Mark Singer, a longtime staff writer for The New Yorker known for his incisive profiles and distinctive narrative voice, died Friday in New York City. He was 75. According to his son Tim, Singer’s death was attributed to salivary gland cancer.

Singer began his tenure at the magazine at age 23, contributing to the “Talk of the Town” section before expanding his work to include in-depth explorations of national issues and travel pieces for the magazine’s “US Journal” column. He built a reputation as a skilled profiler, capturing the complexities of a diverse range of subjects—from magician Ricky Jay, whom he described as a master of sleight of hand, to a group of New York door attendant brothers, and notably, Donald Trump in the late 1990s, years before Trump’s entry into politics.

David Remnick, editor of The New Yorker, characterized Singer as inheriting the legacy of writers such as A.J. Liebling and Joseph Mitchell, blending meticulous reporting with a unique, often comic, narrative style. This approach remained a hallmark of Singer’s writing throughout his career.

Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1950, Singer returned to his home state in 1985 to produce a series of articles about a suburban bank's recklessness during an energy boom, later published as the book "Funny Money." His work often focused on offbeat, deeply American characters and featured detailed observations and subtle humor.

Singer’s 2005 collection, “Character Studies: Encounters with the Curiously Obsessed,” compiled many of his profiles, including pieces on Texans searching for Pancho Villa’s missing skull and California farmers who supplied noted chef Alice Waters. His ability to achieve a measured, skeptical distance from his subjects while maintaining a keen eye for dialogue and detail drew critical acclaim.

One of Singer’s most notable profiles was his 1997 portrayal of Donald Trump, written under the editorship of Tina Brown. Drawing on months of observations across Trump’s construction sites, offices, and private plane, Singer depicted Trump as a man enveloped by vanity and self-interest—a characterization Remnick said accurately anticipated the traits that would come to define Trump’s public persona decades later. The profile sparked a rare public exchange: following a critical review of Singer’s book that included the Trump profile, Trump sent a scathing letter to the editor questioning Singer’s writing ability. Singer responded with a tongue-in-cheek letter enclosing a small check, which Trump eventually cashed, further cementing the unusual interaction.

Mark Singer graduated from Yale University in 1972 with a degree in English. While there, he studied under William Zinsser, whose teachings on concise nonfiction writing influenced Singer’s style. Over his career, Singer authored several other works, including "Citizen K: The Deeply Weird American Journey of Brett Kimberlin," a profile that was a finalist for a National Magazine Award, and “Somewhere in America,” which captured stories of unique American subcultures.

Singer is survived by his sons Tim, Jeb, Reid, and Paul, his partner Lisa Brody, two grandchildren, and siblings George, Stephen, and Sandra Anderson. His contributions to American journalism and The New Yorker’s storied legacy endure through his vivid character studies and keen cultural observations.