Eugene Polley inventor of the TV remote control dies aged 96 Eugene Polley inventor of the TV remote control dies aged 96 23rd May 2012 9:23am | By Shea Roll The inventor of the television remote control has died at the age of 96 said former employer, Zenith Electronics. In 1955 he invented the Flash-Matic which pointed a beam of light at photo cells on each corner of the TV, turning it off and on and changing the channels. His invention was considered a luxury in the days before hundreds of cable television channels, but has turned into a necessity for any Television addict. Born in Chicago 1915, Polley began engineering at the age of 20. He worked at Zenith for 47 years. Over his career he earned 18 US patents.