Peter Jeffrey Revson (February 27, 1939 – March 22, 1974) was an American race car driver and heir to the Revlon cosmetics fortune. He was a two-time Formula One race winner and had success at the Indianapolis 500.

Background

Peter Revson was born in New York City, the son of Martin Revson (1910–2016) and Julie (née Phelps) Hall (1914–2000). Martin had been a founding partner (along with his brother Charles Revson) of Revlon cosmetics, but had parted ways in 1958 and become chairman of Del Laboratories [1] in 1963. His mother had been a nightclub singer at the time Martin met her. A young, handsome bachelor described as a "free spirit", Peter passed up an easy life for one of competition and danger. Off the track, he lived at the same accelerated pace, Revson piloting a 32-foot (9.8 m) ChrisCraft and courting some of the most beautiful women in the world. At the time of his death, he was engaged to the 1973 Miss World, Marjorie Wallace.

Early life and racing career

Peter Revson spent his childhood in White Plains, New York, in Westchester County, attended prep schools, and lived off the fruits of his father’s million-dollar empire. He had two sisters, Jennifer and Julie Ann, as well as a younger brother Doug, who was killed in a race in Denmark in 1967.