David Sarnoff

Entrepreneur

Birthday February 27, 1891

Birth Sign Pisces

Birthplace Russia

DEATH DATE Dec 12, 1971 (80)

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About

Trailblazer of American radio and television. He was nicknamed The General. He was an influential RCA executive from the year of its founding, 1919, until 1970.

Before Fame

His communications career started in 1906 when he was hired by the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company of America.

Trivia

He firmly believed in "the value of a broadcast network is proportional to the number of viewers," which became known as Sarnoff's law.

Family Life

He and his family immigrated to the United States from Belarus. He was married to Lizette Hermant for 54 years. She was his muse during his lengthy career in radio and television.

Associated With

His legendary legal battles with Philo T. Farnsworth were dramatized in the play The Farnsworth Invention by Aaron Sorkin.