....people speculated about that in season one.

some said he was an illegitimate son, or a step-son.

my theory is that the name of the firm is Sterling Cooper.

Bert Cooper is the present Senior Partner, but his name is UNDER the name of Sterling.

i think Roger is the son of Bert's old partner, Sterling Senior, the OTHER father of the company.

That's what I think, too, DM...I wish I could remember if that was Bert (with a young Roger in that pic) on the side table in his office...or was it supposed to be Roger's dad? It looked like they were out fishing or something, whoever it was. It was so long back there, I just don't recall clearly. I remember when I first saw that epi I thought it was Bert in the pic. oh well...

Advertising in its current form really started to take off in the 1920s, so the backstory on the start of the firm would be very interesting, I think. J Walter Thompson started in the late 19th century, I think (isn't it one of the oldest advertising firms around?). I would love the see a flashback about Bert Cooper and Roger's father (heck, we don't even know his name). Both partners might have been in WWI. But what is the history of Roger's family or Bert's? Were they both wealthy or are they "self-made" men via the agency they founded? Roger's made comments about having a nanny, but I have an idea they're (the partners) both from money prior to setting up the agency. Bert's never married? That's a bit on the unusual side. BOTH Roger's parents are dead? I don't know - would just be interesting to see Roger's background (and Bert's) to see why they are the men they are today.

perhaps roger's father, co-founder with bert cooper, died an early death. tthe fishing photo was the last time the elder sterling spent with his son. bert cooper, the business partner, stepped in as a father-figure to young roger, who was the heir to his dad's half of the firm but too young to work in it. bert honored his commitment to roger's future and brought him into active participation in the firm after graduation from university. roger was already a married man in his late-20s, when he volunteered for wwii, serving as an officer, mostly to live up to his late father's tradition. bert saved his place at the firm until his return in 1945. by the time roger returned from the war, he was in his early 30s. by 1962 he's in his late 40s, perhaps 50.

Nice backstory boca, give me more! That sounds pretty good to me!

bert cooper never had a son of his own, so he has always had great affection for young roger, giving him the childhood nickname of "peanut". as a boy, roger called bert "uncle bert". bert also acted as a social companion for roger's widowed mother, escorting her at dinner parties and social events, but there was no romantic involvement.

bert was indulgent of roger even after roger joined the firm, and still is today. in business, roger was never good for much more than being a skillful socializer and contact for potential clients, and for having a nose for money. he grew up in a privileged home, attended prep school with boys from the the best families, played all the right sports and belonged to the best country clubs and social clubs, as did his late father. bert has a sketchier and more plebian background and has learned how to fit into that upscale world. he was not born to it.

bert served in world war one, which is how he met roger's father.

So you think Bert's roots are proletariat, huh? Hadn't thought of that at all, but it's plausible. Alot of the executives who were my bosses in the 70s had worked their way up from nothing, and weren't necessarily Ivy-leage educated or university-educated at all (like they demand now for every crummy office job).