New York Publishing Veteran James Brady Dies

Former editor of New York, WWD, Fairchild publisher created Page Six.

By Dylan Stableford
01/28/2009

James Brady, a writer, editor and longtime publishing industry veteran who worked at a slew of New York-based publications and founded two of its most popular columns, has died. He was 80.

Brady, who worked his way up from a business reporter at Women’s Wear Daily to bureau chief, editorial director and eventually publisher, is credited with creating Page Six, the New York Post’s popular gossip column, and New York magazine’s Intelligencer.

His resumé in publishing included a stint as London bureau chief for Fairchild in 1959, then the as the company’s bureau chief and European director in Paris; VP, editor and publisher of Harper's Bazaar; editor of Rupert Murdoch’s new tabloid weekly, Star; associate publisher of the New York Post; and as editor of New York, succeeding its founding editor, Clay Felker.

Brady also was nominated for (and won) several Emmy Awards for his work as a television talk show host, including one he did for New York magazine.

As a bestselling author, Brady published several books. The Coldest War, about his time as a Marine, published in 1990, was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize.

Most recently, Brady wrote a celebrity profile column for Parade and a media column for Forbes.com.