Helen Gurley Brown: Difference between revisions

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===Publishing===
  
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In 1962, when she was 40, her book ''[[Sex and the Single Girl]]'' was published.<ref name="scanlonix">Scanlon 2009, p. ix.</ref> It was published in 28 countries, and stayed on the lists of bestselling books for over a year.<ref>{{cite web |title=Helen Gurley Brown dies at 90 |date=August 13, 2012 |accessdate=August 14, 2012 |work=Chicago Tribune |url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-08-13/entertainment/sns-201208131726reedbusivarietynvr1118057768-20120813_1_single-girl-gurley-brown-cosmopolitan |deadurl=no |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/69vKrqjIR |archivedate=August 14, 2012}}</ref> In 1964 the book inspired a [[Sex and the Single Girl (film)|film of the same name]] starring [[Natalie Wood]]. In 1965, she became editor-in-chief of ''Cosmopolitan'' and reversed the fortunes of the failing magazine. During the decade of the 1960s she was an outspoken advocate of women's [[Sexual norm|sexual freedom]] and sought to provide them with role-models and a guide in her magazine. She claimed that women could have it all, "love, sex, and money", a view that even preceding feminists such as [[Betty Friedan]] and [[Germaine Greer]] did not support at all and has been met with notable opposition by advocates of grass-roots devotion of women to family and marriage.<ref>{{cite web |title=Feminism, childcare, and family mental health: have women been misled by equality feminism? |first=Peter S. |last=Cook |year=2004|accessdate=April 28, 2009 |work=The Natural Child Project |url=http://www.naturalchild.com/peter_cook/feminism.html |archivedate=August 13, 2012 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/69tfpWkJ5 |deadurl=no}}</ref> Due to her advocacy, glamorous, fashion-focused women were sometimes called "Cosmo Girls". Her work played a part in what is often called the [[Sexual revolution#Nonfiction sex manuals|sexual revolution]].
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In 1962, when she was 40, her book ''[[Sex and the Single Girl]]'' was published.<ref name="scanlonix">Scanlon 2009, p. ix.</ref> It was published in 28 countries, and stayed on the lists of bestselling books for over a year.<ref>{{cite web |title=Helen Gurley Brown dies at 90 |date=August 13, 2012 |accessdate=August 14, 2012 |work=Chicago Tribune |url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-08-13/entertainment/sns-201208131726reedbusivarietynvr1118057768-20120813_1_single-girl-gurley-brown-cosmopolitan |deadurl=no |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/69vKrqjIR |archivedate=August 14, 2012}}</ref> In 1964 the book inspired a [[Sex and the Single Girl (film)|film of the same name]] starring [[Natalie Wood]]. In 1965, she became editor-in-chief of ''Cosmopolitan'' and reversed the fortunes of the failing magazine. During the decade of the 1960s she was an outspoken advocate of women's [[Sexual norm|sexual freedom]] and sought to provide them with role-models and a guide in her magazine. She claimed that women could have it all, "love, sex, and money". Due to her advocacy, glamorous, fashion-focused women were sometimes called "Cosmo Girls". Her work played a part in what is often called the [[Sexual revolution#Nonfiction sex manuals|sexual revolution]].
   
 
In 1997, Brown was ousted from her role as the U.S. editor of ''[[Cosmopolitan (magazine)|Cosmopolitan]]''<ref name="scanlonxiv">Scanlon 2009, p. xiv.</ref> and was replaced by [[Bonnie Fuller]]. When she left, ''Cosmopolitan'' ranked sixth at the newsstand, and for the 16th straight year, ranked first in bookstores on college campuses.<ref name="scanlonxiv"/> However, she stayed on at [[Hearst Corporation|Hearst]] publishing and remained the international editor for all 59 international editions of ''Cosmo'' until her death on August 13, 2012.<ref name="scanlonxiv"/>
  
In 1997, Brown was ousted from her role as the U.S. editor of ''[[Cosmopolitan (magazine)|Cosmopolitan]]''<ref name="scanlonxiv">Scanlon 2009, p. xiv.</ref> and was replaced by [[Bonnie Fuller]]. When she left, ''Cosmopolitan'' ranked sixth at the newsstand, and for the 16th straight year, ranked first in bookstores on college campuses.<ref name="scanlonxiv"/> However, she stayed on at [[Hearst Corporation|Hearst]] publishing and remained the international editor for all 59 international editions of ''Cosmo'' until her death on August 13, 2012.<ref name="scanlonxiv"/>

