Dan's Papers -February 27, 2009 - Twentysomething: Morning At The Beach

James Brady, a pillar of the New York City media scene and literary world died after collapsing in his Manhattan apartment January 26, at the age of 80.

Brady was born and raised in Sheepshead Bay in Brooklyn, and attended Manhattan College while working at the New York Daily News as a copy boy. After graduation, at the age of 21, he joined the Marines and went off to fight in the Korean War, seeing much action in the mountains of that far away place during the next two years as head of a rifle platoon. He was awarded the Bronze Star for his service.

Upon his return, he embarked on what was to be a highly successful career in the New York City magazine world. His first job was to cover business news for Women's Wear Daily, which sent him to Washington, London and Paris to successfully run the businesses there. He approached his work with enthusiasm and discipline, attributes he had learned as a soldier, and he enjoyed writing about the comings and goings of high society, fashion, the literary world and business at that time.

In 1958, he married Florence Kelly, who survives him. Also surviving him is his daughter, Fiona, who lives in Riverdale.

During the next 30 years, Brady held many key positions in the New York City media scene. He became publisher of Women's Wear Daily, started its spinoff publication, W, and was editor of Harper's Bazaar. He developed the "Intelligencer" column for New York magazine, then when Rupert Murdoch bought New York from founder Clay Felker (it was said the deal was done at East Hampton's Main Beach one weekend morning) traveled to edit and publish Murdoch's overseas tabloid, The National Star, in Australia and Britain and then when Murdoch bought The New York Post, came back to New York to begin editing "Page Six," which he named and either founded or co-founded (depending upon who told the story.)

In 1977, he began his social column in Advertising Age, which continued until two weeks before his passing. In 1984, Crain's New York Business started up and he ran a second column concurrently with the one in Advertising Age. Two years later, he began writing profiles for Parade magazine. His last one, on Kevin Bacon, appeared on February 15.

Around 1990, at the age of 60, Brady began a second career, writing books. He wrote novels about society, many set in East Hampton, where he had a summer home in the Georgica section. (He could often be seen jogging along the lanes there in the mornings.) Others were about his time in the Marines. His best seller was the memoir The Coldest War (1990), which was followed by The Marines of Autumn (2000), The Marine (2003), The Scariest Place in the World (2005) and Hero of the Pacific: The Life of Legendary Marine John Basilone, which will be published in November.

Brady was a handsome man of great dignity, intelligence and vigor. He lived long, loved friends and family to the fullest, and made a considerable contribution to contemporary America.