Houdina Radio Control

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The Houdina Radio Control Company was an American a radio equipment firm of the 1920s, remembered for demonstrating a radio-operated automobile in several cities.

Contents

History

The radio-operated automobile, American Wonder, 1925 Linrrican Wonder.png
The radio-operated automobile, American Wonder, 1925

Francis P. Houdina is credited with developing a radio-operated automobile. [lower-alpha 1] A 1926 Chandler was equipped with a transmitting antenna on the tonneau and operated from a second car that followed it with a transmitter. The radio signals operated small electric motors that directed every movement of the car. On July 27, 1925, a public demonstration of the radio-controlled driverless car American Wonder was conducted in New York City streets, traveling up Broadway and down Fifth Avenue through thick traffic. [2] The car reportedly "barely missed trucks, automobiles and a milk wagon, finally crashing into a sedan." [3]

Also in July 1925, illusionist Harry Houdini and his secretary, Oscar Teale, visited the New York City offices of Houdina Radio Control and an argument broke out. [4] [5] Houdini damaged the furniture and an electric chandelier, accusing the company of using his name unlawfully. [lower-alpha 2] Afterwards, Francis P. Houdina said that there had never been any intention on his part to capitalize on the name of Houdini. [6] [7] A summons for disorderly conduct was issued against Houdini, but the charges were dropped because George Young, the Houdina Radio Control manager, failed to appear in court. [4] [8]

A second New York City test drive, this time with an escort of motorcycle police, was conducted on August 1, 1925. [9] In October 1925, the Houdina radio-operated automobile was demonstrated in Boston. [10] In January 1927, after Houdina reportedly left Indianapolis without paying some of his workers, a story was circulated that the "radio control" was actually being done by a person hidden in the car. [11] In February 1927, two youths from Kaukauna, Wisconsin, reportedly took some of the company's equipment after not being paid; the equipment was returned to local police, and police in Chicago were investigating Arthur L. Grayson, "who had gone under other names during his business career", of the Houdina company. [12]

Reports of demonstrations of a "phantom motor car" or "phantom auto" in December 1926 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, [13] and in June 1932 in Fredericksburg, Virginia, do not mention Houdina (the person or the company), although described capabilities of the car were consistent with the Houdina vehicle. [14] [15]

See also

Notes

  1. Newspaper reports that mention "Francis Houdina" are only found from June 1925 through July 1928. It is possible that the name was a pseudonym. [1]
  2. Erik Weisz adopted his "Harry Houdini" professional name from French magician Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin.

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References

  1. "'Francis Houdina' - Search". newspapers.com. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  2. "Science: Radio Auto". Time Magazine. Aug 10, 1925. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
  3. "Radio Driven Car Hits Sedan but Keeps Going". The Evening News . Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. July 28, 1925. p. 8. Retrieved May 19, 2024 via newspapers.com.
  4. 1 2 "Houdini Discharged in Court". New York Times . August 5, 1925. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
  5. "Charges Houdini Wrecks Office In Off Stage Stunt". Star-Gazette . Elmira, New York. AP. July 22, 1925. p. 1. Retrieved May 19, 2024 via newspapers.com.
  6. "Summons Out for Houdini". New York Times . July 22, 1925. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
  7. "Houdini Subpoenaed Waiting to Broadcast". New York Times . July 23, 1925. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
  8. "Houdini Smashed Office of First DriverLess Car's Inventor" Archived 2017-08-10 at the Wayback Machine . TechBias.
  9. "Gotham Gives Radio Run Auto Right of Way". Chicago Tribune . August 2, 1925. p. 2. Retrieved May 19, 2024 via newspapers.com.
  10. "Radio Controls Driverless Auto in Trip Along Commonwealth Av". The Boston Globe . October 12, 1925. p. 3. Retrieved May 19, 2024 via newspapers.com.
  11. "Wizard Dupes Hoosier Listeners". The Daily Nonpareil . Council Bluffs, Iowa. January 26, 1927. p. 8. Retrieved May 19, 2024 via newspapers.com.
  12. "Youths Disappointed in Business Venture". The Post-Crescent . Appleton, Wisconsin. February 7, 1927. p. 9. Retrieved May 19, 2024 via newspapers.com.
  13. "'Phantom Auto' will tour city". The Milwaukee Sentinel. 8 December 1926. Archived from the original on 10 October 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  14. ""Phantom Auto" to Be Operated Here". The Free-Lance Star. 17 June 1932. Retrieved 14 September 2013 via Google News.
  15. "Phantom Auto is Viewed by Crowds". The Free Lance–Star . Fredericksburg, Virginia. June 27, 1932. p. 6. Retrieved May 19, 2024 via newspapers.com.