Richard Stolley

Richard Brockway Stolley (October 3, 1928 – June 16, 2021) was an American journalist and magazine editor. He is noted as the founding managing editor of People magazine and for acquiring the Zapruder film for Life magazine in 1963.

Stolley began his career with Life in 1953. He subsequently held a number of roles at the magazine, including reporter, bureau chief, senior editor, and assistant managing editor. He became the inaugural editor of People when it was launched in 1974. During his eight years at the publication, it became the most profitable magazine in the country. He returned to Life in 1982 and eventually became editorial director across all Time Inc. magazines. He continued working for the company until his retirement in 2014.