De Forest, Lee (1873-1961), was an American inventor who pioneered in the technology of radio and television. In 1906, De Forest invented the triode, a three-electrode vacuum tube (see Vacuum tube). The triode made it possible to amplify weak radio signals and transmit them over long distances. It was essential for later advances in broadcasting. In 1912, this tube was adapted as an amplifier for long-distance telephone calls.
De Forest received a contract from the United States Navy to build radio stations for ship-to-shore communications. He also staged demonstrations of radio’s potential to entertain the public. In 1910, he arranged to broadcast a performance by tenor Enrico Caruso from the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City.
During the 1920’s, De Forest worked on a sound system for motion pictures. He received an honorary Oscar in 1959 from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for this work. After 1930, he turned his attention to television’s emerging technology. After the U.S. government authorized commercial telecasting in 1941, he encouraged the use of the new medium for public entertainment.
De Forest was born on Aug. 26, 1873, in Council Bluffs, Iowa. He died on June 30, 1961, in Hollywood, California.
