The Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia

Bob Mitchell (Michael Guerra, Jr)

Bob Mitchell was in reality Michael Guerra, Jr. He was a popular DJ here in Philadelphia and on the West coast where he used the air name Bobby Tripp. He passed away at 37 in the UCLA Medical Center in 1968.

His first air job was on WCAM Radio in Camden. He was a very popular rock jock on WIBBAGE, WIBG Radio in the late 50s and early sixties. Then he went to California and KYA in San Francisco and KHJ in Los Angeles where he worked with Les Crane and Tom Donahue.

He had a hit record called, “A Reporter’s Report to the Nation.” It was parody on the Kennedy-Nixon Presidential election.

He was born on July 13, 1928 in New Jersey. He was a 1945 graduate of the Collingswood High School. Four years later, he was graduated by the University of Arizona in the top 10% of his class.

From July 1950 to February of 1951, he was a staff announcer at WCAM where his duties included music programs, news, special events and audience participation shows. He then served two years in the armed forces in the military police corp. After leaving, he accepted an announcing job at WDAS, owned by Max M. Leon, a former Vice-President of this organization.

Bob said of his job at WDAS (in his 1950s resume): “WDAS hired me to do a three hour morning show and to announce the feature race from Garden State Track. I produced 110 leads on direct calls for one client. I produced 300 leads in three weeks for another client. I was also in charge of promotion and merchandising.”

Mitchell also said (in his 1950s resume): “I feel that radio is still one of the best mediums and that it offers a good future.”

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