Gilman Kraft (April 22, 1926 – June 27, 1999) was an American publisher and former owner of Playbill.[1]

Biography

Kraft was born in Union City, New Jersey on April 22, 1926. During World War II, he served as a Japanese linguist.[2][3] After graduating from Columbia College in 1947, he founded the Reader's Subscription book club in 1951, and hired Lionel Trilling, Jacques Barzun, and W. H. Auden as editors.[4][5]

In 1957, Kraft took over the then-flagging Broadway program service Playbill and operated it for ten years.[6] He was also publisher of Show magazine in 1965 and 1966. He then moved to Los Angeles to found Performing Arts in 1966, while also investing in commercial and residential real estate. The magazine he founded provides printed programs for the Los Angeles County Music Center, the Orange County Performing Arts Center, San Francisco Opera and Ballet, the Pasadena Playhouse and more than 40 other venues in California.[7]

Personal life

Kraft was married to Ruth Kraft.[8] He died on June 27, 1999, in Beverly Hills, California at age 73.[9] His brother is the syndicated columnist Joseph Kraft, whose work landed him on the master list of Nixon's political opponents.

References

  1. ↑ "Gilman Kraft". NewsTimes. 1999-07-02. Retrieved 2023-12-15.
  2. ↑ "Gilman Kraft, 73, Performing Arts Publisher". The New York Times. July 5, 1999. Archived from the original on May 27, 2015. Retrieved January 19, 2022. Mr. Kraft was born in Union City, N.J., on April 22, 1926, and worked during World War II as a linguist with the United States Army.
  3. ↑ "Gilman Kraft, Former Playbill Owner & Founder of CA's Performing Arts, Dies June 27". Playbill. Retrieved 2022-01-18.
  4. ↑ "Reader's Subscription". Oxford Reference. Retrieved 2022-01-18.
  5. ↑ "Culture Club". The New Yorker. 2001-10-08. Retrieved 2022-01-18.
  6. ↑ Oliver, Myrna (1999-07-01). "Gilman Kraft; Published Theater Playbills". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2022-01-18.
  7. ↑ "Gilman Kraft, Former Playbill Owner & Founder of CA's Performing Arts, Dies June 27". Playbill. Retrieved 2022-01-18.
  8. ↑ Barnes, Mike (2013-05-12). "Ruth Kraft, Co-Founder of 'Performing Arts' Magazine, Dies at 86". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2022-01-18.
  9. ↑ "Gilman Kraft, 73, Performing Arts Publisher". The New York Times. 1999-07-05. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-12-15.
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