- Born
- Died
- Birth nameThomas Alva Edison
- Nickname
- The Wizard of Menlo Park
- Height5′ 10″ (1.78 m)
- Thomas A. Edison was born on February 11, 1847 in Milan, Ohio, USA as Thomas Alva Edison. He was a producer and director, known for silent movies such as, The Trick Cyclist (1901), The Patchwork Girl of Oz (1914) and Bicycle Trick Riding, No. 2 (1899). He also produced the first American film version of Frankenstein in 1910. That was of course, twenty years before Universal Studios introduced the monster with Boris Karloff. This paved the way for modern day horror as we now know it. Edison is however, perhaps better known as an inventor of many conveniences like the light bulb. He of course produced many other inventions like, among others, the phonograph, power stations, the carbon switch microphone, and motion picture cameras. These advancements gave him a firm place in the history of American Greatness as well as American film production.
He was married to Mina Miller and Mary Stilwell. He died on October 18, 1931 in West Orange, New Jersey, USA.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Blogmonstermike
- SpousesMina Miller(February 24, 1886 - October 18, 1931) (his death, 3 children)Mary Stilwell(December 25, 1871 - August 9, 1884) (her death, 3 children)
- ChildrenBurton Willard EdisonWilliam EdisonCharles EdisonTheodore EdisonMadeline Edison
- Edison's son allegedly captured his last breath in a glass jar. The jar is on display at the reconstructed Menlo Park at Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan.
- Made several experimental short films, some lasting only several seconds, mostly to test his equipment. One film--Edison Kinetoscopic Record of a Sneeze (1894)--which features a man sneezing, runs for 1-1/2 seconds.
- Using a primative cylinder and foil device, he created the first known recording of a human voice (his own, reciting the poem "Mary Had A Little Lamb").
- He is often credited with the invention of the incandescent light bulb, but that is untrue; he only perfected it. Similar bulbs were already in existence but they were expensive, did not last long and gave off a bad smell. By developing a low-cost, long-lasting, carbonized cotton filament, Edison made electrical light cheap enough to be financially practical.
- Elected to the New Jersey Hall of Fame in 2007 for his services to technology (inaugural election). Official induction ceremonies held in May 2008.
- [His last words, after lapsing in and out of consciousness] It is very beautiful over there.
- My mother was the making of me. She understood me; she let me follow my bent. She was so true, so sure of me; and I felt I had something to live for, someone I must not disappoint.
- School was repulsive to me.
- Opportunity is missed by most people because it's dressed in overalls and looks like work.
- [on encouragement/discouragement] I never allow myself to become discouraged under any circumstances...The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are, first, hard work; second, stick-to-Itiveness; third, common sense.
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