I think it was Bing Crosby, IIRC. I don't recall much, but I think he financed the research behind video tape recording. Audio tape existed at that time courtesy of the Germans in the 30's, but was improved upon after the war here in the USA.
Crosby liked the idea of prerecording his broadcasts, and when he saw the demonstration of a prototype machine developed by the forerunners of AMPEX he placed an order for $50,000 worth of machines.
Essentially Crosby was the financier for the company that became AMPEX, probably the name most associated with tape recording.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ampex