George Backer

The son of a Russian emigrant who became a wealthy builder in Manhattan, Backer graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and tried his hand at several careers before becoming a playwright and producing several Broadway plays. Although he spent most of his life as a Democrat, he joined the American Labor Party shortly after its founding and was its candidate for New York's 17th congressional district in 1937 and 1938. After the death of City Councilman Baruch Charney Vladeck, Backer was chosen by the ALP to succeed him. He was sworn in on December 6, 1938, and served until the end of 1939. He did not run for re-election.

In the 1930s, Backer supported Franklin D. Roosevelt in his election campaigns, and traveled to Europe on several occasions to help Jews flee Nazi Germany. During World War II, he served as propaganda policy director for the Office of War Information. In addition to his work with the Post, he served as president of the American ORT Federation from 1938 to 1950 (also succeeding Vladeck) and as president of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency from 1935 to 1950.

Backer died on May 1, 1974, in Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in Manhattan.

• The Deadly Parallel. New York: Random House, 1950.
• Appearance of a Man. New York: Random House, 1966.