The Story of Alexander Graham Bell
Encyclopedia
The Story of Alexander Graham Bell
is a somewhat fictionalized 1939 screen biography of the famous inventor of the telephone
. It was filmed in black-and-white and released by Twentieth Century-Fox. The film stars Don Ameche
as Bell and Loretta Young
as Mabel, his wife, who contracted scarlet fever
at an early age and became deaf. Henry Fonda
is notable in a supporting role as the "Mr. Watson" who hears the first words ever spoken over the telephone.
In one of the film's best-remembered scene, Bell, while working on the telephone, accidentally spills acid onto his lap and shouts in pain, Mr. Watson, come here! I want you!" Watson, barely able to contain his own excitement, rushes into the room and stammers out the news that he heard Bell calling out to him over the telephone receiver. Bell has Watson repeat his own words to him to confirm it, and the two men begin hopping around the room, with Watson yelling out a Native American war whoop.
That scene of jubilation was likely based on fact. In real life the Six Nations Mohawk Reserve near Bell's home in Brantford, Ontario
awarded him the title of Honorary Chief, about 1870, for his work in translating the unwritten Mohawk language
into Visible Speech
symbols. Bell was thrilled at his recognition by the Six Nations Reserve and throughout his life would launch into a Mohawk war dance when he was excited.
Alexander Graham Bell
Alexander Graham Bell was an eminent scientist, inventor, engineer and innovator who is credited with inventing the first practical telephone....
is a somewhat fictionalized 1939 screen biography of the famous inventor of the telephone
Telephone
The telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other...
. It was filmed in black-and-white and released by Twentieth Century-Fox. The film stars Don Ameche
Don Ameche
Don Ameche was an Academy Award winning American actor with a career spanning almost sixty years.-Personal life:...
as Bell and Loretta Young
Loretta Young
Loretta Young was an American actress. Starting as a child actress, she had a long and varied career in film from 1917 to 1953...
as Mabel, his wife, who contracted scarlet fever
Scarlet fever
Scarlet fever is a disease caused by exotoxin released by Streptococcus pyogenes. Once a major cause of death, it is now effectively treated with antibiotics...
at an early age and became deaf. Henry Fonda
Henry Fonda
Henry Jaynes Fonda was an American film and stage actor.Fonda made his mark early as a Broadway actor. He also appeared in 1938 in plays performed in White Plains, New York, with Joan Tompkins...
is notable in a supporting role as the "Mr. Watson" who hears the first words ever spoken over the telephone.
In one of the film's best-remembered scene, Bell, while working on the telephone, accidentally spills acid onto his lap and shouts in pain, Mr. Watson, come here! I want you!" Watson, barely able to contain his own excitement, rushes into the room and stammers out the news that he heard Bell calling out to him over the telephone receiver. Bell has Watson repeat his own words to him to confirm it, and the two men begin hopping around the room, with Watson yelling out a Native American war whoop.
That scene of jubilation was likely based on fact. In real life the Six Nations Mohawk Reserve near Bell's home in Brantford, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
awarded him the title of Honorary Chief, about 1870, for his work in translating the unwritten Mohawk language
Mohawk language
Mohawk is an Iroquoian language spoken by around 2,000 people of the Mohawk nation in the United States and Canada . Mohawk has the largest number of speakers of the Northern Iroquoian languages; today it is the only one with greater than a thousand remaining...
into Visible Speech
Visible Speech
Visible speech is the writing system used by Alexander Melville Bell, who was known internationally as a teacher of speech and proper elocution and an author of books on the subject. The system is composed of symbols that show the position and movement of the throat, tongue, and lips as they...
symbols. Bell was thrilled at his recognition by the Six Nations Reserve and throughout his life would launch into a Mohawk war dance when he was excited.