''The children -- the family -- have continual discussions,'' he said during an interview in which he was joined by Brian, dressed like his father in a gray suit, black loafers, a white button-down shirt and red print tie. Messages run for up to one year and you Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. ''The most dangerous thing is a son or daughter coming into a business where they think they get special treatment,'' Mr. Roberts said. He never told me anything I wanted to do at Comcast was a bad idea, and after more than 30 years, youd think Ive had a lot of bad ideas.. ''Barry is very charismatic and hypnotic, but we were not going to lose our business and become a nonvoting stockholder of CBS to provide Barry with an entree to CBS.'' Comcast's decision in late April to abandon its $45 billion deal to buy Time Warner Cable Inc. was a rare misstep for the company and a trimming of its ambitions for the moment. "Our city has lost a wonderful champion with his passing.". That's his legacy: not leaving his children wanting. Douglas Alan Roberts Sept. 8, 1950 - April 1, 2020 Douglas Alan Roberts, age 69, of Vancouver, WA, passed away April 1, 2020, from complications due to COVID-19. For Brodsky that was giving up the four or five packs of unfiltered Pall Mall cigarettes he used to smoke. '', See the article in its original context from. I never felt that Comcast was a sixth child," she said. To support himself at college, he took on a variety of odd jobs, including selling milk. That never happens.". In 1963, Mr. Roberts was a little-known entrepreneur who had sold Muzak systems and mens belts and suspenders, but he was ambitious and always scouting for new business opportunities. To send flowers "For me, the culture and comfort and chemistry have always been really important. Copyright 2023 Echovita Inc. All rights reserved. ''He gives more speeches than anyone who is asked,'' said one media executive, who spoke on condition of anonymity. On the contrary, he says, ''Brian takes the lead and is the one forging ahead and trying to figure out where they are going,'' Mr. Maffei said. There was plenty of room to give the son a shot. Inquirer staff writer Harold Brubaker and former staff writer Thomas J. Brady contributed to this article. ''There are the families that destroy each other as soon as the father or mother dies,'' Mr. Roberts said. To be sure, he adds, ''At an important fork in the road, Brian will go off to his father'' to get the older man's stamp of approval. In 1942, he married Suzanne Fleisher, an aspiring actress from a well-to-do Philadelphia family. Obituary Roberts, Douglas David It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Douglas Roberts on August 1, 2013 at The Wellington Nursing Home in his 89th year. "People often ask me, 'When you started in Tupelo with a few hundred customers, did you ever think that someday you'd have the largest cable company in the country?' Besides his son Brian, Mr. Roberts is survived by his wife, the host of the Comcast Network program Seeking Solutions With Suzanne, aimed at viewers 50 and older; two daughters, Catherine Clifton and Lisa Roberts; another son, Ralph Jr.; and eight grandchildren. Doug was born July 24, 1969, in Kalamazoo, the son of Douglas and Vicky (Troyer). It also sells those services to businesses. "He wanted to keep the integrity, the family feel, and the dedication of employees. It bottomed out at $16.375 last March and has recovered slightly, closing at $21.375 on Friday on Nasdaq. In 1996, Comcast spent $240 million and agreed to pick up $170 million in debt to gain the majority interest in the Flyers, the 76ers, the Spectrum, and what was then the CoreStates Center. He came home each weeknight at 7 p.m. and left his briefcase by the door, along with business cares. Prepare a personalized obituary for someone you loved.. California residents do not sell my data request. And all of them are rich. If he hadn't, his father confesses, ''I probably would have sold the company. We all will.". He died on June 18, 2015, of natural causes. ", "He had a wonderful sense of humor, and he was very inspirational to me personally," Snider said in a statement. The 1998 Inquirer Executive Compensation Survey showed that Mr. Roberts was paid $45 million, ranking second on The Inquirer's list of the most highly compensated chief executives in the region. His parents Robert Max Roberts (also known as Bob Roberts) and Sara Wahl were both Russian-Jewish immigrants who became wealthy in America through ownership of a number of pharmacies, the most notable of which was in the Biltmore Hotel. Investors who know him say he always prefers to remain in the background and let others like Mr.Brodsky, the vice chairman, take the limelight. [12] They had five children: Catherine, Lisa, Ralph Jr. (Rob), Brian, and Douglas (who died in 2011);[2] and eight grandchildren. ''There is something about wanting to pass things on,'' he said. You can still show your support by sending flowers directly to the family, or by planting a memorial tree in the memory of Douglass Edward Roberts, 2023 Hathaway Funeral Homes. ''They are all billionaires, and they're fighting like crazy over another billion.''