John Houghtaling
Encyclopedia
John Joseph Houghtaling was an American
entrepreneur
and inventor who in 1958 invented the Magic Fingers Vibrating Bed, a common feature in mid-priced hotels and motels from the 1960s to 1970s.
, on November 14, 1916. His father worked for a telegraph company as a lineman, which led Houghtaling and his two sisters to move around the Midwestern United States
with their family several times. He served as a gunnery instructor in the United States Army
and was sent to England in April 1942 during World War II
, where he flew 20 missions on B-17 Flying Fortress bombers with the 452d Bombardment Squadron of the United States Army Air Corps
.
He worked in a series of jobs following the completion of his military service, including as a bellman in a hotel, and as a salesman marketing cookware and, later, a remotely controlled lawnmower.
, home and tested hundreds of motors before finding one that combined the minimum-needed weight, could be attached to the box springs of an existing bed and would provide the right level of vibration. Once a quarter was inserted into the attached coin meter, the motor would vibrate the bed for 15 minutes. The coin mechanisms were modeled on similar devices that had been attached to radios and televisions in hotels.
John Joseph Houghtaling was an American
entrepreneur
and inventor who in 1958 invented the Magic Fingers Vibrating Bed, a common feature in mid-priced hotels and motels from the 1960s to 1970s.
, on November 14, 1916. His father worked for a telegraph company as a lineman, which led Houghtaling and his two sisters to move around the Midwestern United States
with their family several times. He served as a gunnery instructor in the United States Army
and was sent to England in April 1942 during World War II
, where he flew 20 missions on B-17 Flying Fortress bombers with the 452d Bombardment Squadron of the United States Army Air Corps
.Pries, Allison. "Magic Fingers inventor, 92", The Record (Bergen County)
, June 20, 2009. Accessed June 20, 2009.
He worked in a series of jobs following the completion of his military service, including as a bellman in a hotel, and as a salesman marketing cookware and, later, a remotely controlled lawnmower.Fox, Margalit. "John Houghtaling, Inventor of Magic Fingers Vibrating Bed, Dies at 92", The New York Times
, June 19, 2009. Accessed June 20, 2009.
, June 16, 1963. Accessed June 20, 2009. Houghtaling worked in the basement of his Glen Rock, New Jersey
, home and tested hundreds of motors before finding one that combined the minimum-needed weight, could be attached to the box springs of an existing bed and would provide the right level of vibration. Once a quarter was inserted into the attached coin meter, the motor would vibrate the bed for 15 minutes. The coin mechanisms were modeled on similar devices that had been attached to radios and televisions in hotels.
John Joseph Houghtaling was an American
entrepreneur
and inventor who in 1958 invented the Magic Fingers Vibrating Bed, a common feature in mid-priced hotels and motels from the 1960s to 1970s.
, on November 14, 1916. His father worked for a telegraph company as a lineman, which led Houghtaling and his two sisters to move around the Midwestern United States
with their family several times. He served as a gunnery instructor in the United States Army
and was sent to England in April 1942 during World War II
, where he flew 20 missions on B-17 Flying Fortress bombers with the 452d Bombardment Squadron of the United States Army Air Corps
.Pries, Allison. "Magic Fingers inventor, 92", The Record (Bergen County)
, June 20, 2009. Accessed June 20, 2009.
He worked in a series of jobs following the completion of his military service, including as a bellman in a hotel, and as a salesman marketing cookware and, later, a remotely controlled lawnmower.Fox, Margalit. "John Houghtaling, Inventor of Magic Fingers Vibrating Bed, Dies at 92", The New York Times
, June 19, 2009. Accessed June 20, 2009.
