Bufile-Documents

Communist or Subversive - Bufile 62-106572-X1 (62-55169-629 crossed out)

Page 1 and Page 2, May 25, 1955 - Handwritten letter stating mother/teacher is shocked and horrified; please help rescue our teenagers. MAD #24 (July 1955) is referenced although not named. The four writers listed appeared in that issue as did Kovac's article "Tom Swiffft and His Electronic Ping Pong Ball." The four appeared together only one other time, in MAD #26 (Oct-Nov 1955), but MAD didn't have that much of a lead-time before hitting the newsstands.

Page 1 and Page 2, June 6, 1955 - FBI's response and Note. Did you know "Mad" comics present the horror of war to youthful readers?

Draft Dodger Club - Bufile 62-106572-X3 (43-13592-374 crossed out)

Page 1, November 22, 1957 - Handwritten request for the Draft Dodger Club.

Image 1, Envelope sent to Mr. J. Edgar Hoover, Vice President of the U.S.

Page 1, FBI's True Copy of the above letter.

Page 1, November 23, 1957 - Handwritten request for the membership card to Mad Comic, with envelope.

Page 1, FBI's True Copy of the above letter.

Page 1 and Page 2, November 25, 1957 - Handwritten request for the Draft Dodger Club, with envelope.

Page 1, FBI's True Copy of the above letter.

Page 1 and Page 2, November 30, 1957 - Office Memorandum from M. A. Jones to Mr. Nease. FBI plans to contact MAD.

Page 1, December 4, 1957 - Letter from Director, FBI to SAC, New York requesting that the local office procure a copy of MAD (#37, January 1958) from a newsstand and then send a seasoned agent to MAD. William Gaines already has his own bufile and there are no records in the bufiles concerning Al Feldstein. See The MAD World of William M. Gaines, page 191 or 171, and Completely MAD, page 194.

Draft Dodger Club - Bufile 62-106572-X5 (43-13592-376 crossed out)

Page 1, December 9, 1957 - Office Memorandum from SAC, New York to Director, FBI. Results of the John Putnam interview regarding misuse of Hoover's name and the Draft Dodger Club. Putnam assured the agent that there will be no repeat of the incident and adds that Gaines and Feldstein are both World War II veterans. Putnam also puts MAD into the same class as Bob Hope and Milton Berle.

Draft Dodger Club - Bufile 62-106572-X6 (43-13592-??? crossed out)

Page 1, December 20, 1957 - Handwritten request for the Draft Dodger Club.

Draft Dodger Club - Bufile 62-106572-X7 (43-13592-384 crossed out)

Page 1, December 27, 1957 - Handwritten request for the Draft Dodger Club.

Page 1, FBI's True Copy of the above letter.

Page 1, Copy of the Draft Dodger space on game board.

Draft Dodger Club - Bufile 62-106572-X8 (43-13592-392 crossed out)

Page 1, January 2, 1958 - Letter from William Gaines to J. Edgar Hoover apologizing for MAD's use of Hoover's name and the Director will have "no occasion for concern on this subject in the future."

Draft Dodger Club - Bufile 62-106572-X9 (43-13592-??? crossed out)

Page 1, January 7, 1958 - Office Memorandum from M. A. Jones to Mr. Nease. Memo recaps the events on the misuse of Hoover's name and the Draft Dodger Club. Because of the background of the magazine, the FBI decided that they would not acknowledge William Gaines' letter. The FBI also states that the satirical treatment of famous events in American history is rather unfunny.

Communist or Subversive - Bufile 62-106572-X10 (62-0-58624 crossed out)

Page 1, February 6, 1959 - Office Memorandum from SAC Little Rock to Director, FBI. Memo recaps General Edwin A. Walker's telephonically advised concern about MAD being subversive. Each article has a hidden meaning including the advertisements; MAD wasn't accepting advertisements in 1959. References MAD #40 (December 1958) as being very subversive. Note: General Walker ends up in a prison mental hospital, see The MAD World of William M. Gaines, page 231-232 or 203-204. Completely MAD points out that Walker was "dismissed from the army in 1961 for his efforts to enlist troops in the arch-conservative John Birch Society." See page 126 for more information.

