Hubert Jessup Obituary

Name: Memorial service for Hubert Jessup
Start: 2020-06-20T18:00:00.000Z
Location: All Saints Parish,

Hubert Jessup a pioneer in Boston television, passed away on February 17, 2020, in Santa Barbara, California, with his wife of 52 years, Marie Steventon Jessup, by his side. Jessup, who was 73, grew up in Ivanhoe CA, lived most of his adult life in MA. and returned to live in Santa Barbara in 2013. He was a graduate of University of California Santa Barbara and Harvard Divinity School. Jessup will be most remembered for creating three innovative and award-winning television series for ABC Boston affiliate WCVB-TV: New Heaven/New Earth; The Baxters; and Park Street Under. On New Heaven, Jessup merged programs on religion and social conscience, presented award-winning programs on Thoreau and the poetry of Thomas Merton; and interviewed the Dalai Lama; Dorothy Day; Baba Ram Das; Sioux Medicine Man, Lame Deer; Harvard Theologian, Peter Gomes; and labor activist, Cesar Chavez. Jessups work with Chavez deepened his own experience with non-violent protest advancing social and economic justice in the fields of the San Joaquin Valley where he grew up. In 1978, Jessup was awarded an Emmy by the New England Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) for his creation of The Baxters. For The Baxters, the best-known original program produced by WCVB in the 70s, Jessup created a unique format: an original performance in the first half, while the second half featured a dialogue between audience and panelist about the show and the issues explored therein. The Baxters began as a local program in 1977 and was purchased after two years by Norman Lear, who took the show to Hollywood and sold it into first-run syndication for the 1979-1980 season. Jessup also created New Heaven/New Earth and the Baxters to provide people new ways to explore the meaning of their lives. "broadcasting should make audiences examine and challenge their beliefs, not merely reaffirm them," he often said Jessup created and produced Park Street Under, the first locally-produced situation comedy set in a downstairs bar. With well-known actors playing quintessentially Boston characters, the show won a reputation for being winningly attuned to the tastes and also the sensibilities of the city, right from its debut in 1979. Industry insiders consider Park Street Under to be the inspiration behind the hit NBC sit-com, Cheers. (Thats Entertainment! March 30,2016) From 1982-1984 he hosted his own radio show on Bostons WHDH Radio. A Boston Globe review in 1984 observed, "At a time when the airwaves are clogged with banality, Jessup is a voice of intellect, liberalism, sensitivity and fairness." Jessup served as both President of the New England Chapter and as a National Trustee of NATAS, where he was instrumental in creating and implementing its media literacy project, Creating Critical Viewers, a high school curriculum using the top educational leaders in the county. From 1985-1996, Jessup worked as the General Manager of BNN, Boston Community Assess and Programing Foundation, the first of its kind in the country. Jessup also taught at many area colleges including, Harvard Divinity School, University of MA. Boston, and Boston University. He later served as an executive at Los Angeles media think tank, Media Scope, researching the effects of smoking, violence and alcohol in television programming. After joining the Greater Boston Track Club at age 42, he ran 11 Boston Marathons, often training by running to work in Boston from his home in Newton Highlands. A wonderful husband and father, he leaves sons Ethan (daughter-in-law Sara Schaeffner) and Micah (daughter-in-law Laura Duncan); two grandsons, Luka and Kaleb; and his sister, Arvilla Boswell. And he leaves his beloved wife, Marie. A memorial service will be held at All Saints Parish, Brookline, MA 02445, at a later date when we can all come together to celebrate Huberts extraordinary life. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent to: ATTN: Park Donation, Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, 47050 Generals Highway, Three Rivers, CA 93271, where he loved to backpack and hike with his family.

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Published by The Cambridge Chronicle from Apr. 23 to May 7, 2020.

Memories and Condolences
for Hubert Jessup

8 Entries

Glenn C. Koenig

January 6, 2025

Just yesterday, I thought about Hubert and looked him up online. I was aware that he had passed away a few years ago, but sometimes memories just pop up in my mind.

