Origin of the Casefiles / Three Investigators Crimebusters.

Started by kosmicdust, July 12, 2009, 10:39:33 AM

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kosmicdust

I don't think William McCay - former editor and writer for MegaBooks - gets enough credit within the Hardy Boys community for his important role in the creation of the Casefiles. Take this quote from an interview with Bill from 2002:

QuoteBill McCay: When we were laying the groundwork for the new Hardy Boys series, the publisher asked me, "Bill, if you could do anything with the Hardy Boys, what would you change?"

A loaded question.  I answered, "I'd blow up that yellow sedan they've been driving since 1930 . . . and I'd have Iola Morton (Joe Hardy's girlfriend) in the back seat when it went up."

For a second, I thought the poor man was going to have a stroke.  He sat up very straight, looked at me, then said, "What happens next?"  That was our first Casefiles.

http://threeinvestigatorsbooks.homestead.com/BillMcCay.html

Bill McCay wrote two entries in the Three Investigators Crimebusters series: Funny Business (about a crime at a comic convention) and Shoot The Works (about criminals using Paintball games as rehearsal for a robbery).

Based upon Bill's two novels, I'd make an educated guess and say that he probably penned two Casefiles with similar themes: Deathgame (Paintball scenes) and The Last Laugh (the comic convention).

And then we have Peter Lerangis, author of Genius Thieves, Borgia Dagger, A Killing in the Market and Danger Zone.

Interestingly, Lerangis wrote two Crimebusters stories (one which remains unpublished). However, #9 Foul Play contains a similar plot device to one of his Casefiles, while the fictional musical that is at the centre of that Three Investigators story is called... Danger Zone;D

Quote
MZ (Mark Zahn):  How did you become involved with The Three Investigators "Crimebusters" series?
PL (Peter Lerangis): At the time, I had been writing Hardy Boys books, and Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew SuperMysteries.  One of my editors was Bill McCay, who had also become a good friend.

http://threeinvestigatorsbooks.homestead.com/LerangisInterview.html

Ian.

kosmicdust


SDLagent

Yes, I knew of the impact Bill McCay had on the series. I agree, he doesn't get enough credit.

Quote"I'd blow up that yellow sedan they've been driving since 1930 . . . and I'd have Iola Morton (Joe Hardy's girlfriend) in the back seat when it went up."

Always thought that quote was great!

Thanks for posting.

tomswift2002

Just the other day I was wondering if Bill McCay was the same author who wrote both The Black Dragon and The Negative Zone in the Tom Swift (Archway) series, and Star Trek The Next Generation #21: Chains Of Command with Eloise flood.

But, I agree, just like Leslie McFarlane had an important role in creating the Original Hardy Boys stories and all the books that followed after, Bill McCay had a pretty big role when he was asked to reintroduce the boys to a Young Adult market.  Unfortunately, according to the article, when he left Megabooks around 1990-1992, that seems to be when the Casefiles became more like the Digests, and even the newer series didn't have as much "renewed vigor" in them as the Original series and early Casefiles did.
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hexton

Quote

    "I'd blow up that yellow sedan they've been driving since 1930 . . . and I'd have Iola Morton (Joe Hardy's girlfriend) in the back seat when it went up."

As much as I love the hardy world the Casefiles are just so refreshing.
Gotta love the cheesy one liners on the front covers.

MacGyver

I love The Three Investigators! Don't worry, I've loved The Hardy Boys first and they're still one of my main favorites. ;)
But I also really enjoy Jupiter, Pete and Bob's adventures too- whether the originals or the Crimebusters. They're all good fun. 8)
"I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No man comes to the Father but by Me."- Jesus
"You can do anything you want to do if you put your mind to it."- MacGyver in "Cease Fire"

SDLagent

I've read a few Three Investigators books. I agree, it's a pretty good series. The clues don't come quite as easy as they do for the Hardys.