J. Edgar Hoover Spoofs - Bufile 62-106572-X11 (43-13592-??? crossed out)

Page 1 and Page 2, January 5, 1960 - Office Memorandum from M. A. Jones to Mr. DeLoach concerning "J. Edgar Hoover Tonic." A recap of the Draft Dodger Club incident is given and a comment about William Gaines' insincere apology on the matter.

Complete issue of MAD #53, March 1960. The bufile number is written on page 2 and back-cover.

Image 1, Envelope

J. Edgar Hoover Spoofs - Bufile 62-106572-X12 (43-13592-573 crossed out)

Page 1, May 2, 1960 - Letter to Mr. Tolson concerning "J. Edgar Hoover Tonic", which "shows the type of publication it is." This letter is from a FBI employee.

Page 1 and Page 2, May 6, 1960 - Office Memorandum from M. A. Jones to Mr. DeLoach concerning the issue and about MAD talking about the FBI in the May 1960 issue of Coronet.

Page 6 from MAD #53, with the "J. Edgar Hoover Tonic" panel.

Communist or Subversive - Bufile 62-106572-X13 (62-0-59876 crossed out)

Page 1, September 8, 1960 - Letter from Sacred Heart Church asking if MAD is communistic.

Page 1 and Page 2, September 19, 1960 - FBI's response and Note On Yellow. Last paragraph has date off by one month.

Communist or Subversive - Bufile 62-106572-1

Page 1 and Page 2, January 2, 1961 - Handwritten letter asking if MAD is communistic propaganda; the Chicago high school student heard it from his American Problems instructor.

Image 1, Envelope, sent to Mr. Alan H. Belmont, Assistant Director, Domestic Intelligence Division

Page 1, FBI's True Copy for the above letter.

Page 1 and Page 2, January 10, 1961 - FBI's response and Note.

Communist or Subversive - Bufile 62-106572-2

Page 1 and Page 2, February 14, 1961 - Handwritten letter asking if MAD is communistic, as well as the youth magazine DIG and the organization "Episcopal Society for Cultural & Racial Unity". MAD and DIG seem to fulfill their purpose by degrading the youth of the country.

Page 1, FBI's True Copy for the above letter.

Page 1 and Page 2, February 24, 1961 - FBI's response and Note On Yellow. While the Episcopal Society for Cultural & Racial Unity group didn't have their own bufile before, now it does. DIG stays "clean."

Communist or Subversive - Bufile 62-106572-3

Page 1, April 17, 1961 - Handwritten letter asking if MAD or William Gaines have any communist affiliation.

Page 1, FBI's True Copy for the above letter.

Page 1 and Page 2, April 27, 1961 - FBI's response and Note On Yellow

Communist or Subversive - Bufile 62-106572-4

Page 1, April 25, 1961 - Letter asking if MAD is communistic and "Does the Constitution require that we permit Communistic publications such as this to undermine and defame our nation's purpose and strength?" The magazine is read by teenagers who are called upon to resist Communist brain washings. References MAD #63, pages 7, 20-21, 22, 42, and back-cover.

Image 1, Envelope

Page 1, May 3, 1961 - FBI's response signed by Helen W. Gandy, Secretary and Note.

Communist or Subversive - Bufile 62-106572-5

Page 1, May 2, 1961 - United States Government Memorandum from M. A. Jones to Mr. DeLoach referencing letter in Bufile 62-106572-4.

Communist or Subversive - Bufile 62-106572-6

Page 1, May 17, 1961 - Letter about "the entire magazine is 'too cleverly' filled with Communistic intent." Son will stop reading MAD if J. Edgar Hoover agrees with his father's point of view. References MAD #50, page 28 and MAD #59, pages 38 and 39.

Image 1, Complete issue of MAD #63, June 1961. The bufile number is written on page 40; interesting placement of number.

