Philo T. Farnsworth in 1935 with a television set he invented.

Tribute to Philo T. Farnsworth, "The Father of Television"

Philo T. Farnsworth, the Idaho farm boy inventor, conceived a model for electronic television, while watching wheat fields blow in the wind, in 1922 at the age of 14. He went on to register over 100 television patents and lived to see his invention transmit images of astronauts on the moon in 1969, making all of his sacrifices worthwhile. His statue, as the Father of Television, is in the Capitol Retunda.

The First Video Camera: "The Image Dissector" Tube

“Philadelphia, PA . . . . A. H. Brolly is seen operating a camera (image dissector) that picked up the physical picture of the performers in television, as their music and songs were picked up by microphone for radio transmission in demonstration of the television system developed by Philo T. Farnsworth, Young radio engineer, yesterday (7/31/35).” 1935 Press Photo from Farnsworth Television.

Online Resources

Philo T. Farnsworth, The Time magazine, “100 Most Influential Scientists and Thinkers of the 20th Century” (3/29/1999).

Farnsworth Archives, “The Official Family Site,” including history, images, “the sketch,” and books.

Farnsworth Patent for Television System (1927) , The Philo T. Farnsworth Archives.

"The Boy Who Invented Television: A Story of Inspiration, Persistence, and Quiet Passion,” by Paul Schatzkin.

“Big Dream Small Screen, The Story Behind the Television,” The American Experience, WGBH (Boston), PBS Home Video.

Farnovision Video Library, a collection of videos that explain the origins of television, how it was invented – and who really invented it.

“The Early History of Television and Philo Farnsworth,” web based presentation by Martin Grider.

“Vintage Tech,” early television design, mechanics and demonstrations, Peter’s Nostalgia Site, United Kingdom.

Farnsworth 1945 Prototype Television with a sync chassis, production model GV260, Capehart-Farnsworth Television and Radio Corporation, Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Philo Farnsworth (1906-1971), biography, Early Electronic Television.