, June 16, 1963. Accessed June 20, 2009. Houghtaling worked in the basement of his Glen Rock, New Jersey
, home and tested hundreds of motors before finding one that combined the minimum-needed weight, could be attached to the box springs of an existing bed and would provide the right level of vibration. Once a quarter was inserted into the attached coin meter, the motor would vibrate the bed for 15 minutes. The coin mechanisms were modeled on similar devices that had been attached to radios and televisions in hotels.Nelson, Valerie J. "John Houghtaling dies at 92; inventor of vibrating Magic Fingers bed", Los Angeles Times
, June 20, 2009. Accessed June 20, 2009.
By the last half of the 1970s, in excess of one million Magic Fingers units had been installed across the United States and in Europe, in hotels and homes. The devices started to seem out of date and their popularity declined starting in the 1980s as other in-room entertainment options became available and theft of money from the coin boxes started to become more common. Houghtaling sold the rights to the Magic Fingers name after he retired in the 1980s, with the new owner manufacturing units for home use at the time of his death in 2009. Though the devices are rarely seen, they were still available in motels in the Western United States
at the time of his death.
The vibrating bed was frequently featured in movies and television. It was mentioned by name in songwriter Steve Goodman
's This Hotel Room, sung by Jimmy Buffett
, which included the line "Put in a quarter / Turn out the light / Magic Fingers makes you feel all right." Kurt Vonnegut
's Slaughterhouse Five also referred to Houghtaling's Magic Fingers; the protagonist Billy Pilgrim
used the vibrating bed to help him fall asleep. Magic Fingers was also seen in Lolita (1997 film)
and in the episode of CSI Vegas
“Assume Nothing” (season 4
, episode 1).
, home due to complications from a fall
that resulted in a stroke
. His first marriage ended in divorce and his second wife predeceased him. He was survived by four children — most of whom had Magic Fingers units in their homes — and four grandchildren.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
and inventor who in 1958 invented the Magic Fingers Vibrating Bed, a common feature in mid-priced hotels and motels from the 1960s to 1970s.
Early life
Houghtaling was born in Kansas City, MissouriKansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, on November 14, 1916. His father worked for a telegraph company as a lineman, which led Houghtaling and his two sisters to move around the Midwestern United States
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
with their family several times. He served as a gunnery instructor in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
and was sent to England in April 1942 during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, where he flew 20 missions on B-17 Flying Fortress bombers with the 452d Bombardment Squadron of the United States Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
.
He worked in a series of jobs following the completion of his military service, including as a bellman in a hotel, and as a salesman marketing cookware and, later, a remotely controlled lawnmower.
Magic Fingers
In the 1950s, Houghtaling was again working as a salesman, this time selling vibrating beds in which the vibrating motor and bed were sold as a single unit that was clumsy, expensive and prone to failure. At a service call for a broken unit, Houghtaling realized that the vibrating motor was the essential component, not the bed, and that a unit could be developed that would attach to any bed, not just the combination vibrating bed units he was selling. Houghtaling worked in the basement of his Glen Rock, New JerseyGlen Rock, New Jersey
Glen Rock is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 11,601.-History:...
, home and tested hundreds of motors before finding one that combined the minimum-needed weight, could be attached to the box springs of an existing bed and would provide the right level of vibration. Once a quarter was inserted into the attached coin meter, the motor would vibrate the bed for 15 minutes. The coin mechanisms were modeled on similar devices that had been attached to radios and televisions in hotels.
John Joseph Houghtaling was an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
and inventor who in 1958 invented the Magic Fingers Vibrating Bed, a common feature in mid-priced hotels and motels from the 1960s to 1970s.
Early life
Houghtaling was born in Kansas City, MissouriKansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, on November 14, 1916. His father worked for a telegraph company as a lineman, which led Houghtaling and his two sisters to move around the Midwestern United States
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
with their family several times. He served as a gunnery instructor in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
and was sent to England in April 1942 during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, where he flew 20 missions on B-17 Flying Fortress bombers with the 452d Bombardment Squadron of the United States Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
.Pries, Allison. "Magic Fingers inventor, 92", The Record (Bergen County)
The Record (Bergen County)
The Record is a newspaper in northern New Jersey. It has the second largest circulation of New Jersey's daily newspapers, behind The Star-Ledger. Owned by the Borg family since 1930, it is the flagship publication of the North Jersey Media Group. Stephen Borg is the publisher of The Record...
