born Nov. 6, 1892, Aspen, Colo., U.S.
died Dec. 6, 1951, Boston, Mass.
U.S. editor.
He worked as a reporter and editor before launching The New Yorker in 1925 with the financial backing of a wealthy friend. The new magazine soon attracted established writers and artists as well as young talent drawn by its innovative style and Ross's encouragement. His famously unvarnished speech and bluster, which seemed at odds with his magazine's sophistication, masked extraordinary editorial instincts and capacities. Ross remained the guiding force behind The New Yorker until his death, though he relinquished many of his duties in his later years.