, indicated price $26,000. Mr. Doering last year built a new $200,000 home in River Forest. The home just sold was formerly owned by Horace G. Burt, formerly president of the Union Pacific railroad, and was occupied for a while by Edgar Rice Burroughs, the author.
National Film Completes Year’s Task — The Moving Picture World, V.38, No. 2, October 12, 1918, p.238
“Tarzan of the Apes,” “The Romance of Tarzan” and “The Still Small Voice” Fulfill Promise
With the sale of “The Romance of Tarzan” to the First National Exhibitors Circuit and the completion of the Walthall production “And A Still Small Voice,” the National Film Corporation of America, has finished its self-allotted task of three superfeatures a year. In February, 1918, “Smiling Bill” Parsons, while in New York for the opening of “Tarzan of the Apes” at the Broadway Theatre, said: “If ‘Tarzan of the Apes’ will prove the success we anticipate, I will positively make three superfeatures this year, ‘Tarzan’ being the first.” This was before “Smiling Bill” thought of making Capitol Comedies with himself as a star.
The success of “Tarzan” being assured by its phenomenal run at the Broadway Theatre, Parsons gave orders to Production Manager Bernstein to prepare for the next superfeatures, “The Romance of Tarzan,” which is a sequel to “Tarzan of the Apes” and tells the romance of the wild man of the jungle and the pampered daughter of America’s aristocracy. The First National Exhibitors’ Circuit purchased this also before it was given a public showing and present public indications give promise of breaking the phenomenal records of “Tarzan of the Apes.”
Parsons was diligently working on his Capitol Comedies, which were contracted for by Goldwyn and were to be released every two weeks, with directors Bess Meredith and Wilfred Lucas on “The Romance of Tarzan” and directors Louis William Chandet and Al Santell on Capitol Comedies.
The little studio at Gower and Santa Monica became a bee hive of activity, with the completion of 14th comedy “Smiling Bill” made a trip East and stopped at all of the large towns. The reception accorded him in all of the houses using Capitol comedies convinced him more than ever that the clean, wholesome comedies, in which he appeared, were the long sought for laugh producers the industry was in need of.
Parson’s promise that the National would make three superfeatures during the year still lacked one feature for fullfilment. Henry Walthall’s announcement of his retirement from pictures to enter the ranks of the speaking stage, gave opportunity for the third superfeature. Walthall had been proclaimed by press and public as the greatest actor of the screen and it seems psychological that his retirement from the screen should come at a time when the National was seeking a vehicle as their third superfeature for 1918. Mr. Walthall was finally convinced that his farewell to the screen would not be complete without his appearing in one more production that would be bigger than anything he had done yet and would-be specially written for him.
Through W. M. Aronson, a contract was made with Walthall and Bert Brackin was secured as the director. “And a Still Small Voice” is an exceptional appropriate production for Mr. Walthall and the finished product more than comes up to the expectation of Production Manager Bernstein. During Parsons’ trip East he acted as his own scout for an enginue whose popularity would warrant putting her into five reel features. Dainty Billie Rhodes, who for several years had appeared in Strand comedies, was finally hit upon as the logical one, and her first production, “The Girl of My Dreams,” gives promise of a young “Bernhardt of the screen.”
In an interview with Parsons he said: “Watch our superfeature that will start our 1919 year. In point of daring and originality it has never been equaled.
The man who is writing the story has been on. it off and on for over a year and it appeals to me because it will appeal to every man, woman and child. I am making pictures for everyone, not a select few and so far the public has had no occasion to disagree with us. Our first superfeature for 1919, which will be started very soon, will far exceed anything we have ever done and will startle the world. Bernstein has been ordered to spare no expense and you know what that means with him. We intend to make a record in this industry by producing only 100 per cent. pictures – 100 per cent. in receipt getting.”
“Tarzan” Fools the Wise Ones — Michigan Film Review, V. II, No. 44, September 3, 1918, p.10
Escanaba, Mich., Aug. 22, 1918. Madison Film Exchange, Detroit My Dear Herb: After having played ‘-’Tarzan of the Apes,’’ I am more convinced that the longer you are in the show business the less you know about it.
