This page has been put together after an interesting discussion on one of the Essex Ham Amateur Radio ‘net’ discussions – what movies can you think of that have a strong radio-theme? Broadcast radio, Ham radio. Anything.
Here are a few that popped up as part of the evening’s on-air discussion:
Films: Broadcast Radio
- The Boat That Rocked – Pirate radio in the 60s… sort of
- Play Misty for Me – Clint Eastwood stalker classic
- Alan Partridge “Alpha Papa” – New film with Partridge in a radio station siege
- Good Morning Vietnam – Robin Williams bending the rules as an early military radio shock jock
- Private Parts – The life story of US radio shock jock Howard Stern
- Cry for Help – US film where the presenter gets the town to help track down a girl threatening to kill herself
- FM – No static at all. Believed to be the inspiration behind US sitcom WKRP
Films: Ham Radio
- Frequency – In this 2000 film, a son accidentally makes contact with his late father over ham radio, and saves his life.
- Contact – Starts with Jodie Foster using ham radio with her dad. Her radio experience helps her to pluck an alien message from space in later life.
TV series: Ham Radio
- Last Man Standing – Current US TV sitcom featuring Tim Allen as a radio ham
- Tony Hancock “The Radio Ham” – You can watch this online for free on YouTube.
Films: CB Radio
- “Convoy”
Films: Other radio
- Enigma – WWII HF decoding
- Independence Day – Details of the mission to bring down the invaders, was sent by Morse
- Titanic and A Night To Remember – Films documenting the loss of RMS Titanic in 1912, and highlighting the tireless efforts of wireless operators Phillips and Bride
TV series
- “Radio Phoenix” – an old TVS soap opera
- WKRP – Classic US sitcom
- Kit Curran Radio Show – Denis Lawson as a local community radio presenter
- I’m Alan Partridge – Radio Norfolk (later North Norfolk Digital)
- FM – Recentish Channel 4 sitcom
- Midnight Caller – US drama
- Shoestring – Trevor Eve detective series, set at Radio West
- Dukes of Hazzard (often featured CB radio)
- Last Man Standing – Current US TV sitcom featuring Tim Allen as a radio ham
- The Forest Rangers – 1960’s Canadian series featuring CB and walkie-talkies (thanks Mark M0IEO for that one)
Thanks to everyone who got in touch on-air to help build this list. Any more? Please add them below!
I would hazard a guess and say that the version of Frequency mentioned above could well be different to the one on my video shelf, mine starred Denis Quaid and Jim Caviezel as a father and son who are reunited by amateur radio using Aural Propagation to speak to his dead father, and change the present by preventing his father being killed in a fire. Interesting to note that the sons friends present is changed by his mentioning Yahoo to his father as a name to watch in the future. I am sure that if you double check, you will find that you have confused Frequency with Contact which opens with a young girl who goes on to become Jodie Foster’s character calling CQ on an amateur radio and her father tells her to make only small adjustments on the radio’s VFO, later in life as an adult she makes contact with an alien civilisation who send her the blueprint to build a time traveling machine which is where she meets her long dead father.
As always Mark, you’re spot on. That’s what comes from writing a post straight after a long Monday Night Net. ‘Contact’ I remembered correctly, but Frequency was a little messed up. I’ve now tweaked the wording – ta for that.
Surprised no-one else has come up with any others yet though… Anything else on your shelf Mark?
Titanic, the wireless operators stayed at their posts until the ship went down, a well documented story.
From the 1960’s an American TV show called The Forrest Rangers, about a single parent father bringing up his two sons in I think Yellostone Park, North America, the family had the call sign XMY557, which is strange as X-ray Mike is a provincial Canadian call sign! Could this have been a slip up by the researchers?
Finally, how could you have all missed Tony Hancock and The Radio Ham!
Thanks Mark. How could we all forget Hancock? Now added. Must admit, I’d not heard of Forest Rangers, but I have found their online fan club if you fancy joining up Mark! http://forestrangers.bravehost.com/
One of the best adverts for the Yaesu ft817nd is the movie Mine….
I have just checked on good old Google and it would appear that The Forrest Rangers was made in Canada, not Yellowstone Park, hence the call sign XMY557. I wonder what the letter Y in the call sign was for? Anyone have any ideas?
Got another one where radios were used and even constructed from spares. It’s called The 100.
73
Here is link to info
http://m.imdb.com/title/tt2661044/
Another film where amateur radio plays a part is ‘The Day After’ made in 1983 it portrays the before, during and after a Soviet-American nuclear exchange. Fortunately one hospital and an amateur station in another county seemed to escape any EMP and were able to coordinate aid to survivors.
Worth a watch if you have a couple of hours spare
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2B7sdLPMfc
73’s Bri
Life on Mars, Season 2 has an episode where they attempt to bug a suspect. The interesting thing is, they are using a Heathkit Mohican general coverage receiver that appears to be tuned somewhere in the 4-9 MHz band on the receiver. The character is attempting to tune it by using the aerial tuner knob.