Thomas Edison was born on February 11, 1847 in Milan, Ohio and died on October 18, 1931 in West Orange, New Jersey. Edison was an American inventor and entrepreneur. He invented the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and early versions of the electric light bulb. He is considered one of the most (if not the most) famous inventors in history. He filed over 1,000 patents for his inventions over the course of his life. His inventions had a widespread impact on the world.