Background
Roberts grew up in a Jewish family in New Rochelle, New York and moved to Germantown, Philadelphia when he was seventeen to live with his stepfather Harry Bobrow, of Bobrow Brothers Cigars.
Roberts grew up in a Jewish family in New Rochelle, New York and moved to Germantown, Philadelphia when he was seventeen to live with his stepfather Harry Bobrow, of Bobrow Brothers Cigars.
Roberts graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and served a four-year tour of duty in the United States Navy.
After leaving the Navy, he held various jobs, first selling golf clubs, then working for the Muzak Company, and later the Pioneer Suspender Company which he eventually owned. Using the proceeds from Pioneer, he started purchasing local community antenna television systems which brought television to people in rural areas, which were then underserved by big broadcasters. They incorporated in 1969 as Comcast Corporation, a name Ralph invented by combining the words communications and broadcasting. has been credited with expanding Comcast into the largest cable television company in the United States. served on the boards of the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Brandywine River Museum, the Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition, and the PENN Medicine Board of Trustees.
In 1998, the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia inducted into their Hall of Fame.
The Suzanne F. and Ralph J. Foundation was one of the largest contributors to the restoration of the Alfred West. Fleisher Memorial Synagogue at Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia named in the honor of his father-in-law.