Occupation Publisher Died May 30, 1986 | Ethnicity Jewish Name Donald Klopfer | |
Born Donald S. KlopferJanuary 1, 1902New York, New York ( 1902-01-01 ) Spouse Marian AnnsbackerFlorence Selwyn (193_–71)Kathleen (Katie) Scofield Louchheim (1981–his death) Children Charles A. Wimpfheimer (Step)Lois Levy Books Donald S. Klopfer: An Appreciation People also search for Bennett Cerf, Horace Liveright, Christopher Coombes | ||
Donald Simon Klopfer (1902 – May 30, 1986) was an American publisher, one of the founders of American publishing firm Random House, along with Bennett Cerf. Klopfer was the quiet inside businessman to Cerf's quite-visible and gregarious "Mr. Outside" personality.
Contents
Biography
Klopfer was born to a Jewish family in New York City. As a young man, he worked for his step-father who was a diamond cutter in Newark, New Jersey. In 1925, his friend Bennett Cerf presented with him an opportunity to buy for $200,000 the classic imprint, Modern Library, from Boni & Liveright. Cerf and Donald Klopfer formed a partnership, completed the purchase, and they went into business for themselves as 50/50 partners. They increased the series' popularity, and in 1927 began publishing general trade books which they had selected "at random." Thus began their publishing business, which in time they named Random House. It used as its logo a little house drawn by Cerf's friend and fellow Columbia alumnus Rockwell Kent. Cerf's talent in building and maintaining relationships brought contracts with such writers as William Faulkner, John O'Hara, Eugene O'Neill, James Michener, Truman Capote, Theodor Seuss Geisel, and others. Klopfer ran the business and book production.
Cerf and Klopfer were both prominent Jewish businessmen, and in 1967 Klopfer resigned from the American Council for Judaism after the Council issued a statement which Klopfer and other Jewish leaders found to be repugnant.
Cerf retired in 1970, with Klopfer succeeding him as Chairman, only to retire himself in 1975.
Awards
Before his death Klopfer was awarded an honorary degree by Williams College in spite of never having completed his degree requirements.
Personal and death
Klopfer's first wife, Florence Selwyn, died in 1971, and a decade later Klopfer married the well-known writer and Democratic political activist Katie Louchheim.
Klopfer died at Lennox Hill Hospital in New York, New York, on May 30, 1986, aged 84. Klopfer was survived by his second wife, a step-son, C.A. "Tony" Wimpfheimer (with his first wife), and a daughter, Lois Klopfer Levy.
Works
Random House published a book of collected World War II letters titled Dear Donald, Dear Bennett: the wartime correspondence of Donald Klopfer and Bennett Cerf which is still in print as of 2013.