Walker was born on April 16, 1928.[1][2][5] He graduated from New York University and earned a Master of Fine Arts in theatre at Columbia University.[1][2]
Walker worked as an articles editor for The New York Times Magazine from 1963 to 1990.[1][2][3][4] Walker also compiled an annual anthology titled Best Magazine Articles from 1965 to 1967.[2][3] At the time of his death, Walker was completing a mystery novel titled Witnesses.[1][2][4][5]
Walker was married to Greta Markson, with whom he had a son, David, but their marriage ended in divorce.[1][2] From 1976 to the time of his death, Walker was married to Joanna Simon.[1][2]
On February 19, 2004, Walker died of stroke complications at New York Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan.[1][2][3][4]