Packard Bell Corporation
An American electronics manufacturer that produced radios, televisions, defense equipment, scientific computers, and later lent its name to a separate personal-computer company.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
Packard Bell Corporation was an American electronics manufacturer established in Los Angeles in 1933 by Herb Bell and Leon Packard. Its earliest business was radio production, but the company developed into a diversified electronics enterprise with activities spanning consumer audio and television, military and defense electronics, and specialized computing. The company should be distinguished from the later Packard Bell personal-computer manufacturer formed in 1986 after the Packard Bell name and assets were sold by Teledyne. The company emerged from Herb Bell's earlier radio ventures. Bell had entered radio manufacturing in the 1920s and had previously been associated with Jackson Bell Radio Company. After that business encountered financial difficulties during the Great Depression, Bell joined with Leon Packard to establish Packard Bell. The new company marketed its first radio, the Model 35A, in 1934. Bell secured a license to manufacture superheterodyne radios, allowing Packard Bell to compete in a rapidly changing radio market. Its products became recognizable for distinctive styling and, for many years, so-called stationized tuning dials that printed the call letters of important radio stations serving the western United States and parts of western Canada. Packard Bell remained closely associated with the Bell family. Herb Bell and his brothers Arthur, Albert, Elmer, and Willard participated in design, manufacturing, and marketing. Leon Packard became dissatisfied with the direction of the business and sold his interest to Herb Bell in 1935. The company incorporated as Packard Bell Corporation in 1946 and became a public company in 1955. In 1956, the publicly traded enterprise adopted the name Packard-Bell Electronics Corp. During the Second World War and the following decades, defense electronics became an important part of the business. Packard Bell produced equipment including identification-friend-or-foe transponder systems for aircraft. In 1957, it created Packard Bell Computer Corporation under the leadership of Max Palevsky. This unit addressed specialized industrial, scientific, and military applications rather than the mass consumer-computer market. Its work included process-control systems, seismic-data analysis for the oil industry, and digital and hybrid computing equipment. Packard Bell Computer produced the PB 250, introduced in 1960, a computer notable for its use of magnetostrictive delay-line memory and for incorporating elements associated with earlier computer designs developed at the United Kingdom's National Physical Laboratory. The unit also developed the TRICE digital differential analyzer and hybrid systems combining digital and analog computing. Palevsky left the computer division in 1961 and later founded Scientific Data Systems. Packard Bell's computer operations were acquired by Raytheon in 1964. In 1968, Teledyne acquired Packard Bell. The business became known as Teledyne Packard Bell while retaining the Packard Bell identity within Teledyne's corporate structure. Teledyne subsequently withdrew from home-entertainment manufacturing, and the division stopped making home entertainment products in 1974. Teledyne sold the Packard Bell name and assets in 1985. Israeli investors used the name for a newly formed personal-computer manufacturer in 1986, creating the later Packard Bell PC brand that became particularly visible in Europe during the 1990s. That later company and its European computer business are historically related through the trademark and acquired assets, but they are not the same operating company as the original radio and electronics manufacturer covered here.
History
Packard Bell's origins lay in the Los Angeles radio industry of the 1920s and early 1930s. Herb Bell had worked in radio electronics and had earlier formed a partnership with an engineer named Neff. Bell wanted to expand production beyond a small garage operation, but the partnership ended when the two disagreed about the scale and direction of the business. Bell then established Jackson Bell Radio Company with Edward Jackson. That venture experienced financial problems during the Great Depression, and the arrival of RCA's superheterodyne radio technology created additional pressure. Although Jackson Bell obtained an RCA manufacturing license, it was left with inventory of older radios and was eventually liquidated. Bell subsequently partnered with Leon Packard, whose uncle supplied capital for the new enterprise. Packard Bell was formed in 1933 and sold its first radio, the Model 35A, in 1934. Bell obtained an RCA license for superheterodyne radio production, helping the company compete in the expanding consumer-radio market. Packard Bell and Hoffman Radio became notable regional manufacturers on the American West Coast. During its early decades, Packard Bell's principal market included Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington, with some coverage of western Canada. Its radio dials often displayed the call letters of important regional stations, a design and marketing feature intended to make tuning easier and reinforce the company's western identity. The practice was eventually discontinued as the company expanded its radio and television sales across North America. Leon Packard was dissatisfied with the course of the enterprise and sold his interest to Herb Bell in 1935. The company operated as a family business, with Bell's brothers Arthur, Albert, Elmer, and Willard contributing to product design, production, and marketing. Packard Bell incorporated in 1946. Its defense-electronics activity expanded during the Second World War, when it produced equipment for military applications, including an aircraft identification-friend-or-foe transponder designated AN/APX-92. Defense work continued to support the company into the postwar period, while the consumer business expanded beyond radios into television receivers and high-fidelity stereos. Packard Bell became a public company in 1955 and adopted the name Packard-Bell Electronics Corp. in 1956. The following year it created Packard Bell Computer Corporation, led by Max Palevsky. This subsidiary pursued specialized computing for scientific, industrial, and military customers. Its projects included computers for industrial process control, military and defense applications, and truck-mounted systems that analyzed seismic information for the oil industry. The PB 250, released in 1960, used magnetostrictive delay-line memory and retained a partial relationship to design work associated with Alan Turing's NPL ACE computer. Packard Bell also developed the TRICE digital differential analyzer and hybrid systems that paired the PB 250 with analog computers such as the EAI TR10 or TR48. Palevsky left in 1961 and later founded Scientific Data Systems; Raytheon acquired Packard Bell's computer operations in 1964. Teledyne acquired Packard Bell in 1968 as part of its expansion into consumer electronics. The Packard Bell identity continued under the Teledyne name as Teledyne Packard Bell. However, changing economics in home entertainment led Teledyne Packard Bell to stop making home-entertainment products in 1974. Teledyne sold the name and assets in 1985. In 1986, Israeli investors applied the name to a newly created personal-computer manufacturer. That later business became a prominent PC brand in Europe during the 1990s, but the 1986 company represents a successor use of the name rather than a continuation of the original corporation's radio-era operations. The original Packard Bell Corporation is therefore best understood as a defunct American electronics manufacturer whose legacy spans consumer electronics, defense technology, and specialized computing.
