In early 2011 the NYC offices and archives of Random House went through a consolidation process. Duplicate material was culled from their book archives and several boxes of excess T3I books, mostly newer Dodge and Bullseye paperbacks and German-language hardbacks, were sent to me and I've since sent most of them on to friends and fellow collectors. Most of these books were tagged with a computer generated sticker reading:
RHCB
ARCHIVE COPY
Please Return to the 11th Floor
On a side note, all of this material and pretty much everything else that was removed from the Random House book archives was going to be sent to libraries and churches in disaster-stricken areas of the U.S. - places that had been hit by hurricanes, tornados, etc. If any of you live in any areas like this, you may find a lot of books with various types of Random House archive labeling on them. There's probably some really good stuff to be found!
It shouldn't be much of a surprise at this point but during this consolidation the "lost" T3I files were located. Much of the correspondence in this file was made available to me except for contracts and financial/royalty statements, etc., things that Random House legal wouldn't sign off on. I made it clear that I felt an obligation to share the information contained in the correspondence with other fans and enthusiasts - this, after all, is what I've been doing since 1999 or so through my site and the various on-line T3I forums and discussion groups in which I participate. I was told that this was exactly why the correspondence was shared with me, because I would make it available to the fans. However, it's not quite as easy as it sounds. I was asked to please refrain from uploading photos or scans of the material to my site. But, I can share factual information contained in the correspondence and I can quote on a limited basis. I've tried my best to work within those parameters thus far. There is a wonderful map of Jungle Land (from "Nervous Lion") drawn by Kin Platt, I see no reason that something like this couldn't be uploaded for all to enjoy.
Vintage Correspondence from the
Random House T3I Files
(with much gratitude to Schuyler Hooke, editor!)
Letter #2 from the Random House T3I archive is dated December 16, 1963. It is a typed letter from Walter Retan that was sent to Robert Arthur at a Philadelphia address.
Walter opens by saying that he and Louise (Louise Bonino - Wow! A bit more about her later.) have read "The Secret of Terror Castle".
"While each of us feels that it has the makings of a first-class introductory volume to the series - those first three chapters should hold any reader spellbound - I find that we both have certain reservations about the manuscript."
Apparently the two editors had many reservations as Walter goes on to say that it would be easiest and most helpful if the three of them (Retan, Bonino and Arthur) have a telephone discussion before Arthur gets too far into the writing
of the second volume.
Walter ends the letter with, "I know we all want this first story to be the best possible."
Letter #3, dated December 27, 1963. Typed by Robert Arthur on what appears to have been the same typewriter he used to later pound out the manuscript for "Talking Skull", this six page letter was sent from Cape May, NJ to Walter Retan at Random House.
Arthur begins by saying that New Year's is no holiday for him, work on the series is continuing. He has been pondering the points discussed via telephone between him, Retan and Louise Bonino and that he would like to outline his line of procedure for the revision of "Terror Castle". The outline follows the points made in their telephone conversation, with some additions, and Arthur looks forward to Retan's response.
"To start with, my first thought is that we remove the name of any character from the title. I agree with your analysis of the weakness of the nickname Genius'; which led me to feel that if we featured the group as a whole, we would at once remove the strongest point of comparison that might be made to Brains Benton.' The character I am at present calling Genius Jones will of course be the leader; but the series will be identified to the young readers as the books about The Three Investigators."
Arthur then describes his visualization of how the title will look/read on the book:
ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS
The Three Investigators in
The Secret of Terror Castle
"If the readers like a series, they need only a handy label to identify it for them. Many series have dispensed with individual names. In the case of "The Hardy Boys", they are of course brothers. But past successful series have been
called The Motor Boys, The Boy Allies, and so on. . . . once readers know the group, and come to identify them by their 'firm name', it will stick in their minds naturally and easily."
Arthur goes on to suggest that they could potentially present the first two books with only "Alfred Hitchcock Presents: (the story title)" and then judge whether or not to use the name of the group depending upon reader reaction.
"If we are going to drop the nickname 'Genius,' I am in favor of changing the name Jason also. Jason is an interesting name, but not a striking one. I do like alliterative names; I think they are both more forceful and more memorable."
