I subscribe to a similar bulletin board [forum] for devotees of
Old Time Radio programming and related subjects.  One poster (a prolific
author of related books) wrote in to ask, "What is a Capehart?"

Another poster responded, "My father only sold Zenith, Crosley in his
radio and appliance store, but there were always Philco, Silvertone,
Capehart and a zillion other brands in his shop for repairs.  It is
just another brand name from the past that may or may not still be
around."

I felt this required a response, especially as to date; it was the only
posting on the subject.  So here's my contribution, for what it's worth.

Oh, no, Capehart was most certainly not "just another brand name",
not in the history of the field.  I wrote a brief recap for friend
Martin, but perhaps now I should expand here, where I was surprised
when there was not a slew of responses.  The following is garnered from
the Internet:

  Homer Capehart attained fame as the father of the jukebox industry.
  He worked for the company Holcomb and Hoke, which made record
  players until 1928.  He started his own company in 1928, and was
  forced out of the company by investors in 1931.  The company folded
  in 1939.  In 1932 Capehart formed a new company called Packard.
  Packard developed the Simplex mechanism for automatic record
  changing, and sold the device to Wurlitzer.  The entire company was
  eventually bought by Wurlitzer.

  An Indiana Republican, Homer Capehart was elected to the United
  States Senate in 1944.  He served three terms, losing the 1962
  election to Birch Bayh.  He was opposed to big government, and
  supported anti-interventionist foreign policy.  Senator Capehart
  died in 1979.

Now from me:  Calling him the "father of the jukebox industry" may
be stretching the point a tad, but it is derived from his defining and
refining the record changer and selection devices which made jukeboxes
possible.  But this major contribution was originally installed in a
magnificent 1930s- and '40s-era version of a "home entertainment
system" which included that outstanding mechanism and a very fine radio
and amplifier.

Farny Wurlitzer made a deal with Capehart to use his inventions,
combined them with a coin device.  Wurlitzer sold many thousands of
coin record players, dominating the field for many years.  For many
older folk, the name Wurlitzer is synonymous with the word "jukebox",
just as for others it is synonymous with "theatre organ" and/or "band
organ" or "military band organ".

By the way, I searched in vain for an explanation of the derivation of
the word "jukebox".  I don't know whether it's another one of those
terms lost in history, or whether like the word "jazz", it's been
shoved under the rug of time because of a less-than-gentile source.

It's interesting also that one Internet dissertation offered a
description of the "typical" jukebox as that of the Wurlitzer 1015,
with its rounded top, neon lights and bubbles!  Not typical, but
certainly the most recognized.

There may have been other Capehart products which one could easily
carry into a radio repair shop.  But within the collecting field, the
senator's name is recognized as meaning specifically the large,
expensive, magnificent piece of furniture which contained the most
sophisticated record changing mechanism, and an outstanding radio and
amplifier.  The equivalent, then, of today's wall-covering digital TVs.

Like many complex devices, the Capehart mechanism did require periodic
maintenance and adjustment.  Undoubtedly that would require a house
call to the owner's home -- undoubtedly an eye-opening treat for the
repairman, as generally the initially very expensive Capeharts were in
estates.  It would involve a visit to the music room, where one would
find the Capehart next to a reproducing grand piano, and in larger
mansions, even a built-in reproducing pipe organ.

Anyone who today owns a Capehart has a highly valued collector's item,
as well as an outstanding vehicle for playing his 78 rpm collectibles.

Lee Munsick