Robert Arthur is my favorite OTR writer!

[Matt Cowan]

I wondered for awhile whenever I listened to podcasts that mentioned Bob Arthur as a writer if he was the same guy who created my favorite childhood series of books, Alfred Hitchcock and The Three Investigators.  I just found out he was.  He wrote for The Mysterious Traveler radio program before moving on to write for the Alfred Hitchcock presents TV series after radio jobs started to become more scarce.  He edited some of Hitchcock's short story anthologies (even writing Hitchcock's introductions to the books) among other things but the reason I say he's my favorite is because he invented and wrote several of the first books in the series.  These are the books that got me hooked on reading in elementary school.  I checked out and read every Three Investigator's book I could get my hands on (there ended up being around 30 or so written).  It was about a group of three young adults who solved mysteries in fictional Rocky Beach, California.  Recently, The Disney Channel has begun to play some movies based on the books filmed in Germany but with American actors for the three boys.  I just thought it was cool to find out.

[BMJ2K (Barry)]

Matt, you and I are close to the same age and OH MY GOD the memories you just brought back! The Three Investigators? I haven't thought about them in decades!

[Matt Cowan]

Matt, you and I are close to the same age and OH MY GOD the memories you just brought back! The Three Investigators? I haven't thought about them in decades!

I'm planning on doing a VH article on them at some point.  I've tracked down most of the books and just read one (Dead Man's Riddle) the other day (I know I'm a bit old for them now but I just felt like checking one out again).  My favorites were Skeleton Island, Terror Castle, Shrinking House, Flamming Footprints, Whispering Mummy, Stuttering Parrote, and Singing Serpent.  I may reread The Screaming Clock one day soon as I think its mystery involved an old time radio actor. 

An interview with Arthur's daughter revealed she was asked by her dad if the first investigator should be named Genius Jones or Jupiter Jones and she told him she would never be friends with someone whose name was Genius, so he went with Jupiter.

[BMJ2K (Barry)]

I just peeked at eBay and there are a lot of them available. I want to buy only one, but I'm afraid I see a lot of money being spent in my future.

[Matt Cowan]

I just peeked at eBay and there are a lot of them available. I want to buy only one, but I'm afraid I see a lot of money being spent in my future.

Which one are you looking for?  I have some duplicates.  They aren't the nice original hardbound ones with the cool pictures inside (I only have a few of those) but they have the same story.  If I have an extra of the one you want I'll send it to you.

[Mac of BIOnighT]

The three investigators!!!  O__O     Wow, lots of memories for me, too!!  I was 11 or 12, over here they were part of a series of "gialli" ("yellows" - that's the way mystery etc. stories are called in Italy because of the traditionally yellow covers) for kids that also included The Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, The Pimlico Boys and many others (of British, American and Italian origin). The three investigators were my favorites, anyway, they had lots of cool ideas that just got my imagination in wild motion!!!  I never read them in English, alas, but I guess I just might have a look at ebay, too 

[BMJ2K (Barry)]

I just peeked at eBay and there are a lot of them available. I want to buy only one, but I'm afraid I see a lot of money being spent in my future.

Which one are you looking for?  I have some duplicates.  They aren't the nice original hardbound ones with the cool pictures inside (I only have a few of those) but they have the same story.  If I have an extra of the one you want I'll send it to you.

I don't have one in mind, but I would like the first one, or as early in the series as possible. And I will certainly pay you for it, plus shipping.

[Matt Cowan]

I just peeked at eBay and there are a lot of them available. I want to buy only one, but I'm afraid I see a lot of money being spent in my future.

Which one are you looking for?  I have some duplicates.  They aren't the nice original hardbound ones with the cool pictures inside (I only have a few of those) but they have the same story.  If I have an extra of the one you want I'll send it to you.

I don't have one in mind, but I would like the first one, or as early in the series as possible. And I will certainly pay you for it, plus shipping.

I do have a paper copy of the first 3I book The Secret of Terror Castle and it actually does have the original interior art in it.  I wouldn't charge you for it and if the shipping is only a few bucks I can cover it.  Private Message me your address and I'll get it sent out.

[Matt Cowan]

The three investigators!!!  O__O     Wow, lots of memories for me, too!!  I was 11 or 12, over here they were part of a series of "gialli" ("yellows" - that's the way mystery etc. stories are called in Italy because of the traditionally yellow covers) for kids that also included The Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, The Pimlico Boys and many others (of British, American and Italian origin). The three investigators were my favorites, anyway, they had lots of cool ideas that just got my imagination in wild motion!!!  I never read them in English, alas, but I guess I just might have a look at ebay, too 

I've read the Three Investigator books are still a big hit overseas.  Here they have nearly vanished in large part due to legal problem over who has the rights to them.  Apparently Robert Arthur was given some bad legal advice on what to do in his will in regards to them so he left it to The University of Michigan because he thought his family would be taxed on a falsely inflated value of the series.  He thought he was doing a good thing for his family but it had led to a lot of problems. 

Anyway, Mac I have a spare copy of The Mystery of the Laughing Shadow 3I book here as well.  I can send it to you if you like but I'm not sure how much shipping would be from here to Italy.  I've never sent anything overseas before.

[Mac of BIOnighT]

I've read the Three Investigator books are still a big hit overseas.  Here they have nearly vanished in large part due to legal problem over who has the rights to them.

Actually, after being a bit of a hit among kids in the late 70's, they disappeared here, as well 
 

Apparently Robert Arthur was given some bad legal advice on what to do in his will in regards to them so he left it to The University of Michigan because he thought his family would be taxed on a falsely inflated value of the series.  He thought he was doing a good thing for his family but it had led to a lot of problems. 

 

Anyway, Mac I have a spare copy of The Mystery of the Laughing Shadow 3I book here as well.  I can send it to you if you like but I'm not sure how much shipping would be from here to Italy.  I've never sent anything overseas before.

Wow, that'd be very nice, thanks!     I have no idea how much it'd cost to send a book from the states, maybe you could ask when you mail the copy to Barry?  If it's not too much, I'd be happy to have it (I'd pay for the shipping and the book, of course)