Arthur Levitt Sr.

Arthur Levitt Sr.
Levitt in 1959
50th Comptroller of New York
In office
January 1, 1955 – December 31, 1978
GovernorW. Averell Harriman
Nelson Rockefeller
Malcolm Wilson
Hugh Carey
Preceded byJ. Raymond McGovern
Succeeded byEdward Regan
Personal details
Born(1900-06-28)June 28, 1900
New York City, U.S.
DiedMay 6, 1980(1980-05-06) (aged 79)
New York City. U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
ChildrenArthur Levitt
Alma materColumbia University (BA, LL.B)
Military service
Branch/service United States Army
RankColonel
Battles/warsWorld War I
World War II

Arthur Levitt Sr. (June 28, 1900 – May 6, 1980) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 50th New York State Comptroller from 1955 to 1978.

Early life

Levitt was born in Brooklyn in 1900.[1] He served in the U.S. Army in World War I and World War II, finishing the latter as a colonel. After leaving the military, he earned degrees from Columbia University and Columbia Law School.[2] While attending Columbia College, Levitt was initiated into the Alpha Chapter of Phi Sigma Delta which later merged into Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity.

Career

Levitt served on the New York State Board of Education from 1952 to 1954.

Levitt was New York State comptroller from 1955 to 1978, elected on the Democratic and Liberal tickets in 1954, 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970 and 1974, the longest-serving person in this office. He was a delegate to the 1956, 1960 and 1964 Democratic National Conventions.

In 1961, he was the Tammany Hall regular candidate for the Democratic nomination for mayor of New York City, but was defeated in the primary by incumbent Mayor Robert F. Wagner Jr. who had broken with Tammany's leader, Carmine DeSapio.[1]

Levitt was granted an honorary degree from Hamilton College in 1979. The Arthur Levitt Public Affairs Center on the Hamilton College is named in his honor.[3]

Personal life

Levitt married Dorothy Wolff.[1] They had a son, Arthur Levitt Jr., who was chairman of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission from 1993 to 2001.[1]

After retiring as comptroller, Levitt became an investment advisor with Lincoln Savings Bank, headquartered at the Pan Am Building.[1] He suffered a fatal heart attack at his office there on May 6, 1980, aged 79.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Carroll, Maurice (May 7, 1980). "Arthur Levitt Dead at 79; Comptroller for 24 Years". The New York Times. p. B10. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
  2. ^ "Levitt, Arthur Sr". Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2020-05-05.
  3. ^ "Levitt, Arthur, 1900-1980 | ArchivesSpace Public Interface". archives.hamilton.edu. Retrieved 2020-05-05.
Party political offices
Preceded by
Spencer C. Young
 Democratic nominee for New York State Comptroller
1954, 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1972 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by New York State Comptroller
1955–1978 		Succeeded by