The Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia

This photo dates from approximately 1952. Walter Annenberg, whose company owned the WFIL stations, always thought that the young were very important. This is true in his work later in his life and was true more than a half century ago when in 1947, he gave Temple University the funding to build the first WRTI studios. Annenberg also made available to the University, the WFIL studios for student classroom labs.

This picture is from one of those classes. Personnel are Joe Rosenberg and Claire Coleman. You may remember Coleman as "Miss Claire" on WFIL-TV's ROMPER ROOM. Claire, by the way, shared an office with Dick Clark in the early days. Claire now lives in Virginia and is married to Richard Schweiker, former US Senator from Pennsylvania and a member of President Reagan's cabinet.

Broadcast Pioneers member Lew Klein said:

There were a few of us who directed Romper Room at various times. I was one of them. As to producing, I think Claire served as the producer. Romper Room was a program where WFIL-TV bought a syndicated format and was provided with program features to be used in the show. The syndicator was based in Baltimore and they would visit the station from time to time.

The rumor mill has it that Claire's "beau" before Dick was WFIL's own Bill "Wee Willie" Webber, a member of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia.

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