Sylvan Fox
Encyclopedia
Sylvan Fox was an American journalist and Pulitzer Prize
winner. He worked as a reporter at several newspapers in upstate New York
before he came to the New York City
-based World-Telegram newspaper. He wrote one of the first books critical of the 1964 report by the Warren Commission
on the assassination of President John F. Kennedy
, The Unanswered Questions about the Kennedy Assassination (Award, 1965). From 1967 to 1973, he worked as a reporter and editor at the New York Times, including a stint as the Saigon bureau chief in 1973. He went on to spend 15 years at Newsday
, where he was editorial page editor from 1979 to 1988.
Fox was a reporter at The New York World-Telegram when, on March 1, 1962, he was part of a team assigned to cover an airplane crash on Long Island that killed all 95 passengers. Fox worked the facts provided by other reporters on the scene and delivered an article within thirty minutes of the accident. He rewrote the article for seven editions of the paper, adding new details as they came in. Within 90 minutes of the crash, he had produced a 3,000-word story. The Pulitzer was awarded to Fox and two colleagues in the since-abandoned category of "local story, edition time".
Fox grew up in Brooklyn
. He was a classically trained pianist and spent four years at the Juilliard School of Music, but left without a degree because of his decision to change his major from piano to musical composition. It was at Juilliard that he met Gloria Endleman, a fellow piano student, who became his wife and survives him. Sylvan Fox graduated from Brooklyn College
with a degree in philosophy, then earned a master's degree in musicology
from the University of California, Berkeley
.
He died, aged 79, in New York University
's Medical Center from complications from pneumonia.
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
winner. He worked as a reporter at several newspapers in upstate New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
before he came to the New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
-based World-Telegram newspaper. He wrote one of the first books critical of the 1964 report by the Warren Commission
Warren Commission
The President's Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy, known unofficially as the Warren Commission, was established on November 27, 1963, by Lyndon B. Johnson to investigate the assassination of United States President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963...
on the assassination of President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
, The Unanswered Questions about the Kennedy Assassination (Award, 1965). From 1967 to 1973, he worked as a reporter and editor at the New York Times, including a stint as the Saigon bureau chief in 1973. He went on to spend 15 years at Newsday
Newsday
Newsday is a daily American newspaper that primarily serves Nassau and Suffolk counties and the New York City borough of Queens on Long Island, although it is sold throughout the New York metropolitan area...
, where he was editorial page editor from 1979 to 1988.
Fox was a reporter at The New York World-Telegram when, on March 1, 1962, he was part of a team assigned to cover an airplane crash on Long Island that killed all 95 passengers. Fox worked the facts provided by other reporters on the scene and delivered an article within thirty minutes of the accident. He rewrote the article for seven editions of the paper, adding new details as they came in. Within 90 minutes of the crash, he had produced a 3,000-word story. The Pulitzer was awarded to Fox and two colleagues in the since-abandoned category of "local story, edition time".
Fox grew up in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
. He was a classically trained pianist and spent four years at the Juilliard School of Music, but left without a degree because of his decision to change his major from piano to musical composition. It was at Juilliard that he met Gloria Endleman, a fellow piano student, who became his wife and survives him. Sylvan Fox graduated from Brooklyn College
Brooklyn College
Brooklyn College is a senior college of the City University of New York, located in Brooklyn, New York, United States.Established in 1930 by the New York City Board of Higher Education, the College had its beginnings as the Downtown Brooklyn branches of Hunter College and the City College of New...
with a degree in philosophy, then earned a master's degree in musicology
Musicology
Musicology is the scholarly study of music. The word is used in narrow, broad and intermediate senses. In the narrow sense, musicology is confined to the music history of Western culture...
from the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
.
He died, aged 79, in New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
's Medical Center from complications from pneumonia.