Philo & Edna Farnsworth

Both of the photographs below are from 1934 and both were taken right here in the Philadelphia area.

(For a closeup version, please click on the photo)

The first picture shows inventor Philo T. Farnsworth on the left. On the right was his secretary, Mable Bernstein of Philadelphia It looks like it was taken at his first workshop which was located at 127 East Mermaid Lane in Wyndmoor, PA (a suburb of Philadelphia). Mable was also one of the people Philo used to televise images at Philadelphia's Franklin Institute. The camera shown above was said to be "portable."

(For a closeup version, please click on the photo)

It was Saturday, August 25, 1934, Philo Farnsworth demonstrated his "invention" (television) at Philadelphia's Franklin Institute. It was taken on the front lawn of the Institute and in the upper portion of the photo is the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Center City Philadelphia. It was the first football ever shown on television and it happened right here in Philly.

Photos courtesy of Professor Donald G. Godfrey
Pictures taken with permission from his book
Philo T. Farnsworth: The Father of Television
All Rights Reserved

The e-mail address of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia is pioneers@broadcastpioneers.com