Thomas Watson Explains the 1876 Invention of the Telephone - Enhanced Video & Audio

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Born in Salem, Massachusetts,Thomas A. Watson (January 18, 1854 - December 13, 1934) was a bookkeeper and a carpenter before he found a job more to his liking in the Charles Williams machine shop in Boston. He was then hired by Alexander Graham Bell, who was then a professor at Boston University.
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This is the story of the birth of the telephone. Watson recalls experiences from his work on the invention of the telephone [phone]) and shows instruments and replicas of instruments from the early days of telephony. He relates episodes relating to the work and personality of Alexander Graham Bell and describes events of March 10, 1876, when Bell's call for help after an accident was heard by Watson over a receiver they had been testing. Filmed in 1931.
This video is made for educational purposes for fair use under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976.

[@unclejane9819]

“And as long as man exists, the art which Bell created shall endure.” - Thomas Watson

[@jmflyer55]

He misjudged that one quite a bit, seeing how phone lines are fewer and fewer every year that passes and landlines in homes are becoming obsolete.

[@chrismaggio7879]

Not a lot of people know this but the very second transmission through the device was to let Mr Bell know that his car's warranty has expired.

[@izzy123412457]

😆

[@113dmg9]

Baha ha ha ha

[@johnw2026]

I thought it was "Sir, do you have a moment to talk about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?" 😁

[@chrismaggio7879]

@@johnw2026 haha Whoever it was I am sure they were from a call center in India.

[@sofiabravo1994]

@@johnw2026 what a great call. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@jamesbarca7229]

It's sad to think how many short films they showed us back in school that were of little to no educational value, when they could and should have been showing us films like this. Thanks for posting these films that "educators" should have shown me decades years ago.

[@michealgilliland8830]

It's possible that these films were lost by the 1950s. More than likely these were meant for general exhibition at a theatre for a few years and then put into storage.

[@jmflyer55]

The idea of school was never to “teach” you anything. It was to indoctrinate you with what the powers that be want you to believe is important.

[@Dreamprism]

@@michealgilliland8830And even if they were around, they might have sounded worse than this video before being cleaned up.

[@thomaswatson4493]

long time for you to wait for a reply Thank you

[@jeffsummstl]

And now, here we are watching this video on the internet with wireless phones we carry in our pockets. Incredible.

[@Lifeinthe1800s]

Yes it certainly is incredible, and what will be next in 50 years from now!

[@nonelost1]

@@Lifeinthe1800s telepathic telephony?

[@Sebi076]

Not just a phone in our pockets, but something that can access almost all information. And more

[@ka-cs4sx]

It's crazy to see how far technology has isn't it?

[@lukewarmwater6412]

thomas would be fascinated by that. and maybe a little proud.

[@GuyFromTheSouth]

People like this dont get enough credit. We should honor the founding fathers of technology. They contributed so much to the world.

[@ryanfischer3384]

This is absolutely amazing and should be shown to all kids in school.

[@deathtdow]

I second this, it would be very benficial for young people to grasp the importance of their place in continuation and iterative advancement of mankind.

[@MegaVergan]

Imagine if Bell and Watson travelled through time to 2022 and saw cell phones that can take pictures and go on the internet. It's amazing how so much progress has been made in less than 150 years.

[@willshad]

Except it's not progress. We have a whole generation of young people who are totally reliant on their cell phones and need to be on it constantly. Making things easier does not always mean making things better.

[@MegaVergan]

@@willshad I think it would still be progress in terms of technology. I can see your argument that it isn't progress in terms of human development. Any innovation i would say counts as progress, but to your point I would say that progress does not always mean that its good. People can ultimately choose how much time they spend on their phone.

[@JohnLeePettimoreIII]

or 100 years. or 50. or 30, 20, or even 10.

[@johnsondoeboy2772]

​@@willshad They aren't reliant on the telephone.... They're reliant on the internet lol. The telephone part could be removed, and people will still spend all day on their "phone". We should honestly change the name. Some people rarely even talk on their "phones".

[@stacymirba1433]

When you look back and see where that all lead and is still leading, it's just amazing to realize these two had no idea they were literally going to change the course of history for the entire world.