I played the above-mentioned picture August 21st and 22nd, and the business exceeded my wildest expectations, and I also choose to add that greater was my surprise to note the many favorable comments from my patrons. I don’t know of a dissatisfied patron. It is a picture that draws from all .classes from “Newsboy to Banker.”
With my very best wishes for your continued success and may you c
ome forth with a few more “Tarzans.” Very sincerely. L. J. JACOBS, Mgr. Delft Theatre.
“Tarzan of the Apes” — Michigan Film Review, V. II, No. 46, September 24, 1918, p.4
“Tarzan of the Apes” broke the house record of the Majestic Gardens, Grand Rapids, where it played all last week. The former record for big business was held by Mary Pickford. It’s really remarkable the big business “Tarzan of the Apes” is doing throughout the whole country. The picture is distinctly different than the average feature, and of course, millions have read the book.
Many Requests for Second Tarzan Picture — Michigan Film Review, V. II, No. 46, September 24, 1918, p.12
Sales Manager Starr, of the Madison Film Exchange, reports that he is being flooded with requests from exhibitors asking when “Romance of Tarzan” would be released. This picture completes the story of Tarzan, the first picture being “Tarzan of the Apes,” which has proved a sensational success everywhere. The second picture has the same cast as the first.
Adams House Record Broken for Sunday — Michigan Film Review, V. 11, No. 51, October 15, 1918, p.14
“Romance of Tarzan,” a First National production released through the Madison Film Exchange broke the house record Sunday of the Adams theatre, Detroit. The picture is a sequel to “Tarzan of the Apes.” The second release is more exciting than the first, and there are some splendid comedy laughs. Tarzan does some great stunts to show off his strength, and incidentally throughout there is an interesting story. It ought to be a bigger clean-up than “Tarzan of the -Apes” if the Sunday business at the Adams is any criterion.
Our Mister Joyce — Life, V. 78, No. 2032, October 13, 1921, p.10
I once knew a floor-walker named Mister Joyce.
He was a perfect gentleman, but he lost his voice.
It happened very sudden on a bargain day,
Just as he was saying, “Madam, walk this way.”
He had just got as far as “Madam, walk,”
When he found, to his astonishment, he couldn’t talk.
Lost your voice?” said the manager aghast.
“You better try and think where you had it last.”
“Gish-gug-gug,” replied Mister Joyce.
What else could he say when he’d lost his voice?
The manager shook his fist. Said he,
“Whatcher mean talking baby-talk to me?”
But all Joyce could answer was, “Gish guggle gish!”
“You’re fired!” said the manager, “you poor dumb fish!
How can you floor-walk when you’ve lost your wits?”
Poor Mister Joyce could only wave his mitts.
At this fatal instant through the revolving door
A fur-hatted stranger strode into the store.
When he heard Mister Joyce say, “Gish google gee!”
Said he, “You’re what I’m lookin’ for. Can you climb a tree?
“I’m director of a ‘Tarzan’ picture companee,
An’ I want a movie actor for the chimpanzee.
If you can climb that pillar to the mezzanine floor,
I’ll give fifty thousand a week or more.”
Before the movie manager could bat an eye,
Mister Joyce was well on his way to the sky.
“Catch him I” cried the manager. “I’ll take him in my car I”
And that’s how Mister Joyce became a moving-picture star.
Oliver Herford.
Stepping-stones to Correct Taste — Addresses and Proceedings of the National Education Association of the United States, Fifty-Ninth Annual Meeting Held at Des Moines, Iowa July 3-8, 1921, V. LIX, p.496-501
A. B. Noble, Department Of English, Iowa State College, Ames, Iowa
Helping pupils to distinguish a good book from a poor book is an important service — one that comes directly to librarians and teachers of English. If pupils are interested in trash, how can we lead them to appreciate something better? What test have we for determining what is better?
The test I propose is the classification made by Professor Brander Matthews,1 who has pointed out four types of events in the chronological development of fiction: first, the impossible, as in The Arabian Nights; second, the improbable, as in Cooper and Dumas; third, the probable, as in Balzac and Thackeray, and fourth, the inevitable, as in Hawthorne and George Eliot. This classification is based on a single fundamental principle — truth. For our immediate purpose this division is very suggestive and helpful. Dr. Holmes1 said that while the child is at first attracted to the lie, he soon learns to prefer the truth. Few lessons are more important; the future of the youth depends in large measure upon his ability to perceive truth and to use it. On a perception and knowledge of the truth he must base his future success; without a knowledge of truth, there is no enduring progress for the individual or for a nation. We shall serve our pupils whenever we help them to distinguish between falsehood and truth. The fundamental objection to most trashy fiction is that it is untrue.
1 On Pleasing the Taste of the Public, in Aspect of Fiction, p-64.
* * * * *
To be specific, let us consider one recent book, very popular with young people — Tarzan of the Apes. Published in 1914, it was continued by another Tarzan book each year for five years. On these books have been based three motion pictures, each a “thriller.” This paper concerns the first book only.
Tarzan was born of English parents in a jungle of West Africa. After the death of his parents the day he was a year old, he was suckled and reared by a chimpanzee. With a devoted ape for a foster mother, Tarzan of course developed into a superman, “fully as strong as the average man of thirty, and far more agile than the most practiced athlete ever becomes. And day by day his strength was increasing He could spring twenty feet across space at the dizzy heights of the forest top and grasp with unerring precision and without apparent jar a limb waving wildly in the path of an approaching tornado.” Can anybody who stops to think believe such bosh? With a rope which he taught himself how to weave out of jungle grass, and which he taught himself how to cast as a lasso (what a genius he was!) he caught wild boars, panthers, lions, chimpanzees, black men, hung them from the limb of a tree, and with his father’s knife, stabbed his defenseless victims to the heart. Imagine him stealing through the tree tops, dropping a noose over the head of an unsuspecting lion, standing on the precarious footing of a limb, and pulling a lion weighing from three to four hundred pounds into mid-air, tying one end of the rope about the trunk of the tree, and descending leisurely to the ground, to finish the poor beast with a single stab of a knife left by his father. Is it permitted to wonder what the lion was doing after the noose settled about his neck — the lion with four feet on the ground and Tarzan bracing himself for this unique pulling contest on the limb of a tree? If the king of beasts should be strong enough to jerk the limb when he tugged on the rope, what would probably happen to Tarzan? But as excited readers are supposed to gulp the whole tale down without stopping to think or daring to ask a question, probability may of course be utterly disregarded. Once when a fierce lion was pushing in through the window of the hut built by Tarzan’s father, and just about to seize a beautiful young woman, Tarzan, having neither lasso nor knife at hand, grabbed the huge beast by the tail, pulled him back through the window, jumped on his back, and — necessity being in Africa, also, the mother of invention — passed his arms under the forelegs of the lion, clasped his hands on the back of the lion’s neck, and so marvelous was Tarzan’s strength or so weak the lion’s neck, slowly bent the head forward and broke the poor beast’s neck. How fortunate that Tarzan discovered the wrestler’s “full Nelson” just in the nick of time! Would that impertinent fellow from Missouri dare to ask what the fool lion was doing all this time?
1 The Autocrat of the Breakfast Table, .
Once, on a wager, Tarzan went, naked and alone at night, into an unfamiliar jungle, stalked his lion, lassoed and killed him, threw him on his shoulder, climbed the nearest tree, raced thr
ough the treetops with the lion on his back — lions are probably very light when one gets them into treetops — and won the wager, all in an hour. If Tarzan is to be left at large in Africa, the lions had better apply for cages in Ringling’s menagerie. No safety for a lion in a jungle when Tarzan is on the job!
* * * * *
For librarians and teachers of English it is easy to see that Tarzan is utterly preposterous, mere bosh. But how can we make our pupils see this? Simply by asking them to think as they read. Suppose we ask them to analyze it according to the classification made by Brander Matthews. What intelligent youngster could fail to see that it consists almost solely of the improbable and the impossible? We are poor teachers if we cannot lead our pupils to see how utterly impossible are the events, and how unreal the hero.
We might ask our pupils to consider the descriptive details, and report whether they are clear or vague, definite or indefinite. Kipling’s rhyme might help:
I keep six honest serving men
(They taught me all I knew):
Their names are What and Why and When
And How and Where and Who.
Delphi Collected Works of Edgar Rice Burroughs (Illustrated) (Series Four Book 26) Page 770