I remember meeting him for the first time back in 1979 or 1980. I had been invited to be there by a dance professor at Tufts University to accompany her as she and a group of liturgical dancers were scheduled to perform at WCVB´s studios in Needham. We stood in the dark at the back of that tiny studio, watching the process. Hubert was sitting in a chair, making decisions between takes. The program was to be broadcast on a subsequent Sunday morning.

I remember learning that he had a divinity degree, but instead of giving sermons in church, somewhere on Sunday mornings, here he was working as a television producer for a major regional TV station, putting together a program for viewers during televisions´s "graveyard shift" when audiences were likely to be much smaller than prime time.

I was very impressed. What an unusual and dedicated person! I thought to myself, here was the kind of man I wanted to "grow up to be," even though I was almost 30 by then, and he was only a few years older.

Soon after that, I had signed up to be in the studio audience for an episode of Park Street Under. That day there was a major snowstorm, but I managed to get there from Arlington, where I lived at the time. A number of people couldn´t make it, but they finally decided that there were enough of us to make a go of it.

Again, I was impressed. Where else was anyone producing a half hour program like that at a regional station? That´s the only time I was in the audience for that, but over the years I remember following his progress in occasional news stories, such as when he worked at BNN. Partly inspired by that, I helped a group of volunteers create a cable access organization in Arlington, ACMI, which is still in operation to this day.

When I just reread this obituary, i was again amazed. How could one person do all the things that he did? But it was that dedication coming through. I´m sad that he´s gone now. But I remain inspired.

Dave O'Brien

July 27, 2024

How do we miss old friends. A half century ago I helped him with a series marking the US bicentennial and I never forgot his intelligence and deep Christian humanism. I read today of the closing of a once Catholic hospital on Dorchester where we centered an episode and I was on camera. He surely rests in peace. I can assure his loved ones that he made a difference in my life
Dave O'Brien retired historian

May 22, 2020

God bless Hubert Jessup and his family. I remember him from our days at Redwood High School in Visalia, CA. He was a freshman, and his beautiful sister, Janelle, and I were songleaders (pompom girls) together her junior year and my sophomore year, such a long time ago. I have only happy memories of him and wish all blessings on his soul.
Florence Frary Evans - RHS class of 1961

Andy Harrell

May 14, 2020

I am saddened to read of Hubert's death. I remember him well from high school days, many years ago, as an intelligent, greatly talented young man. We are all diminished by his death. My condolences to his family.

curtis henderson

May 5, 2020

I worked at Boston Neighborhood Network Television for 32 years thanks to the opportunity Hubert D. Jessup gave me. Hubert took a chance on hiring me to work at the community television station in 1985 and I am so grateful for his decision because it gave me an opportunity to serve youth, seniors, government, educational, nonprofit and community agencies in the City of Boston. He was a producer of inspirational programming and inspired me to do the same by serving Boston's diverse communities and giving people an opportunity to share their stories, news and information with other Bostonians through cable television and now through streaming to the world. Hubert Jessup made a significant contribution to the community media movement and helped make Boston a better place for all Bostonians. My sincere condolences to Marie, his sons and the Jessup family.

Rev. Tom Bauer

May 3, 2020

Marie, Hubert was our best neighbor ever, and a wonderful Christian mentor, and a fearless raccoon fighter! Tom Bauer

April 25, 2020

My name is Christina Cruz, i am deeply sorry to learn of Hubert Jessup's passing. I first met Hubert as a graduate student in his class taught at BU. He was like a mentor to me, and he gave me my first job in television, working as an associate producer with The Community Access Channel in Boston. It was a flagship station that gave many Boston producers and writer their start. The one big thing I will alway remember about Hubert is his robust laugh, in fact I hear it now as I write this memory. He loved his family, and loved talking about his sons. And he always asked about mine. Hubert Jessup, you will be missed.

In peace, Christina

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