Knopf, Alfred (1892-1984)

US publisher. He founded his own firm in 1915, and with the aid of his wife, Blanche, made it successful while retaining a commitment to high literary excellence; his authors included 16 Nobel Prize laureates and 26 Pulitizer Prize winners. Although the firm eventually became a division of Random House, he headed it until his death. Knopf was born in New York City.