The Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia

This is a picture dating from 1946. It was in Center City Philadelphia at an unidentified movie theater. It was the press review of a "brand new" movie starring Jimmy Stewart. It's was called "It's A Wonderful Life." The motion picture went on to be a classic.

Sitting in the foreground are Florence Bendon and Jack Steck. Jack was this organization's fourth president and our fourth Chairman of the Board. Florence served as our 17th president and our 17th Chairman of the Board.

Florence and Jack both passed away in 1994. They were married in 1959. The couple met when they worked together at WPEN Radio. Jack was the host and MC of "The Laughing Roundup on the station. Florence sang on the show under the name of Carol Wynne.

Later in the thirties Jack turned up at WFIL Radio as a staff announcer; duties he maintained until 1942. It was at that time, he premiered his “Jack Steck Amateur Hour” on WFIL originating live from Woodside Park. Jack also did "Jack Steck's Kiddie Hour" from Sylvan Hall, also at Woodside Park. Woodside Park after going out of business would still remain in broadcasting as the home of WDAS AM & FM Radio for four decades. The radio towers went where the old wooden roller coaster was located.

Then Jack got a promotion to Director of Public Relations and Special Events for WFIL Radio. In 1945, he was named Program Director for WFIL (AM). From 1948 to 1952, he held the same post for WFIL-TV, Channel 6 in Philadelphia.

During 1952, Steck was appointed to the position of “Manager of Programs and Production” for both WFIL-TV and radio. He performed those duties until 1956 when he was named “Director of Program and Talent Development" for all of the Triangle broadcast stations. He retained that post until 1972, when he retired and the stations were sold.

Florence later sang on network radio and became one of the first female producer-directors in television. She was assigned the duties of working on "Features for Women for WFIL-TV (now WPVI).

Jack's daughter, Jacqueline, was a professor of journalism at Temple University for decades. Jack's other daughter, Betty was the mother of Danny Bonaduce, who starred on the Partridge Family. Danny would later work in our market at WYSP as an air personality.

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