Peter Maas papers, 1940s-2000
Summary Information
Abstract
At a Glance
- Call No.:
- MS#1520
- Bib ID:
- 7460211 View CLIO record
- Creator(s):
- Maas, Peter, 1929-2001
- Repository:
- Rare Book and Manuscript Library
- Physical Description:
- 26.5 linear feet (21 record cartons 3 document boxes 4.5 audiocassette boxes and 1 poster tube)
- Language(s):
- English .
- Access:
- You will need to make an appointment in advance to use this collection material in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room. You can schedule an appointment once you've submitted your request through your Special Collections Research Account.
-
This collection is located off-site. You will need to request this material at least three business days in advance to use the collection in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room.
This collection has no restrictions.
Description
Summary
Peter Maas (1929-2001) was an author and journalist, best-known for his non-fiction books on organized crime, particularly The Valachi Papers and Serpico, which were later made into films. The collection includes business files, clippings, correspondence, drafts, interviews (both tapes and transcripts), manuscripts, and research files.
The papers primarily consist of records that document Maas' work as an author of fiction and non-fiction books. The papers include records related to almost all of Maas' books, with the exception of The Rescuer (Harper, 1968), King of the Gypsies (Viking, 1975), and Terrible Hours: The Man behind the Greatest Submarine Rescue in History (HarperCollins, 1999). The records include clippings, contracts, corrections, correspondence, drafts, expense reports, interviews (including audiotapes, transcripts, and notes), legal documents and information, manuscripts, notes, outlines, photographs, proofs, publications, reviews, royalty statements, screenplays for film adaptations, transcripts, and other materials. The papers also include a small amount of early material related to unpublished fiction projects.
There are some records related to Maas' work as a journalist, but they are not comprehensive. The records primarily date from Maas' work on individual pieces in the 1960s, and include correspondence, drafts, manuscripts, and a few files on individuals. The records also include a set of files related to a later project on the 1997 case of Brian O'Rourke v. Linda Baisi, St. Frances de Chantal Roman Catholic Church, et al.
The papers include two scrapbooks (1955-1973) that include clippings of Maas' articles and clippings related to the publication of The Valachi Papers.
The collection focuses on Maas' professional work. There is very little personal material in the collection, and most of this consists of personal correspondence from his time in Paris (1949-1952) and the 1950s.
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Series I: General and Personal Correspondence, 1949-1973
This series contains correspondence primarily related to personal and general matters. Correspondence related to Maas' professional work as an author and journalist is filed in Series III and Series IV.
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Series II: Early Fiction, 1949-1960s
This series is comprised of a few files containing early fiction manuscripts, outlines, and ideas. Most of this material dates from Maas' time in Paris (1949-1952).
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Series III: Book Files, circa 1963-2000
This series contains records related to Maas' published books.
The records include business and general files, manuscripts and related files, and research files. The business and general files include clippings, contracts, correspondence, expense reports, legal information, reviews, royalty statements, and screenplays and additional materials related to film adaptations. The manuscript and related files include drafts, typescripts, corrections, outlines, and proofs. The research files include annotations, clippings, interviews (original tape, transcripts, and notes), legal documents, notes, photographs, publications, reports, transcripts, and other materials.
There are no records in this collection related to The Rescuer (Harper, 1968), King of the Gypsies (Viking, 1975), or Terrible Hours: The Man behind the Greatest Submarine Rescue in History (HarperCollins, 1999).
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Series IV: Article Files, 1959-1975, 1997-2000
This series contains files related to Maas' work as a journalist.
The files include correspondence, drafts, manuscripts, and a few files on individuals. Most files date from Maas' work in the 1960s.
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Series V: Scrapbooks, 1955-1973
This series contains two scrapbooks. These were originally housed in two large albums; pages have been removed from the binders and placed in folders for preservation purposes. The scrapbooks primarily contain clippings of Maas's articles and of items related to the publication of The Valachi Papers.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged in five series.
- Series I: General and Personal Correspondence, 1949-1973
- Series II: Early Fiction, 1949-1960s
- Series III: Book Files, circa 1963-2000
- Series IV: Article Files, 1959-1975, 1997-2000
- Series V: Scrapbooks, 1955-1973
Using the Collection
Restrictions on Access
You will need to make an appointment in advance to use this collection material in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room. You can schedule an appointment once you've submitted your request through your Special Collections Research Account.
