The Great American Broadcast (1941)
-
43% of users liked it
(47 ratings)
On the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of commercial radio, 20th Century-Fox cooked up the pageantlike entertainment The Great American Broadcast. Opening with clips of such airwaves favorites as Dick Powell and Fred Allen (courtesy of earlier Fox films like Thanks a Million), the picture gets… More On the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of commercial radio, 20th Century-Fox cooked up the pageantlike entertainment The Great American Broadcast. Opening with clips of such airwaves favorites as Dick Powell and Fred Allen (courtesy of earlier Fox films like Thanks a Million), the picture gets under way in 1918, as ambitious army buddies Bix Martin (John Payne) and Chuck Hadley (Jack Oakie) try and fail to establish themselves in the business world. At long last, our heroes enter the new field of radio broadcasting, where after several technical and tactical mishaps they achieve success. But Bix and Chuck are strictly small-timers, and soon they're left behind by the big-city stations. The partners break up, while Bix's songstress wife Vicki Adams (Alice Faye) seeks out a loan to get her husband back on his financial feet. When she approaches her wealthy ex-boyfriend Bruce Chadwick (Cesar Romero), Bix burns up and walks out on her. But old pal Chuck comes to the rescue, staging a reunion between Bix and Vicki during the first-ever coast to coast network broadcast. Rather shaky as history, The Great American Broadcast works best on a nostalgia level, offering guest appearances by such specialty performers as The Ink Spots, The Nicholas Brothers, and The Wiere Brothers (of Road to Rio fame). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Directed By
- Archie Mayo
- Written By
- Edwin Blum, Robert Ellis
- Genres
- Drama, Musical & Performing Arts, Classics, Comedy
Unrated,
- In Theaters
- May 9, 1941 Wide
- Studio
- Twentieth Century Fox Film Cor
Critic Reviews
-
David Cornelius, DVDTalk.com
It barely works, plot-wise, although the chemistry of the three leads is so sharp that we grant the story much forgiveness.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
Featured Audience Ratings
Currently unavailable on Flixster
Also available on
Other Retailers
Not Available
Not Available
Not Available
Subscription Services
Not Available
Not Available
Not Available
Cast
-
Alice Faye
as Vicki Adams
-
Jack Oakie
as Chuck Hadley
-
John Payne
as Rix Martin
-
Cesar Romero
as Bruce Chadwick
-
Four Ink Spots
as Specialty
-
James Newill
as Jimmy
-
Wiere Brothers
as Specialty
-
Mary Beth Hughes
as Secretary
-
Eula Morgan
as Mrs. Rinaldi
-
William Pawley
as Foreman
-
Lucien Littlefield
as Justice of Peace
-
Gary Breckner
as Announcer
-
Mike J. Frankovich
as Announcer
-
John Hiestand
as Announcer
-
Eddie Acuff
as Jimmy
-
Mildred Gover
as Jennie
-
Sid Saylor
as Brakeman
-
Eddie Kane
as Headwaiter
-
Frank Orth
as Counterman
-
Herbert Heywood
as Doorman
-
Eddie Conrad
as Conductor
-
Dorothy Dearing
as Bruce's Girl Friend
-
Arno Frey
as Waiter
-
William Halligan
as Mr. Porter
-
Sam McDaniel
as Porter
-
The Nicholas Brothers
as Specialty
- Fayard Nicholas
-
Charles Tannen
as Usher
-
Fred 'Snowflake' Toones
as Porter
-
John Sinclair
as Lineman
- Bill Kenny
- Charles Fuqua
- Deek Watson
- Hoppy Jones
