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

Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio

Plot: For 50 years radio dominated the airwaves and the American consciousness as the first “mass medium. ” In Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio, Ken Burns examines the lives of three extraordinary men who shared the primary responsibility for this invention and its early success, and whose genius, friendship, rivalry and enmity interacted in tragic ways
Release Date: Tuesday, October 1 1991
33 years ago
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Cast

Portrait of Jason RobardsJason Robards. Jason Robards was 69 in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Narrator (voice)'.
Birthday: Wed, Jul 26 1922 –
Died: Tue, Dec 26 2000
Portrait of Red BarberRed Barber. Red Barber was >> in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Self - Radio Announcer'.
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Erik BarnouwErik Barnouw. Erik Barnouw was 83 in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Self - Historian'.
Birthday: Tue, Jun 23 1908 –
Died: Thu, Jul 19 2001
Portrait of Ken BilbyKen Bilby. Ken Bilby was >> in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Self - Biographer of David Sarnoff'.
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Norman CorwinNorman Corwin. Norman Corwin was 81 in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Self - Writer'.
Birthday: Tue, May 03 1910 –
Died: Tue, Oct 18 2011
Portrait of Susan DouglasSusan Douglas. Susan Douglas was 66 in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Self - Historian'.
Birthday: Mon, Apr 13 1925 –
Died: Wed, Jan 23 2013
Portrait of Frank GüntherFrank Günther. Frank Günther was >> in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Self - Engineer'.
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Jeanne HammondJeanne Hammond. Jeanne Hammond was >> in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Self - Niece of Edwin H. Armstrong'.
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Loren JonesLoren Jones. Loren Jones was >> in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Self - Engineer'.
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Garrison KeillorGarrison Keillor. Garrison Keillor was 49 in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Self - Writer'.
Birthday: Fri, Aug 07 1942
Portrait of Helen KelleyHelen Kelley. Helen Kelley was >> in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Self - Radio Broadcaster'.
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Robert MorrisRobert Morris. Robert Morris was >> in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Self - Engineer'.
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Dana RaymondDana Raymond. Dana Raymond was >> in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Self - Friend of Edwin H. Armstrong'.
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Gertrude TyneGertrude Tyne. Gertrude Tyne was >> in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Self - Engineer'.
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Fred AllenFred Allen. Fred Allen would have been no older than 61 in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Self - Predicts Demise of Radio (archive footage)'.
Birthday: Thu, May 31 1894 –
Died: Sat, Mar 17 1956
Portrait of Gene AutryGene Autry. Gene Autry was 84 in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Self - Sings (archive sound)'.
Birthday: Sun, Sep 29 1907 –
Died: Fri, Oct 02 1998
Portrait of John BarrymoreJohn Barrymore. John Barrymore would have been no older than 60 in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Hamlet (archive sound)'.
Birthday: Wed, Feb 15 1882 –
Died: Fri, May 29 1942
Portrait of Winston ChurchillWinston Churchill. Winston Churchill would have been no older than 90 in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Self - Finest Hour Speech (archive sound)'.
Birthday: Mon, Nov 30 1874 –
Died: Sun, Jan 24 1965
Portrait of Charles J. CorrellCharles J. Correll. Charles J. Correll would have been no older than 82 in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Self - Prepares for Amos 'n' Andy Broadcast (archive footage)'.
Birthday: Sun, Feb 02 1890 –
Died: Tue, Sep 26 1972
Portrait of Lee De ForestLee De Forest. Lee De Forest would have been no older than 87 in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Self - Objects to Quality of Radio Programming (archive footage)'.
Birthday: Tue, Aug 26 1873 –
Died: Fri, Jun 30 1961
Portrait of Ralph EdwardsRalph Edwards. Ralph Edwards was 78 in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Self - Host of 'This Is Your Life' (archive footage)'.
Birthday: Fri, Jun 13 1913 –
Died: Wed, Nov 16 2005
Portrait of Dwight D. EisenhowerDwight D. Eisenhower. Dwight D. Eisenhower would have been no older than 78 in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Self - Announces Landing in Normandy (archive footage)'.
Birthday: Tue, Oct 14 1890 –
Died: Fri, Mar 28 1969
Portrait of Eugenia FarrarEugenia Farrar. Eugenia Farrar was >> in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Self (with Lee De Forest) (archive footage)'.
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Freeman F. GosdenFreeman F. Gosden. Freeman F. Gosden would have been no older than 83 in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Self - Prepares for Amos 'n' Andy Broadcast (archive footage)'.
Birthday: Fri, May 05 1899 –
Died: Fri, Dec 10 1982
Portrait of Guglielmo MarconiGuglielmo Marconi. Guglielmo Marconi was >> in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Self - Visits Sarnoff at RCA (archive footage)'.
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Marie MosquiniMarie Mosquini. Marie Mosquini would have been no older than 83 in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Self - with Lee De Forest (archive footage)'.
Birthday: Fri, Dec 01 1899 –
Died: Mon, Feb 21 1983
Portrait of Nelson RockefellerNelson Rockefeller. Nelson Rockefeller would have been no older than 70 in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Self - Eulogizes Sarnoff (archive footage)'.
Birthday: Wed, Jul 08 1908 –
Died: Fri, Jan 26 1979
Portrait of Franklin D. RooseveltFranklin D. Roosevelt. Franklin D. Roosevelt would have been no older than 63 in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Self - Makes Broadcast About Banking Reform (archive footage)'.
Birthday: Mon, Jan 30 1882 –
Died: Thu, Apr 12 1945
Portrait of David SarnoffDavid Sarnoff. David Sarnoff was >> in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Self - with Marconi at RCA (archive footage)'.
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Frank SinatraFrank Sinatra. Frank Sinatra was 75 in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Self - Serenades Sarnoff (archive footage)'.
Birthday: Sun, Dec 12 1915 –
Died: Thu, May 14 1998
Portrait of Arturo ToscaniniArturo Toscanini. Arturo Toscanini would have been no older than 59 in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Self - Conducts NBC Symphony (archive footage)'.
Birthday: Thu, Mar 25 1897 –
Died: Wed, Jan 16 1957
Portrait of Harry S. TrumanHarry S. Truman. Harry S. Truman would have been no older than 88 in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Self - Announces Bombing of Hiroshima (archive sound)'.
Birthday: Thu, May 08 1884 –
Died: Tue, Dec 26 1972
Portrait of Bob WarrenBob Warren. Bob Warren was >> in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Self - This is Your Life Announcer (archive footage)'.
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Orson WellesOrson Welles. Orson Welles would have been no older than 70 in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Self - Professor in War of the Worlds Broadcast (archive sound)'.
Birthday: Thu, May 06 1915 –
Died: Thu, Oct 10 1985

