- Born
- Died
- Birth nameVictor Mills Roby Jr.
- Vic Roby was born on November 9, 1917 in Tylertown, Mississippi, USA. He was married to Josephine Emerson Roby. He died on September 22, 2011 in Natick, Massachusetts, USA.
- SpouseJosephine Emerson Roby(1948 - September 22, 2011) (his death, 1 child)
- Was heard at the opening of television specials announcing "Now, a special program in living color on NBC" over the animation sequence with the 'NBC Peacock' between 1968 and 1975.
- In 1969, he put an advertisement in Variety indicating that he was no longer available for doing cigarette commercials, citing "evidence...that smoking could lead to cancer, heart attacks, strokes, emphysema and fires." This preceded by two years the total ban on cigarette advertising on television.
- Did many commercials over the years, making him part of a small group of TV and radio announcers including fellow NBC colleague Howard Reig and New York station WOR-TV's Phil Tonken in doing so.
- He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Josephine Emerson Roby of Scarsdale, New York; their daughter Deborah Roby Boyce and her husband, Joshua A. Boyce of Sherborn, Massachusetts; two grandchildren, Erica Boyce and Joshua R. Boyce of Sherborn, Massachusetts; several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his brother, Charlton S. Roby of Jackson, Mississippi.
- He was a radio and television announcer for 40 years until his retirement in 1983. In 1950, he began his 33 year tenure as a staff announcer for WNBC Radio in New York City and at WNBC-TV television. He was the moderator of the WNBC-TV's long running weekly news program, "Direct Line" which pioneered the call-in-format for talk shows.
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