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Leo Margulies, born in Brooklyn in 1900, was a publisher and editor of pulp magazines. He attended Columbia University but was persuaded to give up his studies by the famous editor, Robert H. Davis, who insisted that practical experience was the way to learn the job. Margulies worked with Davis, who was editorial director of the Munsey magazines, selling subsidiary rights to stories. When Davis opened his own agency, Margulies moved with him.
Margulies went on to head the research department for Fox Films on the east coast, a position he held for five years. After a while, Margulies opened his own literary agency. When Woolworth stores became the first national chain to sell magazines, Leo Margulies was in on the venture.
In the early 1930s, Margulies joined Ed Pines to form Standard Magazines, for which, at its zenith, he simultaneously edited forty-four magazines. Many of today's writers were first published in the pulps, and Margulies is credited with recognizing their talent and providing them with a vehicle whereby they could train and improve.
He married Sylvia Kleinman in 1937; she too was a respected editor. Together they worked to build their publishing enterprise, Renown Publications, which began in New York. During World War II, Margulies served as a Navy war correspondent, and Kleinman joined the WACS.
Renown Publications moved to California in the early 1970s, with Margulies publishing Weird Tales, Charlie Chan Mystery Magazine, Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine, and Zane Grey Western Magazine. In addition to publishing these magazines, he compiled anthologies in the mystery and science fiction genres. Margulies is also credited with being a founder of the Popular Paperback Library.
During a flight to England in 1975 to attend a writers' convention, Leo Margulies became seriously ill. He was flown back to Los Angeles, where he died of a stroke on December 26, 1975.
The Leo Margulies papers consist of surviving business correspondence and manuscripts documenting Margulies' editing and publishing career from 1943-1977. Earlier material had been destroyed by Margulies, not recognizing its value.
The Correspondence series includes correspondence with other publishers and writers whose stories were published by Margulies. It is interesting to note that some of today's well-known authors got their starts writing for the pulps -- among them Ray Bradbury, Stephen King, John Jakes, Philip Margolin, and Richard Deming. Other notables include Isaac Asimov, Forrest Ackerman, S. Omar Barker, Anthony Boucher, Lin Carter, Leslie Charteris, Oscar Friend, lb Melchior, and Ted Sturgeon.
The Manuscripts series includes manuscripts from Charlie Chan Mystery Magazine, The Girl from U.N.C.L.E., The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine, Weird Tales, and Zane Grey Western Magazine, as well as articles by Margulies. Most of the manuscripts are ribbon or carbon copies, but a few appear in dummy form only or in reprint form from another magazine. In some instances, entire issues are present in dummy form or first proofs.
The Contracts series contains Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc. and Renown Publications, Inc. contracts, publicity materials, assorted newsletters regarding pulps, and collected printed material.
The Boxed volumes series contains boxed volumes of Charlie Chan Mystery Magazine, The Girl from U.N.C.L.E., The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine, Weird Tales, Zane Grey Western Magazine, and a copy of "The Flying Wildcats", an anthology of aviation stories which Margulies edited.