Who are Sally Jessy Raphael’s Parents Jesse Lowenthal and Dede Lowry?

Sally Jessy Raphael, born Sally Lowenthal on February 25, 1935, in Easton, Pennsylvania, is a well-known former tabloid talk show host.

She rose to fame with her program Sally, but her journey began much earlier, influenced by her parents, Jesse Lowenthal and Zelda Lowenthal, also known as Dede Lowry.

Jesse Lowenthal, Sally’s father, was involved in the rum exporting business. His work took the family to various places, including San Juan, Puerto Rico, where they spent some time during Sally’s upbringing.

Her mother, Dede Lowry, was an art gallery owner, cultivating a creative environment that likely influenced Sally’s later career in media and the arts.

Sally also has a younger brother, Steven Lowenthal. The family eventually moved to Scarsdale, New York, where Sally’s interest in media began to take shape.

One of her first experiences in the field was at a local AM radio station, WFAS, where she read the news as part of a program for junior high school students.

Sally pursued her education at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, before attending the University of Puerto Rico in San Juan.

She further honed her acting skills under the guidance of Sanford Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in New York City.

To establish her own identity in the entertainment industry, Sally adopted her mother’s maiden name, Raphael, as her professional surname. She also chose the middle name Jessy, derived from her father’s family, to complete her stage name, Sally Jessy Raphael.

With a strong foundation influenced by her parents’ diverse interests and careers, Sally Jessy Raphael went on to become a pioneering figure in the world of talk shows, leaving a lasting legacy in American television.