1 9 , ▁ 2 0 0 9 ) ▁was ▁an ▁American ▁radio ▁and ▁television ▁announ cer ▁known ▁for ▁his ▁work ▁during ▁the ▁Golden ▁Age ▁of ▁Radio ▁and ▁for ▁his ▁work ▁announ cing ▁the ▁day time ▁television ▁soap ▁oper as ▁The ▁Secret ▁Storm , ▁Texas ▁and ▁Love ▁of ▁Life , ▁each ▁for ▁a ▁two - de cade ▁span . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁education ▁Roberts ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁February ▁ 2 2 , ▁ 1 9 1 0 , ▁in ▁Manh attan ▁and ▁grew ▁up ▁in ▁The ▁Bron x . ▁His ▁father , ▁Nathan iel , ▁an ▁ins urance ▁sales man ▁and ▁English ▁t utor ▁from ▁Lat via , ▁and ▁his ▁mother , ▁F anny ▁N aft , ▁from ▁present - day ▁Ukraine , ▁were ▁both ▁Jewish ▁imm igr ants ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁Roberts ▁graduated ▁from ▁De W itt ▁Cl inton ▁High ▁School . ▁He ▁briefly ▁attended ▁law ▁school ▁and ▁worked ▁in ▁F ior ello ▁H . ▁La ▁Guard ia ' s ▁law ▁office ▁as ▁an ▁intern , ▁but ▁quit ▁the ▁un pa id ▁position ▁after ▁the ▁firm ▁wouldn ' t ▁cover ▁his ▁bus ▁fare . ▁He ▁changed ▁his ▁name ▁after ▁entering ▁the ▁radio ▁business ▁so ▁that ▁it ▁would ▁not ▁" sound ▁so ▁Jewish ". ▁ ▁Radio ▁and ▁television ▁career ▁His ▁first ▁announ cing ▁job ▁was ▁at ▁WM CA ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁last ing ▁three ▁weeks . ▁Next ▁at ▁W L TH ▁in ▁Brook lyn . ▁In ▁an ▁interview ▁for ▁the ▁book ▁The ▁Great ▁American ▁Broadcast , ▁Roberts ▁told ▁Leonard ▁M