Legendary inventor Thomas Alva Edison died on October 18, 1931, at the age of 84. Edison was the first to create a machine that projected motion pictures. With his motion picture projector and George Eastman’s photographic film, the first picture, called ‘The Sneeze,’ was recorded in Edison’s mobile studio. The very short silent film paved the way for the motion picture industry. Edison’s many inventions also included the incandescent light bulb and the phonograph; he was credited with holding 1,093 patents. His ideas were granted patents every year for 65 years, from 1868 to 1933–unparalleled in American history.
Photo: Library of Congress
