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Wayne Lawson Dies at 94, Vanity Fair Literary Editor

By Drooid · Oct 9, 2026, 4:29 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Wayne Lawson died at a Manhattan hospital on Sept. 23, aged 94.
He served as Vanity Fair’s literary editor for four decades, beginning in 1984 under Tina Brown.
Lawson edited Marie Brenner’s stories on the tobacco whistle-blower, Enron’s collapse, and President Donald Trump’s divorce.
Tina Brown called Lawson Vanity Fair’s “secret weapon,” noting his ability to extract gold from drafts.

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Story summary

Wayne Lawson died at a Manhattan hospital on Sept. 23, aged 94.
He served as Vanity Fair’s literary editor for four decades, beginning in 1984 under Tina Brown.
Lawson edited Marie Brenner’s stories on the tobacco whistle-blower, Enron’s collapse, and President Donald Trump’s divorce.
Tina Brown called Lawson Vanity Fair’s “secret weapon,” noting his ability to extract gold from drafts.