Necrology
Richard Ernest Dubé '34
Apr. 25, 1913-Jul. 26, 2002
Richard Ernest Dubé ’34, a former motion picture publicist and longtime production manager for radio and television commercials, was born on April 25, 1913, in Brooklyn, NY. He was a son of Ernest R. Dubé, a tool and die maker and descendant of one of Canada’s oldest French families, and the former Anna Oelkuch. Dick Dubé grew up in Westwood, NJ, and arrived at Hamilton in 1930 from Westwood High School. He joined Theta Delta Chi and ran track and cross-country, but made his greatest impression on campus as a piano player and song writer. He earned his diploma in 1934.
Variously and fitfully employed during the Depression years of the 1930s, when he led his own orchestra for a time, Dick Dubé took courses in business administration at New York University. In 1940, he was married to Marjorie Mahoney. The following year, while working as an auditor for the Price Waterhouse accounting firm, he became acquainted with the entertainment field. That year he joined the Hal Horne Organization, a motion picture publicity unit affiliated with 20th Century Fox. However, his career was soon interrupted by World War II military service when he went on active duty with the U.S. Navy in 1943.
Dick Dubé, who was in the Naval Air Service until his release as a lieutenant (j.g.) in early 1946, returned thereafter to 20th Century Fox in New York City. He took charge of advertising and publicity for almost 50 films, including the one based on the most notorious novel of the era, Forever Amber. In 1949, after a year’s employment as a publicist for the Eagle Lion Film Co., he decided to leave the motion picture industry for the new medium of television. He joined Lever Brothers Co., the soap products manufacturers who were one of radio’s major advertisers and would soon be a major TV advertiser as well. Beginning as an assistant media director, he ultimately became manager of all of Lever’s radio and TV production. Working with numerous advertising agencies he was much involved in the early development of TV commercials.
Dick Dubé continued to work out of Lever’s Manhattan offices until his retirement in 1978. In addition, he chaired the Soap and Detergent Association’s entertainment committee for many years and frequently served as a judge for the American TV Commercials Festival (Clio Awards). He was also a longtime member of the joint policy committee of the Association of National Advertisers.
On December 5, 1964, two years after the death of his first wife, Marjorie, Dick Dubé was married to the Countess Helga Feodor von Perponcher in his hometown of Westwood. She was a member of the German nobility who came to the United States after her family’s estates were lost to Russian occupation. Three sons were born of the marriage: Roland R., Roger L., and Rodney E. Dubé.
Following his retirement, Richard E. Dubé moved from New Jersey to Sarasota, FL. He was still residing there at the time of his death on July 26, 2002, according to verification recently obtained by the College. Information on survivors is lacking.
