The Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia

(left to right) Roy Neal & Vexil Domus Weisgerber (son of Charles H. Weisgerber)
WPTZ Studios
Flag Day 1950

Pay close attention to the nice "city" backdrop used on the set. The program was called OPEN HOUSE and aired Wednesdays from 7 to 7:30 pm on WPTZ, Channel 3 in Philadelphia (now KYW-TV).

Roy Neal holds a "Betsy Ross" type flag with Vexil Weisgerber, who was identified by Neal as the great, great grandson of Betsy Ross. However, this was incorrect. Vexil is the son of Charles H. Weisgerber who painted in the late part of the 19th century, the well-known portrait of Betsy Ross sewing the flag called "Birth of Our Nation's Flag".

Charles purchased the Ross House and lived in it for half his life with his family. In fact, his son was named Vexil Domus, Latin for "The Flag House." As a child Vexil was dressed up by his dad in an Uncle Sam suit and paraded around reciting patriotic quotes to the visitors of the house. He later was graduated from Drexel University. Vexil passed away in 1959.

(left to right) Roy Neal & Vexil Weisgerber (son of Charles H. Weisgerber)
(close-up of the above shot)

Charles H. Weisgerber II, a visitor to our site e-mailed:

My Philly friend Win Carroll sent me the "Roy Neal" article on my father Vexil Domus Weisgerber being interviewed by Roy in (what) could have been around 1950. Roy had left radio and was the first (I believe) well known broadcaster to go to TV. (Actually, there were others, but Roy was one of the first.) I was at the studio with my Dad. He was the son of the artist, Charles H. Weisgerber who painted "Birth" in 1893. Its first display was at the World Columbia Expo, Chicago during the summer of '93. The Weisgerber family and many friends just donated the canvas to the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission at a dedication at the State Museum, Harrisburg on November 28, 2001. As you may know for many years Roy was the west coast TV guy for I think NBC.

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