Every era must come to an end, and so today a big one has arrived. Helen Gurley Brown, the pioneering editor of Cosmopolitan, has died at age 90. She put women’s magazine’s on the map, became a cultural icon, and a magnificent New York institution. She died after a short illness. Helen was also married to the late David Brown, one of the great great great (three greats) movie producers of all time. They were the nicest, most elegant, fun and surprising couple. It makes me sad to think that their time is finally over. David’s legacy lives in his films. Helen’s lives in Cosmo and all the careers she launched, women she inspired, girls that she educated. There is no one like her now in publishing. Her book “Sex and the Single Girl,” caused a commotion in 1965 that no one ever got over.
Liz Smith told me: “The most incredible woman I ever worked for or ever met. I never agreed with her but she gave my career a huge boost. She was a great friend.” More to come…