Arthur then suggests the name "Jupiter Jones" because it is unusual and suggestive of unusual attributes. He is still thinking of names for the other leading characters, but doesn't like anything he has come up with so far. It is apparent from an outline for a new chapter (which follows later in this letter) that Dick is the working name for the character later to become known as Pete.
"I will, as we agreed, condense all of the Hitchcock introduction into one chunk, to come at the beginning. It will include a certain amount of pure exposition, which will have the virtue that it can be skipped by an impatient reader and returned to later. In any case the facts will be there. I will give it as light a touch as possible."
On the point of transportation Arthur writes: "Southern California being the spread-out realm it is, something dependable is needed. I will retain the Rolls Royce, but have Hitchcock explain it, and later it will be all but taken for
granted. I shall in fact use it as a motivating force, in that the winning of the use of the car causes the boys to undertake the adventure of becoming investigators in the first place. This will be only a sentence or two. Later, their adventures can be independent of the Rolls. Indeed, I am already demonstrating in the rough draft of the second book that such a prominent car can be a disadvantage."
Arthur reflects back to his own youthful reading experience: "I have no doubt of the readers accepting what we say on these points. They are so eager for the story, as I remember well, that the details are engulfed by the eyes like a
rowboat by a whirlpool!"
On Hitchcock's secretary, Henrietta, Arthur writes: "Henrietta and the ice cream are out. I plan to retain the fact that she originally came from their town, that they had had some contact with her though she was a number of grades
ahead of them. This merely makes it possible to dialog their scenes more easily. She knows Jupiter already, and takes a dim view of him."
On Skinny Norris, Arthur writes: "I plan to add a new character, another boy who will act as a semi-rival, an irritant, and at times a nuisance to our Three Investigators. I've talked to a number of children and find they like this type of a 'nuisance' character for the hero to have an occasional brush with. They themselves of course are well aware that in any group of children there are some who are pains in the neck. When the main characters clash with such a 'villain'
type, the clash is on a level that children can identify with more readily than they can in clashes between the boy protagonists and adult menaces."
Arthur goes on to describe E. Skinner Norris in detail, all nearly exactly as you will find him described in the Arthur T3I books. Of course, no exact age is given, only that he is "enough older than Jupiter and the rest to feel that he is entitleed to be looked upon as their superior--a view accepted by no one in town except his own hangers-on." Arthur adds, "This element will afford opportunities to add mystery and even danger at times, in addition to the main perils of the case in hand. It also has the advantage of being flexible -- it can be used or, when not desired, dispensed with at will."
"I believe I can easily enough take care of several smaller points that came up -- such as why the missing movie star's body was not discovered, and the proximity of Blind Canyon and Black Canyon. I will take pains to clarify these and at the same time make the clarification strengthen the mystery"
Arthur's first "Terror Castle" manuscript was written from first person viewpoint but it is not clear from the letter if that is Jupiter's viewpoint or perhaps Bob's. Arthur believes he can achieve third person viewpoint with only some minor rewriting, it's "more a matter of changing many small details rather than of a major revision."
"In eliminating Hitchcock's intrusion into the book around the page 45-50 region, . . . as well as by removing altogether the character Mr. Martinham . . . I believe that the middle section will shorten by from five to ten pages. I will use these pages instead to add a new chapter of action, with some mystery and definite danger attached. This chapter should come just about in the 'letdown' stretch you and Louise commented on, and I think will give us the lift we need here."
In their telephone discussion, Walter Retan suggested the use of a real gang as an additional menace, someone using the castle as their hideout. Arthur believes that "this would add such a massive subplot that I don't see how it could be handled. From my study of a number of other series books, we have fully as much plot as most of them, and more atmosphere and color and general spooky tone than any but the best. (More, certainly, than any I have been able to find.) I will be appreciative if you can find for me some of the best one-shot mysteries in the field, for me to read . . .the best of these may surpass us, but on the series level I have confidence that we will be giving the readers a quality product."
