Private company

Fawcett Publications

American publishing company

Fawcett Publications was an American publishing company founded in 1919 in Robbinsdale, Minnesota, by Wilford Hamilton "Captain Billy" Fawcett (1885–1940). It kicked off with the publication of the bawdy humor magazine Captain Billy's Whiz Bang and expanded into a magazine empire with the first issue of Mechanix Illustrated in the 1920s, followed by numerous titles including True Confessions, Family Circle, Woman's Day, and True. Fawcett Comics, which began operating in 1939, led to the introduction of Captain Marvel.2 It was founded by Wilford Fawcett.1 It is part of CBS, Inc.1 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 20, 2026.

Overview

1919Founded1
  • Industrypublishing1
  • HeadquartersNew York City1

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Whizbang april1921
Photo: Fawcett Publications, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons4

Fawcett Publications was an American publishing company founded in 1919 in Robbinsdale, Minnesota, by Wilford Hamilton "Captain Billy" Fawcett (1885–1940).2

Corporate structure

Fawcett Publications is part of a group headed by Ballantine Books. 6 entities, 1 country on record. Switch between the flow chart and the network, and select any entity to see its details.

Built from subsidiaries, stakes and holdings from Wikidata (CC0); major holders from Schedules 13D and 13G. Each entity in the chart links to its source.

What it owns

What Fawcett Publications reports owning in its annual reports to the SEC: buildings, land and equipment, real estate and locations, investments, intangible assets and inventory, at the end of its latest fiscal year and a year before.

Stakes and holdings (Wikidata)

Things Wikidata records the company as owning, with the share when stated.1

The story

Founded by Wilford Fawcett in 1919.1

Leadership

Who has led Fawcett Publications, and when. Pick a name to see everywhere that person has worked.

Products and brands

  • comic
  • magazine

Listed on Wikidata.1

Subsidiaries and ownership

Subsidiaries

Former owners and parents

  • CBS, Inc. 1977 to 1982

From Wikidata.1

Acquisitions

  1. 1970Popular Library became a subsidiary1
  2. 1955Acquired Fawcett Crest1
  3. 1950Acquired Gold Medal Books1

In 1970, Fawcett acquired Popular Library from Perfect Film & Chemical Corporation. Fawcett Publications was bought by CBS Publications in 1977 for $50 million. Ballantine Books (a division of Random House) acquired most of Fawcett Books in 1982 (Popular was sold to Warner Communications) it inherited a mass market paperback list with such authors as William Bernhardt, Amanda Cross, Stephen Frey, P. D. James, William X. Kienzle, Anne Perry, Daniel Silva, Peter Straub and Margaret Truman. Fawcett also became the official home of Ballantine's mass market mystery program. The imprint stopped being used on new books at the beginning of the 21st century. The Fawcett imprint is still a common law trademark using the domain name, FawcettBooks.com, which directs to the Penguin corporate webpage.

In 1987, Fawcett senior executive Peter G. Diamandis and a management team negotiated a $650 million leveraged buy out, then sold six titles to raise $250 million. Diamandis Communications, Inc. was then sold the next year to Hachette Publications for $712 million.

An annual four-day festival held in Robbinsdale, Minnesota, is Whiz Bang Days. Robbinsdale's city celebration, recalling the glory years of Fawcett Publications, began during World War II. The original Fawcett Publications building, which remained standing in Robbinsdale for decades, was torn down during the mid-1990s. It was located at what is now the terrace for the restaurant La Cucina di Nonna Rosa's, at 4168 West Broadway Avenue.

From Wikipedia’s article on Fawcett Publications, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3

Timeline

  1. 1982Acquired Acquired by Ballantine Books1
  2. 1977Acquired Acquired by CBS, Inc.1
  3. 1919Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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