JAMES H. PIERCE - AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED 01/26/1978 - HFSID 298193

JAMES H. PIERCE
Two-page handwritten letter, discussing his connection with Tarzan, and with John Wayne
Autograph Letter signed: "James H. Pierce", 2 pages, 8x10¼. No place, 1978 January 26. To "Dear Warren", in full: "Thanks for your letter. I am always happy to hear from a Tarzan fan. I am one myself. I have been connected with the character since 1926 - I also married the daughter of Edgar Rice Burroughs, author of Tarzan. So you can see I have been close to the character. I also played the character on radio for 380 episodes - Joan, my darling wife, played Jane. Unfortunately I lost her in 1972 after 44 years of happiness. She is still with me in spirit. I have never been to Boston or Quincy. Some of today's movies are ok. Some pretty awful. My favorite actor today is John Wayne - before I became Tarzan I was a football coach at Glendale, Cal. high school and he played guard for me on the So. California championship team. His real name is Marion Morrison. The favorite actress today is Betty [sic] Davis. I am out of pictures at present. I have some ordered. Will keep your address and send you one. Sincerely". James Hubert Pierce (1900-1983) was an All-American football center at Indiana U. After graduation, he moved to California to coach football at Glendale High School, where one of his players would become a film star under the name of John Wayne. He attended a life-changing party at the home of Tarzan novelist Edgar Rice Burroughs, who asked him to star in the next Tarzan movie. Accepting the Tarzan role required Pierce to give up his projected lead role in the movie Wings, which instead boosted a young Gary Cooper to stardom. Pierce never starred in another movie, although he and Edgar Rice Burrough's daughter Joan, whom he married in 1928, were the serialized radio voices of Tarzan and Jane (1932-1934). Pierce played supporting roles in many films through 1951, often as a Western bad guy. In his later years he searched in vain for a copy of Tarzan and the Golden Lion. One was found only after his death. Staple holes at top left. Normal mailing folds. Lightly creased. Otherwise, fine condition.