, June 20, 2009. Accessed June 20, 2009.
He worked in a series of jobs following the completion of his military service, including as a bellman in a hotel, and as a salesman marketing cookware and, later, a remotely controlled lawnmower.Fox, Margalit. "John Houghtaling, Inventor of Magic Fingers Vibrating Bed, Dies at 92", The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, June 19, 2009. Accessed June 20, 2009.
Magic Fingers
In the 1950s, Houghtaling was again working as a salesman, this time selling vibrating beds in which the vibrating motor and bed were sold as a single unit that was clumsy, expensive and prone to failure. At a service call for a broken unit, Houghtaling realized that the vibrating motor was the essential component, not the bed, and that a unit could be developed that would attach to any bed, not just the combination vibrating bed units he was selling.Dworsky, David. "Big gains shown by bed vibrator; New Device Now Being Sold to Institutional Buyers Large Market Seen", The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, June 16, 1963. Accessed June 20, 2009. Houghtaling worked in the basement of his Glen Rock, New Jersey
Glen Rock, New Jersey
Glen Rock is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 11,601.-History:...
, home and tested hundreds of motors before finding one that combined the minimum-needed weight, could be attached to the box springs of an existing bed and would provide the right level of vibration. Once a quarter was inserted into the attached coin meter, the motor would vibrate the bed for 15 minutes. The coin mechanisms were modeled on similar devices that had been attached to radios and televisions in hotels.
John Joseph Houghtaling was an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
and inventor who in 1958 invented the Magic Fingers Vibrating Bed, a common feature in mid-priced hotels and motels from the 1960s to 1970s.
Early life
Houghtaling was born in Kansas City, MissouriKansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, on November 14, 1916. His father worked for a telegraph company as a lineman, which led Houghtaling and his two sisters to move around the Midwestern United States
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
with their family several times. He served as a gunnery instructor in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
and was sent to England in April 1942 during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, where he flew 20 missions on B-17 Flying Fortress bombers with the 452d Bombardment Squadron of the United States Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
.Pries, Allison. "Magic Fingers inventor, 92", The Record (Bergen County)
The Record (Bergen County)
The Record is a newspaper in northern New Jersey. It has the second largest circulation of New Jersey's daily newspapers, behind The Star-Ledger. Owned by the Borg family since 1930, it is the flagship publication of the North Jersey Media Group. Stephen Borg is the publisher of The Record...
, June 20, 2009. Accessed June 20, 2009.
He worked in a series of jobs following the completion of his military service, including as a bellman in a hotel, and as a salesman marketing cookware and, later, a remotely controlled lawnmower.Fox, Margalit. "John Houghtaling, Inventor of Magic Fingers Vibrating Bed, Dies at 92", The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, June 19, 2009. Accessed June 20, 2009.
Magic Fingers
In the 1950s, Houghtaling was again working as a salesman, this time selling vibrating beds in which the vibrating motor and bed were sold as a single unit that was clumsy, expensive and prone to failure. At a service call for a broken unit, Houghtaling realized that the vibrating motor was the essential component, not the bed, and that a unit could be developed that would attach to any bed, not just the combination vibrating bed units he was selling.Dworsky, David. "Big gains shown by bed vibrator; New Device Now Being Sold to Institutional Buyers Large Market Seen", The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, June 16, 1963. Accessed June 20, 2009. Houghtaling worked in the basement of his Glen Rock, New Jersey
Glen Rock, New Jersey
Glen Rock is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 11,601.-History:...
, home and tested hundreds of motors before finding one that combined the minimum-needed weight, could be attached to the box springs of an existing bed and would provide the right level of vibration. Once a quarter was inserted into the attached coin meter, the motor would vibrate the bed for 15 minutes. The coin mechanisms were modeled on similar devices that had been attached to radios and televisions in hotels.Nelson, Valerie J. "John Houghtaling dies at 92; inventor of vibrating Magic Fingers bed", Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
, June 20, 2009. Accessed June 20, 2009.