Image 1, Envelope

Page 1 and Page 2, May 25, 1961 - FBI's response (Did the kid give his father the raspberry?) and Note

Extortion Attempts - Bufile 62-106572-7

Page 1, June 16, 1961 - Letter from Director, FBI to The Attorney General from about extortion attempts prompted by the MAD #63 article entitled "Mad's Modernized Elementary School Textbooks." This letter was sent to Robert F. Kennedy's office. Kennedy was appointed Attorney General on January 21, 1961. Reference to the cover letter dated June 15, 1961 assigned to Bufile 62-106572-8.

Extortion Attempts - Bufile 62-106572-8

Page 1 and Page 2, June 15, 1961 - United States Government Memorandum from A. Rosen to Mr. Belmont. FBI memo about the Seattle office investigation of the extortion attempts prompted by the MAD #63 article entitled "Mad's Modernized Elementary School Textbooks."

Page 1, June 21, 1961 - Letter from Director, FBI to SAC, New York providing a history of the extortion attempts. An experienced agent is to visit William Gaines and report results to the Crime Research Section no later than June 27, 1961.

Extortion Attempts - Bufile 62-106572-9

Page 1, June 26, 1961 - United States Government Memorandum from SAC, New York to Crime Research Section regarding an interview with Al Feldstein. William Gaines was on vacation. Feldstein states that MAD is written for readers at the college level and is surprised that children read the magazine. This was the requested report from the June 21, 1961 letter.

Extortion Attempts - Bufile 62-106572-10

Page 1 and Page 2, June 30, 1961 - United States Government Memorandum from M. A. Jones to Mr. DeLoach providing history of extortion attempts and the results from Al Feldstein's interview.

Communist or Subversive - Bufile 62-106572-11

Page 1, September 19, 1961 - Handwritten letter stating that MAD is un-American. Points out ridicule of the President and how should we alarm the parents about this magazine. A mutilated copy of the September 1961 issue of MAD was sent with the letter.

Page 1, FBI's True Copy of the above letter.

Page 1 and Page 2, September 26, 1961 - FBI's response and Note.

Communist or Subversive - Bufile 62-106572-12

Page 1, October 9, 1961 - United States Government Memorandum from W. C. Sullivan to Mr. A. H. Belmont concerning Brigadier General Clyde J. Watts being sued by E.C. Publications because of his statements about MAD downgrading the minds of our youth. For more information on this event see The MAD World of William M. Gaines, pages 224-231 or 196-204, and Completely MAD, pages 120-123.

Communist or Subversive - Bufile 62-106572-13

Page 1 and Page 2, October 17, 1961 - Handwritten letter from the "Citizens of Decent Literature" committee asking if MAD is communistic. They also want pornographic literature so that they broaden their field!

Page 1, FBI's True Copy of the above letter.

Page 1, October 24, 1961 - FBI's response and Note.

Communist or Subversive - Bufile 62-106572-14

Page 1, November 8, 1961 - Letter asking for a list of magazines in our country with a communistic slant, especially HELP and MAD magazine. Also claims he or she was told Alfred E. Neuman, an editor and writer for MAD magazine, is an avowed Communist. Notice that someone found it necessary to pen in "USA." above "our country."

Page 1 and Page 2, November 15, 1961 - FBI's response and Note. FBI makes note that Alfred E. Neuman is a fictional person.

Communist or Subversive - Bufile 62-106572-15

Page 1 and Page 2, February 9, 1962 - Handwritten letter from P.T.A. group asking if MAD is communistic. Speaker at Anti-Communism Study Course named MAD as a Communist front publication. The speaker learned that information from a Naval Training Unit film.

Page 1, FBI's True Copy of the above letter.

Page 1 and Page 2, February 16, 1962 - FBI's response and Note On Yellow.

Communist or Subversive - Bufile 62-106572-16

Page 1 and Page 2, March 8, 1962 - Letter from the Greater Knoxville Youth For Christ asking if MAD is communistic and listing many reasons they believe the magazine is that. The correspondent wants to help inform our Teen-agers of the Red Program. Also concerned with how MAD is funded without advertisements. References MAD #70, pages 15, 41, and 47.

Page 1 and Page 2, March 15, 1962 - FBI's response and Note.

Communist or Subversive - Bufile 62-106572-17

Page 1, March 13, 1962 - Handwritten letter from a school class making a booklet on communism and asking for the FBI's opinion on the magazine being communistic because the class had just been told it was.