- 1986
Name is revived for a PC manufacturer
[1]Israeli investors use the Packard Bell name for a newly formed personal-computer company, beginning a distinct later phase of the brand's history.
- 1985
Name and assets are sold
[1]Teledyne sells the Packard Bell name and assets.
- 1974
Home-entertainment production ends
[1]Teledyne Packard Bell ceases making home-entertainment products.
- 1968
Teledyne acquires Packard Bell
[1]Teledyne purchases the company and operates it as Teledyne Packard Bell.
- 1964
Raytheon acquires the computer operations
[1]Packard Bell's computer activities are acquired by Raytheon after Palevsky's departure from the division.
- 1960
PB 250 is introduced
[1]Packard Bell Computer releases the PB 250, a specialized computer using magnetostrictive delay-line memory.
- 1957
Computer subsidiary is established
[1]Packard Bell Computer Corporation is formed under Max Palevsky to develop specialized scientific, industrial, and military computers.
- 1955
Packard Bell becomes publicly traded
[1]The company goes public.
- 1946
Company incorporation
[1]The family-operated business incorporates as Packard Bell Corporation.
- 1935
Leon Packard exits the business
[1]Leon Packard sells his interest to Herb Bell after becoming dissatisfied with the direction of the company.
Products and positioning
A West Coast American electronics manufacturer combining distinctive consumer-radio and home-entertainment products with defense, industrial, scientific, and military electronics.
Radio receiver · 1934
Model 35A
Packard Bell's first marketed radio, introduced in 1934. The model originated from Herb Bell's earlier radio-manufacturing activities and represented the company's entry into commercial production under the Packard Bell name.
Radio receivers
Packard Bell stationized radios
A range of Packard Bell radios used tuning dials printed with the call letters of important stations in the western United States and parts of western Canada. The feature gave the products a distinct regional identity and was intended to make tuning easier for customers.
Scientific and military computer · 1960
PB 250
A specialized computer released in 1960 by Packard Bell Computer Corporation. It used magnetostrictive delay lines for main memory and incorporated elements related to the earlier NPL ACE design tradition. The system was intended for scientific, industrial, and military applications.
Digital differential analyzer
TRICE
The Transistorized Realtime Incremental Computer Expandable, or TRICE, was a digital differential analyzer developed by Packard Bell Computer. It could be combined with the PB 250 to form a hybrid general-purpose and differential-analysis computing system.
Hybrid computer
Hycomp 250
A hybrid computing configuration combining the PB 250 with a small analog computer, such as the EAI TR10 or TR48. It addressed computational tasks requiring both digital processing and analog analysis.
Military electronics
Defense electronics
Packard Bell supplied defense-related electronics during the Second World War and in subsequent decades. One documented product was an AN/APX-92 identification-friend-or-foe transponder for aircraft.
Brand decisions
1985
Sale of the Packard Bell name and assetsM&ABackground
After the Teledyne-owned operation had withdrawn from home-entertainment manufacturing, the Packard Bell identity was available for transfer.
Action taken
Teledyne sold the Packard Bell name and assets.
Aftermath
Israeli investors used the name in 1986 for a new personal-computer manufacturer, creating the later PC brand associated especially with European markets.
1974
Withdrawal from home entertainmentStrategyBackground
Changing conditions in the home-entertainment sector led a number of manufacturers to leave the business, consolidate with stronger competitors, or shift manufacturing arrangements.
Action taken
Teledyne Packard Bell ceased making home-entertainment products.
Aftermath
The Packard Bell name and assets were sold by Teledyne in 1985, after which the name was used by a separate personal-computer manufacturer.
1968
Acquisition by TeledyneM&ABackground
Teledyne sought to expand its presence in consumer electronics and acquired Packard Bell as part of that strategy.
Action taken
Teledyne acquired Packard Bell, retaining the operating identity as Teledyne Packard Bell.
Aftermath
Teledyne later ended Packard Bell's home-entertainment manufacturing in 1974 and eventually sold the name and assets in 1985.
1964
Sale of computer operations to RaytheonM&ABackground
Packard Bell's computer division had developed specialized systems for industrial, scientific, and defense applications, but the business was separate from the company's principal consumer-electronics identity.
Action taken
Raytheon acquired Packard Bell's computer operations.
Aftermath
The transfer ended Packard Bell's direct ownership of its computer activities while the broader electronics company continued operating.
1957
Entry into specialized computingStrategyBackground
Packard Bell had developed beyond consumer radios and was active in defense and industrial electronics. The company saw an opportunity in scientific, military, and process-control computing rather than limiting itself to home electronics.
Action taken
It created Packard Bell Computer Corporation under Max Palevsky to develop specialized computers and related systems.
Aftermath
The subsidiary produced systems including the PB 250, TRICE, and Hycomp 250, and its operations were later acquired by Raytheon in 1964.
Sources1 sources
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