87-Year-Old Martins Run Resident Will Be Special Guest in 'This is Your Life'

MEDIA–On Nov. 30 at 7 p.m. at ’s auditorium in , Bill Niemeyer’s friends and family will reenact the popular 1950s television program This is Your Life as they share anecdotes that will shed light on the life of the 87-year-old Martins Run resident.

For nearly a decade, This is Your Life consistently captured the attention of people around the United States, as the hour-long documentary style program featured in-depth examinations of the lives of celebrities and everyday people alike. The show, which was hosted by Ralph Edwards and initially ran from 1952 to 1961, relied on anecdotes from friends and family members to help tell the life stories of the program’s guests.

This is the second time that Niemeyer has been honored with a “This is Your Life” production, but the distinction is not lost on him. “We are thrilled to debut this show for the first time at Martins Run, and I’m honored to have been chosen to be a part of it,” he said.

Niemeyer, 87, has had a very colorful life that has included being part of the 1944 class of West Philadelphia High School and becoming head potentate of his Shriners chapter. Niemeyer also served in the military during World War II and owned a successful John Deere dealership with his son that has employed hundreds of people over the decades.

Spearheading the event are Martins Run residents Alan Goldman, Claire Boskoski, Vivian Felzer and Ethel Hamburger. They hope this show will complement Martins Run’s already diverse program of live presentations and entertainment.

Ethel Hamburger said that she anticipates that Niemeyer’s family will be in attendance, as well as friends from his childhood and from his time in the military, all of whom will offer words on his life. In addition, Newtown Square Business and Professional Association’s (NSBA) Dick Pound is expected to offer words on the man who was a vital part of NSBPA’s organization. About 25 members of the local Shriners club are also planning to attend wearing traditional fez, the Shriners’ most distinctive symbol.

For more information about Martins Run, please contact Lorraine Dellafranco at 610-353-7660 ext. 226 or ldellafranco@martins-run.org. For additional information on the event, please contact Vicki Conner at 610-353-7660 ext. 216.