Scott Tracy Griffin is an American writer, actor and "one of the world's leading experts" on author

Edgar Rice Burroughs Edgar Rice Burroughs (September 1, 1875 – March 19, 1950) was an American author, best known for his prolific output in the adventure, science fiction, and fantasy genres. Best-known for creating the characters Tarzan and John Carter, he ...

and his works. He is the author of ''Tarzan: The Centennial Celebration,'' the "only official commemorative illustrated history" of Burroughs' literary character

Tarzan Tarzan (John Clayton II, Viscount Greystoke) is a fictional character, an archetypal feral child raised in the African jungle by the Mangani great apes; he later experiences civilization, only to reject it and return to the wild as a heroic adv ...

, which book was a 2013

Locus Award The Locus Awards are an annual set of literary awards voted on by readers of the science fiction and fantasy magazine ''Locus'', a monthly magazine based in Oakland, California. The awards are presented at an annual banquet. In addition to the pl ...

finalist for Best

Art Book Artists' books (or book arts or book objects) are works of art that utilize the form of the book. They are often published in small editions, though they are sometimes produced as one-of-a-kind objects. Overview Artists' books have employed a ...

."Locus Award Winners," Locus online, June 29, 2013
/ref> Griffin began writing professionally in 1993, covering the film industry for magazines including ''

Cinefantastique ''Cinefantastique'' is an American horror, fantasy, and science fiction film magazine. History The magazine originally started as a mimeographed fanzine in 1967, then relaunched as a glossy, offset printed quarterly in 1970 by publisher/editor ...

'', '' FilmFax'', and ''

Alter Ego An alter ego (Latin for "other I", " doppelgänger") means an alternate self, which is believed to be distinct from a person's normal or true original personality. Finding one's alter ego will require finding one's other self, one with a differen ...

''. He scripted the ''Tarzan'' Sunday comic strip in 1996 and has consulted on and appeared in documentaries and news programs, including '' Investigating Tarzan'' and '' Tarzan: Silver Screen King of the Jungle'' to discuss

and

. Griffin said he became deeply interested in the Tarzan character through the "Tarzan Family" and "Korak, Son of Tarzan"

DC Comics DC Comics, Inc. (doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with thei ...

as well as reprints of Tarzan strips by cartoonist

Russ Manning Russell George Manning (January 5, 1929"United States Social Security Death Index," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VMMT-NZN : accessed 28 Aug 2014), Russell Manning, Dec 1981; citing U.S. Social Security Administration ...

''Tarzan: The Centennial Celebration''

Griffin took an idea for a commemorative book to

Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. is an American holding company founded in 1923 by author Edgar Rice Burroughs. It is based in Tarzana, California. The company holds the rights to the literary works of Burroughs that are still protected by copyright (a ...

, which owns the Tarzan trademark, and the company contracted with him to "compose the franchise's history." Griffin's "lavish" and "well-researched"

coffee-table book A coffee table book, also known as a cocktail table book, is an oversized, usually hard-covered book whose purpose is for display on a table intended for use in an area in which one entertains guests and from which it can serve to inspire convers ...

" on Burroughs was published by

Titan Books Titan Publishing Group is the publishing division of Titan Entertainment Group, which was established in 1981. The books division has two main areas of publishing: film and television tie-ins and cinema reference books; and graphic novels and co ...

in 2012.Susan King, "Hollywood Books: 'Tarzan The Centennial Celebration' Is Wild for Him," ''Los Angeles Times,''; November 28, 2012
/ref> Burroughs biographer and retired

Pasadena City College Pasadena City College (PCC) is a Public college, public community college in Pasadena, California. History Pasadena, California, Pasadena City College was founded in 1924 as Pasadena Junior College. From 1928 to 1953, it operated as a four- ...

professor Robert Zeuschner said of the book that "Until now, there has never been a single source which could be used to examine the original pulp magazine art, the dust jacket covers for the early printings, the comic book covers and interior art, and the huge number of Tarzan movies made after the silent era."

Personal life

Griffin was born in

Starkville, Mississippi Starkville is a city in, and the county seat of, Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, United States. Mississippi State University is a land-grant institution and is located partially in Starkville but primarily in an adjacent unincorporated area desig ...

, the son of Jesse E. Griffin, an

optometrist Optometry is a specialized health care profession that involves examining the eyes and related structures for defects or abnormalities. Optometrists are health care professionals who typically provide comprehensive primary eye care. In the Uni ...

, and Sarah D. Griffin, who worked as "a

homemaker Homemaking is mainly an American and Canadian term for the management of a home, otherwise known as housework, housekeeping, housewifery or household management. It is the act of overseeing the organizational, day-to-day operations of a hous ...

and later for Alexander's Home Health." As a child, he told an interviewer for List Film, he was an "animal lover" who was "captivated by the notion of interacting with apes, elephants and other exotic species."Henry Northmore, "Interview: – Scott Tracy Griffin – Tarzan: The Centennial Celebration," List.co.uk, October 19, 2012
/ref> He became fascinated with Tarzan at age 9 when he saw an image of the character on the side of a

lunchbox A lunch box (alt. spelling lunchbox) refers to a hand-held container used to transport food, usually to work or to school. It is commonly made of metal or plastic, is reasonably airtight and often has a handle for carrying. In the United ...

.Michael Aushenker, "Welcome to the Jungle," ''Argonaut'' online, January 22, 2014
/ref> Griffin graduated from

Starkville Academy Starkville Academy (SA) is a private kindergarten through 12th grade school in Starkville, Mississippi, operated by the Oktibbeha Educational Foundation. It was founded in 1969 on property adjacent to Starkville High School as a segregation acade ...

and received a Bachelor of Science degree in sociology from

Millsaps College Millsaps College is a private liberal arts college in Jackson, Mississippi. It was founded in 1890 and is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. History The college was founded in 1889–90 by a Confederate veteran, Major Reuben Webster M ...

Jackson, Mississippi Jackson, officially the City of Jackson, is the Capital city, capital of and the List of municipalities in Mississippi, most populous city in the U.S. state of Mississippi. The city is also one of two county seats of Hinds County, Mississippi, ...

. He moved to California around 1988 to become an actor and a writer. He lives in

Santa Monica, California Santa Monica (; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast (California), South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 United Sta ...

.Brenton Garen, "Santa Monica Author Celebrates Tarzan in New Commemorative Book" ''Santa Monica Mirror'', November 29, 2012
/ref>

References

External links

Griffin website

* ttp://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=54873 "SDCC: What's New With Tarzan, John Carter & Edgar Rice Burroughs," ''Comic Book Resources,'' August 16, 2014 (Griffin as panel moderator)
“Glossary of Caspakian Words,” prepared by Griffin for ''The Land That Time Forgot,'' by Edgar Rice Burroughs, 1999
{{DEFAULTSORT:Griffin, Scott Tracey American male writers Living people People from Starkville, Mississippi Year of birth missing (living people) American male actors