Life (magazine)
Henry Luce purchased the name Life magazine for ninety-two thousand dollars in 1936. He wanted to use that name for his company Time Inc. The first issue of this new version appeared on the 23rd of November 1936. It cost readers only ten cents and contained five pages of Alfred Eisenstaedt's photographs. Luce believed pictures could tell a story instead of just illustrating text. His confidential prospectus described a publication where Americans would see life itself. The magazine promised to show the faces of the poor and the gestures of the proud. It aimed to display machines, armies, multitudes, and shadows in the jungle. This vision made Life the definitive photo magazine in the United States during its early years.
Life covered World War II closely after the U.S. entered the conflict in 1941. By 1944, seven of the forty Time and Life war correspondents were women. Mary Welsh Hemingway, Margaret Bourke-White, Lael Tucker, Peggy Durdin, Shelley Smith Mydans, Annalee Jacoby, and Jacqueline Saix formed part of the team. Robert Capa joined the staff in July 1943 to cover Sicilian and Italian campaigns. He accompanied the first wave of the D-Day invasion on the 6th of June 1944. Capa returned with only a handful of images that appeared out of focus. The magazine captions stated his hands shook, though he claimed the darkroom ruined his negatives. Bob Landry also went in with the first wave at Normandy but lost all his film and shoes. These photographers brought photographs of the war directly to American homes every week.
November 1954 marked a historic moment when actress Dorothy Dandridge became the first African-American woman on the magazine's cover. Paul Welch published an article titled Homosexuality in America in June 1964. This was the first time a national mainstream publication reported on gay issues. The photographer visited the Tool Box leather bar in San Francisco for the story. Chuck Arnett painted a mural of life-size leathermen there in 1962. The article described San Francisco as The Gay Capital of America. Gordon Parks used photography as a weapon against things he disliked about the universe. In March 1966, Life featured a cover story on LSD before it was criminalized. R. Gordon Wasson wrote about magic mushrooms in 1957 which prompted Albert Hofmann to isolate psilocybin in 1958.
Television popularity caused readership to decline by the end of the 1950s. Time Inc. announced plans to reduce the regular newsstand price from twenty-five cents to twenty cents in May 1959. Gary Valk served as publisher when the magazine ceased weekly publication at the end of 1972. The final issue appeared on the 29th of December 1972. Circulation dropped from eight point five million to seven million in January 1971. It fell further to five point five million starting with the 14th of January 1972 issue. Costs rose faster than profits despite the magazine not losing money directly. Support for Clifford Irving's fraudulent autobiography damaged credibility in January 1972. Ninety-six percent of circulation went to mail subscribers while only four percent came from profitable newsstand sales.
Time Inc. published ten Life Special Reports between 1972 and 1978 on themes like The Spirit of Israel. These issues sold between five hundred thousand and one million copies at cover prices up to two dollars. October 1978 brought a monthly format with a new logo that remained a red rectangle. The circulation hovered around one point five million during this era. March 2000 saw Time Inc. announce the cessation of regular publication with the May issue. Don Logan stated the magazine was still in the black but struggled to find its identity. A human interest story about George Story titled A Life Ends became the last issue. Subscribers received other magazines like Time as compensation. November 2004 marked a second revival as a free supplement to U.S. newspapers. This version measured nine and a half by eleven and a half inches.
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Common questions
When did Henry Luce purchase the name Life magazine?
Henry Luce purchased the name Life magazine for ninety-two thousand dollars in 1936. The first issue of this new version appeared on the 23rd of November 1936.
Who were the women war correspondents featured in Life during World War II?
By 1944, seven of the forty Time and Life war correspondents were women including Mary Welsh Hemingway, Margaret Bourke-White, Lael Tucker, Peggy Durdin, Shelley Smith Mydans, Annalee Jacoby, and Jacqueline Saix. Robert Capa joined the staff in July 1943 to cover Sicilian and Italian campaigns.
What historic event occurred when Dorothy Dandridge appeared on the cover of Life magazine?
November 1954 marked a historic moment when actress Dorothy Dandridge became the first African-American woman on the magazine's cover. This appearance established her as a significant figure in the publication's history.
Why did regular weekly publication of Life magazine cease at the end of 1972?
Gary Valk served as publisher when the magazine ceased weekly publication at the end of 1972 due to declining circulation and rising costs. Circulation dropped from eight point five million to seven million in January 1971 before falling further to five point five million starting with the 14th of January 1972 issue.
When was the final issue of the original Life magazine published?
The final issue appeared on the 29th of December 1972. A human interest story about George Story titled A Life Ends became the last issue before subscribers received other magazines like Time as compensation.