[@J-G-yi1rl]

I love watching these historic videos. I myself worked for several years at a major UK mobile telecoms company. I always remember the descriptions of the first mobile phone calls. I worked on the team that developed multi media messaging (MMS) to enable pictures/videos to be sent via mobile phones. I remember clearly the first successful test when the picture message arrived successfully on the destination phone.

[@mr.bnatural3700]

I went to school with Alexander Graham Bell's grand kids. Tom Bell and Charles Bell; their father worked for Bell telephone.

[@TheBatugan77]

That's Bellshit

[@wenmoonson]

@@TheBatugan77 I Bellieve him.

[@BeckVMH]

His claim of attending school with the Bell boys rings true to me.

[@jimygerilius2377]

...and?

[@fitfogey]

That’s bellogna.

[@lukewarmwater6412]

these old recordings must not ever be lost. they are of more value than any other media here on this or any other platform. I remember seeing this in school when I was a kid. that was back when they had to roll in a projector and roll down a screen in front of the chalk board... my daughter? in school she watched 'balto'......

[@TheDivergentDrummer]

Being someone in the Telco industry, I took specific interest in this. I still have our family's first phone, from 1912. It was passed down from my great grandmother, and now hangs on my wall. My hopes are the interface it with a VoIP network and be able to use it once again.

[@ResidentOfTheAbyss]

Just think, this documentary was filmed 56 years after 1875 and this documentary is 90 years ago now.

[@113dmg9]

Agreed. Incredible.

[@kimfleury]

When he mentioned March 10, 1876, I started thinking of where I was and what I was doing on March 10, 1976, and that in 11 years it will be 56 years since then.

[@jameshuseby6290]

@@kimfleury Don't you mean 46 years ago?

[@ot1402]

Wow! That was powerful. If they could see the little device we now carry with us everyday, and everywhere we go, our life line to humanity, the telephone.

[@2003garyb]

Great historical piece! Thanks for finding these gems and sharing them before history is lost.

[@Lifeinthe1800s]

Thank you for the nice words! Glad you are enjoying them!

[@a.k.1902]

What an amazing part of history to be captured with a thought out, first hand account. Priceless!

[@hefeibao]

The diction and eloquence is refreshing. Would that people still spoke this way.

[@fyiaustralia9686]

Excellent to see this resurrected film of an historical event. Thanks!

[@jelly7310]

I doubt even Watson and Bell couldn't imagine the power a telephone has today. We have almost all of the information known to man available in a split second on a phone that fits in our back pocket.

[@stumarston6812]

If someone was born in 1880 and lived for 90 years, I think they would have seen more amazing new inventions than anyone else ever will.

[@stamge3076]

Internet and Smart Phone's are pretty cool

[@hefeibao]

@@stamge3076 But they are not transformative as airplanes, cars, rockets, and the transistor. Vaccinations, or even plastics. The Internet is nice, but not as game changing as the other inventions.

[@MattMajcan]

This man never could have imagined that that telephone network would go on to become the internet, and eventually lead to wireless telephones in everyones pocket around the globe

[@palomasings]

Qué valioso que hicieran este vídeo en los años 30. Como si supieran que lo apreciaríamos enormemente en el futuro. Gracias a aquellos que grabaron este video!!

[@johncassani6780]

Mr. Watson’s grave is a quarter mile from the house where I grew up. It overlooks, from a few miles away, the shipyard that he subsequently founded, which would go on to be one of the most productive during WWII. He and his wife had 2 sons, one of whom died at 15, the other at 20. He was a remarkable, and humble man.

[@Dwightaroundyolips]

When Graham Bell picked up the very first telephone he already has 2 missed calls from Chuck Norris

[@glowingcrowns1692]

Damn 😭😭

[@every1665]

It was also the first time anyone made a phone call for free. They soon put a stop to that!

[@glowingcrowns1692]

Thomas was in his 70s recording this. This is crazy

[@williampalenik7306]

Great history here caught on video of how the telephone first started.

