Lyle Stuart
Encyclopedia
Lyle Stuart was an American author and independent publisher of controversial books.
A former part owner of the original Aladdin Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas
he was considered a noted gambling authority, and, as such, he advised casinos on how to protect themselves from cheats and cons. A garrulous raconteur, Mr. Stuart had a wide circle of friends, freely admitting to a lively sex life and was fond of gambling, baccarat
and craps
, his games of choice. His best selling books on gambling are Casino Gambler for the Winner, Winning at Casino Gambling, and Lyle Stuart on Baccarat. He boasted in Casino Gambler for the Winner that he'd won $166,505 in 10 consecutive visits to Las Vegas.
He made headlines in 1997 with his then-current Barricade Books
, by reissuing The Turner Diaries
, a novel thought to have been the inspiration behind Timothy McVeigh
's bombing of the Murrah building
. He was a strong advocate of freedom of the press
, and believed it was important for people to be able to read and make up their own minds (in the introduction he wrote to his reissue of The Turner Diaries, he made clear how strongly he opposed the viewpoint expressed in the book). Also in the Nineties, casino mogul Steve Wynn sued Stuart over catalog copy. The copy on Running Scared, a Wynn bio, made reference to a New Scotland Yard report that tied the Las Vegas tycoon to the Genovese Crime Family
. (The book refuted some of the report's findings.) Stuart lost the libel case and was ordered to pay 3 million dollars in defamation, forcing him into bankruptcy
. This judgment was overturned on appeal by the Nevada Supreme Court in 2001 and sent back for a new trial, which Wynn chose not to pursue.
Stuart worked as a newsman for many years before beginning his book publishing company. He first gained national notoriety by taking on the powerful newspaper columnist Walter Winchell
in a series of scathing magazine articles, collected in book form in 1953. After serving with the United States Merchant Marine
and the Air Transport Command
in World War II
, he worked for William Randolph Hearst
's International News Service
, Variety
, Music Business, and RTW Scout.
In 1951 he launched a monthly tabloid named Exposé (name later changed to The Independent) designed to publish those stories and articles that others wouldn’t dare publish because they might offend subscribers or advertisers. Contributors included Upton Sinclair
, Norman Mailer
, George Seldes
, Ted O. Thackrey, and John Steinbeck
. In 1956, with $8,000 of the money he collected from libel actions against Walter Winchell, Confidential, ABC
-TV, and Editor & Publisher
, he began his book publishing company, Lyle Stuart Inc (which is now owned by Kensington Books
).
Mr. Stuart's first wife, Mary Louise Stuart, died in 1969.
He remarried in 1982 and is survived by his wife, Carole Livingston Stuart; a son, musician Rory John of Pomona, N.Y.; a daughter, Sandra Lee Stuart of Denver; a stepdaughter, Jennifer Kern of Manhattan; and three stepgrandchildren.
Stuart died on June 24, 2006 at age 83. He was a resident of Fort Lee, New Jersey
.
A former part owner of the original Aladdin Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
he was considered a noted gambling authority, and, as such, he advised casinos on how to protect themselves from cheats and cons. A garrulous raconteur, Mr. Stuart had a wide circle of friends, freely admitting to a lively sex life and was fond of gambling, baccarat
Baccarat
Baccarat is a card game, played at casinos and by gamblers. It is believed to have been introduced into France from Italy during the reign of King Charles VIII , and it is similar to Faro and Basset...
and craps
Craps
Craps is a dice game in which players place wagers on the outcome of the roll, or a series of rolls, of a pair of dice. Players may wager money against each other or a bank...
, his games of choice. His best selling books on gambling are Casino Gambler for the Winner, Winning at Casino Gambling, and Lyle Stuart on Baccarat. He boasted in Casino Gambler for the Winner that he'd won $166,505 in 10 consecutive visits to Las Vegas.
He made headlines in 1997 with his then-current Barricade Books
Barricade Books
Barricade Books is a New York, NY publishing house specializing in non-fiction books. Among its most famous publications is The Last Party, the memoir of Adele Morales about her marriage to author-playwright Norman Mailer....
, by reissuing The Turner Diaries
The Turner Diaries
The Turner Diaries is a novel written in 1978 by William Luther Pierce under the pseudonym "Andrew Macdonald"...
, a novel thought to have been the inspiration behind Timothy McVeigh
Timothy McVeigh
Timothy James McVeigh was a United States Army veteran and security guard who detonated a truck bomb in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Building in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995...
's bombing of the Murrah building
Oklahoma City bombing
The Oklahoma City bombing was a terrorist bomb attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995. It was the most destructive act of terrorism on American soil until the September 11, 2001 attacks. The Oklahoma blast claimed 168 lives, including 19...
. He was a strong advocate of freedom of the press
Freedom of the press
Freedom of the press or freedom of the media is the freedom of communication and expression through vehicles including various electronic media and published materials...
