James Buchanan Brady

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James Buchanan "Diamond Jim" Brady (born August 12, 1856 in New York City , † April 13, 1917 in Atlantic City , New Jersey ) was an American business manager , entrepreneur and self-made millionaire , who because of his addiction to Extravaganza was called "Diamond Jim" and had a love affair for almost 40 years with actress and singer Lillian Russell .

Brady (around 1900)

Life

Rise to multimillionaire

Brady, the son of simple saloon owners, was already a page at the New York Central Railroad as a boy , where he met the rail company's owner , Cornelius Vanderbilt , who appointed him his assistant shortly before his death in 1877. He then worked in the management of Manning, Maxwell and Moore in Stratford , a railway and industrial materials company, and through clever business dealings there doubled company sales.

Through his subsequent work as General Manager of the Fox Pressed Steel Car Company , he came to his first prosperity. He increased his fortune by selling accessories and spare parts to the growing railroad companies of Jay Gould , Edward Henry Harriman , JP Morgan and Leland Stanford , among others . He also carried out successful investment deals on the New York Stock Exchange ( Wall Street ) and at the beginning of the 20th century had assets of 15 million US dollars .

From 1902 until his death in 1917, he was Vice President of the rolling stock manufacturer Standard Car Company, as well as President of the Independent Pneumatic Tool Company , Director of the United Injector Company and the Consolidated Safety Valve Company, and Vice President of the Keith Car & Manufacturing Company and Osgood Bradley Car wagon factories Company .

Brady believed that he had to show his success and wore the most expensive suits and a collection of expensive jewelry, which led to his nickname "Diamond Jim". He was also a regular guest at the poker - and baccarat - gaming tables in the Waldorf-Astoria . The Annual Diamond Jim Brady , an annual poker event, is named after him.

He was also a frequent visitor to Broadway's entertainment venues and nightclubs, where he was known as a dancer and generous tipper. His extravaganzas included a $ 9,000 jeweled watch, diamond -studded umbrella, and $ 8,500 diamond-studded glasses for his dog.

He was also famous as a gourmet , but more as a gourmand , who often ordered elaborate, dozen-course menus. Brady, who never drank alcohol and was never married, had a romantic affair with actress and singer Lilian Russell for almost forty years.

Filming of his life and circumstances of death

1935 loose on Brady's life was based movie Diamond Jim with Edward Arnold in the title role . In it, Brady is told by his doctor that if he doesn't diet he will die . However, Brady decides that a life without gluttony is not worth living and sits down to eat himself to death at a big feast. Edward Arnold played Brady again in 1940 in the biography Lillian Russell .

The real Brady, however, died of a myocardial infarction , but also suffered from Bright's disease , coronary artery disease , diabetes mellitus , gallstones , arterial hypertension , inflammation of the prostate and persistent, recurring urinary tract infections . Because of the urinary tract infection he was treated at the hospital of Johns Hopkins University , left part of his fortune to the university and is namesake of the Brady Urological Institute there .

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personal data
SURNAME Brady, James Buchanan
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Diamond Jim (nickname)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American entrepreneur
DATE OF BIRTH August 12, 1856
PLACE OF BIRTH New York City
DATE OF DEATH April 13, 1917
Place of death Atlantic City , New Jersey