Arthur then proceeds to outline his new chapter over the course of a page and a half of this letter. What Arthur outlines and envisions to be one chapter actually turns out to be chapters 7, 8 and 9 of the finished book. The only major difference between the outline and the finished book is an important one - in the outline Mr. Rex confirms to the boys that he identified the body of Steven Terrill after it had been found in the castle. Arthur explains: "Now, of course, the identification of the body is a false one. It was a deliberate deception in the past, for which Mr. Rex, who explains the truth at the end, is properly regretful. As he is, however, living a masquerade existence, he is permitted to tamper with the truth to keep the mystery alive. This chapter should add a definite lift of action and danger to the section of the book that needs it most."
Arthur then plans to return to the story as it stands but to bring Skinny Norris back into the tale for another scene and then to have him lie low for the remainder of the book. "His existence will in itself help motivate the boys. Scary though Terror Castle may be, Jupiter Jones will not let himself or his companions abandon the investigation because to do so would enable Skinny to have the final laugh on them. This thread will not be overemphasized . . . It will come out briefly in an occasional conversation . . . I visualize the new character as adding an element of juvenile rivalry and pride of excelling which I am sure will be understandable to every child reader."
"You mentioned . . . that it might be possible to persuade the sales force to accept two volumes as a package, rather than three. If this can be done, it will make the job infinitely easier of accomplishment!"
Ending the letter, Arthur shares that he is able to work better in Cape May than in Philadelphia and plans to spend most of his time there. He offers a new phone number and prefers to receive calls between 10 and 12 in the morning or
after 4pm. After requesting additional feedback or suggestions from Walter, he ends with "Happy New Year!"
Letter #4, dated January 13, 1964. One page letter typed by Robert Arthur in Cape May and sent to his editor, Walter Retan.
Arthur indicates that he has just received the revised pages for "Terror Castle" and that he is pleased with the new pace of the story and the change in viewpoint from first person to third.
"In the reading, a thought struck me. Normal structure for the book would call for it to start with what is actually Chapter 4 and for Chapters 1, 2, and 3 to be inserted on Page 57 where they are mentioned."
"The reason I used the flashback technique was, naturally, to grab the reader first and get him excited before going to the quieter opening material. But here are two thoughts I'd like you to entertain:"
"One: we might start as outlined above, depending on the Hitchcock name and introduction to promise the excitement, and let the story develop in its natural manner. This will give us a middle crammed with action and excitement."
"Two: we might start with the present Chapter one, or its equivalent. Then we might go into the present Chapter 4, using almost the same opening line, varying it just slightly, a very small writing point. Then on page 57 we might get the boys into the castle in a sentence or two, referring to Chapter 1, then go through the present chapter 2 and 3, let the boys run out and hurry back to Headquarters, and continue from there. This would give us an opening suspense
chapter, and would also give us some added action and suspense around page 50 - 60, as well as being closer to the natural story structure."
"In reading over the new mss. (manuscript), would you try both of the above? Start with Chapter 4 and then read in 1, 2, 3, when reached? Also start with Chapter 1, jump to Chapter 4, and read in 2 and 3 when reached?"
"I think either of the two methods would give us still greater impact in the action of the mss., and neither would involve more than writing a few lines, and shifting around of some pages. They could actually be done even after the work was in the galley, without any real difficulty, though I know you like to avoid that when you can."
Arthur ends the letter by indicating they are experiencing some severe winter weather and also points out a couple of typos/corrections that need to be made to the current revision and then signs off with "Best, Bob".
[threeinvestigatorsbooks.com: If you have a copy of "Terror Castle" in front of you and are trying to follow along with all of Arthur's suggestions, please keep in mind that the chapters and page numbers he is referring to are from the manuscript they were using at that point in time and don't necessarily match what you find in the published book. Arthur and Retan will still be working on "Terror Castle" for another 3 months with more changes to come. Still, by reading the published chapters in the various orders suggested by Arthur (just have some fun with it!), you'll get some insight into the thought and work that it took to make this book such a successful debut.]
Letter #5, dated January 15, 1964. A one-page Random House inter-office memo sent to Louise Bonino from Walter Retan.
"Bob Arthur has turned in his revised manuscript. In many ways it is an improvement. The whole story is now told in the third person, and the exposition is worked in more smoothly."
Retan expresses concern over the length of the story between the introductory chapters and the spot where the real story gets going. Retan has marked some pages for cutting. Retan believes that from page 105 on, the switch to third
person was hastily done and is rough - an editor can clean it up.
