Robert Collins Christopher (March 3, 1924 – June 15, 1992) was an American journalist who specialized in coverage of Japanese business and culture. From 1981 until his death, he served as administrator of the Pulitzer Prizes.

Life

A native of Thomaston, Connecticut, Christopher served in the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

in an intelligence capacity in the Pacific Theater of Operations (including the Occupation of Japan) from 1943 to 1946. Thereafter, he was graduated from

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Stat ...

with a B.A. in Oriental Studies (conferred

Phi Beta Kappa The Phi Beta Kappa Society () is the oldest academic honor society in the United States. It was founded in 1776 at the College of William & Mary in Virginia. Phi Beta Kappa aims to promote and advocate excellence in the liberal arts and sciences, ...

with exceptional distinction in the major) as a member of Elihu in 1948. After brief stints with ''Investment Dealers Digest'' (1949–50) and ''

Time Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...

'' (1950), he completed a second Army tour as an intelligence officer during the

Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...

. Following the conflict, he returned to ''Time'', where he was promoted to associate editor (1956-1961) and thence senior editor of the United States and world business sections (1961-1963). He held a variety of positions at ''

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 ...

'' over the next sixteen years, including foreign editor (1963-1969), executive editor (1969-1972), founding editor of the periodical's international edition (1972-1977) and contributing editor (1977-1979). From 1979 to 1981, he was managing editor of '' GEO''. Christopher served as the secretary of Pulitzer Prize Board and administrator of the Prizes at

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

(where he also taught as an adjunct professor of journalism) from 1981 until his death. He was the first Prize administrator to be recruited directly from the profession; both his immediate predecessor (Richard T. Baker) and the inaugural secretary (John Hohenberg) were already tenured members of the faculty of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism upon assuming the post. During this period, he wrote several books on

international business International business refers to the trade of goods and service goods, services, technology, capital and/or knowledge across national borders and at a global or transnational scale. It includes all commercial activities that promote the transfer o ...

and contemporary affairs, including ''The Japanese Mind: The Goliath Explained'' (1983) and ''Crashing the Gates: The De-WASPing of America's Power Elite'' (1989). A member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Century Association, Christopher resided in

Old Lyme, Connecticut Old Lyme is a coastal town in New London County, Connecticut, United States, bounded on the west by the Connecticut River, on the south by the Long Island Sound, on the east by the town of East Lyme, and on the north by the town of Lyme. The town ...

. He died from emphysema on June 14, 1992, at the age of 68 in

New London, Connecticut New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States, located at the outlet of the Thames River (Connecticut), Thames River in New London County, Connecticut, which empties into Long Island Sound. The cit ...

. Upon his death, Pulitzer Prize Board chair Claude Sitton remarked that Christopher was "personally a warm and wonderful fellow who was admired by all."

References

American male journalists 20th-century American journalists 1992 deaths Deaths from emphysema 1924 births United States Army personnel of World War II {{US-journalist-1920s-stub