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Who Invented The Television? 10 Key Facts

Television is a fascinating window into other realms, a timeless storyteller, and a symbol of modern connectedness. This technological marvel has transcended time and space, capturing hearts and minds from its beginnings, with a history rich in creativity and inventiveness.

Television has grown into a vital part of our everyday life, from the mechanical marvels of the Nipkow disk to the brilliant electron ballet of electronic transmission. It has shared our joys, sorrows, and victories, bringing the world into our living rooms and broadening our horizons. Join us as we discover the illuminating story of the innovation that permanently changed our world. In the article are ten facts about the inventor of the television, Philo Farnsworth.

1. Philo had earlier technological curiosity and incentive endeavours

Philo T Farnsworth.jpg , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Philo Farnsworth, the eldest child of Lewis Edwin Farnsworth and Serena Amanda Bastian, was born on August 19, 1906. In Manderfield, Utah, the family resided in a log cabin. They relocated to Rigby, Idaho, in 1918, where Philo’s father supplemented his income by hauling freight. Philo’s interest in technology was ignited by his new home, which was wired for electricity and powered by a Delco generator.

He swiftly mastered mechanical and electrical abilities, even changing a hand-powered washing machine to an electric one. After a phone chat piqued his interest in electronics, he earned $25 for creating a magnetic auto lock. He was also quite close to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

2. Philo Farnsworth drew TV concepts while at Rigby High School

During his time at Rigby High School, Philo Farnsworth showed extraordinary abilities in chemistry and physics. His interest in electronic television prompted him to seek advice from science teacher Justin Tolman. Farnsworth excitedly conveyed his envisioned television system on numerous blackboards, utilizing elaborate drawings and schematics.

Tolman, who was captivated by Farnsworth’s ideas, urged him to study and develop them further. One of these blackboard sketches arose as proof of his inventive thinking during a patent battle with RCA. Tolman’s early support was a watershed event in Farnsworth’s journey toward developing the electronic television system.

3. Philo had early adversity and academic pursuits shaping TV innovations

Farnsworth image dissector tube.jpg , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The Farnsworths relocated to Provo, Utah, in 1923. After his father died in 1924, Philo Farnsworth became the family’s breadwinner while finishing high school. In 1924, he graduated from Brigham Young High School and applied to the United States Naval Academy.

He quit and enrolled at Brigham Young University after learning that the military would take his patents. Despite the fact that he was not permitted to attend advanced scientific classes owing to faculty rules, he utilized the university’s labs and obtained certificates.

During this period, he met Elma Gardner, with whom he subsequently married. Farnsworth’s perseverance and early obstacles paved the way for his eventual achievements in television technology.

4. It was philanthropists who funded Philo’s initial television project

Farnsworth stayed in Salt Lake City and met Leslie Gorrell and George Everson, two San Francisco benefactors who were running a Salt Lake City Community Chest fund-raising drive at the time. They agreed to support Farnsworth’s early television research with an initial $6,000 grant and to set up a laboratory in Los Angeles for him to conduct his tests.

5. Philo made the first electronic television image and advancements in 1971

Philo Farnsworth’s image dissector camera tube made history on September 7, 1927, when it sent its first image, a basic straight line, to a receiver in another room of his San Francisco laboratory. “There you are – electronic television!” said Farnsworth, breaking the stillness. A backlit glass slide illuminated by a strong arc lamp provided the image’s source, compensating for the camera tube’s limited light sensitivity.

Farnsworth had perfected the device sufficiently by 1928 to show it to the press, showcasing its potential by projecting a dollar sign. By 1929, further developments had eliminated mechanical pieces, allowing the transmission of live human pictures, including a miniature depiction of his wife, Pem.

6. Farnsworth established the Farnsworth Television and Radio Corporation

Farnsworth founded the Farnsworth Television and Radio Corporation in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in 1938, with E. A. Nicholas as president and himself as research director. After a more than decade-long legal struggle, RCA ultimately agreed to a multi-year license arrangement for Farnsworth’s 1927 television invention valued at $1 million in September 1939. After demonstrating electronic television at the New York World’s Fair on April 20, 1939, RCA was free to sell electronic television cameras to the general public.

7. The  Farnsworth fusor was the first device to clearly show fusion reactions

CrossFire Fusor Core Assembly 02.png , , via Wikimedia Commons

Farnsworth fusor is a nuclear fusion instrument created by Farnsworth. Unlike other controlled fusion systems, which slowly heat a magnetically restricted plasma, the fusor instantly injects high-temperature ions into a reaction chamber, bypassing a significant amount of complexity.

The Farnsworth fusor was the first device that could clearly demonstrate it was creating fusion reactions when it was originally brought to the fusion research field in the late 1960s. At the time, there was a lot of optimism that it might be swiftly developed into a useful power source.

However, like with past fusion tests, turning the technology into a power source has been problematic. Nonetheless, the fusor has subsequently become a viable neutron source and is commercially manufactured for this purpose.

8. Farnsworth appeared only once on a television program

Farnsworth appeared on television only once, despite being the man responsible for its creation. On July 3, 1957, he appeared as a mystery guest (“Doctor X”) on CBS’s I’ve Got A Secret. He answered queries from the panel as they failed to figure out his secret (“I invented electronic television.”).

He won $80 and a box of Winston cigarettes for stumping the panel. Garry Moore, the show’s host, then spent a few minutes talking with Farnsworth about his work on projects including an early analogue high-definition television system, flat-screen receivers, and fusion power.

9. Philo’s wife is credited with the invention of the television

Philo T. Farnsworth House in Fort Wayne.jpg , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Elma Gardner “Pem” Farnsworth, Farnsworth’s widow, worked for decades after his death to ensure his position in history. Farnsworth always gave her equal credit for the invention of television, declaring, “My wife and I started this TV.” She passed away on April 27, 2006, at the age of 98. The inventor and his wife were survived by two sons, Russell (who lived in New York City at the time) and Kent (who lived in Fort Wayne, Indiana at the time).

10. Farnsworth was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 1984

The National Inventors Hall of Fame (NIHF) is a non-profit organization in the United States that was created in 1973 to celebrate individual engineers and inventors who have a U.S. patent for significant technology. In addition to the Hall of Fame, it runs a museum in Alexandria, Virginia, and promotes educational activities and a collegiate tournament.

As of 2020, 603 inventors have been entered, the majority of which were historical figures from the previous three centuries, although there were also roughly 100 living entrants.

Philo Farnsworth was posthumously elected into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 1984 for his breakthrough contributions to television technology. This renowned award was given to him for his pioneering work in inventing the electronic television system, which created the groundwork for contemporary television transmission.

Farnsworth’s ideas transformed communication and entertainment, cementing his position as a visionary inventor and pivotal role in the growth of electronic media. His unshakable dedication and tireless quest for knowledge revolutionized the way we view and interact with the environment. 

Read On Who Invented The Television? History, Key Dates And Facts