A new NBC series, The Philanthropist, is set to premiere based on entrepreneur and philanthropist Bobby Sager who ten years ago created the Sager Family Traveling Foundation & Roadshow aiming to empower leaders in struggling areas.
Sager’s efforts have since inspired the new series. Actor James Purefoy, who plays Teddy Rist, the character based on Sager, says, “I think he's a growing character who's finding out about himself. He's incredibly arrogant. There are moments in the first episode where I wince, where I go, ‘Oh, that is such a rude thing to say to somebody.’” After all, the character is a British womanizer, separated from his wife.
But the character becomes a real life hero. He is a man who grows beyond a personal tragedy—the death of his son—to realize the joy of helping others. But his deeds aren’t about blind aid. He won’t just write a check and mail it. He insists on physically going to see those he helps, and personally doing the giving himself.
Sager, who made his fortune as president and partner of Gordon Brothers, a Boston-based liquidator, has financed a set of projects ranging from donating modern technology to Tibetan monks to training female doctors in Afghanistan.
The show is scheduled to premiere June 24th at 10 pm EST.
