Benedict Gimbel Jr.

Benedict Gimbel Jr. (1899 – February 6, 1971) was an American businessman, department store executive, and founder of one of the first radio stations in Philadelphia.

Biography Benedict Gimbel Jr. was born to a Jewish family in Philadelphia, the son of Birdie (née Loeb) and Benedict Gimbel Sr. His grandfather was Adam Gimbel of the Gimbel Brothers retailing family. Gimbel attended public schools in Philadelphia as well as the Thorpe School in Stamford, Connecticut and the boys’ boarding school La Villa in Ouchy, Switzerland. He attended the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, but left during his sophomore year to join the U.S. Army during World War I, where he reached the rank of sergeant. The station started broadcasting on March 17, 1922 from its studio above the Gimbels department store in Philadelphia. In 1931, he married actress Sally Phipps; they divorced in 1935. His third wife was J. Jessie Kane. Gimbel died on February 6, 1971.