Ralph Baer Oral History
name: label: Collection Donor
content: Baer, Ralph H., 1922-2014
setName: label: See more items in
content: Ralph H. Baer Papers
label: See more items in
content: Ralph H. Baer Papers / Series 1: Autobiographical Documents / 1.2: Other Media: CDs, VHS videos, periodical
unitdate: label: Date
content: 2003 April 22-23
container: label: Container
content: Box 5, Folder 8
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
objectType: label: Type
content: Archival materials
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: Oral History Abstract Summary (overview):

Baer describes his flash of insight about an interactive video game and the memo he subsequently wrote outlining the idea.  Baer demonstrates and describes several prototypes, the last of which was the "Brown Box" (eventually produced by Magnavox as the Odyssey).  Baer discusses the process of selling this to manufacturers. He demonstrates and/or describes other inventions and innovations, both successful and unsuccessful (including Telstar, Simon, Maniac, Smartybear, Monday Night Football, a talking tape measure).  He discusses the processes that led to their creation and efforts to secure contracts from manufacturers.  Baer discusses inventing in general: the distinction between doing inventive work and actually thinking of himself as an inventor (pursuing patents, etc.), his own passion for the process of inventing, and his interest in creating financially feasible inventions.  He mentions inventors and mathematicians whom he admires.  Baer describes experiences of being persecuted in Nazi Germany and the role that these difficulties played in his development.  He describes his family's immigration to America, the anti-Semitism he experienced in this country, and his military service.  Various portions of the interview touch on Baer's habit of documentation, the many legal disputes concerning his inventions, and the complex relationship between Baer's work at Sanders and his inventive activity.