Robert Sarnoff
Robert W. Sarnoff | |
---|---|
Born | Radio Corporation of America | June 2, 1918
Known for | color television |
Notable work | Victory at Sea |
Board member of | |
Spouses |
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Children | 3 |
Robert W. Sarnoff (July 2, 1918 – February 23, 1997) was an American businessman best known as the
Through the early 1970s, Sarnoff attempted to build RCA into a multinational
After five years as chairman, a "palace revolt" by the board and senior RCA executives removed Sarnoff from the CEO position. After Sarnoff's unsuccessful tenure, RCA never recovered its former stature and was purchased by General Electric in 1986, which liquidated most of the company's assets. After a struggle with cancer, Robert Sarnoff died in 1997 at the age of 78.
Early life
Robert was born in
After a year in
Career at RCA
After avoiding RCA for some time, Robert Sarnoff took a position as an account executive at RCA's
In 1956, he was promoted to the president of NBC,
In 1965, Robert replaced his father as president of RCA, and in 1967, the chief executive officer (CEO). One of Robert's first actions as CEO was to begin modernizing RCA's image. He retired the original RCA lightning-bolt logo and introduced a new logo featuring just the three letters 'RCA' in a modern squared font. He also largely abandoned the use of the Nipper/"His Master's Voice", "Victor" and "Victrola" trademarks, retaining them only for limited use by RCA Records. [1] RCA reinstated the Nipper/"His Master's Voice" trademarks after Robert was ousted in 1975.
David Sarnoff fell seriously ill in 1970 and was removed from the board, at which point Robert became
Through this period, RCA's core business in the technology and home entertainment fields began to decline. The effects of the 1973–1975 recession hit the company particularly hard and Sarnoff was put under increasing pressure. This came to a head in 1975 when the board removed Robert in what has been called a "palace revolt".[1]
Personal life
Sarnoff married Esme O'Brien and had a daughter Rosita before divorcing in 1949.[3] That year he married Felicia Schiff Warburg and had two more daughters, Serena and Claudia, before divorcing in 1969.[1] In 1970, Felicia remarried to Franklin D. Roosevelt Jr. Robert became known for a series of brief relationships with various recording stars he met through RCA Records. In 1974, He married operatic soprano Anna Moffo.[1]
Sarnoff was a member of the boards of the New York Stock Exchange and a member of the New York Friars Club.[2]
References
Citations
Bibliography
- Kleinfield, Nathan (February 24, 1997). "Robert Sarnoff, 78, RCA Chairman, Dies". The New York Times. p. Section B, Page 10.
- Ramos, George (February 23, 1997). "Robert Sarnoff; Former NBC Chief". Los Angeles Times.
- "Esme Hammond, 66, A Prominent Socialite". Los Angeles Times. May 22, 1986. p. Section B, Page 16.