Morton L. Janklow facts for kids

Morton Lloyd Janklow (May 30, 1930 – May 25, 2022) was a famous American literary agent. He helped authors sell their books and get good deals. He was the main partner at a company called Janklow & Nesbit Associates in New York.

Mort worked with many well-known writers. Some of his clients included Barbara Taylor Bradford, Thomas Harris, Judith Krantz, and Danielle Steel. He also worked with famous people like Pope John Paul II, Nancy Reagan, Barbara Walters, and even four U.S. presidents.

Early Life and Education

Morton Janklow was born in Queens, New York, on May 30, 1930. His family was Jewish. His father, Maurice, was a lawyer, and his mother was Lillian.

Mort went to Far Rockaway High School. He was very active there. He was the editor of the school newspaper. He also led the tennis team as its captain.

He wanted to go to a top university. He ended up going to Syracuse University at just 16 years old. He earned a degree in political science in 1950. After that, he studied law at Columbia Law School and got his law degree in 1953.

A Career Helping Authors

After serving as a lawyer in the United States Army in the 1950s, Mort worked for a law firm. He also started a company that bought a cable TV business. He later sold it for a lot of money. This allowed him to start his own law firm in 1967.

Becoming a Literary Agent

Mort became a literary agent in 1972. A literary agent helps authors sell their books to publishers. His friend, William Safire, asked him for help. Safire was writing a book about Richard Nixon.

Mort helped Safire get a $250,000 deal for his book, Before the Fall. This was a big amount of money at the time. He also did something new for authors. The publisher tried to cancel the book. Mort sued them and won. He showed that publishers had to pay authors even if they changed their minds. He said, "The publisher is replaceable; the author is not." This changed how authors were treated in the publishing world.

Building a Top Agency

In 1977, Mort started his own literary agency, Morton L. Janklow Associates. That same year, he got a deal worth over $1 million for another book by William Safire. This was the highest payment ever for a first novel back then.

He also got a huge $3.2 million deal for the paperback rights to Princess Daisy by Judith Krantz. Mort was known for getting a 15 percent commission (a fee for his work). This was higher than the usual 10 percent that other agents charged.

He also got authors extra money, like signing bonuses. He helped them get deals for TV shows, movies, and international book sales. He even helped authors have a say in things like advertising and book cover designs.

In 1989, he teamed up with another agent, Lynn Nesbit. Together, they formed Janklow & Nesbit Associates. Lynn Nesbit brought in more famous clients like Toni Morrison and John le Carré.

Mort also cared about education. In 1982, he started a program at Columbia University. It helps people learn about legal issues in the arts. He also taught there.

Notable Clients

Here are some of the famous people Mort Janklow worked with:

• Barbara Taylor Bradford
• Thomas Harris
• Judith Krantz
• Michael Moore
• Pope John Paul II
• Nancy Reagan
• Ronald Reagan
• Anne Rice
• William Safire
• Sidney Sheldon
• Danielle Steel
• Barbara Walters

Personal Life

Morton Janklow married Marjorie Perrin in 1953. They later divorced in 1959. In 1960, he married Linda LeRoy. Linda was the daughter of the famous movie director Mervyn LeRoy. Her grandfather was Harry Warner, one of the founders of Warner Bros. Mort and Linda had two children, Angela and Luke.

Morton Janklow passed away on May 25, 2022, at his home in Water Mill, New York. He was almost 92 years old. He had heart failure before he died.