Clay Felker, the prolific magazine editor and founder of New York Magazine, died today, July 1, 2008, at his home in Manhattan. He was 82.

The New York Times remembers Felker:

Mr. Felker edited a number of publications besides New York magazine. There were stints at Esquire, The Village Voice, Adweek, Manhattan, inc. and others. He created an opposite-coast counterpart to New York and called it New West.

But it was at New York that he left his biggest imprint on American journalism. He founded it as a Sunday supplement to The New York Herald Tribune in 1964. Four years later, after the newspaper closed, he and the graphic designer Milton Glaser reintroduced New York as a glossy stand-alone magazine.

[...]

The look and attitude [of New York Magazine] captured the attention of the city and influenced editors and designers for years to come. Dozens of city magazines modeling themselves after New York sprang up around the country.

Back in April of 1995, Felker sat down with Charlie Rose to discuss the process of editing, the characteristics of a good story, and his renowned career.

The interview begins at 18:44 minutes in — Cornell West’s image appears in the video player below because he is featured in an earlier segment of the program. Watch the interview:

See New York Magazine today.

Update: Charlie Rose aired an appreciation of Clay Felker on July 2, 2008. Watch the full episode: