David A. Boehm
David A. Boehm | |
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Born | New York City, New York, U.S | February 6, 1914
Education | |
Occupation |
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Known for | Founding Sterling Publishing and publishing the Guinness World Records |
David Alfred Boehm (February 6, 1914 – February 6, 2000) was an American publisher known for founding Sterling Publishing and popularizing the Guinness World Records in the United States.[1]
Biography
Boehm was born in
After graduation, Boehm worked for a number of publishers including
In 1956, after discovering 30,000 copies of The Guinness Book of Superlatives on the shelves of a
In 1961, Boehm secured rights to publish a separate American version of the Guinness World Records, with sales rising to two to three million copies a year during the 1970s. Boehm began to license merchandise spinoffs in the 1980s as the series gained popularity, resulting in a series of legal fights that led to Guinness's buying back the license for $8 million in 1989.[3]
He made regular appearances on the game show The Guinness Game as a judge of live attempts to break world records.[3]
Boehm retired from the publisher in 1980 and died in his home on February 6, 2000, in New York City.[4]
References
- ^ ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-02-13.
- ^ "Columbia College Today". www.college.columbia.edu. Retrieved 2022-02-13.
- ^ a b c Woo, Elaine (2000-02-12). "David Boehm; Published Guinness Book". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2022-02-13.
- ^ "David Boehm". SFGATE. 2000-02-11. Retrieved 2022-02-13.