This collection is located off-site. You will need to request this material at least three business days in advance to use the collection in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room.
This collection has no restrictions.
Terms Governing Use and Reproduction
Single photocopies may be made for research purposes. The RBML maintains ownership of the physical material only. Copyright remains with the creator and his/her heirs. The responsibility to secure copyright permission rests with the patron.
Preferred Citation
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Name of Collection; Box and Folder; Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University Library.
Accrual
No additions are expected
Materials may have been added to the collection since this finding aid was prepared. Contact rbml@columbia.edu for more information.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
2009-2010-M043: Source of acquisition--Horowitz. Method of acquisition--Purchase; Date of acquisition--2009/10/29.
About the Finding Aid / Processing Information
Columbia University Libraries, Rare Book and Manuscript Library
Processing Information
Papers processed by Catherine C. Ricciardi and Williams Owens (Pratt Institute, MLIS, 2012) 2012, 2015-2016.
Finding aid written by Catherine C. Ricciardi 2016.
Revision Description
2016-01-12 File created.
2016-01-13 XML document instance created by Catherine C. Ricciardi
2019-05-20 EAD was imported spring 2019 as part of the ArchivesSpace Phase II migration.
Biographical Note
Peter Maas was born John Peter Maas on June 27, 1929, in New York City, the son of Carl and Madeleine (Fellheimer) Maas.
Maas first became interested in journalism while studying at Duke University in the 1940s, and worked on the school newspaper with editor Clay Felker, who later founded New York Magazine. After graduating in 1949, Maas moved to Paris to work for the New York Herald-Tribune. He left in 1952, and spent two years in United States Navy, serving from 1952-1954.
After Maas completed his military service, he returned to New York. He worked at Colliers magazine from 1955-1956, but the magazine folded, and he became senior editor at Look magazine in 1959. Later he served as a consultant for the NBC television program, "David Brinkley's Journal" (1961-1962), and then became a senior writer for the Saturday Evening Post (1963-1966). Maas was also one of the founding contributors to New York Magazine during the 1960s, and was considered to be part of the new journalism movement.
It was during his time at the Saturday Evening Post that Maas became involved in the Joseph Valachi case, which became the subject of his first major book. Maas wrote a three article series for the Saturday Evening Post, and eventually expanded his research into a book. Publishing the book was problematic. The U.S. Justice Department, which had encouraged Valachi to write his memoirs, with Maas serving as his editor, later tried to stop the project after protests from the Italian American community. But in the ensuing legal battle, the courts ruled that while Valachi could be prohibited from publishing a book, Maas could write his own book based upon his own interviews and research. Although finding a publisher proved difficult, the book was published by Putnam as The Valachi Papers in 1969, and became an immediate best-seller, and was adapted into a film in 1972.
Maas' next book, Serpico, the story of Detective Frank Serpico, was an even greater success. After Putnam, the publisher of The Valachi Papers, rejected the manuscript, the book was published by Viking in 1973. The book quickly became a bestseller, and was made into an academy award nominated film starring Al Pacino as Serpico.
Maas' published books as follows: The Rescuer, Harper, 1968; The Valachi Papers, Putnam, 1969; Serpico, Viking, 1973; King of the Gypsies, Viking, 1975; Made in America, Viking, 1979 (Novel); Marie: A True Story, Random House, 1983; Manhunt, Random House, 1986; Father and Son, Simon and Shuster, 1989; In a Child's Name: The Legacy of a Mother's Murder, Simon and Schuster, 1990; China White, Simon & Shuster, 1994; Killer Spy: The Inside Story of the FBI's Pursuit and Capture of Aldrich Ames, America's Deadliest Spy, Warner Books, 1995; Underboss: Sammy the Bull Gravano's Story of Life in the Mafia, HarperCollins, 1997; and Terrible Hours: The Man behind the Greatest Submarine Rescue in History, HarperCollins, 1999.
Maas continued to work as a journalist after becoming a successful author. He wrote frequently for The New York Times Magazine and also wrote a column for several months in SportsMonday, a section started by The Times in 1978. Maas also served as a contributing editor of Parade magazine from 1983-2001.
Maas died in New York City on August 23, 2001.
Subject Headings
The subject headings listed below are found in this collection. Links below allow searches for other collections at Columbia University, through CLIO, the catalog for Columbia University Libraries, and through ArchiveGRID, a catalog that allows users to search the holdings of multiple research libraries and archives.
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