By the last half of the 1970s, in excess of one million Magic Fingers units had been installed across the United States and in Europe, in hotels and homes. The devices started to seem out of date and their popularity declined starting in the 1980s as other in-room entertainment options became available and theft of money from the coin boxes started to become more common. Houghtaling sold the rights to the Magic Fingers name after he retired in the 1980s, with the new owner manufacturing units for home use at the time of his death in 2009. Though the devices are rarely seen, they were still available in motels in the Western United States
Western United States
.The Western United States, commonly referred to as the American West or simply "the West," traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. Because the U.S. expanded westward after its founding, the meaning of the West has evolved over time...
at the time of his death.
The vibrating bed was frequently featured in movies and television. It was mentioned by name in songwriter Steve Goodman
Steve Goodman
Steve Goodman was an American folk music singer-songwriter from Chicago, Illinois. The writer of "City of New Orleans", made popular by Arlo Guthrie, Goodman won two Grammy Awards.-Personal life:...
's This Hotel Room, sung by Jimmy Buffett
Jimmy Buffett
James William "Jimmy" Buffett is a singer-songwriter, author, entrepreneur, and film producer. He is best known for his music, which often portrays an "island escapism" lifestyle. Together with his Coral Reefer Band, Buffett's musical hits include "Margaritaville" , and "Come Monday"...
, which included the line "Put in a quarter / Turn out the light / Magic Fingers makes you feel all right." Kurt Vonnegut
Kurt Vonnegut
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. was a 20th century American writer. His works such as Cat's Cradle , Slaughterhouse-Five and Breakfast of Champions blend satire, gallows humor and science fiction. He was known for his humanist beliefs and was honorary president of the American Humanist Association.-Early...
's Slaughterhouse Five also referred to Houghtaling's Magic Fingers; the protagonist Billy Pilgrim
Billy Pilgrim
Billy Pilgrim was an American folk rock duo based in Atlanta, Georgia, comprising Andrew Hyra and Kristian Bush. The band's name was taken from the time-traveling anti-hero of Kurt Vonnegut's novel Slaughterhouse-Five. The name was adopted in 1994; prior to that the duo simply billed itself as...
used the vibrating bed to help him fall asleep. Magic Fingers was also seen in Lolita (1997 film)
Lolita (1997 film)
Lolita is a 1997 French-American drama film directed by Adrian Lyne. It is the second screen adaptation of Vladimir Nabokov's novel of the same name and stars Jeremy Irons as Humbert Humbert and Dominique Swain as Dolores "Lolita" Haze, with supporting roles by Melanie Griffith as Charlotte Haze,...
and in the episode of CSI Vegas
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is an American crime drama television series, which premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000. The show was created by Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
“Assume Nothing” (season 4
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (season 4)
The fourth season of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation premiered on CBS on September 25, 2003 and ended May 20, 2004.-Notable cast members:-Episodes:-External links:* at TVShowsOnDVD.com.-See also:...
, episode 1).
Personal
Houghtaling died aged 92 on June 17, 2009, at his Fort Pierce, FloridaFort Pierce, Florida
Fort Pierce, also spelled Ft. Pierce, is a city in St. Lucie County, Florida, USA. It is known as The Sunrise City. The population was 37,959 at the 2004 census. As of 2008, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 41,000. It is the county seat of St. Lucie County.Fort Pierce is part...
, home due to complications from a fall
Falling (accident)
Falling is a major cause of personal injury, especially for the elderly. Builders, electricians, miners, and painters represent worker categories representing high rates of fall injuries. The WHO estimate that 392,000 people die in falls every year...
that resulted in a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
. His first marriage ended in divorce and his second wife predeceased him. He was survived by four children — most of whom had Magic Fingers units in their homes — and four grandchildren.