Opinion | When Fame Is the Game of the Name

You’ve heard of William Shakespeare, Thomas Edison and Michael Jordan. You probably also know the names of Henry Frank Phillips, Jack Foley and Dame Nellie Melba, even if you have no idea who they were. Some people achieve a quiet renown by giving their names to innovations that improve the quality of our lives.

American businessman Henry Frank Phillips (1889-1958) didn’t invent the screwdriver that bears his name. That honor went to John P. Thompson, who patented the recessed cruciform screw in 1932 and the screwdriver that turns it in 1933. Unable to interest manufacturers in his invention, however, Thompson sold the concept to Phillips, who tirelessly canvassed U.S. manufacturers to adopt the new technology. General Motors signed on in 1936, opening the floodgates to widespread industrial acceptance. It may be piggyback fame, but there’s a reason it isn’t called the Thompson screwdriver.