Revision as of 06:41, 8 December 2012

Helen Gurley Brown
Helen Gurley Brown 1964.jpg
Helen Gurley Brown in 1964
Born
Helen Marie Gurley[1]

(1922-02-18)February 18, 1922
Green Forest, Arkansas, United States[2]
DiedAugust 13, 2012(2012-08-13) (aged 90)
New York City, New York, United States
OccupationInternational Editor, Cosmopolitan
Notable credit(s)
Editor-in-chief, Cosmopolitan
TitleInternational Editor, Cosmopolitan; Former editor-in-chief, U.S. Cosmopolitan
Spouse(s)David Brown
(m. 1959–2010; his death)

Helen Gurley Brown (February 18, 1922 – August 13, 2012)[3] was an American author, publisher, and businesswoman. She was the editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan magazine for 32 years.[4]

Life and career

Early life

Brown was born Helen Marie Gurley in Green Forest, Arkansas, the daughter of Cleo and Ira Marvin Gurley.[5] Her mother was born in Alpena, Arkansas and died in 1980.[5][6] Her father was once appointed Commissioner of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.[7] The family moved to Little Rock, Arkansas, after Ira won an election to the Arkansas state legislature.[6] He died in an elevator accident on June 18, 1932.[8] In 1937, Brown, her sister Mary, and their mother moved to Los Angeles, California.[9] A few months after moving, Mary contracted polio.[9] While in California, Brown attended John H. Francis Polytechnic High School.[10]

After Brown's graduation, the family moved to Warm Springs, Georgia.[11] Brown attended one semester at Texas State College for Women and then moved back to California to attend Woodbury Business College.[11] She graduated in 1941.[12] In 1947, Cleo and Mary moved to Osage, Arkansas, while Brown stayed in Los Angeles.[13]

After working at the William Morris Agency, Music Corporation of America, and Jaffe talent agencies she went to work for Foote, Cone & Belding advertising agency as a secretary.[14] Her employer recognized her writing skills and moved her to the copywriting department where she advanced rapidly to become one of the nation's highest paid ad copywriters in the early 1960s. In 1959 she married David Brown, who would go on to become the producer or co-producer of such classic films as The Sting, Jaws, Cocoon, Driving Miss Daisy, as well as other motion pictures.

Publishing

In 1962, when she was 40, her book Sex and the Single Girl was published.[15] It was published in 28 countries, and stayed on the lists of bestselling books for over a year.[16] In 1964 the book inspired a film of the same name starring Natalie Wood. In 1965, she became editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan and reversed the fortunes of the failing magazine. During the decade of the 1960s she was an outspoken advocate of women's sexual freedom and sought to provide them with role-models and a guide in her magazine. She claimed that women could have it all, "love, sex, and money". Due to her advocacy, glamorous, fashion-focused women were sometimes called "Cosmo Girls". Her work played a part in what is often called the sexual revolution.

In 1997, Brown was ousted from her role as the U.S. editor of Cosmopolitan[17] and was replaced by Bonnie Fuller. When she left, Cosmopolitan ranked sixth at the newsstand, and for the 16th straight year, ranked first in bookstores on college campuses.[17] However, she stayed on at Hearst publishing and remained the international editor for all 59 international editions of Cosmo until her death on August 13, 2012.[17]

In September, 2008, she was named the 13th most powerful American over the age of 80 by Slate magazine.[18]

After more than 50 years of marriage, her husband, David Brown, predeceased her at the age of 93 on February 1, 2010.[19][20]

Together with her husband David, Helen Gurley established the David and Helen Gurley Brown Institute for Media Innovation.[21] This institution will be housed at both the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and Stanford's Engineering School. Their $30 million donation to the two schools will be used to develop journalism in the context of new technologies.[21]

