About

Known credits:
42
Birthday:
1847-02-11
Place of birth:
Milan, Ohio, USA
Website:
N/A

Thomas A. Edison

Overview

Thomas Alva Edison (February 11, 1847 – October 18, 1931) was an American inventor and businessman who has been described as America's greatest inventor. He developed many devices in fields such as electric power generation, mass communication, sound recording, and motion pictures. These inventions, which include the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and the long-lasting, practical electric light bulb, have had a widespread impact on the modern industrialized world. He was one of the first inventors to apply the principles of organized science and teamwork to the process of invention, working with many researchers and employees. He established the first industrial research laboratory.

Edison was raised in the American Midwest; early in his career he worked as a telegraph operator, which inspired some of his earliest inventions. In 1876, he established his first laboratory facility in Menlo Park, New Jersey, where many of his early inventions were developed. He later established a botanic laboratory in Fort Myers, Florida in collaboration with businessmen Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone, and a laboratory in West Orange, New Jersey that featured the world's first film studio, the Black Maria. He was a prolific inventor, holding 1,093 US patents in his name, as well as patents in other countries. Edison married twice and fathered six children. He died in 1931 of the complications of diabetes.

Known for

Acting

2019 Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound Actor Self (voice) (archive footage) 59
Average
2019 The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley Actor Self (archive footage) 62
Fair
2015 Edison Actor Himself (archive footage) 59
Average
2011 The Extraordinary Voyage Actor Self - Filmmaker (archive footage) 60
Fair
2008 Murnau, Borzage and Fox Actor Self (archive footage) (uncredited) 59
Average
2005 Edison: The Invention of the Movies Actor Himself (archive footage) 59
Average
2002 Naqoyqatsi Actor Self (archive footage) (uncredited) 59
Average
1998 Star Power: The Creation Of United Artists Actor Self (archive footage) N/A
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1995 The Shadow of Hate: A History of Intolerance in America Actor Self (archive footage) 59
Average
1990 The Crash of 1929 Actor Self (archive footage) N/A
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1982 Before the Nickelodeon: The Cinema of Edwin S. Porter Actor Himself (archive footage) (uncredited) 59
Average
1950 The Golden Twenties Actor Self (archive footage) N/A
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1946 Okay for Sound Actor 59
Average
1942 The Film That Was Lost Actor Self (archive footage) 59
Average
1928 Guests at the Presentation of Kodacolor at the Home of Mr. George Eastman, Rochester, N.Y. Actor N/A
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1922 A Day with Thomas A. Edison Actor Self N/A
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1909 Meeting of the Motion Pictures Patents Company Actor Himself N/A
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1897 Mr. Edison at Work in His Chemical Laboratory Actor 58
Average

Directing

2022 Copyright Comedies and More. From the Library of Congress Directing Director N/A
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1909 Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) Directing Director N/A
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1903 Chicago-Michigan Football Game Directing Director 59
Average
1902 Skiing Scene in Quebec Directing Director 58
Average
1902 Arrival of the Governor General, Lord Minto, at Quebec Directing Director 58
Average
1901 The Trick Cyclist Directing Director 59
Average
1901 President McKinley Taking the Oath Directing Director 58
Average
1899 Bicycle Trick Riding, No. 2 Directing Director 58
Average
1898 Officers and Crew of the U.S. Cruiser 'Brooklyn' Directing Director N/A
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Production

1914 The Patchwork Girl of Oz Production Producer 58
Average
1913 Jack's Joke Production Producer 58
Average
1913 The Musical Blacksmiths Production Producer N/A
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1913 The Edison Kinetophone Production Producer N/A
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1910 Frankenstein Production Producer 59
Average
1909 Meeting of the Motion Pictures Patents Company Production Producer N/A
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1904 Parsifal Production Producer N/A
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1904 Canoeing on the Charles River, Boston, Mass. Production Producer 58
Average
1903 A Jewish Dance at Jerusalem Production Producer N/A
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1903 Skyscrapers of New York City, from the North River Production Producer 58
Average
1903 Electrocuting an Elephant Production Producer 54
Average
1899 New York Police Parade, June 1st, 1899 Production Producer 58
Average
1899 General Lee's Procession, Havana Production Producer 58
Average
1897 Admiral Cigarette Production Producer 58
Average
1895 The Execution of Mary, Queen of Scots Production Producer 59
Average