Jewish Invention Myths: The Television Remote Control

Yet another common jewish invention myth is the television remote control (1) and like so many other such claims: it is based on a kernel of fact but is presented without context.

To begin with let’s document the claim.

‘MNews’ writes how:

‘Robert Adler – Remote control

Robert Adler was an author of the idea and implementer of the modern ultrasonic remote control. He was granted over 50 different patents. By the way, Adler received Emmy Award for his achievements.’ (2)

Aish gives us more detail on the claim:

‘A JEWISH FINGER EXERCISE: THE TV REMOTE CONTROL: ROBERT ADLER (1913-2007)

We Jews old enough to remember Molly Goldberg on TV, also remember having to actually get up! Imagine lying there, comfy, with a glass tea and the cushion with a perfect imprint of our head. Then, oy … something terrible happened. We had to go vertical and walk yet to change the station! Or worse make it louder for Bubbe! While Adler didn’t actually invent the first remote, the genius founded the technology to make it work for those of us for whom lying down should be an Olympic event. The Vienna-born inventor was the son of Max Adler, a social theorist and Jenny a doctor. Dripping with yichus, he received his Ph.D. in physics in 1937. After Hitler moved into Austria, Adler traveled to various European locations, then came to the United States where, starting in 1941, he worked with Zenith. All told he was granted 58 patents, but his most famous was the wireless TV remote improving upon an unsuccessful model. Adler used sound waves to transmit. His "Space Command," consisted of aluminum rods that were struck by hammers when initiated by the device’s buttons. He modified the model in the 1960s using ultrasonic signals. By the time he retired in 1982, he held the title of VP and Director of Research, earning numerous awards, including the Emmy for his invention. To Robert Adler we give The Golden Gefilte award for letting us develop strong enough fingers to grab a pound of lox from the back of the buffet.’ (3)

But what is the truth?

The problem with the claim that Robert Adler ‘invented’ the television remote control in 1956 is that it simply isn’t remotely true (pun intended). Adler’s ‘Space Command’ television remote control of 1956 was produced for a company called ‘Zenith Radio’ but the problem with that it wasn’t actually even Zenith’s first television remote control: it was in fact the third television remote control they’d brought to market.

Their first was in 1950 called the ‘Lazy Bones’ which was a wired television remote control.

As ‘Me TV’ write:

‘Before we get to wireless, let's go back to the beginning. Zenith made no, er, bones about it by naming its first remote "Lazy Bones." The device worked like a detonator, with a single button mashed with the thumb.’ (4)

The ‘Lazy Bones’ was attributed to Zenith co-founder Eugene F. McDonald: who wasn’t jewish. (5)

Then in 1955 Zenith produced its first wireless television remote controller.

To quote ‘Me TV’ again:

‘The first wireless remote control was invented in Chicago by Eugene Polley for Zenith and introduced in 1955. The gizmo, dubbed the Flash-Matic, looked like a ray gun from the future. Since then, the handheld devices have used everything from light, sound and radio waves to command our television sets.’ (6)

This is a full year before Adler’s ‘Space Command’ wireless television remote of 1956 was also produced by Zenith.

Eugene Polley is also credited with being the father of the (wireless) television remote control not Robert Adler as his obituary at both the BBC and the ‘Daily Telegraph’ makes absolutely crystal clear:

‘The inventor of the television remote control has died at the age of 96, his former employer has said.

Zenith Electronics said Eugene Polley passed away of natural causes on Sunday at a Chicago hospital.

His 1955 invention, Flash-Matic, pointed a beam of light at photo cells on each corner of the TV, turning it off and on and changing the channels.’ (7)

So, no Robert Adler didn’t invent the first television remote control in 1956: Eugene F. MacDonald invented the first television remote control in 1950 and Eugene Polley invented the first wireless television remote control in 1955.

There goes another jewish invention myth!

References

(1) For example: https://boulderjewishnews.org/2009/an-informal-list-of-jewish-inventions-innovations-and-radical-ideas/

(2) https://mnews.world/en/news/the-great-jews-and-their-inventions

(3) https://aish.com/we-jews-little-known-jewish-inventions/

(4) https://www.metv.com/stories/a-history-of-the-television-remote-control-as-told-through-its-advertising

(5) https://zenith.com/heritage/remote-background/

(6) https://www.metv.com/stories/a-history-of-the-television-remote-control-as-told-through-its-advertising

(7) https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-18164200 supported by the Daily Telegraph’s obituary: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/9285576/Eugene-Polley.html