Danton Burroughs, 63, who spent his life marketing and protecting the work of his grandfather, Tarzan creator Edgar Rice Burroughs, died May 1 at his home in Tarzana, Calif., a community named after his ancestor's most famous fictional character. Danton Burroughs died of heart failure a day after a fire at his home destroyed a room filled with family memorabilia. Bill Hillman, an editor of Edgar Rice Burroughs-related websites, said that "it was heartbreaking for Dan to put his life's work into preserving material for the family and see it go up in flames."

The day he died, Danton Burroughs was to be named chairman of the company his grandfather formed in 1923 to merchandise his abundant fiction.

LOS ANGELES TIMES