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Julian Brodsky, a cable TV pioneer and financial guru who was a co-founding partner of Comcast more than 60 years ago, has died. He was 93.
Comcast announced his death Friday. According to the cable and media company,
Brodsky died peacefully surrounded by his family while in hospice care on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026.
Brodsky teamed with Comcast founder Ralph J. Roberts and co-founding partner Daniel Aaron to build the company from its earliest days, beginning with the acquisition of a small cable television system in Tupelo, Mississippi, in 1963. Working from a “modest office” near Philadelphia, the three laid the foundation for what would grow into one of the world’s leading media and technology companies, according to Comcast.
“Julian was an extraordinary leader, a brilliant financial mind and one of the architects of cable television,” Brian L. Roberts, chairman of Comcast, said in a statement. “He was a trusted partner and close friend to my father, Ralph, and someone I was fortunate to learn from and work alongside for so many years. He was one of the most creative financiers of his generation, but just as important, he established a culture of financial integrity, uncompromising standards, and respect for colleagues that remains at the heart of our company today.”
Roberts added, “Julian was a mentor and a friend, and his contributions to our company and our community cannot be overstated. We will miss him deeply, and our thoughts are with his family and everyone who knew and loved him.”
Brodsky was born in Philadelphia on July 16, 1933. He attended Overbrook High School and graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He served two years in the U.S. Army before beginning his career as a certified public accountant. While working as an auditor, he developed an early fascination with the emerging cable television industry, an interest that would shape the course of his career and help define his legacy.
As Comcast’s longtime CFO, Brodsky was instrumental in financing the company’s expansion and efforts to raise capital. The company credits him with helping guide major acquisitions that transformed Comcast from a small regional cable operator into an industry leader. Brodsky was among the industry’s “earliest financial innovators,” according to Comcast, helping establish cable television’s credibility as an investment and demonstrating its long-term potential to banks, institutional investors and Wall Street at a time when the business was still in its infancy.
Brodsky played a central role in Comcast’s initial public offering in 1972 and helped establish the company’s reputation for financial integrity and disciplined management, the company said. Along with Ralph Roberts, he formed Comcast Interactive Capital in 1999, now called Comcast Ventures, to invest in early-stage technology companies and obtain a window into opportunities that could potentially benefit Comcast’s business. In 2004, Brodsky became Comcast’s non-executive vice chairman and retired from the company and its board of directors in 2011.
Brodksy’s contributions to the cable television industry were recognized with numerous honors, including his induction into the Cable Television Hall of Fame in 2003 and the National Cable & Telecommunications Association’s Distinguished Vanguard Award.
Beyond Comcast, Brodsky was a dedicated philanthropist and a champion of the Philadelphia community. Together with his beloved wife of 70 years, Lois, he supported numerous cultural and educational institutions, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where he served for nearly three decades as a trustee. In October 2026, the couple announced a $20 million gift to establish the Lois G. and Julian A. Brodsky Learning and Engagement Center, reflecting their longstanding commitment to making art and education accessible to future generations.
In addition to Lois, Brodsky is survived by their three daughters, Debra Brodsky, Ellen Brodsky (married to Ted Rybeck) and Laura Brodsky (Michael Beard), and his brother, Marc Brodsky (Vivian Brodsky). He was predeceased by his parents, David and Esther Brodsky. He is also survived by four grandchildren.
A private memorial service will be held, and a celebration of Brodsky’s life will be announced at a later date.
