PETER BENCHLEY
The author writes a letter saying, "I've just finished another novel, about treasure-diving off Bermuda. It's called 'The Deep.'"
Typed Letter signed: "Peter Benchley", ¾ page, 5½x8½. No place, 1978 May 17. To Steven Charles. In full: "I'm sorry it's taken me so long to answer your letter. I've just finished another novel, about treasure-diving off Bermuda. It's called 'The Deep.' I hope you like it. I'm sorry I can't send you an autographed picture, but I don't have any to send. I hope this letter will do instead." Benchley's novel, The Deep, which was published in 1978, was released as a feature film (for which Benchley co-wrote the screenplay and appeared as a "Mate") in 1979. Peter Benchley (1940-2006), a former speechwriter for Lyndon B. Johnson, is best known as the author of Jaws (1974), his first novel, which spent more than 40 weeks on "The New York Times" best-seller list and was made into a film by Steven Spielberg in 1975. Benchley wrote three drafts of the screenplay for the film and appeared as a reporter on the beach in the Fourth of July scene. The Oscar-winning (Best Sound, Best Film Editing and Best Original Score for composer John Williams) Jaws was the most profitable Hollywood movie to that time. Two years after this letter, another Benchley novel, The Island, was made into a feature film for which he wrote the screenplay. His later novels include The Beast, which was made into a TV movie in 1996 (Benchley was the Executive Producer), and Creature, which was also adapted for TV in 1998. Slightly creased. Fine condition.