Just remember, mad scientists don’t build weapons of world conquering and destruction. Mad Engineers do.
A good point.
The Edison Manufacturing Company was essentially the umbrella company that ran all the different divisions of his business. My understanding is that, while he continued to work on the technical challenges of improving the new technology through this period and happily raked in the profits and kudos, he generally left making the actual films to others.
Engineering is a science. Mad engineering is mad science.
When I read the thread title, the first thing I thought of was Morbius in “Forbidden Planet” talking about the mad scientists of the taped thrillers. Forbidden Planet of course taking many cues from “The Tempest.” 