Allen B. DuMont Laboratories, Inc.[2](printed on products asAllen B. Du Mont Laboratories, Inc.,referred to asDuMont LaboratoriesorDuMont Labs,andDuMonton company documents) was an Americantelevisionequipment manufacturer and broadcasting company. At one point it owned TV stationsWABD(WNYW,FOXO&O),KCTY(defunct DuMont affiliate), W2XVT (experimental, defunct DuMont affiliate), KE2XDR (experimental, defunct DuMont affiliate), &WDTV(KDKA-TV,CBSO&O), as well asWTTG(FOX O&O), all former affiliates of itsDuMont Television Network.
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Televisionequipment manufacturer Broadcasting company |
| Founded | 1931 Upper Montclair, New Jersey,United States |
| Founder | Allen B. DuMont |
| Defunct | 1960 |
| Fate |
|
| Successor | Fox Television Stations (Broadcasting operations) Emerson Radio (TV manufacturing operations) BAE Systems (Oscillograph & cathode-ray tube manufacturing operations) |
| Headquarters | Clifton, New Jersey,United States |
| Products | DuMont Television Network WABD(WNYW,FOXO&O) KCTY(defunct DuMont affiliate) W2XVT (experimental, defunct DuMont affiliate) KE2XDR (experimental, defunct DuMont affiliate) WDTV(KDKA-TV,CBSO&O) WTTG(FOX O&O) Cathode ray tubes Magic eye tube |
| Owner | Allen B. DuMuont (1931–1939) Allen B. DuMont (60%) (1939–1955) According to the FCC in 1953: Allen B. DuMont (1931–1953) Allen B. DuMont (minority) (1953–1956) |
| Parent | Paramount Pictures Inc.(40%) (1939–1955) Paramount Pictures Inc. (1955–1956) According to theFederal Communications Commissionin 1953: Paramount Pictures Inc. (majority) (1953–1956) (The FCC, in 1953, had ascertained that Paramount controlled DuMont Labs, even though Paramount only owned 40% of the company)[1] |
The company was founded in 1931 inUpper Montclairby inventorAllen B. DuMont,with its headquarters in nearbyClifton.Among the company's developments were durablecathode ray tubes (CRTs)that would be used for TV and itsmagic eye tube.[3]
History
edit
In 1938, DuMont Labs began manufacturing televisions at a factory in nearbyPassaic, New Jersey.[3]: 191 To sell TVs, it began theDuMont Television Networkin 1942, one of the earliest TV networks. Later, they manufactured cameras and transmitters for TV. DuMont equipment was known for its high quality. The main CRT factory was inClifton, New Jersey.It made black and white TV tubes as well as instrumentation and military fire control tubes in the early 1950s.
In 1956, under the ownership of Paramount, DuMont Labs shuttered the network and spun off WABD & WTTG to "DuMont Broadcasting Corporation".Eventually, the company was renamed" Metropolitan Broadcasting Company "in order to distance itself from the DuMont branding, which was seen as a failure. In 1958,John KlugeboughtParamount's stake in Metropolitan Broadcasting, renaming it toMetromedia.[3]: 38 DuMont's partner,Thomas T. Goldsmith,remained on Metromedia's board of directors until the stations were sold to theFox Television Stations Group.Nearly every original DuMont television program is considered lost, and presumed destroyed. Only roughly 100 recordings of any DuMont series have been recovered.[5]
DuMont Labs eventually sold its TV manufacturing division toEmerson Radioin 1958. The remainder of the company merged intoFairchild Camerain 1960.[3]: 38 Fairchild later developedsemiconductormicrochips.Robert Noyce,founder ofIntel,originally worked for DuMont Labs as an engineer.
DuMont Labs TVs outside the US were assembled under license inMontreal,Quebec, Canada byCanadian Aviation Electronics,currently a manufacturer offlight simulatorand pilot training equipment.
Name ownership
editOn April 18, 2012, a US federal trademark registration was filed for "Allen B. DuMont Laboratories, Inc." by Alan Levin ofCabin John, Maryland.The description provided to the United States Patent and Trademark Office for it is "Antennas for radio, for television; Electrical and optical cables; Electronic and optical communications instruments and components".[6]
However, by June 5, 2020, the trademark registration for "Allen B. DuMont Laboratories, Inc." by Mr. Levin had lapsed, with the status having changed to "CONTINUED USE NOT FILED WITHIN GRACE PERIOD, UN-REVIVABLE", resulting in the trademark no longer being active,[7]with a search on theUnited States Patent and Trademark Officewebsite for the "Allen B. DuMont Laboratories, Inc." trademark confirming the trademark's status as "DEAD".
See also
editReferences
edit- ^"DUMONT MAKES PLEA ON CONTROL RULING"(PDF).
- ^"Allen B. DuMont | American engineer and inventor".Encyclopedia Britannica.
DuMont set up a company in 1931 that later was known as Allen B. DuMont Laboratories, Inc.
- ^abcdWeinstein, David (2009).The Forgotten Network: DuMont and the Birth of American Television.Temple University Press.ISBN9781592134991.
- ^DuMont 322-Aat oscilloscopemuseum.org
- ^Adams, Edie (March 1996). "Television/Video Preservation Study: Los Angeles Public Hearing". National Film Preservation Board. Library of Congress.
- ^"ALLEN B DUMONT LABORATORIES INC. Trademark of Levin, Alan Serial Number: 85601141:: Trademarkia Trademarks".
- ^"ALLEN B DUMONT LABORATORIES INC. Trademark of Levin, Alan Serial Number: 85601141:: Trademarkia Trademarks".trademark.trademarkia.com.
Abandonment Notice! On Friday, June 5, 2020, status on the ALLEN B DUMONT LABORATORIES INC. trademark changed to CONTINUED USE NOT FILED WITHIN GRACE PERIOD, UN-REVIVABLE. "" Status Update! On Friday, June 5, 2020, status on the ALLEN B DUMONT LABORATORIES INC. trademark changed to CONTINUED USE NOT FILED WITHIN GRACE PERIOD, UN-REVIVABLE.
External links
edit- Dumont Experimental Color CRTsat the Early Television Museum
- DuMont television receiverphoto at Greater Boston, June 2005 gallery of broadcasting equipment. Also available isDescription and index of entire gallery.