Jack Lait

Jack Lait (March 13, 1883 – April 1, 1954) was an American journalist best known for his series of "Confidential" books.

Born Jacquin Leonard Lait in New York City, he became renowned during his 50-year career in journalism as one of the leading newspapermen of the first half of the 20th century. He wrote a syndicated column called All in the Family for two decades, and his comic strip, Gus and Gussie, illustrated by Paul Fung, ran from April 13, 1925 to February 24, 1930.

He was the editor of the New York Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror, and he ended his career working for the Hearst Corporation. During his tenure as editor, the New York Daily Mirror gained the second highest circulation of any U.S. newspaper. In 1963, nine years after Lait's death, it ceased publication following a strike and was absorbed into the then top-selling paper the New York Daily News.

With Lee Mortimer, Lait wrote New York Confidential, Chicago Confidential and Washington Confidential, which became a 1951 bestseller.

Lait and Mortimer's books inspired the films New York Confidential (1955) and Chicago Confidential (1957) and the television series New York Confidential.

Lait died of a circulatory ailment in Beverly Hills, California at the age of 71.

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