. He sold it in 1961 to form his own venture capital firm, the International Equity Corporation, from which he began his foray into cable television. Our activities are so public. ''Every chance I get I step back and say, 'Here is Brian.' ''I thought if he was so young, you really have to be helped to be promoted to make it appear that you really are your own person,'' the elder Mr. Roberts recalled. [13][14], Roberts made an appearance on TLC's reality series Cake Boss, receiving a cake for his 90th birthday. Ralph J. Roberts, the man whofounded Comcast Corp. with the purchase of a 1,200-subscriber cable television system in Tupelo, Mississippi in 1963, died Thursday night of natural causes in Philadelphia. I lived at home.'' It is the mother who will make it work. "It has been a dream come true for him - and for me," Brian Roberts told his father's biographer. His plan is to turn over the votes to Brian but make sure to divide the financial pie fairly among all the offspring. He never pressured any of them to join the family company -- and none besides Brian showed any interest in doing so. The son of Russian Jewish immigrants, Mr. Roberts witnessed the loss of his family's drugstore chain in the Depression and the death of his father to a heart attack in 1933, when he was 12. Using the proceeds from Pioneer, he started purchasing local community antenna television systems which brought TV to people in rural areas,[2] which were then underserved by big broadcasters. Later, as a college student, he bought eggs from farms in New Jersey and peddled them to fraternities at a discount. "You could tell Ralph was crazy about Brian, and Brian was crazy about him. CANDLE HAS BEEN LIT CANDLES HAVE BEEN LIT, We are reviewing your submission. What is more common is that this kind of agreement does not happen. Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. They have met at the investment bank Allen & Company's annual Sun Valley Conference for media heavyweights, and they got together last summer when Mr. Gates came to speak at a United Way fund-raising event in Philadelphia. He was always a stickler for table manners," she said. Would you like to offer Douglas A. Robertss loved ones a condolence message? Promoting an heir apparent may have been easier for the elder Mr. Roberts than for other entrepreneurs. That was evident earlier this month when Brian Roberts and the founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates, struck a deal in which Microsoft agreed to pay $1 billion for an 11.5 percent stake in Comcast. Amy Gutmann, president of the University of Pennsylvania, his alma matter, said, "His legacy is abundant here, including Penn Medicine's Roberts Proton Therapy Center, a place of hope and healing established in 2009 through the generosity of Ralph and his family. Brian, born in 1959, was the fourth. It purchased for $30 billion controlling interest in the entertainment conglomerate's NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks; pay TV channels such as USA, CNBC, Bravo, and Syfy; the Universal movie studio; and Universal Studios theme parks in Florida and California. He was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather and perhaps most importantly, a kind and humble human being. He was a gentle soul with an infectious spirit who will be greatly missed. The fundamental fact is that people love television, he said, and if you can provide them with more television, they love it even more.. Doug was predeceased by his infant. No services are scheduled at this time. He was preceded in death by his father, Joe Nathan Scott, and his brother, Jonathan Scott. He was 95. your email below for our complimentary daily grief messages. One early venture was selling an innovative golf putter. Family-business experts say the family is something of an anomaly in devising a smooth transfer between generations. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. Leave your condolences to the family on this memorial page or send flowers to show you care. Though many aging entrepreneurs resist relinquishing power despite all their promises to do so, Comcast has begun notifying local cable commissions of the pending change of control, which Ralph Roberts said would be no later than early next year. Ed Rendell. Without being asked, Mrs. Roberts volunteered her opinion that Ralph and Brian clicked as few business partners do. He was an inspiration to us all and we will miss him greatly.". Help tell the story of your loved ones unique life. Douglass Edward Roberts, 69, a lifelong resident of Swansea and the son of the late Edward Francis Roberts and Barbara (Douglass) Roberts, passed away on December 25, 2019. "When?" Dedicated to public service, Douglas elected to continue to serve his country after transitioning from the military by working as a Letter Carrier for the United States Postal Service for 35 years, eventually retiring from Wicker Park Station. DOUGLAS ROBERTS OBITUARY Douglas J. Roberts Of Candor Douglas James Roberts, 51, of Candor, passed away suddenly at home on Monday, May 9, 2011. Then in 1941, after seeing him twirling with another dance partner, she "grabbed Ralph, took him out on the golf course, and said, 'I want to marry you.' But if Brian were not up to it, he would not have stood a chance because you can't sacrifice all the people in the place for a poor manager. ", Mayor Nutter called Mr. Roberts a "consummate gentleman, kind and gentle husband and father, and a great business leader.". Published. The son, meanwhile, remains an understudy of the father -- and the father is impressing upon the son the need to play hardball when the occasion demands it. chief executive, Jeffrey R. Immelt, that the deal would be completed. In a statement, Mayor Michael Nutter remembered the business visionary and family man. A unique and lasting tribute for a loved one. He was 95. Mr. Roberts has reason to track the way family-run companies pass the baton from one generation to next. Mr. Roberts later worked in advertising at the Aitkin-Kynett agency, writing slogans for the Democrat William Benton, a successful United States Senate candidate from Connecticut who defeated Prescott S. Bush, the father and grandfather of two presidents, in 1950. Wife Suzanna died on April 20, 2020 age 98", Ralph J. Roberts, Comcast Corporation Founder and Chairman Emeritus, dies at age 95, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ralph_J._Roberts&oldid=1141863531, This page was last edited on 27 February 2023, at 06:20. ''It has been wonderful to share those tense moments with your father,'' Brian Roberts said, ''and hopefully, it has prepared me for the future. "That culture says that you have to care about the people you work with. Roberts is survived by Suzanne Roberts, his wife of over 70 years and an actress, director and host of Seeking Solutions with Suzanne. "I never had a bad idea in working for him for 30-plus years," Roberts said. The magic words, according to Mr. Roberts, were "Yes, dear.". "Ralph, the patient, unassuming gentleman, kept a steady hand on the wheel as they made a series of brilliant bets on the future," his son said in the biography. And Peter Barton, the former president of Liberty Media, recalled that Brian Roberts played the key role in a complicated deal with Liberty involving the purchase of Time Warner's stake in E Entertainment, a cable-service company, for $321 million. It may take up to 1 hour for your comment to appear on the website. They both deserve credit for that graceful interplay, but the lion's share goes to Ralph," said Burke, CEO of Comcast's NBCUniversal. ''Deals like Microsoft and QVC would not have happened without Brian,'' said Steven Rattner, deputy chief executive of Lazard Freres & Company, who has worked with the family for about a decade. He wanted to marry her after several years, but she wasn't ready. But as Brian Roberts worked his way up the ladder, the halcyon 1980's came to an end. He also sold advertising on ink blotters. Douglas McArthur ROBERTS, age 79, of Rancho Cucamonga, California passed away on Monday, May 16, 2022. Sign Up Today! Make a life-giving gesture. Sign up for service and obituary updates. Less than $5 per month [15][16], Last edited on 27 February 2023, at 06:20, National Cable and Telecommunications Association, National Conference of Christians and Jews, National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, New York Times: "Ralph Roberts, Cable TV Pioneer Who Built Comcast, Dies at 95", "Love: Suzanne (Fleisher) Roberts & Ralph J. Roberts", "Brian Roberts' Jewish Roots and Outsized Ambition Drive Comcast's Rise in Media", University of Pennsylvania Medicine: "About the Roberts", "Ralph Roberts, Cable TV Pioneer Who Built Comcast, Dies at 95", "Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement", Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia: Our Hall of Fame, Eastern State Penitentiary: "Funders for the Synagogue Restoration", "Starring Role - From the boards to the funding, Suzanne Roberts lives for the stage", "Howard Gerstley Fleisher, 95, Businessman and Active Volunteer", Daily Finance: "Comcast's Brian Roberts: The low-key exec who leads a high-profile giant" By Jonathan Berr, The Cable Center: "Cable Hall of Fame Archives - Ralph J. Roberts, "Comcast founder Ralph Roberts dies at 95. [2][3] Roberts graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and served a four-year tour on duty in the United States Navy.