Archive of 37 Typed Letters, Signed, to Playboy Staff, with In-House Playboy Notes and Memos About Bradbury

Ray Bradbury was, above all, a short-story writer, and in the 1960s Playboy was one of his most lucrative publication venues, earning him $2,000 to $3,000 each time they published something (according to the US Census, the median family income in 1965 was $6,900). These letters, written to and from the magazine's editorial staff, show how at the beginning of the decade Bradbury was eager to publish in the magazine; by the second half of the 1960s, it was Playboy that pursued him, looking for material. In the early 1970s, both parties had mostly moved on. Bradbury, a committed self-promoter, writes enthusiastically about movies, which he calls "the most important artform in history," and about his efforts to stage the plays he wrote (Hugh Heffner, through his staff, declined to be an investor). The most revealing letter?one of two that extend to a second page?defends his views about the Irish. Accompanying Bradbury's 37 letters are nearly 70 pages of memos from Bradbury's agent, Don Congdon, as well as various members of the Playboy staff discussing their views on payments and the stories and essays Bradbury submitted. Sometimes Playboy's editors loved his work and sent him bonus checks; other times they rejected it or published it even though most of the editorial staff had reservations. A substantial collection of letters about Bradbury's work in the 1960s. The are listed in the order they appear in the binder containing the collection. 1. Feb. 16, 1962. TLS on cream-colored paper. "Dear Hugh: Here's a wild one from my friend Sid Stebel, titled LIFE." Bradbury recommends a story to Playboy by a longtime friend. Signed "Ray B." About 40 words. Story not present. 2. June 17, 1962. TLS on cream-colored paper. To Auguste C. Spectorsky, associate publisher at Playboy, asking him to meet Bradbury's friend Dan Greenberg (sic, Greenburg), who wanted to pitch travel stories to the magazine. With a hand-written postscript, "I was heartened to hear of your buying 'Machineries of Joy' this week. Bravo." Greenburg later was the managing editor of the hardcover magazine Eros and wrote humor and children's books. Signed "Ray Bradbury." About 100 words. 3. June 23, 1962. TLS on cream-colored paper. To A. C. Spectorsky, asking about the publication schedules for his stories The Queen's Own (The Anthem Sprinters) and The Machineries of Joy. Apparently Playboy wanted to delay publication of The Anthem Sprinters, but it was scheduled to be included in a book shortly before Christmas and Playboy would need to print it first. (In the end Machineries of Joy was published in December 1962 and Queen's Own in June 1963; the book The Anthem Sprinters was delayed until 1963). Signed "Ray Bradbury."About 175 words. 4. Sept. 14, 1962. TNS on blue paper. To Murray Fisher, thanking him for nice comments about Bradbury's Cosmos article in Life magazine. Signed "Ray." About 20 words. 5. Aug. 17, 1962. TLS on cream-colored paper. To A. C. Spectorsky, nicely putting off an apparent request for a story to publish in Playboy ("Some new ones will be coming your way soon"). Bradbury begins by wishing Playboy well on its planned book publishing. "Books are burgeoning. And after all the doomful predictions that tv would leave the country a barren wasteland." He also writes about a commission from Life magazine to write about the Apollo age and a request from Sam Bass that Bradbury work on a film for the New York World's Fair. Bradbury concludes, presumably referring to his wife and four daughters, "I know I'm surrounded by a sea of women, but.those Bunnies look awfully good." Signed "Ray." About 275 words. 6. Oct. 9, 1962. TLS on cream-colored paper. To A. C. Spectorsky. About the story Heavy-Set, which Playboy had agreed to buy. Apparently there was some confusion?Playboy wanted changes and Bradbury said he was willing to revisit the text "if and when [he] saw places to make the changes." He continues, "I can only repeat, I will continue to re-read the story. It wi.…