[@amyanonymous5896]

I did a history project about Alexander Graham Bell in the 80s, after I was finished an older student made sure to tell me I was wrong, that Watson invented the telephone. there's was no mention of his name in the encyclopedias I used 🤷🏻‍♀️ thank you for this video. I wasn't completely wrong after all 😂

[@tenj00]

Bell did not invent the telephone, but Antonio Meucci and independent from him Phillip Reis did. A few years later Bell got the patent and the rest is history. Reis called his device "Telephon" as early as 1861!

[@cuthbertallgood7781]

Give it a rest. It doesn't matter if someone invents something that isn't practical, it only matters who invented something that actually works and is useful. Bell invented a practical telephone, and the others did not. That's also why Farnsworth gets the credit for television, and not Baird (who gets brought up constantly) because Farnsworth invented a good system and Baird invented impractical garbage. Nobody cares who had an idea first, or who invented something that "sort of works" -- it only matters who finally invents something that's useful. See also: Wright Brothers vs the other pretenders.

[@arashahsani]

Most inventions are stolen from the original creator

[@strgazerlilly]

This is a wonderful example of how far technology has evolved in my lifetime. I saw the rise of the answering machine and the rise of area codes, The downfall of the operator connecting your calls for you, the rise of the rotary phone and the rise of the push button phone. From the first suitcase cellphone to the tinnest cellphone back to larger cellphones and now no phones in homes in the home at all (except for mine I just can't bring myself to give it up) 😂😂 I never really thought about how much the world has changed in my life it truly has amazed me...what's next I can't wait to see ❤❤

[@fertikpic6953]

So awesome to see this. The amazing invention that we all took for granted and even worse now. Just as if not more impressive than what we have today with the internet. All squared.

[@alpacker2741]

I watched this on my phone. Thanks Mr Watson and Mr Bell. It makes me proud of my people's accomplishments.

[@harveymadison7528]

I love it when important people who did great things turn out to be pretty cool human beings like Thomas Watson. Edison can suck it.

[@joevining2603]

Fascinating. Thank you for posting this.

[@markfreedman2470]

Exceptional and inspiring video. Thank you for doing this

[@Lifeinthe1800s]

My pleasure and glad you liked it!

[@justryingmybest]

This was a huge leap. Within the next few decades people could share their ideas across the whole world. Television was invented. This is the groundwork for the medium we are interacting with right now. We stand on the shoulders of giants

[@kennethrodrigue1324]

Wow. What a powerful recording. To say this is fascinating is a terrible understatement. Thank you for these!

[@2010pjm]

Look at the mess they created. Now you cannot survive without a device.

[@seandelap6268]

Its incredible that we are able to watch this historic event on youtube.

[@cybernautclub]

Beautiful video. The ending had brought forth a little tear in my eye.

[@fredsalfa]

That’s incredible I never knew these recordings ever existed

[@DMNssms]

Absolutely incredible

[@wholeNwon]

Wonderful, absolutely wonderful!

[@CreatureWillis]

Stunning and profound...

[@tartertime89]

Absolutely fantastic - nothing more to be said really. Truely an amazing find.

[@LittleTut]

Just amazing! So much has come out of the telephone invention. 😊

[@jan9659]

I love this! So interesting!

[@ardiffley-zipkin9539]

Rest in peace, sir, to both you and Mr. Bell.

[@jakemertz2660]

Wow what an amazing experience it is to watch this

[@floranhupscher272]

An amazing speech. I wish I could congratulate him

[@josephujiadughele6035]

Am seeing this man in 2022, this man grandparents saw had a parent in 1680. Thanks

[@kovid.rathee]

Beautiful!

[@antonlvdm]

Just think, in a hundred years from now, people would watch videos about our latest Iphones and think, what ancient relics these are! Don't put yourself in debt over tech!

[@robgreene1776]

BRAVO, That Man ! Bell & Watson CHANGED THE WORLD.

[@TheBatugan77]

Alexander Graham Bell Kowalski: The first Telephone Pole!

[@coolclouds7055]

Fantastic video 💯👌

[@robertwatsonsr.3744]

Excellent Watson

[@waynestewart1919]

That was awesome.

[@stog9821]

This was great. There are actually guys like Watson around every major university - the technicians that can build the prototypes to realize some professor’s ideas. I’ve been in a few such shops, looking at some gizmo on the bench and in the back of the shop might be an old pickup that the technician is restoring in his spare time. Great stuff.

