Robert Caro Reveals Details of His Final Lyndon Johnson Biography<br /> C-SPAN's Book TV

Caro outlines the entirety of his book before he starts writing. He puts his outline onto paper which he tacks up onto cork boards across his office wall.

Caro writes everything in longhand first then types/revised it on his Smith-Corona Electra 210.

Caro only gave Gottlieb a piece of his LBJ bio draft when he ran out of money and needed an advance. Otherwise, he doesn't give his editor material until he's done.

Caro lives on the corner in Central Park West

Caro was on the 22nd floor (of 29) at 250 W. 57th Street for 22 years and wrote 3 books in a one room office. Joseph Heller had an office there as well.

SCM Electra 220 Versus Coronet Automatic 12 - YouTube<br /> by [[Joe Van Cleave]]<br /> accessed on 2025-11-01T22:48:53

The Coronet Automatics were one of the first in their line with 1/2 line spacing.

Smith-Corona Electra users:<br /> - Joyce Carol Oates - Electra 220<br /> - William Styron - Electra 210 - Robert Caro - Electra 210 (New York Times) - Allen Ginsberg - Electra - Truman Capote - Electra 110

https://www.cbs.com/shows/video/8CdH0yFjbLTaKXqHIh7X9UcODIFs1guk/

3:48 in, Carl Gottlieb with his Smith-Corona typewriter

SCM Electric Typewriters by [[Joe Van Cleave]]

Tips for cleaning the Smith-Corona 6 series electric typewriters and details about how they work.

S-C also made this series of typewriter for both Sears and Singer under their branding. (including the Singer Electric in this video.)

The belts on the electric motor and cams was originally a rubber 'V' belt which is no longer manufactured. Using 1/8" round cross-section o-rings of appropriate sizes (for water cannister applications) is the recommended replacement, however one may need to slightly move the drive motor down a bit so that the belt doesn't hit the frame of the typewriter and thereby destroying it over time.

Cleaning and lubricating the drive motors and moving pieces before using may help before trying out a typewriter which has been sitting for long periods of time.

Some later models had an electric return, which can tend to be violent. Electro 220 and Coronet Automatic 12 have an additional clutch and draw band (and lack of return lever on the carriage) for their electric returns.

Smith-Corona Electra 220 Typewriter Review by [[Joe Van Cleave]]

Some details about the internal motor workings of SCM electric typewriters.