David George Ronald Hofman (23 September 1908 – 9 May 2003) served as a member of the

Universal House of Justice The Universal House of Justice is the nine-member supreme ruling body of the Baháʼí Faith. It was envisioned by Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the Baháʼí Faith, as an institution that could legislate on issues not already addressed in the ...

, the supreme governing body of the

Baháʼí Faith The Baháʼí Faith is a religion founded in the 19th century that teaches the Baháʼí Faith and the unity of religion, essential worth of all religions and Baháʼí Faith and the unity of humanity, the unity of all people. Established by ...

, between 1963 and 1988. He worked as the world's first

television presenter A television presenter (or television host, some become a "television personality") is a person who introduces or hosts television show, television programs, often serving as a mediator for the program and the audience. It is common for people ...

for the

British Broadcasting Corporation The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public broadcasting, public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved in ...

and later founded the publishing company George Ronald.

History

Early life and career

Mr. Hofman was born in 1908 in

Pune Pune ( ; , ISO 15919, ISO: ), previously spelled in English as Poona (List of renamed Indian cities and states#Maharashtra, the official name until 1978), is a city in the state of Maharashtra in the Deccan Plateau, Deccan plateau in Western ...

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

where his father served in the

British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

. Educated in

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

, as a young man he set out to see the world. While in

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

during the 1930s, he encountered the Baháʼí Faith at the home of

May May is the fifth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Its length is 31 days. May is a month of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. Therefore, May in the Southern Hemisphere is the ...

and William Sutherland Maxwell in

Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...

. He embraced the religion and continued his travels, living for a time in

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood ...

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, and appearing in a number of silent movies. Back in England he earned several acting roles in the West End of London and in 1938 was a television announcer on early

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

television transmissions. His voice was also heard on the radio, on the BBC Empire Service. In 1943 Hofman founded the Baháʼí

publishing company Publishing is the activities of making information, literature, music, software, and other content, physical or digital, available to the public for sale or free of charge. Traditionally, the term publishing refers to the creation and distribu ...

George Ronald. Its first title was The Renewal of Civilization, a book he wrote as an introduction to the Baháʼí Faith. Years later he authored a biography of Hand of the Cause George Townshend. Following

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

he married former US Olympic athlete Marion Holley, who predeceased him. They had two children. The Hofmans were active members of the Baháʼí community, establishing Baháʼí communities in

Northampton Northampton ( ) is a town and civil parish in Northamptonshire, England. It is the county town of Northamptonshire and the administrative centre of the Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority of West Northamptonshire. The town is sit ...

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and

Watford Watford () is a town and non-metropolitan district with Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough status in Hertfordshire, England, northwest of Central London, on the banks of the River Colne, Hertfordshire, River Colne. Initially a smal ...

. Mr. Hofman served for 27 years as a member of the

National Spiritual Assembly Spiritual Assembly is a term given by ʻAbdu'l-Bahá to refer to elected councils that govern the Baháʼí Faith. Because the Baháʼí Faith has no clergy, they carry out the affairs of the community. In addition to existing at the local level ...

of the United Kingdom.

Bibliography

*''Baháʼu'lláh, the Prince of Peace'' *''Commentary on the Will and Testament of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá'' *''George Townshend, A Life'' *''The Renewal of Civilization'' David Hofman was also a member of the Northampton Repertory theatre 1942/1943/1944 an accomplished actor as Lorberg in Ibsens Hedda Gabler, Robert E Sherwoods The Queens Husband as King Eric.and The Petrified Forest.and many others,

Notes

References

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hofman, David George Ronald Members of the Universal House of Justice English religious leaders BBC people 1908 births 2003 deaths British Bahá'ís Converts to the Bahá'í Faith 20th-century Bahá'ís 21st-century Bahá'ís