"I find particularly distasteful the new bit about the "fake" corpse. I think this needs to be changed. I am also doubtful about Terrill, the former actor, having hired actors to come in and prove that the castle was haunted. Such a large number of people would never have managed to keep the secret to themselves."
"I wonder if a word of explanation should be added to account for al the furnishings having been left in the castle. . . . Children won't question this fact, but adult reviewers may."
"Now that I've seen the revised script, I wonder if Arthur perhaps made a mistake in trying to start the story with the first expedition to Terror Castle. Had he started with the boys invading Hitchcock's studio, he would have had an
interesting opening which could have worked up to the climax of the first visit. I hesitate, however, to ask for any more revisions. What do you think?"
"There is still too much about the junkyard. Seems to me that one secret hiding place would be enough for this book."
Signed: Walter
Letter #6, dated April 17, 1964. A two-page letter typed by Robert Arthur in Cape May and sent to Walter Retan in NYC. (Seth: At risk of life and limb and the opportunity to share more of these archives in the future, I'm going to type this correspondence in whole as originally written. I'm strapped for time at the moment and just can't go to the extra effort to edit this letter as originally requested.)
Dear Walter,
I think that TERROR CASTLE flows along very smoothly this way. The explanation for the loss of the body is good, and all in all it progresses neatly. I miss the scary beginning, but I think that the title, the pictures, the frontispiece, et al., will indicate to the reader that there is excitement ahead, and we get a steady buildup.
I noticed the cutting, and it is smoothly deleted except for two points on which I have strong reactions.
One of these is the naming of the exits -- Tunnel Two and Easy Three. To speak of various hidden entrances is not enough. I want this milieu to come alive to the readers as it has for me, and so I visualize these entrances in concrete terms. I put back Tunnel Two as it only took a sentence. Out of deference to the need for shortening I did not put back Easy Three, but I should like to if you think space permits.
Jupiter Jones is both imaginative and practical. The imaginative side comes out in his use of chalked question marks, in the mysterious titles he gives the exits, and so on. The other boys are delighted to go along with him, as boys in a group usuually are when one turns out to have a creative imagination. (Same reason some go along for J.D. -- somebody has a destructive imagination.)
Later -- if we should go ahead -- the terms used would be familiar to most of the readers and, what you couldn't guess, I'm already building toward a big climax scene for some book yet unwritten. If it ever does get written, it will involve a conflict with one or more sinister midgets, who can follow the boys into Headquarters. The boys will be taken unawares by the appearance of antagonists at each of their exits --- Tunnel Two, Easy Three, one unnamed, and possibly one other to be devised.
However, Jupiter thinks ahead. He has provided even for this contingency. There is one emergency exit never used saved in the direst straits, which have now arrived. They use the exit, and the enemy is foiled. For this reason the actuality of the exits is something I want to build up and make a part of the background.
Therefore, if we can put back the short paragraph needed to describe Easy Three, I would like to. It helps, as well, establish the way in which this Headquarters is hidden behind harmless seeming junk.
The other point lies in the description of the way Jupiter deduced the place Bob's mother had hidden her ring. This is a simple enough scene and perhaps seems at first glance unnecessary. But it has a definite point. It demonstrates in advance of our meeting him that Jupiter is a deductive thinker capable of deductions others may not arrive at. As it is, all we know is that he has left an imaginatively worded message -- anyone can do that. But the scene in which we speak of the ring immediately established him as one who works with his mind and gives him greater validity -- or so I feel.
I didn't try to rewrite this into the galley, but it would certainly delight me if you could take the original mss. and re-insert it, as well as, though not as importantly, Easy Three.
Elsewhere I have filled out a short line where I thought a telling phrase could be used, and suggested one or two minor wording changes -- nothing of consequence.
I notice you felt the final Hitchcock comment unnecessary. I agree with you here -- it reads well without it. However, I don't think this will be true of the second book. There the final summation serves a purpose.
Do you feel that blurbing the second book at the end of the first is undignified and vice versa?
As a boy, those blurbs at the end of the books whetted my eagerness to read the others to a fine edge of impatience and I felt that we could gain the same effect here.
