Tom Edison: The Boy Who Lit Up the World

1979· 55 min·

Meet Tom Edison, a lively, adventuresome boy much like any other... except this future American hero has a headful of ideas that will ultimately take him from early failures and much skepticism to a place in history as one of the world's greatest inventors. Young Tom gets his first job as a telegraph operator or "lighting slinger" for Atlantic and Western Telegraph. Even at his tender age, he's their fastest operator, but his penchant for constant experimentation is frowned on and even ridiculed by his superiors. When these scientific activities begin to interfere with his daily duties, he loses his job—and goes on to Western Union where he embarks on a career of innovation and invention that changes the world forever! A charming film that's entertaining and educational for any age.