The Young & Witty Ben Franklin is A Big Hit in Philadelphia – And Beyond


Philadelphia, PA – November 27, 2012 – Since “re-emerging” on the scene last year, the young and witty Ben Franklin has become a big hit in the historic city of Philadelphia – where he first came to prominence all those years ago – as well as beyond the region. 

The young and witty Ben Franklin has earned accolades for his appearances at a number of high-profile public and private events over the past 12 months.  Among his many recent activities, the young and witty Ben Franklin (as portrayed by actor Rob DeVitis) has:

·         Appeared at Bemidji State University in Minnesota to celebrate Constitution Day (September 17th).  During the day-long appearance, the young and witty Ben Franklin asked those in attendance questions from the United States Citizenship Test, with the theme, “Are you smarter than a Redcoat?”  Those who got six or more correct answers were considered Patriots, while the others were considered Redcoats. 

·         Greeted participants at the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter) Light the Night Walk at the Philadelphia Museum of Art on Saturday, October 27th.

·         Appeared on billboards and other advertising in the Greater Philadelphia region promoting the 16th Annual March of Dimes Signature Chefs Gala Presented by Lincoln Financial Group, which was held on November 16th at the Please Touch Museum.  The young and witty Ben Franklin also appeared in person at the gala, which featured Philadelphia’s premier restaurants and chefs raising funds for the March of Dimes with an evening of food and the annual Signature Chefs Auction.

·         The young and witty Ben Franklin presented the opening remarks for the 2012 American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Annual Convention and World Languages Expo at the Pennsylvania Convention Center on Friday, November 16th.  He performed a 15-minute presentation along with ACTFL President David McAlpine.  The annual convention brings together thousands of teachers, administrators, method instructors and students of foreign languages at all levels from across the world. The convention features over 600 educational sessions on such topics areas as: Assessment, Culture, Curriculum, Literature, Methods/Techniques, Advocacy and Policy Issues, Professional Development, Research, Specific Purposes, Standards and Technology.

In addition, the young and witty Ben Franklin became a Preferred Vendor of the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau to provide additional resources to conventions, groups, and meetings planning to hold events in the Philadelphia area.

Also this fall, the young and witty Ben Franklin began offering “A Walk with Ben,” available by advanced reservation for group tours.  “A Walk with Ben” is a new walking tour with the young and witty Ben Franklin along with the best tour guides in Philadelphia, throughout the historic Old City Philadelphia district. It’s the only tour in Philadelphia where you can be accompanied by the young and witty Ben Franklin.  Those on the 90-minute walking tour can take a walk through colonial and revolutionary Philadelphia with the man who knows the city just as well today as he knew it 250 years ago.  Tours will visit the places where Ben Franklin made a name for himself as a printer, inventor, and statesman, and hear about it firsthand with all the wit for which Ben Franklin is famous. “A Walk with Ben” costs $19.95 for adults and $7.95 for children over seven years old.  Reservations can be made online at http://www.AWALKWITHBEN.com, or by telephone at 877-558-9671.  On the tour, visitors will join Ben Franklin seeing the sights of historic Philadelphia, including the Liberty Bell, colonial Christ Church, and Independence Hall, walking in the footsteps of history and of Ben Franklin himself in the city where he gained his greatest renown.

Earlier this year, the young and witty Ben Franklin established himself as the new “go to” Ben Franklin in the region, with appearances that included:

·         Serving as a special guest “ice cream scooper” alongside former Pennsylvania Governor/former Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell and other local celebrities during the Philadelphia Business Journal's special benefit for Habitat for Humanity at Bassett’s Ice Cream Co. in the landmark Reading Terminal Market in Center City Philadelphia. The young and witty Ben Franklin, along with Governor Rendell and other local celebrities, were on hand as "celebrity ice cream scoopers" at the event (Thursday, May 17, 2012) celebrating the Philadelphia Business Journal's 30th Anniversary.


·         On June 7th, the young and witty Ben Franklin was the guest master of ceremonies at the Philadelphia Direct Marketing Association’s Benjamin Franklin Award for Direct Marketing Excellence at the Adventure Aquarium in Camden, NJ.

·         Entertained Governor Rendell and over 200 guests at a reception for the North American Southeast Asia Bar Association Convention at the Pennsylvania Convention Center (June 28th).

·         Presented the awards to the winning rowers at the 132nd Independence Day Regatta (July 1, 2012).

·         Served as the tour guide for over a dozen International representatives of RES Software on a bus tour of the region, starting at the Philadelphia Art Museum and the “Rocky” statue and ending at the historic Reading Terminal Market.

·         Presented the prestigious “Benny” trophy to the winning club at the annual Philadelphia Youth Regatta, part of the Philadelphia Classic Regatta Series on the historic Schuylkill River, on July 21st..

·         And on July 25th, the young and witty Ben Franklin delivered the welcoming remarks and met the guests in attendance at the National Association of Power Engineers Convention at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

As portrayed by DeVitis, the young and witty Ben Franklin is not a staid and stuffy historical figure dusted off for bored schoolchildren to pass along the way, more than the face on a $100 bill, Franklin is an engaging and thoughtful figure who was not only a statesman but an inventor, a musician, a writer, a printer, founder of the post office and the library.  Franklin was a multi-talented sensation of Philadelphia in the 18th Century who has come back to live in the 21st Century to share his experiences as one of the sensations of the age.

The young and witty Ben Franklin can be found online, at http://www.BenFranklinToday.com, where he can be invited (for a modest fee) to attend your special events, either in the City of Philadelphia, or in areas surrounding William Penn’s Green Country Towne.  The young and witty Ben Franklin is a gifted raconteur who can speak to any and all groups on topics including American history, Philadelphia history, and the life that earned him the title “The First American.”

The young and witty Ben Franklin has been visiting schools, social events, and business events around the Greater Philadelphia region since October 2011.  Will your event be next? 

For additional information about the young and witty Ben Franklin, including rates and availability, visit http://www.BenFranklinToday.com.

The young and witty Ben Franklin is also on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ben-Franklin-Today.