Guest Biography
Benjamin Franklin, Portrayed By Ralph Archbold

More than 200 years after his death, the timeless wisdom of Benjamin Franklin lives on through an award-winning, authentic portrayal of the famed author and inventor by Ralph Archbold.

Today, after addressing thousands of audiences as the alias of the elder statesman, Ralph Archbold has earned a following of his own: he was chosen as the official Ben Franklin for the City of Philadelphia, and became the official "Franklin" for America's Constitutional Bicentennial Celebration. He was featured as Ben in the the city's celebration, "200 Years of Benjamin Franklin's Genius." He has also been the official Ben Franklin for the University of Pennsylvania, Freedom's Foundation, and The Franklin Institute in his predecessor's homeland.

Each summer he is found at Franklin Court where he recreates Ben sitting under the Mulberry tree next to his former home where he tells of his adventures to visitors just as Ben did when he returned from France in 1785.

His realistic portrayal and stimulating performances have won his appearances on many of the news shows and C-SPAN's Washington Journal as well as on The Disney Channel, The history Channel, A&E and many other appearances.

Among the numerous distinctions Ralph Archbold has been awarded as Ben Franklin are: Philadelphia Magazine's "Best of Philly Award," the "Invest in America Eagle" award presented to him by Malcolm Forbes and the "Constitutional Eagle" award presented by Warren Burger.

He began his career in the Midwest over 27 years ago and he has delighted over 11 thousand audiences at association and corporate meetings, conventions, schools, and historic sites with his talent for combining contemporary thought with the wisdom and witticisms of Franklin's time.

Now residing in Philadelphia, Ralph Archbold consults his own extensive reference library, as well as those of other well known Franklin collections to tailor more than 400 messages each year for audiences.

For those interested in Ben Franklin he suggests contacting the Friends of Franklin Web Site at: fof@benfranklin2006.org

Meeting Transcript

Club Leader: Welcome to the Book Club meeting. Benjamin Franklin, How are you today?

Benjamin Franklin Doing extremely well.

Club Leader: Club members - please welcome Ralph Archbold who is a Benjamin Franklin Portrayer from Philadelphia

Club Leader: How do you think Benjamin Franklin would view the Internet and the opportunity to chat online?

Benjamin Franklin:Always having been interested in the latest gadgets, I find the whole notion of being able to communicate instantaneously throughout the world an astounding thing.

Club Leader: Do you see yourself as a communicator, statesmen, inventor? You have had a quite diverse career?

Benjamin Franklin My, the type seems to have a will of it's own. I could not even think of limiting myself to one area of creativity.

Club Leader:Now you were not a frequent public speaker - but this forum can be pleasing for a writer - please share with us why you wrote your autobiography.

Benjamin Franklin: I have always considered myself a Printer by trade. But I became intrigued in many areas of inquirey. Originally My thought was to leave a record and some good advice toward a successful life for my son William. Later I realized the broader interest of people in what I had to say.

Club Leader:Are you ready for our first question?

Benjamin Franklin: Certainly.

Bigtexguy aks: What is your biggest contribution to American society?

Benjamin Franklin It would be hard to select only one item as my "biggest contribution" There were significant contributions in science, government, invention and civic projects, I could not select one over another.

Jim888 asks: In 1729, you purchased the Pennsylvania Gazette? Where did you get the funds for this? What was the distribution?

Benjamin Franklin: This is an interesting story, I had a good deal of skill in printing but no funds. However a man whose son, Hugh Merideth, lacked somewhat in skill and business acumen was willing to finance a shop and our printing business was off and running. I knew the need of another newspaper in Philadelphia and felt I could exceed the efforts of others in that area. Before long my Gazette seemed to be the most popular Newspaper and I was able to buy the shares of Mr. Meridith who had lost interest in the popular paper in Philadelphia and I was able to buy out my partner who had lost interest in the business.

Club Leader:Did you have a staff for the paper?

Benjamin Franklin: Every print shop needs staff, especially apprentices. I found that there were many in Philadelphia who wished to contribute to my paper, so in essence, I had many "reporters."

Club Leader:You were an apprentice yourself at one time, is that correct?

Benjamin Franklin I began my career as an apprentice to my older Brother, James who had a print shop in Boston. I was supposed to work for him until my 21st year but by the time I was 17 our relationship had deteriorated to the point that I ran away and ended up in Philadelphia.

carah asks: I very much enjoy Poor Richard's Almanack. How did you come up with this idea and the name?

Benjamin Franklin: The idea came when I looked at the almancks of others and felt I could do better. My brother was publishing an almanac in RI and there were some almanacks in Philadelphia. I chose the name Richard Saunders for a couple of reasons:

First, I had heard of a man in the 1600"s who had a successful almanack. He had died and was not using his name any longer so I borrowed it. @I also liked the juxtaposition of the Poor/Rich in the name and said I was a poor man who needed to support my family with the sale of the almanack I felt it was worthy of purchase.

