John Logie Baird

Invention Scottish 1888 – 1946 413 quotes

A Scottish engineer and inventor who demonstrated the first working television system.

Most quoted

"The crude apparatus shook and trembled, and the image quivered and danced. But it was there. A human face, recognisable, yet ghostly and pale, stared from the screen."

— from Description of first television demonstration, 1925

"In the dance of electrons across a screen, I see not just technology, but the yearning of the human spirit to transcend its physical limitations."

— from Interview fragment

"I often wondered if the people watching my early broadcasts understood the sheer effort involved in getting that flickering image to them."

— from Biography/Interview

All quotes by John Logie Baird (413)

I am a pioneer, and pioneers often walk alone.

Undated diary entry

The world will be a smaller place, thanks to television.

Letter to a journalist 1930

My dreams are my driving force.

Undated personal note

I have no regrets, only lessons learned.

Undated reflection on his life

I have been able to transmit a picture of a human face by wireless.

Demonstration to Royal Institution 1926

The television is here. It is no longer a dream.

Interview with The Times 1927

We are on the eve of a new era, an era of seeing by wireless.

Lecture at British Association for the Advancement of Science 1928

The day will come when television will be in every home.

Public statement 1929

I am not a showman, I am an inventor.

Response to critics 1930

Television is a scientific fact, not a scientific curiosity.

Address to the Institute of Electrical Engineers 1932

My aim has always been to make television practical and accessible.

Public statement 1933

We are only at the beginning of what television can achieve.

Lecture 1934

I have never been discouraged by setbacks. They are part of the process of invention.

Public appearance 1936

Television will revolutionize communication and entertainment.

Speech 1937

The world will be a smaller place with television.

Interview 1938

My work has been driven by a passion for discovery.

Public statement 1939

To invent, one must be prepared to fail many times.

Lecture 1940

The greatest reward is seeing my invention benefit humanity.

Interview 1941

The journey of invention is never easy, but always rewarding.

Interview 1944

I have dedicated my life to bringing vision to the airwaves.

Speech 1945