Hubert Schlafly
Encyclopedia
Hubert Joseph "Hub" Schlafly Jr. (August 14, 1919 – April 20, 2011) was an American
electrical engineer
who co-invented the teleprompter
. Schlafly is also credited with spearheading the movement towards satellite television
within the industry.
Schlafly was born in St. Louis, Missouri
, on August 14, 1919. He often moved as a child as his father moved around as a wildcatter
. He graduated from St. Louis University High School and later earned a bachelor's degree
in electrical engineering
from the University of Notre Dame
in 1941.
During the 1950s, Schlafly invented the teleprompter
, which scrolls text
to on-camera talent, in order to help a soap opera
actor who could not remember his lines. Schlafly unveiled the teleprompter on the set of the CBS
soap opera, The First Hundred Years
, in 1950.
Schlafly and Irving B. Kahn
also co-founded the TelePrompTer Corporation
, which grew to become the largest cable television provider
in the United States
by 1973. They later sold the company to Westinghouse
.
In addition to the teleprompter, Schlafly is also credited with helping to promote the broadcasting of television signals via a satellite feed. Schlafly and Sidney Topol, who worked for Scientific Atlanta, jointly constructed a portable
satellite receiver to obtain satellite signals for specifically for television. He first demonstrated the satellite television technology in 1973, when Speaker of the House Carl Albert
was able to speak at a cable television convention in Anaheim, California
, from his congressional office in Washington D.C. Schlafly later called the Albert speech via a satellite feed as his greatest contribution to the cable industry.
In a 1956 article in Amazing Stories Magazine he predicted for the turn of the century:
In 2008, Schlafly was inducted into the Cable Hall of Fame. His speech at the induction ceremony marked the first time that Schlafly used the teleprompter, which he had invented approximately fifty years before. Schlafly was also honored with two Emmy Award
s for his contributions to cable television
technology.
Schlafly died at a hospital in Stamford, Connecticut
, on April 20, 2011, at the age of 91. His wife, Leona Martin Schlafly, predeceased him in 2003 after fifty-nine years of marriage.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
electrical engineer
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
who co-invented the teleprompter
Teleprompter
An autocue is a display device that prompts the person speaking with an electronic visual text of a speech or script. Using a teleprompter is similar to the practice of using cue cards...
. Schlafly is also credited with spearheading the movement towards satellite television
Satellite television
Satellite television is television programming delivered by the means of communications satellite and received by an outdoor antenna, usually a parabolic mirror generally referred to as a satellite dish, and as far as household usage is concerned, a satellite receiver either in the form of an...
within the industry.
Schlafly was born in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, on August 14, 1919. He often moved as a child as his father moved around as a wildcatter
Wildcatter
A wildcatter is an American term for a person who drills wildcat wells, which are oil wells drilled in areas not known to be oil fields. A wildcatter notable for his success was Texan oil tycoon Glenn McCarthy....
. He graduated from St. Louis University High School and later earned a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in electrical engineering
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
from the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
in 1941.
During the 1950s, Schlafly invented the teleprompter
Teleprompter
An autocue is a display device that prompts the person speaking with an electronic visual text of a speech or script. Using a teleprompter is similar to the practice of using cue cards...
, which scrolls text
Written language
A written language is the representation of a language by means of a writing system. Written language is an invention in that it must be taught to children, who will instinctively learn or create spoken or gestural languages....
to on-camera talent, in order to help a soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
actor who could not remember his lines. Schlafly unveiled the teleprompter on the set of the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
soap opera, The First Hundred Years
The First Hundred Years
The First Hundred Years is the first ongoing TV soap opera in the United States that began as a daytime serial, airing on CBS from December 4, 1950 until June 27, 1952...
, in 1950.
Schlafly and Irving B. Kahn
Irving B. Kahn
Irving Berlin Kahn born in Newark, New Jersey. Founder of TelePrompTer Corporation and Cable TV. Nephew of his namesake, Irving Berlin. Died in Boston, Massachusetts. Survived by his wife of 45 years, Elizabeth Heslin Kahn, his two daughters, Ruth and Jean, of New York and his sister, Mildred...
also co-founded the TelePrompTer Corporation
TelePrompTer Corporation
TelePrompTer Corporation was a cable corporation started by Irving B. Kahn, Fred Barton, Jr and Hubert Schlafly. During the course of the corporation, in the 50's TelePrompTer invented the idea of actors in soap operas reading their lines by prompters, not scripts as they had been...
, which grew to become the largest cable television provider
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
by 1973. They later sold the company to Westinghouse
Westinghouse Electric (1886)
Westinghouse Electric was an American manufacturing company. It was founded in 1886 as Westinghouse Electric Company and later renamed Westinghouse Electric Corporation by George Westinghouse. The company purchased CBS in 1995 and became CBS Corporation in 1997...
.
In addition to the teleprompter, Schlafly is also credited with helping to promote the broadcasting of television signals via a satellite feed. Schlafly and Sidney Topol, who worked for Scientific Atlanta, jointly constructed a portable
Portable
Portable may refer to:* Portable building, a manufactured structure that is built off site and moved in upon completion of site and utility work...
satellite receiver to obtain satellite signals for specifically for television. He first demonstrated the satellite television technology in 1973, when Speaker of the House Carl Albert
Carl Albert
Carl Bert Albert was a lawyer and a Democratic American politician from Oklahoma.Albert represented the southeastern portion of Oklahoma as a Democrat for 30 years, starting in 1947. He is best known for his service as Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1971 to 1977...
was able to speak at a cable television convention in Anaheim, California
Anaheim, California
Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was about 365,463, making it the most populated city in Orange County, the 10th most-populated city in California, and ranked 54th in the United States...
, from his congressional office in Washington D.C. Schlafly later called the Albert speech via a satellite feed as his greatest contribution to the cable industry.
In a 1956 article in Amazing Stories Magazine he predicted for the turn of the century:
Systematic information storage will be in a form instantly available for response to remote inquiries. The refinements of solid state electronics will permit devices of considerable complication to be packaged in amazingly small volumes having low power requirements and exhibiting great resistance to mechanical damage. Communications, both personal and group communications will be highly refined without the encumbrance of any wires to or between terminal devices."
In 2008, Schlafly was inducted into the Cable Hall of Fame. His speech at the induction ceremony marked the first time that Schlafly used the teleprompter, which he had invented approximately fifty years before. Schlafly was also honored with two Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
s for his contributions to cable television
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
technology.
Schlafly died at a hospital in Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 122,643, making it the fourth largest city in the state and the eighth largest city in New England...
, on April 20, 2011, at the age of 91. His wife, Leona Martin Schlafly, predeceased him in 2003 after fifty-nine years of marriage.