Abstract :
Arthur Lee Samuel´s (1901-90) early life, education, and career are described. Before World War II, at Bell Telephone Laboratories, he was a leading designer of microwave tubes, of which his TR radar switch, the Samuel tube, was the most widely used. At the University of Illinois he launched the ILLIAC team. He was one of those who guided IBM into computers and into real research, and he initiated its solid-state laboratory. He made a major improvement in the Williams storage tube. He invented hashing. He was chairman of the Defense Department Advisory Group on Electron Devices for 18 years. He started IBMs Zurich Laboratory and was instrumental in founding the IBM Journal of Research and Development.<>