[4]. He is steel. He managed to get a photograph of Bob Hope holding the club and asked him to endorse it, to help out a veteran, Mr. Roberts recalled, but there was never any formal agreement. After leaving the Navy, Roberts held various jobs, first selling golf clubs, then working for the Muzak Company, and later the Pioneer Suspender Company, which he eventually owned. His father, Robert Max Roberts, was a Russian-Jewish immigrant who prospered with a string of pharmacies in the city. Philadelphia became Mr. Robertss business base and the arena for his philanthropy. The Gettys or that family in Texas,'' he continued, referring to Harold Simmons, the Texas investor who is at war with his daughters. Only his fourth child, Brian, is at Comcast, the. Committed to the fight against cancer, he and his family helped establish the Roberts Proton Therapy Center at Penn Medicine in 2006. "Ralph was always 'Ralph' to his rank-and-file employees, and a great listener who always checked his ego at the door. I went to the University of Pennsylvania. And if there is any disagreement, they can always talk it out. All rights reserved. Ralph J. Roberts, 95, the soft-spoken visionary who in 1963 bought a tiny subscriber-TV system in Tupelo, Miss., and built it into Comcast Corp., the nation's leading cable company, died Thursday night in Philadelphia. Brian Roberts came to know Mr. Gates when a contingent of Comcast executives visited Microsoft on a fact-finding tour several years ago. When I think of Ralph, it is always with the utmost affection.". He is also survived by his eight grandchildren. Before he founded Comcast, Roberts was president and CEO of Pioneer Industries, a leading mens clothing accessories company, vice president of Muzak Corp. and an account executive with Aitken Kynett Advertising Agency, according to his company biography. DOUGLAS ROBERTS OBITUARY ROBERTS, DOUGLAS M. Lawton Passed away July 28, 2012 at his residence. To make it work, you have to have motivated, competent successors as well as accommodating heirs. Their simple philosophy was summed up by Mr. Roberts in an interview with The New York Times in 2007. "His vision was always to create a little IBM," Rudnay said. Douglas A. Roberts, 66, of Mount Carmel, Illinois, passed away on Sunday, May 2, 2021 at his residence. Mr. Roberts has been married to his wife, Suzanne, for 54 years. Authorize the publication of the original written obituary with the accompanying photo. He had been born into an affluent home, the son of the owner of a small drugstore chain in Westchester County, N.Y. For a time, the family even had a chauffeur. In 1994, Comcast, which had helped start QVC Network, a West Chester-based home-shopping company, made a $2.2 billion bid to buy a majority stake in the company. He evolved and personalized his relationship for each of my siblings," Brian Roberts said. Mr. Roberts went to work selling advertisements on the back of bus schedules to help support his family. Prepare a personalized obituary for someone you loved.. January 6, 1955 - As an executive, Mr. Roberts had a knack for attracting talented people and giving them power, within limits. ''We would have discussions about our lives. The recent deal was begun when the executive committee of Cablelabs, the cable industry's research and development arm that included Brian Roberts and John Malone, chairman of Tele-Communications Inc., the country's largest cable operator, visited Microsoft in late April. That was extremely important to him, that we would sit around the table - all seven of us. Genealogy for Douglas Roberts (1960 - 2011) family tree on Geni, with over 230 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. '', Ralph Roberts acknowledges that he was the heavy. He always treated me with respect from a very young age.". On ski trips, he would patiently lace up five pairs of ski boots. "I think maybe Ralph Roberts is the most successful businessman in the last 50 years that most people haven't heard of. Throughout his life, Roberts was involved in numerous community and civic activities, serving the boards of the Council of Emeritus Directors of the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Brandywine Museum and Conservancy, among others. The family will host a private service for the family, the company announced. Later, the two men found themselves in the same restaurant, and Mr. Roberts suggested that Microsoft consider investing in cable. Their son, Brian L. Roberts, is the current CEO of Comcast Corporation. Burke watched the father-son team when Mr. Roberts was chairman and his son president, and found their interplay businesslike and seamless. And I always answer with a straight face, 'Of course I did,' " Mr. Roberts said in An Incredible Dream, his authorized biography, written by William Novak. 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