The quote above applies to the subject of this documentary, the reclusive Wall Street corporate lawyer turned World War II scientist who helped win the war for the Allies, Alfred L. Loomis. I happened to see the film at a local library and it immediately caught my interest because of the subject matter, but also because the exclusive town of Tuxedo Park, New York is only a few miles away from my own hometown. Born in 1887, Loomis joined Wall Street in 1919, teaming with a brother-in-law who he convinced to help fund the expansion of the country's electrical grid, making both of them extremely wealthy. Meeting an eccentric physicist by the name of Robert W. Wood in 1924, he became intrigued in the pursuit of science, and wound up converting a derelict mansion in Tuxedo Park into a state of the art laboratory. Not only surviving the stock market crash of 1929, Loomis prospered by selling virtually everything he owned and buying gold, ultimately leaving Wall Street in 1933. With the onset of World War II, and his reputation having spread in academic circles with the invention of various technical devices, he was approached by a team of scientists dispatched by Winston Churchill on a mission to deliver England's most valuable military secrets, in the hopes that Loomis and his team would join in the effort against Hitler and the Nazis. Assembling a team of the country's top scientists, Loomis moved his base of operations to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where his team developed microwave radar and automatic anti-aircraft weapons. It's stated in the documentary that even though the atomic bomb ended the war, it was Loomis's inventions that actually won the war with their practical applications on the field of battle. That the name of Alfred Lee Loomis is not widely known today is understandable in a way, he never sought publicity and devoted himself strictly to those causes he deemed worthy of his skill and intellect. This documentary, which just recently aired (1/16/2018) on PBS, is entirely filmed using archival footage and photos, and serves as an effective reminder of all those unsung heroes who devoted themselves to the war effort. It's a fascinating look at an individual who in his own way, changed the course of history.
3 Reviews
The story of an extraordinary yet very flawed man.
planktonrules30 September 2018
This episode of "The American Experience" is so very interesting because although Alfred Loomis was a very important man, I've never heard of him before nor have most people. Much of this is because Loomis didn't want folks to remember him...but his contributions to science and the defeat of the Axis are great.
Loomis was a rich Wall Street investor who had a love of science. Using his large fortune, he bought a mansion and set up a lab where he invited some of the top scientists to come there and work on various projects, including work on microwaves (resulting later in the development of ultrasound technology), radar and radar assisted anti-aircraft weapons.
As for his personal life, Loomis was far less honorable than he was in advancing science. A lousy husband and father, the film also shows the amoral side of the man...a very flawed man indeed.
Overall, this was a fascinating and educational show....just like nearly every episode of the series. Well worth seeing.
Loomis was a rich Wall Street investor who had a love of science. Using his large fortune, he bought a mansion and set up a lab where he invited some of the top scientists to come there and work on various projects, including work on microwaves (resulting later in the development of ultrasound technology), radar and radar assisted anti-aircraft weapons.
As for his personal life, Loomis was far less honorable than he was in advancing science. A lousy husband and father, the film also shows the amoral side of the man...a very flawed man indeed.
Overall, this was a fascinating and educational show....just like nearly every episode of the series. Well worth seeing.
Fascinating Yet Little Known True Story
larrys321 February 2019
Part of the PBS series American Experience this documentary runs about 54 minutes in length. It tells the little known but fascinating true story of the brilliant inventor, scientist , and businessman Alfred Loomis, who, along with other dedicated scientists, played a key role in the Allied victory in WW II.
Loomis would go on to set up a secret lab named Tudor House in Tuxedo Park, N.Y., as part of his huge mansion there. It was at Tudor House that scientists from all over the world came to contribute to various projects. The foundations for what has become known as ultrasound technology were laid there. But the most important discovery was shortwave radar technology, vitally needed by the Allies to counter the Nazi threats as WW II raged.
The film also touches on Loomis' difficult upbringing which would later contribute to his lack of sensitivity and emotional support for his own family, even making heinous decisions regarding his own wife Ellen. He, throughout his life, did things his way and although that would lead to great successes in some areas it would also mean failures in others.
Overall, I knew nothing of this important true story and I thought the movie, ably directed by Rob Rapley and narrated by Campbell Scott, covered a lot of ground in a short period of time. Just one of the better docs I've seen this year.
Loomis would go on to set up a secret lab named Tudor House in Tuxedo Park, N.Y., as part of his huge mansion there. It was at Tudor House that scientists from all over the world came to contribute to various projects. The foundations for what has become known as ultrasound technology were laid there. But the most important discovery was shortwave radar technology, vitally needed by the Allies to counter the Nazi threats as WW II raged.
The film also touches on Loomis' difficult upbringing which would later contribute to his lack of sensitivity and emotional support for his own family, even making heinous decisions regarding his own wife Ellen. He, throughout his life, did things his way and although that would lead to great successes in some areas it would also mean failures in others.
Overall, I knew nothing of this important true story and I thought the movie, ably directed by Rob Rapley and narrated by Campbell Scott, covered a lot of ground in a short period of time. Just one of the better docs I've seen this year.
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