Arthur Gelb
{{short description|American journalist and editor}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Arthur Gelb
| birth_date = {{birth date|1924|2|3}}
| birth_place = New York City, U.S.
| death_date = {{dda|2014|5|20|1924|2|3}}
| death_place = New York City, U.S.
| alma_mater = New York University
| occupation = Author, editor
| employer = The New York Times
| years_active = 1944–1989
| spouse = Barbara Gelb (until his death 2014)
| children = Peter
| relatives = David Gelb (grandson)
}}
Arthur Gelb (February 3, 1924 – May 20, 2014) was an American editor, author and executive and was the managing editor of The New York Times from 1986 to 1989.
Early life and education
Gelb was born to two Jewish immigrants from what was then Czechoslovakia and now Ukraine, in the back of his parents dress shop in East Harlem. His family later moved to the Bronx where he attended DeWitt Clinton High School.{{Cite news |last=Roberts |first=Sam |date=2014-05-20 |title=Arthur Gelb, Critic and Editor Who Shaped The Times, Dies at 90 |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/21/business/media/new-york-times-editor-arthur-gelb-dies.html |access-date=2023-10-27 |issn=0362-4331}} He attempted to join the military during World War II but was rejected due to having poor vision.{{Cite news |last=Bernstein |first=Adam |date=October 27, 2023 |title=Arthur Gelb, who transformed arts and local coverage at the New York TImes, dies at 90 |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/arthur-gelb-who-transformed-arts-and-local-coverage-at-the-new-york-times-dies-at-90/2014/05/21/6d1db0ce-e0f3-11e3-8dcc-d6b7fede081a_story.html |access-date=October 27, 2023}}
Gelb attended City College of New York but dropped out during his junior year in 1944. In 1946, Gelb graduated from New York University.
Career
Gelb began working the night shift at The Times as a copy boy in 1944.{{cite web|last=Talese |first=Gay |url=http://observer.com/2007/06/the-kingdom-and-the-tower/ |title=The Kingdom and the Tower|publisher=The New York Observer |date= 26 June 2007|accessdate=2014-02-06}} He ascended through the ranks, holding several titles in many different departments. His biggest impacts were while working in the drama department. He enjoyed the plays of Eugene O'Neill so much that he wrote a biography of the playwright (O'Neill: Life with Monte Cristo, 1974, {{ISBN|9780060114879}}) with his wife Barbara. He supported the creation of the New York Shakespeare Festival by editorializing Joseph Papp's productions. He edited a number of works such as Great Lives of the Twentieth Century ({{ISBN|978-0812916256}}). Gelb retired from The Times in 1989 as managing editor.{{cite news|last=Gelb|first=Arthur|title=Remembering Punch Sulzberger|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/01/opinion/remembering-punch-sulzberger.html?_r=0|work=The New York Times|date=October 2012 |accessdate=29 June 2013}} City Room ({{ISBN|9780399150753}}), a memoir of his life and career at The Times, was published in 2003.
After retiring from The Times, Gelb became president of The New York Times Company Foundation, which operated until 2009,{{cite news|last=Strom|first=Stephanie|date=2009-04-23|title=Foundation of The Times Suspends Gift Program|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/24/nyregion/24foundation.html|work=The New York Times|accessdate=2012-02-05}} and director of The New York Times College Scholarship Program.{{cite web|url=http://catdir.loc.gov/catdir/enhancements/fy0716/2003043154-b.html |title=Contributor biographical information for Library of Congress control number 2003043154 |publisher=Library of Congress |date= |accessdate=2014-02-06}}
Gelb received an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from the City College of New York in 1997.{{Cite web |date=2022-02-24 |title=Honorary Degree Recipients |url=https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/ccny175/honorary-degree-recipients |access-date=2023-10-27 |website=The City College of New York |language=en-us}}
Personal life
Gelb and his family lived in New York City.{{cite web|title=Arthur Gelb - About Arthur Gelb - Penguin Group (USA)|url=http://www.us.penguingroup.com/nf/Author/AuthorPage/0,,1000004548,00.html|publisher=Penguin Group|accessdate=29 June 2013}} Arthur and Barbara Gelb were the parents of Peter Gelb, general manager of the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.
Death
Gelb died on May 20, 2014, at his home in Manhattan, New York, of complications of a stroke. He was 90.{{cite news|last=Roberts|first=Sam|title=Arthur Gelb, Critic and Editor Who Shaped The Times, Dies at 90|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/21/business/media/new-york-times-editor-arthur-gelb-dies.html|newspaper=The New York Times|date=May 20, 2014}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{C-SPAN|86156}}
- [https://norman.hrc.utexas.edu/fasearch/findingAid.cfm?eadID=00162 Gelb Papers] at the Harry Ransom Center
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Category:Writers from Manhattan
Category:American newspaper editors
Category:American people of Ukrainian-Jewish descent
Category:Jewish American journalists
Category:Journalists from New York City
Category:The New York Times editors