https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiorello_H._La_Guardia

Fiorello Henry La Guardia (/fiəˈrɛloʊ ləˈɡwɑːrdiə/; born Fiorello Enrico La Guardia,[a]Italian pronunciation: [fjoˈrɛllo enˈriːko la ˈɡwardja]; December 11, 1882 – September 20, 1947) was an American politician. He is best known for being the 99th Mayor of New York City for three terms from 1934 to 1945 as a Republican.

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La Guardia, a Republican who appealed across party lines, was very popular in New York during the 1930s. As a New Dealer, he supported President Franklin D. Roosevelt, a Democrat, and in turn Roosevelt heavily funded the city and cut off patronage for La Guardia's enemies. La Guardia revitalized New York City and restored public faith in City Hall. He unified the transit system, directed the building of low-cost public housing, public playgrounds, and parks, constructed airports, reorganized the police force, defeated the powerful Tammany Hallpolitical machine, and reestablished employment on merit in place of patronage jobs.[3] La Guardia is also remembered for his WNYC radio program "Talk to the People," which aired from December 1941 until December 1945.[4]

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My parents knew him for reading the comics to the kids over the radio during the war.