Crew

Portrait of Ken BurnsKen Burns. Ken Burns was 38 in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Producer, Director, Executive Producer, Music Director, Director of Photography'
Birthday: Wed, Jul 29 1953
Portrait of Allen MooreAllen Moore. Allen Moore was >> in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Director of Photography'
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Buddy SquiresBuddy Squires. Buddy Squires was >> in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Director of Photography'
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Geoffrey C. WardGeoffrey C. Ward. Geoffrey C. Ward was 50 in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Writer'
Birthday: Sat, Nov 30 1940
Portrait of Tom LewisTom Lewis. Tom Lewis was >> in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Producer, Author'
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Morgan WessonMorgan Wesson. Morgan Wesson was >> in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Producer, Sound, Archival Footage Research'
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Camilla RockwellCamilla Rockwell. Camilla Rockwell was >> in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Associate Producer'
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Susanna SteiselSusanna Steisel. Susanna Steisel was >> in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Associate Producer'
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Yaffa LereaYaffa Lerea. Yaffa Lerea was >> in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Associate Editor, Sound Editor'
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Paul BarnesPaul Barnes. Paul Barnes was >> in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Editor, Sound Editor'
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Lee DichterLee Dichter. Lee Dichter was 47 in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Sound Re-Recording Mixer'
Birthday: Sun, Jul 30 1944
Portrait of Alan BarkerAlan Barker. Alan Barker was >> in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Sound'
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Dalton DelanDalton Delan. Dalton Delan was >> in Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio as 'Executive In Charge Of Production'
Birthday: Unknown Birthday