David Sarnoff
1891–1971 (age 80)
broadcasting executive
Biography
David Sarnoff rose from an immigrant childhood to become one of the most influential figures in 20th-century communications, guiding the Radio Corporation of America and the National Broadcasting Company through the birth of commercial radio and the earliest experiments in television.
Even after retiring from day-to-day leadership, he remained a passionate advocate for innovation in broadcasting and is buried at Kensico Cemetery, where colleagues and admirers remember the vision he brought to the airwaves.