Movies about the Golden Age of Radio

[koopkooper]

I was wondering if anyone knows of some good films either classic or current that portrays the Golden Era of radio.

Keen to see some of the old studios and see the live performances.

 

[deanglen]

Radio Days 1987

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093818/

dean

 

[LizzieMaine]

One of the best films with a radio background to be filmed in the radio era itself would have to be "The Big Broadcast" (Paramount 1932) -- it's full of specialty turns by assorted radio stars of the day, combined with a plot revolving around a young and buh-buh-booey crooner played by Bing Crosby.

There were additional Big Broadcast films in 1935 and 1937, but these weren't actually set in radio stations -- although each featured a fresh assortment of top radio artists. All are lots and lots of fun.

 

[Absinthe_1900]

How about Empire of the Air?

 

[Nick Charles]

Radioland Murders. Radioland Murders is the story of Roger Henderson and his soon-to-be ex-wife Penny (played by Brian Benben of Dream On and Mary Stuart Masterson of Benny and Joon, respectively) who work at a brand new radio station in Chicago, WBN, in 1939. Penny is the owner's secretary, and Roger is a writer. On the eve of its first broadcast, Penny must satisfy the needs of all the new sponsors, while Roger has to make last-minute changes to the scripts. Just as the show begins, one of the musicians in the orchestra mysteriously dies. And then one after the other at the station drop dead. Nobody knows who the murderer is, although Roger is suspected. So the entire night, Roger (with the assistance of a goofy young usher named Billy) must find the murderer, stay away from the cops that are roaming the building, make dozens of script changes, and try to win his wife back.

This is a George Lucas movie, directed by Mel Smith.

 

[The Reno Kid]

Up in the Air starring Mantan Moreland (1940). Not the best movie of the 20th Century, but fun. Also, it's not a movie but Remember WENN is worth watching. It was a series set in a radio station in Pittsburgh just before WWII. It was produced by AMC back when they were a classic movie channel. Unfortunately, they have no plans to release it on DVD, so you'll have to find a friend who taped it.

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

http://www.archive.org/stream/Backofth1938/Backofth1938_256kb.mp4

I really enjoy this because of the perpective they give you. Sure it's a promotional film but they did a great job just giving you the kind of perpective I even get today.

 

[CharlieH.]

One thing I like about Radioland Murders is that it features an actual golden age radio star - George Burns.

I don't recall any other movies that portray the workings of a radio station, but I know about ones sponsored by a manufacturer:

The Little Broadcast and The Big Broadcast of '38, produced by George Pal as soft-sell advertisements for Philips Radio. The latter featured Ambrose and his orchestra.

 

[Harp]

WENN

How about the PBS TV series, "Remember WENN?"
I missed most of the series, but intend to catch up
with DVDs later; and the show has a website or two.

 

[Rick Blaine]

Ditto that vote for "Radio Days"

... this film has to be one of the most heartfelt, affectionate love letters to an era (30s-40s), a medium (radio) and a town (NYC) that I have ever seen.

Just as lovely, gentle, funny and evocative a film as you will ever come upon.
Great costumes, art direction is superb... (I have seen it a dozen times and have yet to spy a single anachronism) superb cast (W.A. is just the narrator...thank goodness) if any film will make you nostalgic for a time & place you never knew, this is the one. SEE IT!

 

[Sunny]

A classic film would be...

Abbot and Costello's Who Done It?

One of my favorites, it features a radio show - with a female producer/director, incidentally - entitled "Murder at Midnight." A murder takes place during the [live] broadcast, the police are called in, and the boys get themselves involved. Almost the entire film takes place in and around the studio and station. A good part has the boys, as soda jerks trying to make it into the radio biz, auditioning their own script with ice cream scoops as microphones. Later there's a lot of fun with transcription records. And the boys make it onto a quiz show in another studio, in addition to the murder/suspense show around which the story centers. This is a World War II film, and one of the few that didn't feature the Andrews Sisters. (For my brothers, that's a big plus. )

The police inspector in Who Done It? is played by William Gargan. A few years later, he had his own radio show, starring as "Barry Craig, Confidential Investigator." I understand William Gargan was one of the few (only?) private eye actors with actual detective experience.

And there really was a radio show called "Murder at Midnight"! I don't know if it pre-dates Who Done It? - I wouldn't bet money either way.

 

[The Wolf]

The Charlie Chan mystery The Scarlet Clue takes place at a radio station with the actors/suspect shown doing radio dramas.
Gene Wilder's Haunted Honeymoon has some nice radio play performances in it.

Sincerely,
The WOLF

 

[The Wolf]

I forgot one

"Tune in Tomorrow" with Peter Falk and Keanu Reeves has radio show behind-the-scenes action, I believe. I haven't seen but I've almost rented it many times.lol

Sincerely,
TheWOLF

 

[jake_fink]

Some good choices so far. I hated Radioland Murders though. It seemed to have been scripted on the spot. It reminded me of one of those puppet shows at a kids party that just makes it up as it goes along and doesn't pay any mind to the fact that no-one is watching.

The Phantom Broadcast is a goofy bit of fun from 1933. A murder mystery that is part Svengali and part Cyrano de Bergerac. It stars Ralph Forbes who was a minor heart throb of the time, as a hunchback. It used ot be one of those hard to find cultish titles but now it's readliy available on dvd and cheap.

 

[BJonas]

"Haunted Honeymoon" with Gene Wilder, Gilda Radner, and Dom DeLouise. Not a great movie, but my family saw it enough times that a few quotes stuck in our lexicon.

And "Radio Days" was the best.

 

[artdecodame]

Well, there is The Great American Broadcast with Alice Faye, but since it's a Fox film I've only seen it played on Fox Movie Channel (which, for some oddball reason, isn't available on our DirecTV plan anymore. [huh] )

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033674/

(P.S.: The world definitely needs a box set of Alice movies! )

 

[funneman]

http://www.archive.org/stream/Backofth1938/Backofth1938_256kb.mp4

I really enjoy this because of the perpective they give you. Sure it's a promotional film but they did a great job just giving you the kind of perpective I even get today.

This was great happyfilmluvguy, acoustic sound effects have always been one
of my favorite things about radio. In fact, I still carry around a big piiece of shrink wrap in my briefcase to simulate fire, static, etc. I was knocked out when I saw them using same thing.

THanks so much for sharing.

 

[katznkitz]

One of the best films with a radio background to be filmed in the radio era itself would have to be "The Big Broadcast" (Paramount 1932) -- it's full of specialty turns by assorted radio stars of the day, combined with a plot revolving around a young and buh-buh-booey crooner played by Bing Crosby.

There were additional Big Broadcast films in 1935 and 1937, but these weren't actually set in radio stations -- although each featured a fresh assortment of top radio artists. All are lots and lots of fun.

By any chance can anyone recognize the movie still this painting is depicting?

 

[katznkitz]

Up in the Air starring Mantan Moreland (1940). Not the best movie of the 20th Century, but fun. Also, it's not a movie but Remember WENN is worth watching. It was a series set in a radio station in Pittsburgh just before WWII. It was produced by AMC back when they were a classic movie channel. Unfortunately, they have no plans to release it on DVD, so you'll have to find a friend who taped it.

By any chance can anyone recognize the movie still this painting is depicting?