The interesting and rather amusing story of the Thaddeus Cahill and the Telharmonium – an electrical musical device created around the turn of the 20th century to provide piped music to a cable network of subscribers. After his death his patents were copied to create the Hammond organ.
There are three parts to the documentary here (1), here (2) and here (3).
The story reminded me of a lot of start ups at the turn of the 21st century. An ingenious, expensive and/or silly idea that prompts loads of venture capitalists foreseeing enormous global profits to throw their money down the drain until eventual bankruptcy of the company.
