Engineering:Houdina Radio Control

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Short description: Former radio equipment firm

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.

History

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.

References

  1. ↑ "'Francis Houdina' - Search". https://www.newspapers.com/search/?keyword=%22Francis+Houdina%22&sort=paper-date-asc. Retrieved May 19, 2024. 
  2. ↑ "Science: Radio Auto". Time Magazine. Aug 10, 1925. http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,720720,00.html. Retrieved 29 September 2013. 
  3. ↑ "Radio Driven Car Hits Sedan but Keeps Going". The Evening News (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania): p. 8. July 28, 1925. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-evening-news-radio-driven-car-hits-s/147714843/. Retrieved May 19, 2024. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Houdini Discharged in Court". New York Times. August 5, 1925. http://intervalmagic.com/houdini/articles/1925_08.05.html. Retrieved 29 September 2013. 
  5. ↑ "Charges Houdini Wrecks Office In Off Stage Stunt". Star-Gazette. AP (Elmira, New York): p. 1. July 22, 1925. https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-gazette-charges-houdini-wrecks-offi/147713947/. Retrieved May 19, 2024. 
  6. ↑ "Summons Out for Houdini". New York Times. July 22, 1925. http://intervalmagic.com/houdini/articles/1925_07.22.html. Retrieved 29 September 2013. 
  7. ↑ "Houdini Subpoenaed Waiting to Broadcast". New York Times. July 23, 1925. http://intervalmagic.com/houdini/articles/1925_07.23.html. Retrieved 29 September 2013. 
  8. ↑ "Houdini Smashed Office of First DriverLess Car's Inventor" . TechBias.
  9. ↑ "Gotham Gives Radio Run Auto Right of Way". Chicago Tribune: p. 2. August 2, 1925. https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-gotham-gives-radio-run-a/147715379/. Retrieved May 19, 2024. 
  10. ↑ "Radio Controls Driverless Auto in Trip Along Commonwealth Av". The Boston Globe: p. 3. October 12, 1925. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-radio-controls-driverle/147715863/. Retrieved May 19, 2024. 
  11. ↑ "Wizard Dupes Hoosier Listeners". The Daily Nonpareil (Council Bluffs, Iowa): p. 8. January 26, 1927. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-nonpareil-wizard-dupes-hoosier/147716288/. Retrieved May 19, 2024. 
  12. ↑ "Youths Disappointed in Business Venture". The Post-Crescent (Appleton, Wisconsin): p. 9. February 7, 1927. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-post-crescent-youths-disappointed-in/147719499/. Retrieved May 19, 2024. 
  13. ↑ "'Phantom Auto' will tour city". The Milwaukee Sentinel. 8 December 1926. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=unBQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=QQ8EAAAAIBAJ&pg=7304,3766749. Retrieved 23 July 2013. 
  14. ↑ ""Phantom Auto" to Be Operated Here". The Free-Lance Star. 17 June 1932. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PthNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=yYoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6442,3879017. Retrieved 14 September 2013. 
  15. ↑ "Phantom Auto is Viewed by Crowds". The Free Lance–Star (Fredericksburg, Virginia): p. 6. June 27, 1932. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-free-lance-star-phantom-auto-is-view/147716962/. Retrieved May 19, 2024. 



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