Ralph Baer Oral History
Object Details
- Collection Donor
- Baer, Ralph H., 1922-2014
- See more items in
- Ralph H. Baer Papers
- Ralph H. Baer Papers / Series 1: Autobiographical Documents / 1.2: Other Media: CDs, VHS videos, periodical
- Date
- 2003 April 22-23
- Container
- Box 5, Folder 8
- Archival Repository
- Archives Center, National Museum of American History
- Type
- Archival materials
- Collection Citation
- Ralph H. Baer Papers, 1943-2015, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution.
- Collection Rights
- Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning intellectual property rights. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions. Copyright held by the Smithsonian Institution.
- Scope and Contents
- Oral History Abstract Summary (overview): Baer describes his flash of insight about an interactive video game and the memo he subsequently wrote outlining the idea. Baer demonstrates and describes several prototypes, the last of which was the "Brown Box" (eventually produced by Magnavox as the Odyssey). Baer discusses the process of selling this to manufacturers. He demonstrates and/or describes other inventions and innovations, both successful and unsuccessful (including Telstar, Simon, Maniac, Smartybear, Monday Night Football, a talking tape measure). He discusses the processes that led to their creation and efforts to secure contracts from manufacturers. Baer discusses inventing in general: the distinction between doing inventive work and actually thinking of himself as an inventor (pursuing patents, etc.), his own passion for the process of inventing, and his interest in creating financially feasible inventions. He mentions inventors and mathematicians whom he admires. Baer describes experiences of being persecuted in Nazi Germany and the role that these difficulties played in his development. He describes his family's immigration to America, the anti-Semitism he experienced in this country, and his military service. Various portions of the interview touch on Baer's habit of documentation, the many legal disputes concerning his inventions, and the complex relationship between Baer's work at Sanders and his inventive activity.
- Collection Restrictions
- Collection is open for research but is stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at [email protected] or 202-633-3270.
- Record ID
- ebl-1503513699154-1503513699173-2
- Metadata Usage
- CC0