Roy Neal, a Broadcast Pioneer

WPTZ in 1951
(Click on the photo to see a larger version)

Roy Neal and guests on "Open House," which aired Wednesdays from 7 to 7:30 pm. The program was a show on WPTZ, Channel 3 in Philadelphia. By the way, the caption under the original photo says: "Studio scene during telecast over Station WPTZ - First in Television in Philadelphia."

Roy Neal e-mails: "...Again, no idents! But she IS pretty and I think the young man in the hep suit is a band singer."

Charles Henry, a visitor to our website believes that the blonde was Roberta Quinlan. Roberta had a show on NBC (WPTZ was their Philadelphia affiliate) called "The Roberta Quinlan Show," and it aired Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7:45 pm to 8 pm. It was first appeared in 1949. Morton Downey Sr. hosted the Monday, Wednesday and Friday time slot. It was all under the banner of "The Mohawk Showroom" sponsored by Mohawk Carpets. By 1950, Quinlan was hosting all five nights with band leader was Jan August. It is probably a good guess that the unidentified male on the right was Jan. Roberta's show went off the air in the latter part of 1951.

Quinlan was from Philadelphia and Charles Henry tells this story: As a small lad I had a terrible crush on her. My mother had a friend who knew Roberta's grandmother. She lived in Olney. They were throwing a birthday party for the grandmother and this friend of mother thought it would be cute for little Charles to meet his "older" girl friend. ...We got there and this is still so vivid more than 50 years later. I never so saw so many people in one tiny house. The family was seated at the dining room table. My Mother had me give the grandmother a birthday card. As I walked into the dining room I couldn't keep my eyes off of Roberta. ...white blond hair, bright red lipstick. Remember I had never seen her in color. Without saying a word I walked out of the dining room without going over to Roberta. Everyone was oooing and cooing over this cute little 4 year old boy, and a little surprised that I didn't go over to her. My mother's friend asked "Charles, what do you think of your girlfriend Roberta"? To which I replied in a voice that rivaled Pavarotti in volume, I'VE CHANGED MY MIND!!!!!!!!!!! ...I still remember how red her face got. I never watched her show again. ...I'm sorry Roberta! You're a lovely and talented performer.

The e-mail address of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia is pioneers@broadcastpioneers.com