The Dark Side of America's Brightest Inventor: Edison Listen Download Embed Share Share this on Facebook (Opens in a new window) Share this on Twitter (Opens in a new window) Share this via Email Thomas Edison (1847-1931) american inventor of telegraph, phonograph, microtelephone and incandescence lamp, here in 1889 with is new gramophone, illustration by Poyet. ( Apic / Getty ) Produced by Elizabeth Ross Produced by GBH, PRI and WNYC