Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio

Name: Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio
Director: Ken Burns
Genre: History, Documentary
Released: 1991-10-01
Duration: 6780000 s
Cast: Jason Robards, Red Barber, Erik Barnouw

Directed by Ken Burns

1991 1h 53mHistory, Documentary

7.5

The eighth documentary from acclaimed filmmaker Ken Burns, this one focuses on the fascinating history of American radio, which has dominated the airwaves for 50 years. It also traces on the three founders of the medium: Lee deforest, Edwin Howard Armstrong and David Sarnoff. Narrated by Jason Robards.

Where to Watch Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio

Cast of Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio

Jason RobardsNarrator (voice)
Red BarberSelf - Radio Announcer
Erik BarnouwSelf - Historian
Ken BilbySelf - Biographer of David Sarnoff
Norman CorwinSelf - Writer
Susan DouglasSelf - Historian
Frank GüntherSelf - Engineer
Jeanne HammondSelf - Niece of Edwin H. Armstrong
Loren JonesSelf - Engineer
Garrison KeillorSelf - Writer
Helen KelleySelf - Radio Broadcaster
Robert MorrisSelf - Engineer
Dana RaymondSelf - Friend of Edwin H. Armstrong
Gertrude TyneSelf - Engineer
Fred AllenSelf - Predicts Demise of Radio (archive footage)
Gene AutrySelf - Sings (archive sound)
John BarrymoreHamlet (archive sound)
Winston ChurchillSelf - Finest Hour Speech (archive sound)
Charles J. CorrellSelf - Prepares for Amos 'n' Andy Broadcast (archive footage)
Lee De ForestSelf - Objects to Quality of Radio Programming (archive footage)
Ralph EdwardsSelf - Host of 'This Is Your Life' (archive footage)
Dwight D. EisenhowerSelf - Announces Landing in Normandy (archive footage)
Eugenia FarrarSelf (with Lee De Forest) (archive footage)
Freeman F. GosdenSelf - Prepares for Amos 'n' Andy Broadcast (archive footage)
Guglielmo MarconiSelf - Visits Sarnoff at RCA (archive footage)
Marie MosquiniSelf - with Lee De Forest (archive footage)
Nelson RockefellerSelf - Eulogizes Sarnoff (archive footage)
Franklin D. RooseveltSelf - Makes Broadcast About Banking Reform (archive footage)
David SarnoffSelf - with Marconi at RCA (archive footage)
Frank SinatraSelf - Serenades Sarnoff (archive footage)
Arturo ToscaniniSelf - Conducts NBC Symphony (archive footage)
Harry S. TrumanSelf - Announces Bombing of Hiroshima (archive sound)
Bob WarrenSelf - This is Your Life Announcer (archive footage)
Orson WellesSelf - Professor in War of the Worlds Broadcast (archive sound)
Ken BurnsDirector / Producer
Geoffrey C. WardWriter
Tom LewisProducer
Morgan WessonProducer