John Kluge

John Werner Kluge, a German-American entrepreneur who significantly influenced the television industry, was born on September 21, 1914, in Chemnitz, Germany, and moved to the US in 1922. A Columbia University graduate with a B.A. in economics, Kluge served at the secretive P.O. Box 1142 during WWII. He later became a pivotal figure in broadcasting by acquiring stock in the Metropolitan Broadcasting Corporation in the 1950s, eventually transforming it into Metromedia. By 1986, he sold Metromedia's television stations to 20th Century Fox for $4 billion, while also venturing into telecom and media in Eastern Europe, CIS, and China. Kluge's philanthropic efforts included a $60 million donation to establish the John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress, over $510 million to Columbia University for financial aid, and significant contributions to the University of Virginia. Despite his vast political contributions across party lines, he predominantly supported Democrats in Virginia. Kluge, who passed away on September 7, 2010, was also known for his collection of Indigenous Australian art and his personal life marked by four marriages and a blended family of six children.