[@clark9992]

Yes. In Britain these guys have a long history. Scientific Instrument Makers. Many scientists and inventors made their own instruments, but there was a need for men who could build instruments for those who couldn't, or chose not to do it themselves. They even had their own trade union. The Amalgamated Instrument Makers Trade Society.

[@dongeraci8599]

Antonio Meucci, inventor of the telephone, was robbed...

[@maxmurphy7306]

Thank you. My grandma heard it from my great grandmother back in late 1800 in new York, all though I'm half Irish Sicilian.

[@gheart8278]

everything's reverse engineered!😉

[@kathywithak7529]

It’s thrilling to watch this 🙏

[@yodude43090]

This man’s mind would be absolutely blown if he found out I was watching his video retelling the invention of the telephone on my handheld portable telephone

[@redriders7149]

Like most people I think. Wow, hearing this on a Bluetooth wireless headset that is receiving from my wireless cell phone that is receiving from the air........ Very cool to see and hear this interview. What an amazing time that was.

[@தமிழோன்]

6:45 I like how he included "women" in there! 👏🏼

[@showgirlsaroundtheworldada4484]

love this

[@MeatPez]

Audio is awesome, but filmed and recorded?? That’s amazing!

[@thefool2007]

This is great!

[@bigmike9218]

In 1943 when Thomas Watson was chairman of IBM he was asked about personal computers he stated he doubted they would gain popularity & betted they probably only sell 5 of them boy was he wrong!

[@watermelonlover745]

Amazing

[@topologyrob]

The interview is 56 years after the events. The internet is now 52 years old, so it's similar to the youtube interviews with people like Vint Cerf or Leonard Kleinrock today.

[@dandanz7877]

Goosebumps

[@nathanswift7898]

While attending university in the UK, a Ghanaian friend of mine once asked "what has western civilisation ever done for us". At the time I was too polite to respond. His mother was a practising GP in Berlin, Germany, and his father was an engineer, also employed in Germany - both of whom were Ghanaian, educated in the UK and obtained their professional qualifications in the UK.

[@John76125]

Both your point and his point are still valid. It’s true western civilisation created technologies used by the whole world + some people from poor countries got the privilege to live and study in western countries and be successful but most still live in extreme poverty due to western governments actions. Past + present + slavery still happened etc a horrible crime committed to millions of Africans around the world... ( I’m not African...)

[@hetrodoxly1203]

@@John76125 African slavery had always gone on mainly by other Africans and the Muslim slave trade in Africa was a 1000 years old before Europeans got involved, when the British asked African tribal leaders to stop trading in slaves they said they couldn't as it was part of their culture. what are the actions of western governments that are keeping people in poverty?

[@John76125]

@@hetrodoxly1203 China is building infrastructure in Africa. The west never done that. They just left them in poverty after colonialism...

[@hetrodoxly1203]

@@John76125 That's just a blatant lie. railroads were built across the continent, Zimbabwe, was known as the breadbasket of Africa exporting wheat, tobacco, and corn to the wider world until it kicked the whites out, now it can't feed it's self and the list goes on.

[@John76125]

@@hetrodoxly1203 they were built solely for the benefit of transporting goods for the benefit of the colonialists. Not infrastructure suitable for building wealth in a city to advance the level of living for the people. It was China who built a commuter train system in Addis abbaba that is up to modern standards for the people of the city. What the west build was trash and only for their benefit... as you can see Africa is rising now but during the time of western power it was in the gutter until China came and lifted the third world out of poverty. You say the third world is to stupid to build themselves out of poverty without realising it was you who was in charge for hundreds of years so maybe you should call yourself stupid. No actually, you just didn’t care...

[@CYCLONE4499]

Simply amazing. Most people will never hear this. Damn shame too

[@oscarkubik9684]

amazing

[@johnpogany2444]

Just imagine it all started with a wire and two tin cans lol

[@Trick-Framed]

I invented 802.11a wifi. The standard had not been established nor hardware made. But a week after they hired me it was finished. The following week we at R&D were disbanded as we finished the job. This ushered in an age of internet that has not stopped since. I wonder if anyone will remember me?

