Dave Roberts, a Broadcast Pioneer

Dave Roberts
1999

Broadcast Pioneers member Dave Roberts used to broadcast the weather on ACTION NEWS at 5, 6 and 11 pm weeknights, as well as special Action News reports. Throughout the year, he also co-hosted numerous live events televised by Channel 6, including the Independence Day July 4th Celebration, the annual Thanksgiving Day Parade, 6ABC's Miss America Preview Show in Atlantic City and the Philadelphia Flower Show.

Born on Friday, February 14, 1936, Dave is a native of Buffalo, New York and joined Channel 6, WPVI - TV, Philadelphia in 1978 as co-host of Channel 6's live morning talk show AM/Philadelphia.

He started his broadcasting career in 1954 at WAER-FM, Syracuse, New York and later worked at WOLF-AM, in Syracuse. He started in television in 1956 at WBUF-TV in Buffalo, New York. In 1958, he served in the U. S. Army as News Director for the Caribbean Forces Radio TV Network in the Panama Canal Zone and also broadcast on Armed Forces Radio in New York City. In 1961, he joined WKBW-TV in Buffalo, New York.

Dave Roberts was known to Buffalo television viewers as Dave Thomas (Thomas is Roberts' real middle name.) He was their weatherman at WKBW-TV and host of its "Rocketship 7" show, a Children's program. He also hosted "Dialing for Dollars" at the New York state station. When Dave came to Philadelphia, he changed his name to Dave Roberts because using the last name Thomas may have been confusing to viewers since WPVI-TV already had Lisa Thomas-Laury.

(left to right) Dave Roberts and Gary Papa with Gary's sons (in front)
Broadcast Pioneers Annual Banquet
Bala Golf Club, Philadelphia
Friday, November 16, 2007

Dave is a Speech and Dramatic Arts graduate of Syracuse University, with dual majors in English and Communications. Roberts is a member of the Screen Actors Guild and appeared in Brian DePalma's "Blow Out" with John Travolta. He also has made guest appearances on ABC's soap opera "All My Children," Dick Clark's "Inside America" and ABC's "Thirty - Something."

Dave is active in many organizations including the Variety Club and the Knights of Columbus where he is a Fourth Degree Knight. His work for charity is extensive and includes Catholic Charity Drives, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Lupus Foundation, the Children's' Hospital of Philadelphia and he has hosted the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon on Channel 6.

The Central Delco Lodge #2438, Order of Sons of Italy in America selected Dave as its recipient for their "Man of the Year Achievement Award" for his outstanding service to the community. He was honored by the Muscular Dystrophy Association for thirty-five years of service and was selected by the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia as its "Person of the Year," the first for the new millennium. Dave Roberts has also been inducted into of "Hall of Fame." A year later, the Buffalo Broadcast Pioneers (we used to be related but are not any longer) also inducted him into their "Hall of Fame."

In May of 2002,Dave received a Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Holy Family College in Philadelphia and in May of 2004, he was awarded the Whitney M. Young Jr. Service Award from the Boy Scouts for "unselfish service to the youth of America."

(left to right) Broadcast Pioneers members Dave Roberts & Art Moore
on the set of the TV show, "Bones" (which stars Dave' son)
late February 2012

Dave and his wife Patti have three grown children and three grandchildren. The year 2004 marked Dave's 50th year in broadcasting. By the way, Dave Roberts' son is TV Star David (Paul) Boreanaz. Boreanaz is Dave Roberts' real last name.

From the official archives of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia
1999 photo courtesy of WPVI
2007 photo originally donated by Broadcast Pioneers member Bob Kravitz
2012 photo from the set of "Bones" originally donated by Broadcast Pioneers member Dave Roberts
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The e-mail address of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia is pioneers@broadcastpioneers.com