Dated October 9, 1967. 16 pages printed on rectos only. The agreement sets the terms for the 1971 movie-to-come and is signed on the ultimate page by Leonard and the producer, Ira L. Steiner. Each page bears the printed stamp of Leonard's literary agent H.N Swanson.
The timeline for the film's development is especially instructive. In 1961 Leonard published a short story titled "Only Good Ones" in the pulp magazine "Western Roundup," whose 20-year-old protagonist, Bob Valdez, comes to a bad end. Years later Leonard expanded the story into a full-fledged, character-driven novel. At the time this contract was agreed upon, the novel had yet to be written. Nevertheless, Leonard was paid the then-princely sum of $75,000. It would not be until 1971 that the movie was released with Burt Lancaster portraying the saintly but revenge-seeking titular character. It was only then that Fawcett published the novel as a paperback original.
Accompanying the contract is a holograph note by Leonard to his agent: "Swanie, this one is an original short I wrote for a 1961 anthology MacMillan published and that I revised and lengthened and turned into Valdez is Coming. Dutch." Also accompanied by a fine copy of the book. Fine.
Dated October 9, 1967. 16 pages printed on rectos only. The agreement sets the terms for the 1971 movie-to-come and is signed on the ultimate page by Leonard and the producer, Ira L. Steiner. Each page bears the printed stamp of Leonard's literary agent H.N Swanson.
The timeline for the film's development is especially instructive. In 1961 Leonard published a short story titled "Only Good Ones" in the pulp magazine "Western Roundup," whose 20-year-old protagonist, Bob Valdez, comes to a bad end. Years later Leonard expanded the story into a full-fledged, character-driven novel. At the time this contract was agreed upon, the novel had yet to be written. Nevertheless, Leonard was paid the then-princely sum of $75,000. It would not be until 1971 that the movie was released with Burt Lancaster portraying the saintly but revenge-seeking titular character. It was only then that Fawcett published the novel as a paperback original.
Accompanying the contract is a holograph note by Leonard to his agent: "Swanie, this one is an original short I wrote for a 1961 anthology MacMillan published and that I revised and lengthened and turned into Valdez is Coming. Dutch." Also accompanied by a fine copy of the book. Fine.
