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The year 1931 marked an event that from time to
time occurs in the world of invention. Two engineers living in different
parts of the world – Semyon Kataev in Russia and Vladimir Zvorykin in the
USA - applied for a patent on a transmitting television tube – “iconoscope”.
With only one month and a half’s difference in time between their
applications the two Russian inventors did not start a dispute over who
should be considered the first but made friends instead and often saw one
another when Zvorykin visited Russia. 
Born into a wealthy family of a merchant in the city of Murom on July 30th,
1889 Vladimir Zvorykin used to spent his summer holidays on board his father’s
ship sailing along the Oka River. Out of pleasure he helped repair and
maintain the ship’s electrical equipment and since then took an interest
in electrical engineering. After becoming an engineer Zvorykin underwent
training in France. In August 1917 he and a group of other engineers who
were to buy arms for Russia went on a business trip to Europe. Soon afterwards
the Bolshevik Revolution shook Russia and Zvorykin never came back.
After arriving in London Zvorykin boarded a ship sailing to America. As
a gentleman, he bought a first-class ticket but suddenly learned that to
have a meal in the restaurant one was expected to wear the appropriate
outfit, which he did not have. Making an appearance in the restaurant in
everyday clothes embarrassed him for he felt everyone’s eyes on him. Later
memories of the delicate situation saved his life. In 1939, on his way
to the United States from Libia, Zvorykin discovered that he had left his
dinner-jacket in the hotel. To buy a new one he postponed his departure.
Soon afterwards he learned from newspapers that the ship he was to have
sailed by had been sunk by a German submarine.
In the United States, Zvorykin was lucky to get a job in the “Westinghouse
Electric” company. He hoped to continue his research in the area of television.
The company’s leadership, however, was not impressed by his plans in a
belief that they would not pay. The scientist, however, did not give up
on his experiments snatching whatever time was left after work to carry
on with them.
In the late 1920s the company’s leadership showed an unexpected interest
in the research, the reason being that a number of European countries and
Russia had revealed an upsurge in inventive activity. Recalling Vladimir’s
projects the company charged him with making a detailed report about the
world’s achievements in the sphere. To this end, he was sent on a business
trip to Europe.
The trip was a success. It was after it that Zvorykin created a TV receiver
– a prototype of the present-day tubes. In Russian the word “cinescope”
to name the newly-created TV receivers was offered by none other than Zvorykin.
Vladimir Zvorykin was now free to act. He got all equipment necessary and
a team of experts. Together they created 6 TVs and developed a TV transmitter
and the necessary devices during the year 1929 alone. However, at the peak
of the work Zvorykin opted to leave “Westinghouse Electric” and ventured
to start a new life. He wanted to start his own business but didn’t have
the money and joined “Radio Corporation of America”, the Vice-President
of which was David Sarnov, of Russian origin too. There, in the early 30s,
were born the cathode tubes that made Zvorykin famous.
In the summer 1959 an American exhibition, underway in Moscow, included
a section demonstrating a color TV-set. Answering the visitors’ questions
was a gray-haired American, of medium height, in his advanced years but
rather energetic and looking young for his age. His card read Vladimir
Zvorykin in Latin characters.
Vladimir Zvorykin lived a long life – 93 years, most of which he spent
in the United States. But never managed to get rid of the Russian accent.
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