Elmer Tiling Cunningham

Elmer Tiling Cunningham (September 1, 1889 – June 14, 1965) was an American entrepreneur and businessman, specializing in vacuum tubes and radio manufacturing. He is best known for being the most successful business person to produce counterfeit (AKA bootleg) or unlicensed vacuum tubes (1915-1920). Cunningham was in direct violation by infringing on the Fleming and De Forest vacuum tube patents. Unlike other businesses making unlicensed or bootlegged vacuum tubes, Cunningham was very aggressive in his advertising. Manufacturers of counterfeit vacuum tubes generally ended their activities after a lawsuit has been filed but Cunningham came out ahead after various lawsuits brought against him and his company, the Audio Tron Sales Company. His successes encouraged many others to do the same thing.

Birth and Death Data: Born September 1, 1889 (San Francisco), Died June 14, 1965 (Monterey)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1933

Roles Represented in DAHR: speaker

Notes: President, RCA Victor, ca. 1933.

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor MS-76364 16-in. 5/31/1933 The progress of radio Elmer Tiling Cunningham ; Louis M. Howe Radio broadcast : Promotional talks speaker  
Victor MS-76365 16-in. 5/31/1933 The progress of radio Unidentified speaker(s) (Victor Records) Radio broadcast : Promotional talks speaker  
Victor MS-76366 16-in. 5/31/1933 The progress of radio Elmer Tiling Cunningham ; Louis M. Howe Radio broadcast : Promotional talks speaker  
Victor MS-76367 16-in. 5/31/1933 The progress of radio Elmer Tiling Cunningham ; Louis M. Howe Radio broadcast : Promotional talks speaker  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Cunningham, Elmer Tiling," accessed November 4, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/116077.

Cunningham, Elmer Tiling. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 4, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/116077.

"Cunningham, Elmer Tiling." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 4 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/116077

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