Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc.
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment, Publishing |
| Founded | 1923 |
| Founder | Edgar Rice Burroughs |
| Headquarters | Tarzana, California , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Literary copyrights, licensing of characters (e.g., Tarzan, John Carter of Mars) |
| Owner | Burroughs family |
Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. is a United States-based holding company established in 1923 by the writer Edgar Rice Burroughs, with headquarters located in Tarzana, California. The corporation retains ownership of the copyrights for Burroughs' literary works that remain protected, while certain earlier publications have become part of the public domain.
Burroughs was a pioneer in incorporating his business to benefit from tax advantages and to maintain tighter control over his intellectual property. From 1931, beginning with Tarzan the Invincible, through 1948's Llana of Gathol, his novels were released under this company, with an additional title, I Am a Barbarian, published in 1967.
Still under family ownership, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. oversees and licenses prominent characters such as Tarzan and John Carter of Mars. Despite many original texts entering the public domain worldwide, the company vigilantly enforces its trademarks and related rights.
Legal actions
Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. has actively defended its intellectual property through legal proceedings even after copyright protections lapsed.
In 1966, the firm won a lawsuit against Gold Star Books, resulting in the withdrawal of Barton Werper’s Tarzan novels from distribution.
In 2004, it issued a legal threat toward Victoria University Press concerning Nigel Cox's novel Tarzan Presley, which combined elements of Tarzan and Elvis Presley; this book has not seen further printings since that time.
In 2012, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. filed suit against Dynamite Comics for trademark violations related to their series Lord of the Jungle and Warlord of Mars, both inspired by public domain material. The conflict concluded in 2014 with an agreement permitting both comic series to continue publication.
Authorized editions
Beginning in 2020, ERB, Inc. has undertaken the hardcover reissue of Burroughs’ complete literary catalog featuring new illustrations by Joe Jusko.
External links
- Articles with short description
- Edgar Rice Burroughs
- Entertainment companies based in California
- Mass media companies of the United States
- Companies based in Los Angeles
- Tarzana, Los Angeles
- American companies established in 1923
- Mass media companies established in 1923
- Publishing companies established in 1923
- 1923 establishments in California