See you Thursday.
Best,
(signed) Bob
P.S. Please request that nothing be done in the way of paging and plating the titlepage and the revers of it until we can hear from Lee Wright. I have asked her to investigate the possibility of putting my name on the title page at least on an equal footing with the illustrator, and I shall discuss this further with her on Friday.
again,
bob
(signed) B
There is a lot that these lost files apparently did NOT contain. For example, no series bible, no original artwork and no published manuscripts. There are holes in the correspondence record as well. Not all letters and memos were placed in the files or perhaps some items were removed at a later date. Some titles have lots of material associated with them, others have virtually none. Still, there is much to be excited about!
Originally, I shared the following "Terror Castle" material in "real time" 48 years after the fact on my T3I Facebook page (see link on the Home page) and some of the on-line discussion groups. Now it's time to start incorporating it into this site.
The first letter in the file is dated August 29th, 1963. Written by Walter Retan and sent to Robert Arthur at both a Philadelphia and Cape May address. Penned in the upper right corner of the letter is a note that says: "Start folder for Hitchcock Mystery Series $1.95".
Walter writes that he's back from a Cape Cod vacation and will get a contract off to Bob. He writes: "Our Art
Department is already thinking of the possible artists to illustrate the new Hitchcock series, and I wonder if you are far
enough advanced with any of your plots to give me an outline of one or two situations for which we could request sample drawings . . . I don't think we will try to work with Fred Banbery on this." The note ends with some pleasantries and Walter saying that he looks forward to seeing Arthur the next time he's in NY.
[threeinvestigatorsbooks.com: Fred Banbery, of course, illustrated some of the juvenile Hitchcock anthologies including the outstanding "Solve-Them-Yourself Mysteries" by Robert Arthur.]
Letter #7, dated June 24, 1964. A short, typed note sent from Walter Retan in NYC to Robert Arthur in Cape May.
Dear Bob:
This is just a note to remind you that everyone is most eager to have two more Three Investigators books on the fall, 1965, list. Have you progressed any farther in your planning? I know you have been busy with the anthology, but we are already being pressed for information with regard to fall, 1965, books.
Best,
(not signed)
WR:ef
[Seth: There were only two letters in the file regarding "The Mystery of the Stuttering Parrot", both written by Robert Arthur in March 1964 and sent to Walter Retan. Much to my personal dismay, these two letters reveal almost no information about the development of the story but contain many ideas Robert Arthur offered to minimize, as much as possible, the cutting of this lengthy story. He even went so far as to suggest reducing the number of internal illustrations from seven to three! "... a reduction I don't believe any reader would notice, they're so unaccustomed to getting any pictures at all these days..."]
Letter #8, dated June 26, 1964. A one-page letter typed by Robert Arthur in Cape May and sent to Walter Retan in NYC.
Dear Walter,
I have the book [anthology] for Louise all but completed and am planning to start on Jupiter Jones after the holiday.
THE MYSTERY OF PHANTOM ISLAND will probably be No. 1. I have notes on this, leaving a few gaps to be filled in but am sure the setup will provide plenty of room for development.
At the moment I lean toward THE CASE OF THE WHISPERING MUMMY for the second book. My notes on this one are sketchier but I like the situation and believe it can be developed once I can give it my full attention.
I hate to say positively I won't think of something I like better in the next couple of months -- it's hard to tell what ideas will come when I begin digging into the characters again. But as of now, these two feel hottest to me and if you want me to be definite I'll undertake to stand by these two. I have in reserve a plot idea for THE MYSTERY OF THE LOST WAGON TRAIN, but it needs more development.
Sorry I haven't been in town lately, but it's so nice down here I can't bring myself to leave -- especially with New York so crowded now with Worlds' Fair-goers.
WHISPERING MUMMY is the story mentioned at the end of PARROT --- the elderly Egyptologist who is very upset because his 3000-year-old mummy whispers to him in ancient Egyptian, but no one else can hear a word.
We have a 12-year-old boy staying here at the moment, and he has been reading SOLVE THEM YOURSELF MYSTERIES. He seems quite absorbed in them, and his vote for the best story is MYSTERY OF THE THREE BLIND MICE. I'm inclined to think he's right. This could have been expanded into a book without too much trouble.