Page 1, Envelope

Page 1, FBI's True Copy of the above letter.

Page 1 and Page 2, March 16, 1962 - FBI's response and Note.

Communist or Subversive - Bufile 62-106572-18

Page 1 and Page 2, March 20, 1962 - Handwritten letter from a 12-year-old stating why he believes MAD is communistic; it is his duty as a scout, a citizen of America, and his own feelings against communism. Sent three copies of MAD to the FBI. References fallout shelters, which must have appeared in MAD #70, page 48.

Image 1, Envelope

Page 1, FBI's True Copy of the above letter.

Page 1 and Page 2, March 26, 1962 - FBI's response and Note.

Communist or Subversive - Bufile 62-106572-19

Page 1 and Page 2, March 28, 1962 - United States Government Memorandum from SAC, Knoxville to Crime Records. Person interviewed (most likely someone from the Greater Knoxville Youth For Christ group, see 62-106572-16) is upset that the FBI is not speaking out on MAD being communistic. FBI gives him no creditability because of his rambling dissertations.

Communist or Subversive - Bufile 62-106572-20

Page 1, February 17, 1963 - Handwritten letter from student claiming that classmates and teachers are saying MAD is communistic. States the publisher is a proven communist. Wants to know if that is true, because if so he's going to stop buying the magazine.

Page 1, FBI's True Copy of the above letter.

Page 1, February 26, 1963 - FBI's response and Note. References MAD at Lafayette St, but MAD has moved their offices to 850 Third Ave during the Summer of 1961.

Communist or Subversive - Bufile 62-106572- (Original filed in 100-7254-3557)

Page 1, March 28, 1963 - Letter from student claiming teachers tell him MAD is communistic and wants to know if that is true. He wants to become FBI agent.

Page 1 and Page 2, April 3, 1963 - FBI's response and Note.

Communist or Subversive - Bufile 62-106572-21

Page 1, May 21, 1965 - Handwritten letter stating that the MAD fold-in belittles and defames patriots. She notes that this issue of MAD is released just before the July 4th celebrations. References MAD #96, the fold-in with folded image.

Image 1, Envelope

Page 1, FBI's True Copy of the above letter.

Three pages from MAD #96, July 1965 - Cover/inside-cover, pages 2/3, and back-inside-cover/back-cover. The bufile number is written on cover.

Page 1, May 26, 1965 - FBI's response and Note. References MAD at Lafayette St, but the offices are still at 850 Third Ave.

Communist or Subversive - Bufile 62-106572-22

Page 1, July 13, 1965 - Letter informing the FBI that the writer will refrain from commenting on the pages of MAD. The FBI will need to reach their own conclusions. Correspondent cancelled his subscription to MAD.

Page 1 and Page 2, June 19, 1965 - Copy of letter that the writer sent to MAD. The neighbors might be correct on him being a nut, after all he does buy Girl Scout Cookies!

Image 1, Envelope

Image 1, Back-cover from MAD #96, July 1965. The bufile number is written on inside-back-cover.

Image 1, Pages 33-36 with "MAD Interviews A 'John Birch Society' Policeman" from MAD #97, September 1965.

Communist or Subversive - Bufile 62-106572-24

Page 1, February 2, 1970 - Handwritten letter from the Indianapolis 6th Grade Class, School 79, asking if MAD is communist controlled or has communist articles.

Page 1, FBI's True Copy of the above letter.

Page 1 and Page 2, February 11, 1970 - FBI's response and Note. References MAD at Lafayette St, but MAD has moved their offices during the Summer of 1966, this time to 485 Madison Ave.

Communist or Subversive - Bufile 62-106572-25

Page 1 and Page 2, September 29, 1971 - Letter from the American Federation of Police upset over a 2 x 3-foot flag poster. The Federation went to court seeking an injunction to stop the distribution of the magazine. The Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney's Office felt the poster was a violation of the U.S. Flag Code. For more information on this event see The MAD World of William M. Gaines, pages 217-219 or 189-191.

Image 1, Images from MAD Special #5 showing masthead, table of contents, and poster.