Forbes, Malcolm

Forbes, Malcolm, 1919–90, American publisher, b. Englewood, N.J. The third son of a Scottish immigrant who founded Forbes magazine in 1917, he graduated from Princeton Univ. (1941), and became publisher of the magazine on his father's death (1954). Under his leadership, the publication became one of America's most successful business magazines, with a circulation of 735,000. Its annual list of the richest 400 people in America is one of the most widely quoted sources on the subject of wealth in the United States. Forbes ran unsuccessfully for governor of New Jersey (1957) and used his magazine and numerous books to praise the virtues of laissez-faire capitalism. He was worth at least $400 million at his death. The family continues to run the magazine.

Bibliography

See A. Jones, Malcolm Forbes (1977); C. Winans, The Man Who Had Everything (1990).

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Forbes, Malcolm (Stevenson) (1919–90) publisher; born in New York City. In 1957 he became editor and publisher of Forbes, a then-floundering business magazine founded by his father 40 years before. Circulation and profits soared, making him a multimillionaire; he became known for his extravagant parties and colorful hobbies, from hot-air ballooning to collecting Fabergé eggs.