December 20,1938…Vladimir Zworykin Patented The Iconoscope

Although there was controversy over a lot of patents and inventions in electronic television between Philo Farnsworth and Zworykin and RCA, there is no contention over the development of the Iconoscope.

Zworykin had built one as early at October 1931. At the 1936 Berlin Olympic games, two of the three cameras there were using Iconoscope tubes and one used the Farnsworth Image Dissector tube.

Below we see Zworykin with some of his earliest Iconoscope models. Next is a rare photo of one of NBC’s first cameramen, Don Pike operating one of the three prototype Iconoscope cameras in NBC Studio 3H around 1936. For good measure, I’ve also included at photo of Philo Farnsworth with one of his early Image Dissector cameras. Enjoy and share! -Bobby Ellerbee

Source