Clair Maxwell (1890–1957) was a 20th-century American magazine publisher.

Early years

Maxwell was born in 1890 in

South Dakota South Dakota (; Sioux language, Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state in the West North Central states, North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Lakota people, Lakota and Dakota peo ...

. He was one of eight children, including brothers: Lee Maxwell; President of Crowell Publishing Company, Ray G. Maxwell; advertising agent, and Lloyd Maxwell; of Williams & Cunnyngham agency in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

Before ''Life''

Maxwell served in

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

as a transport pilot. In 1918 he married Dorothy Boyden, daughter of a Chicago jeweler and a graduate of the

University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, U of C, or UChi) is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its main campus is located in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood. The University of Chicago is consistently ranked among the b ...

. He and Dorothy had three children, Clair Maxwell Jr., Joan Maxwell Alvarez (

television producer A television producer is a person who oversees one or more aspects of video production on a television show, television program. Some producers take more of an executive role, in that they conceive new programs and pitch them to the television net ...

), and Hope Tate.

''Life'' magazine

He was the publisher of ''Life'' magazine (when it was a general interest magazine) from 1921 to 1942. He acquired the magazine on the verge of financial ruin, and brought it back to being profitable after years of modifying its format and editorial style. After selling the business to

Henry Luce Henry Robinson Luce (April 3, 1898 – February 28, 1967) was an American magazine magnate who founded ''Time'', ''Life'', ''Fortune'', and ''Sports Illustrated'' magazine. He has been called "the most influential private citizen in the America ...

in 1942 he worked for Luce for a short time before retiring to St. Augustine, Florida.

After ''Life''

Maxwell became a partner in a liquor

distribution company Distribution (or place) is one of the four elements of the marketing mix. Distribution is the process of making a product or service available for the consumer or business user who needs it. This can be done directly by the producer or service p ...

serving northern and central

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

. He died in September 1957 from a smoking-related disease now known as congestive obstructive pulmonary disorder.

Golf

Maxwell was an enthusiastic golfer. The "four Brothers Maxwell" (Clair/Lee/Ray/Lloyd) had a standing challenge to any other foursome of one family, or any foursome of the publishing business. In 1931 when the

USGA The United States Golf Association (USGA) is the United States national association of golf courses, clubs and facilities and the governing body of golf for the U.S. and Mexico. Together with The R&A, the USGA produces and interprets the rules ...

had approved a new tour

ball A ball is a round object (usually spherical, but can sometimes be ovoid) with several uses. It is used in ball games, where the play of the game follows the state of the ball as it is hit, kicked or thrown by players. Balls can also be used f ...

, Maxwell had a strong personal opinion of the new ball, which he widely publicized. He called it a "cross between a ping-pong globule and a Mexican jumping bean"."Sport: Ball Crusade"
''Time''. June 1, 1931.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Maxwell, Clair American male journalists 20th-century American journalists 1890 births 1957 deaths American magazine publishers (people)