Death

Brown died at the McKeen Pavilion at New York–Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia after a brief hospitalization; she was 90.[22] In its statement announcing the news, Hearst Publications did not disclose a cause.[23] The company said, "Helen was one of the world’s most recognized magazine editors and book authors, and a true pioneer for women in journalism—and beyond."[24] Entertainment Weekly said that "Gurley Brown will be remembered for her impact on the publishing industry, her contributions to the culture at large, and sly quips like her famous line: 'Good girls go to heaven. Bad girls go everywhere.'"[25] New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg in a statement said, "Today New York City lost a pioneer who reshaped not only the entire media industry, but the nation's culture. She was a role model for the millions of women whose private thoughts, wonders and dreams she addressed so brilliantly in print."[26]

Awards

  • 1985 Matrix Award from New York Women in Communications[27]
  • 1995: Henry Johnson Fisher Award from the Magazine Publishers of America[27]
  • 1996: American Society of Magazine Editors' Hall of Fame Award[27]
  • 1998 Editor of the Year by Advertising Age magazine[28]

Works

Footnotes

  1. ^ Hendricks, Nancy. "Helen Marie Gurley Brown". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. The Central Arkansas Library System. Archived from the original on August 15, 2012. Retrieved August 15, 2012. Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ Scanlon 2009, p. 1.
  3. ^ "Helen Gurley Brown". The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group. August 14, 2012. Archived from the original on August 15, 2012. Retrieved August 15, 2012. Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ Garner 2009.
  5. ^ a b Scanlon 2009, p. 2.
  6. ^ a b Scanlon 2009, p. 3.
  7. ^ Scanlon 2009, p. 6.
  8. ^ Scanlon 2009, p. 7.
  9. ^ a b Scanlon 2009, p. 12.
  10. ^ Scanlon 2009, p. 14.
  11. ^ a b Scanlon 2009, p. 17.
  12. ^ Scanlon 2009, p. 18.
  13. ^ Scanlon 2009, p. 22.
  14. ^ Scanlon 2009, p. 26.
  15. ^ Scanlon 2009, p. ix.
  16. ^ "Helen Gurley Brown dies at 90". Chicago Tribune. August 13, 2012. Archived from the original on August 14, 2012. Retrieved August 14, 2012. Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  17. ^ a b c Scanlon 2009, p. xiv.
  18. ^ "80 Over 80: The most powerful octogenarians in America". Slate. September 11, 2008. Archived from the original on August 13, 2012. Retrieved April 22, 2009. Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  19. ^ Weber, Bruce (February 2, 2010). "David Brown, Film and Stage Producer, Dies at 93". The New York Times. p. A25. Archived from the original on February 2, 2010. Retrieved February 2, 2010. Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  20. ^ McLellan, Dennis (February 2, 2010). "David Brown dies at 93; producer of 'Jaws,' 'The Sting'". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on February 2, 2010. Retrieved February 2, 2010. Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  21. ^ a b "Cosmo editor ponies up $30 million for the future of news". CNET. January 30, 2012. Archived from the original on August 13, 2012. Retrieved January 30, 2012. Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  22. ^ Oldenburg, Ann (August 13, 2012). "'Cosmo' grand dame Helen Gurley Brown dies at age 90". USA Today. Archived from the original on August 13, 2012. Retrieved August 13, 2012. Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  23. ^ Carlisle, Kate (August 13, 2012). "Helen Gurley Brown dies; editor of Cosmo and author of 'Sex and the Single Girl' was 90". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 13, 2012.
  24. ^ Haughney, Christine (August 13, 2012). "Helen Gurley Brown, Who Gave Cosmopolitan Its Purr, Is Dead at 90". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 13, 2012,. Retrieved August 13, 2012. Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help); Check date values in: |archivedate= (help)CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  25. ^ Busis, Hillary (August 13, 2012). "'Cosmopolitan' editor-in-chief Helen Gurley Brown has died at 90". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on August 13, 2012. Retrieved August 13, 2012. Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  26. ^ "Former Cosmopolitan editor and author Helen Gurley Brown dies". NBC News. Associated Press. August 13, 2012. Archived from the original on August 13, 2012. Retrieved August 13, 2012. Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  27. ^ a b c "Legendary editor Helen Gurley Brown dies". Times Union. Albany, NY. August 13, 2012. Archived from the original on August 13, 2012. Retrieved August 13, 2012. Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  28. ^ "Cosmo editor moves to Glamour: Helen Gurley Brown successor leaves after 18 months at the helm". The Dallas Morning News. Associated Press. August 11, 1998. Retrieved August 13, 2012.

References

External links

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