[@arashahsani]

What are you doing now?

[@experimenttryingtouploadst1204]

Thanks,this was so fascinating! What I found amazing was "the rest of the story," that Bell's first words weren't just a planned request as I'd always thought, but a cry for help because of a spill. (I'm stunned I don't recall ever hearing that on Paul Harvey, in fact, though he may well have used it, since it is perfect.)

[@jackiereynolds2888]

Should this technological trend, or rate continue as it has, where then might we all be in yet another 100 years ?

[@John76125]

Teleporting with vr...

[@aikomyboy]

We'll be with Marty and Doc Brown (don't forget Einstein!).

[@bigd3512]

And what is amazing I'm watching this on my phone if only he could see just how big this invention would become.

[@wolfmaxwell3773]

And now, here we are.. tick-tocking everything.

[@cleodweldt]

unbelievable

[@stamge3076]

Only 45,997 views for a first hand account of one of the founding fathers of an invention which is still an integral part of our lives in 2022. Bruh...

[@TheRoyalBavarian]

If necessity is the mother of invention. Clearly fantasy is the father of innovation.

[@zookaroo2132]

Speaker and mic back then used a funnel tube. Now we have our mini microphone in our phone even with just small, tiny filter

[@davidaustin7825]

I just listened to this from KZbin through Bluetooth direct to my hearing aids.

[@jones1618]

Literally a ghostly voice in your head, coming from almost a century ago and thousands of miles away. My Dad has Bluetooth "bionic ears" too and they're about the closest thing to a direct brain-to-Internet connection we have.

[@danieljoseph4625]

All of that work to invent and perfect voice transmission and everybody goes around texting.

[@barneyfife7575]

SMF!

[@lindawoody8501]

Cell phones, smart phones with a computer in a pocket sized receiver transmitter. Zoom calls over computers/laptops/tablets and yes phones! What was begun in 1875 is now amazing and everyday utility and unites the world. Wow.

[@kerryrwalton7791]

Wonderful...love the pronunciation of telephone I wonder if this was the way it was commonly pronounced and if so when it changed or was it regional?

[@christopherjohnson1803]

He might have scrapped the whole phone idea if he could have known that we use them mostly to check Facebook now.

[@raffyleal]

Dom Peter, the 2nd emperor of Brazil, was friends with Graham Bell and purchased first telephone, brought it to Brazil and had no one to call.

[@zeitghost1321]

No time can compete with the early 20th century in terms of technological advancement over relatively few years.

[@arashahsani]

It was the advent of magic sorcery and witchcraft

[@yourontheair]

great

[@113dmg9]

When Watson said those were the last words he ever spoke to me... It sounds like Bell died shortly afterwards. However, transcontinental call was in 1915, and Bell died in 1922. (So it's not like he got off the phone and dropped dead... which somewhat humorously was my first impression.)

[@Lifeinthe1800s]

Very good point. I was curious as to why he said that too.

[@pajodato5339]

@@Lifeinthe1800s Watson was at his death bed. He told him that before passing.

[@ffletch5277]

yet another monumental USA invention for the world to enjoy. you're welcome.

[@TheBatugan77]

He was also in on the design and implementation of the electric chair. He competed with Westinghouse for the honor of zapping the first convict. ⚡⚡⚡🔥🗣️🔥⚡⚡⚡⚡

[@TheBatugan77]

Ol' Tommy used to bribe the neighborhood kiddies to go find and trap little kitties to fry! ⚡⚡⚡🔥😈🙀😈🔥⚡⚡⚡⚡

[@liveinms9949]

just imagine men like bell and watson actually had to read books and retain knowledge. They invented things without lazily calling "Alexa"

[@deanwinchester3356]

I don’t know anyone who uses Alexa.

[@jeffk8247]

Wow great history one would think it was a phony, but it rings a bell what I was told as a kid. It make sense he had a lot of hang up after this video.

[@glowingcrowns1692]

👎🏿👎🏿👎🏿

[@hareega]

So the first phone call was really a missed call 😆

[@ElusiveMasquerade]

In one night those two men would change the world forever.

[@stephentackett4064]

After watching this it looks like Watson was the actual inventor.