, and believed it was important for people to be able to read and make up their own minds (in the introduction he wrote to his reissue of The Turner Diaries, he made clear how strongly he opposed the viewpoint expressed in the book). Also in the Nineties, casino mogul Steve Wynn sued Stuart over catalog copy. The copy on Running Scared, a Wynn bio, made reference to a New Scotland Yard report that tied the Las Vegas tycoon to the Genovese Crime Family
Genovese crime family
The Genovese crime family , is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia . The Genovese crime family has been nicknamed the "Ivy League" and "Rolls Royce" of organized crime...
. (The book refuted some of the report's findings.) Stuart lost the libel case and was ordered to pay 3 million dollars in defamation, forcing him into bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
. This judgment was overturned on appeal by the Nevada Supreme Court in 2001 and sent back for a new trial, which Wynn chose not to pursue.
Stuart worked as a newsman for many years before beginning his book publishing company. He first gained national notoriety by taking on the powerful newspaper columnist Walter Winchell
Walter Winchell
Walter Winchell was an American newspaper and radio gossip commentator.-Professional career:Born Walter Weinschel in New York City, he left school in the sixth grade and started performing in a vaudeville troupe known as Gus Edwards' "Newsboys Sextet."His career in journalism was begun by posting...
in a series of scathing magazine articles, collected in book form in 1953. After serving with the United States Merchant Marine
United States Merchant Marine
The United States Merchant Marine refers to the fleet of U.S. civilian-owned merchant vessels, operated by either the government or the private sector, that engage in commerce or transportation of goods and services in and out of the navigable waters of the United States. The Merchant Marine is...
and the Air Transport Command
Air Transport Command
Air Transport Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its mission was to meet the urgent demand for the speedy reinforcement of the United States' military bases worldwide during World War II, using an air supply system to supplement surface transport...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he worked for William Randolph Hearst
William Randolph Hearst
William Randolph Hearst was an American business magnate and leading newspaper publisher. Hearst entered the publishing business in 1887, after taking control of The San Francisco Examiner from his father...
's International News Service
International News Service
International News Service was a U.S.-based news agency founded by newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst in 1909.Established two years after the Scripps family founded the United Press Association, INS scrapped among the newswires...
, Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
, Music Business, and RTW Scout.
In 1951 he launched a monthly tabloid named Exposé (name later changed to The Independent) designed to publish those stories and articles that others wouldn’t dare publish because they might offend subscribers or advertisers. Contributors included Upton Sinclair
Upton Sinclair
Upton Beall Sinclair Jr. , was an American author who wrote close to one hundred books in many genres. He achieved popularity in the first half of the twentieth century, acquiring particular fame for his classic muckraking novel, The Jungle . It exposed conditions in the U.S...
, Norman Mailer
Norman Mailer
Norman Kingsley Mailer was an American novelist, journalist, essayist, poet, playwright, screenwriter, and film director.Along with Truman Capote, Joan Didion, Hunter S...
, George Seldes
George Seldes
George Seldes was an American investigative journalist and media critic. The writer and critic Gilbert Seldes was his younger brother. Actress Marian Seldes is his niece....
, Ted O. Thackrey, and John Steinbeck
John Steinbeck
John Ernst Steinbeck, Jr. was an American writer. He is widely known for the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Grapes of Wrath and East of Eden and the novella Of Mice and Men...
. In 1956, with $8,000 of the money he collected from libel actions against Walter Winchell, Confidential, ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
-TV, and Editor & Publisher
Editor & Publisher
Editor & Publisher is a monthly magazine covering the North American newspaper industry. It is based in New York City. E&P calls itself "America's Oldest Journal Covering the Newspaper Industry" and describes itself on its website as "the authoritative journal covering all aspects of the North...
, he began his book publishing company, Lyle Stuart Inc (which is now owned by Kensington Books
Kensington Books
Kensington Publishing Corp. is an American book publisher.- Overview :Kensington was founded in 1974 by Walter Zacharius, formerly of Lancer Books. Steven Zacharius became president and CEO in 2005. Vice president Michael Rosamilia has been the CFO since 1989. Laurie Parkin is the vice president...
).
Mr. Stuart's first wife, Mary Louise Stuart, died in 1969.
He remarried in 1982 and is survived by his wife, Carole Livingston Stuart; a son, musician Rory John of Pomona, N.Y.; a daughter, Sandra Lee Stuart of Denver; a stepdaughter, Jennifer Kern of Manhattan; and three stepgrandchildren.
Stuart died on June 24, 2006 at age 83. He was a resident of Fort Lee, New Jersey
Fort Lee, New Jersey
Fort Lee is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 35,345. Located atop the Hudson Palisades, the borough is the western terminus of the George Washington Bridge...
.