While researching for a short memoir piece I’m working on, I discovered that this year Lex Barker, former Tarzan, would have turned 100 years old on May 8 of this year.
Why is this interesting to me? Because my mother once starred in the movie with him called Jungle Heat.
Some of you may have read my post, My Dad’s Fork in the Road, about what my father was doing prior to my arrival. Jungle Heat was released July 22, 1957, which means my mom would have been about 2 months pregnant with me. So, she, too, had a pretty abrupt fork in her road, and chose me over her blossoming acting career.
Though even as a mother of five, she continued singing and modeling for many years, I often wonder if she wondered what might have been had I not come along when I did.
On a lighter note, it makes me smile to think I’m only two degrees of separation away from Tarzan.
Tarzan and Jan
Jan Morrill Writes 
Fascinating, Jan. Your mom was a beauty and something she passed on to you.
janet
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Thank you, Janet! I still remember what you said previously about my mom’s favorite saying: “It hurts to be beautiful.” ❤
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Dear Jan,
Your mom must’ve been quite a person. I’m certainly glad she chose you. Great photoshopping.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Rochelle, you’ve got that right. My mom was quite a person. Beautiful, funny, talented. It was my intention to write a biography of my mom, when I first started writing The Red Kimono. She lived a fascinating, complicated life. As it is now, I’ve contained her life to short stories. Maybe someday…
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Adorable story!!! And photo!
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Thank you, Koji-san. I wish you could have known my mom. And I’d want to be there to see it! 🙂
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I thought at first that you had photoshopped your self into the photo! What a wonderful memento to have.
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