I'll keep in touch and may get into town next month, although I won't promise it. Summer is here now and it's been a long time coming!
regards,
(signed) Bob
P.S. Have you been able to manage anything along the line of an expense voucher for typing costs and other miscellaneous expenses, re our brief conversation on the subject last Spring? b
Letter #9, dated July 1, 1964. A one-page typed letter from Walter Retan in NYC and mailed to Robert Arthur in Cape May.
Dear Bob:
Thanks for your letter of June 26th. Don't feel tied down to the ideas outlined there in case something you like better pops up. I just wanted to be able to reassure our sales department that you are at least in the planning stage on two new books, and that they will be ready for fall, 1965. I leave at the end of the week for a three-week vacation, and will be back in the office on July 28. I am certainly looking forward to it; we have rented a small house at Amagansett on Long Island.
If, in the meantime, you should be coming into the city to see Louise, by all means feel free to discuss "The Three Investigators" with her if you wish advice or an editorial reaction. She can pass the gist of the conversation on to me. I don't blame you for not wanting to leave the shore in this kind of weather.
By the way, I meant to tell you after one of our last conferences, that I don't think you need to worry about working Skinny Norris into books where the boys are traveling. It might seem too much of a far-fetched coincidence. I think kids always enjoy having a new "threat" or "villain" get into the act.
Hope you have a pleasant and profitable summer.
Best,
(unsigned)
WR:ef
Letter #10, dated August 18, 1964. A one-page, typed letter from Robert Arthur in Cape May, New Jersey to his editor, Walter Retan in New York City.
Dear Walter,
Nice to hear that you had a good vacation. New York is always a more delightful place after a vacation, somehow. Here of course I mix vacation with business, and sometimes it is hard to decide which to concentrate on. However, things do get done.
I'll be looking forward to the copies of the two books. As soon as additional copies are available, I would like to have more than two sets as other relatives are waiting to see the results.
For the record, the two titles I'm working with are:
THE CASE OF THE WHISPERING MUMMY
THE MYSTERY OF PHANTOM ISLAND
I've been doing a bit of exploration of the field of boy's mysteries, handicapped by lack of access to any large library, and I find the specimens I run across rather pallid. I would like to get a better idea of what is being done in the field, so if you can get the names of any books in recent years considered top-rated by readers (first) and librarians (second) I'd like to look them up.
I don't know just what day I'll be in next month, but I anticipate it will be round the 16th-17th. I'll be letting you know.
Sincerely,
(signed)
Bob
Letter #11, dated August 20, 1964. A one-page, typed inter-office memo from Ruth Shair to Emanuel Harper.
Since I will be working with Robert Arthur on future books in this series, Walter Retan has sugggested that I consult you about our contractual arrangements with Mr. Arthur and Alfred Hitchcock.
Robert Arthur is preparing manuscripts for the next two titles in this series: THE CASE OF THE WHISPERING MUMMY (to be delivered October 1, 1964), and THE MYSTERY OF PHANTOM ISLAND (to be delivered February 1, 1965).
To cover these two titles, we will need either a rider to our original contract with Robert Arthur (for THE SECRET OF TERROR CASTLE and THE MYSTERY OF THE STUTTERING PARROT, dated January 20, 1964) or a new contract.
Incorporated in the new agreement -- or rider -- there should be a change in the clause dealing with the allocation of income from the sale of foreign rights. Our original contract with Robert Arthur grants Random House foreign rights and the author receives no share of income received from the sale of these rights.
Our contract with Alfred Hitchcock (dated April 1, 1963) covering various stipulations regarding the entire series grants Hitchcock 80% of any income received by Random House for the sale of foreign rights.
Mr. Hitchcock has now agreed to divide his share of income from the sale of foreign rights equally with Mr. Arthur, and to make this arrangement retroactive.
The original contract with Mr. Arthur and our contract with Mr. Hitchcock should, therefore, be amended; and the rider or new contract with Mr. Arthur for the two forthcoming books should include a clause covering the new arrangement.
In every other respect (except for delivery dates) the terms of the agreement with Robert Arthur for the two new titles mentioned above are to be identical with the terms of the original contract.
rms