Club Leader:Did anyone confuse you with the original Richard?

Benjamin Franklin: Not that I am aware of.

Philiedan asks: Can you tell us about your inventions? Do you still use the Franklin stove?

Benjamin Franklin the Franklin stove was, of course, my hottest idea. There are still some about and you can find one on display at the Franklin Institute and Franklin Court, my former home in Philadelphia.

Club Leader: Any other inventions? Also, how did you get funding for the inventions?

Benjamin Franklin: There were many inventions since I always looked for a way to do something better and came up with a lot of little "gadgets"

Club Leader: Also, maybe you can expand a little on the stove - why was it a great idea?

Benjamin Franklin: I did not market and sell the inventions but this was more of a hobby and I hoped my inventions would be improved upon by others. There were such things as my lightning rod, the glass harmonica, the bifocal spectacles and many others. I should like it very much if you would continue my tradition and come up with many new inventions to improve life. The first invention I recall was a swimming machine I invented as a boy.

Club Leader:What is a swimming machine?

Benjamin Franklin: I had paddles for my hands and feet which would help me swim faster. they were patterned after the hands and fee of a Frog,

Scarlett54 asks: What book most influenced B.Franklin?

Benjamin Franklin I was about 10 or 12 years old. In my young years I was greatly influenced by The Essays to Do Good, by Mather as well as Plutarchs Lives. I have always loved reading and the Spectator and Tattler is where I learned to write.

Scarlett54 asks: Mr. Franklin, who were your heroes?

Benjamin Franklin: My Father was one of my greatest heroes. I learned a lot from him as a boy and always hoped to live up to his reputation and values. there are many of what you call "Founding Fathers" I have a great affection for and I certainly respect the scientific mind of many of the world's leading thinkers.

If you look in my almanack you will find the ideas of many of these people. I wished to share them with your generation.

Politicalbuff asks: You served 15 years in the colonial legislature (1736-51). What did you accomplish there? What was it like compared to congressional activity on the floor which I see on C-SPAN?

Benjamin Franklin: the complexity of politics is not unique to any time in history. I gained a great insight into how to work with others to get my interests accepted. I found that a good deal of the troubles we encounter are caused by our narrowness of idea and our unwillingness to listen thoroughly to others opinions.

Club Leader: What specific laws did you work on? What party did you belong to?

Benjamin Franklin: We did not really have the party system you have today. One of the things that led to the defeat of the group of people I aligned with was my position on the situation with the indians. While clerk in the assembly I had developed views of the natives as people who cared for their families and children and the study of the iroquois and the government they set up was an inspiration to our constitution years later.

Word Of Mouse asks: Mr. Franklin, it was confirmed by my former representative, the honorable Sen. Paul Simon of Illinois, that it was the Slovenian medieval model of Democracy, the ONLY democratic experiment between Greece and the USA, that the US govt was modeled on..Mr. Franklin, who were your mentors? What writers, thinkers influenced you? Do you have any comments on the current international situation?

Benjamin Franklin: We were modeled on the ideas of many people and many nations. You can see the similarities in our beginning wherever individual right and enterprise is encouraged. As to the ONLY model, I think you could not nor would you want to limit us to the ideas of only one group that valued responsibility. This man you speak of is most assuredly a politician.

Camgirl asks: Where can I get a copy of Franklin's book 'Articles of Belief and Acts of Religion'?

Club Leader:Can you shed some light on that particular book?

Benjamin Franklin: You may find it in the rare books section of the library in your area or you can look at reprints in the general collection. You might want to get some of the Yale University Press editions where you will find it and You could even find it in a good copy of the autobiography. You will then understand my thinking as a young man on religion.

Logenstein in Canastota, NY asks: Since B.F. thanks God for the happiness of his past life in 1771 and believes in a God whose power it is to bless. Why does Brands believe that a stint with atheism continued for the rest of his life? Brands tells us that Franklin was disingenuous when calling on God before the opening of the Constitutional Convention.

Benjamin Franklin: I would disagree with that assessment. I think Franklin was most sincere and had learned much throughout his life. He could be considered a Deist but I do not believe he could be accurately labeled an atheist. He had a daily prayer and a worship service he wrote and to me the evidence points in the direction of a very spiritual man.

Club Leader:Do you have any last words for the Book Club?

Benjamin Franklin: If you have any further interest in Ben Franklin go to the Friends of Franklin Web site at: www.benfranklin.org or write them at fof@benfranklin2006.org My last suggestion: Read the autobiography

Club Leader:Thank you so much for joining us. Please come back next week for the next book club discussion on Thomas Paine!