| Birth Name: | Benedict Gimbel Jr. |
| Birth Date: | 1899 |
| Death Date: | February 6, 1971 (age 71) |
| Nationality: | American |
| Spouse: | Ethel S. Nathanson (divorced) Sally Phipps (divorced) J. Jessie Kane |
| Children: | Ted Nathanson |
| Parents: | Birdie Loeb Gimbel Benedict Gimbel Sr. |
| Family: | Adam Gimbel (grandfather) Bernard Gimbel (cousin) Richard Gimbel (cousin) Michael Nathanson (grandson) |
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.
Benedict Gimbel Jr. was born to a Jewish family in Philadelphia, the son of Birdie (née Loeb) and Benedict Gimbel Sr.[1] [2] His grandfather was Adam Gimbel of the Gimbel Brothers retailing family.[2] His father worked as an executive at the family business and killed himself in Hoboken in 1907 despondent after being charged with a serious crime.[3] 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.[4] 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.[4] He finished his studies when he returned and then went to work for the family business in Philadelphia.[4] In 1921, he resigned as vice president and board member of Gimbels Brothers to serve as the first president and manager of WIP radio, one of the first radio stations in Philadelphia.[4] [5] [6] The station started broadcasting on March 17, 1922 from its studio above the Gimbels department store in Philadelphia.[5] In 1931, WIP purchased WFAN and consolidated all broadcasting at the WIP studios.[5] In 1932, the station was transferred to the newly formed company, the Pennsylvania Broadcasting Company, as it was fully profitable on its own,[5] In 1958, Gimbel put together an investor group (including Bob Hope) and purchased WIP from Gimbels for $2,500,000.[4] In 1960, John W. Kluge's Metromedia bought WIP for $4.500,000; Gimbel remained as a vice president.[6]
Gimbel was married thrice. His first marriage was to Ethel S. (née Nathanson) with whom he had a son, Edward "Ted" Nathanson (his son took his mother's maiden name after his parents divorced).[7] [8] In 1931, he married actress Sally Phipps; they divorced in 1935.[9] His third wife was J. Jessie Kane. Gimbel died on February 6, 1971.