Frederick Sessions Beebe (February 20, 1914 – May 1, 1973) was an American lawyer and chairman of the board of ''The Washington Post'' Company.

Early life

Fritz Beebe was born in Utica, New York to Harry R. Beebe, a civil engineer, and Mertice Beebe. He spent most of his early years in Utica. In 1931 he matriculated at

Dartmouth College Dartmouth College ( ) is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. Established in 1769 by Eleazar Wheelock, Dartmouth is one of the nine colonial colleges chartered before the America ...

graduating in 1935 and later attended

Yale Law School Yale Law School (YLS) is the law school of Yale University, a Private university, private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. It was established in 1824. The 2020–21 acceptance rate was 4%, the lowest of any law school in the United ...

where he received his degree in 1938. While at Yale he was selected as an editor of ''The Law Journal''. In May 1943 he enlisted in the U.S. Navy.

Career

When The Washington Post purchased

Newsweek ''Newsweek'' is an American weekly news magazine based in New York City. Founded as a weekly print magazine in 1933, it was widely distributed during the 20th century and has had many notable editors-in-chief. It is currently co-owned by Dev P ...

in 1961, Beebe handled all of the details of the acquisition. After completion of the transaction

Phil Graham Philip Leslie Graham (July 18, 1915 – August 3, 1963) was an American newspaperman. He served as publisher and later co-owner of ''The Washington Post'' and its parent company, The Washington Post Company. During his years with the Post Co ...

, owner of the company, asked Beebe to accept the position of Chairman of the Board of the Washington Post Company and oversee Newsweek from New York. He accepted the offer and resigned from the law firm.

Personal life

On July 20, 1939, he married Liane Petzl-Basny in New York City.

Death

Beebe died on May 1, 1973, at the Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City. The cause of death was intestinal cancer. He is buried in

Sleepy Hollow Cemetery Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Sleepy Hollow, New York, is the cemetery, final resting place of numerous famous figures, including Washington Irving, whose 1820 short story "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" is set in the adjacent burying ground of the ...

near Tarrytown, New York.

Accomplishments and recognition

* The Frederick Sessions Beebe '35 Professorship in the Art of Writing.

* Director, member of the board of governors of the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...

Association *

American Stock Exchange NYSE American, formerly known as the American Stock Exchange (AMEX), and more recently as NYSE MKT, is an American stock exchange situated in New York City. AMEX was previously a mutual organization, owned by its members. Until 1953, it was known ...

Advisory Committee * Member of the

National Industrial Conference Board The Conference Board, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit business membership and research organization. It counts over 1,000 public and private corporations and other organizations as members, encompassing 60 countries. The Board convenes confere ...

* Beebe was portrayed by actor

Tracy Letts Tracy S. Letts (born July 4, 1965) is an American actor, playwright, and screenwriter. He started his career at the Steppenwolf Theatre before making his Broadway debut as a playwright for '' August: Osage County'' (2007), for which he received t ...

in the 2017 film '' The Post''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Beebe, Fritz 1914 births 1973 deaths 20th-century American publishers (people) Burials at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery The Washington Post people People from Utica, New York Dartmouth College alumni Yale Law School alumni American corporate directors Lawyers from New York City Deaths from small intestine cancer Deaths from cancer in New York (state) United States Navy personnel of World War II Newsweek people