An Arkansas drifter becomes an overnight media sensation. As he becomes drunk with fame and power, will he ever be exposed as the fraud he has become?
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Title: A Face in the Crowd (1957)
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1 win & 1 nomination.
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Cast
| Complete credited cast: | |||
| Andy Griffith | ... | ||
| Patricia Neal | ... | ||
| Anthony Franciosa | ... | ||
| Walter Matthau | ... | ||
| Lee Remick | ... | ||
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Percy Waram | ... |
Gen. Haynesworth
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Paul McGrath | ... |
Macey
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Rod Brasfield | ... |
Beanie
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Marshall Neilan | ... |
Sen. Worthington Fuller
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Alexander Kirkland | ... |
Jim Collier
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Charles Irving | ... |
Mr. Luffler
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| Howard Smith | ... |
J.B. Jeffries
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Kay Medford | ... | |
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Big Jeff Bess | ... |
Sheriff Big Jeff Bess
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Henry Sharp | ... |
Abe Steiner
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Plot Summary
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Plot Synopsis
Storyline
"A Face in the Crowd" charts the rise of a raucous hayseed named Lonesome Rhodes from itinerant Ozark guitar picker to local media rabble-rouser to TV superstar and political king-maker. Marcia Jeffries is the innocent Sarah Lawrence girl who discovers the great man in a back-country jail and is the first to fall under his spell. Written by alfiehitchie
Taglines:
POWER! He loved it! He took it raw in big gulpfuls...he liked the taste, the way it mixed with the bourbon and the sin in his blood!Genres:
DramaParents Guide:
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See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
June 1957 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Budd Schulberg's A Face in the Crowd See more »Company Credits
Show detailed
company contact information
on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Mono (RCA Sound System)Color:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
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(1957) (uncredited)
Music by Tom Glazer
Lyrics by Budd Schulberg
Sung by Andy Griffith
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
At the Piggott location shoot some 380 dogs were assembled from Missouri and Arkansas for the scene following Rhodes' first mass-action call on his audience: to take their dogs to the home of a local sheriff who was running for higher office - Rhodes opining that people should first find out if a candidate is worthy of the office of "dog catcher". See more »Goofs
Just before Larry goes on air during his first TV appearance, the straw in his mouth disappears between shots. See more »Quotes
Marcia Jeffries: They love his voice, they love his guitar, they love his ideas... they should know some of his ideas.See more »
Soundtracks
Just Plain Folks(1957) (uncredited)
Music by Tom Glazer
Lyrics by Budd Schulberg
Sung by Andy Griffith
See more »
A timeless story,as evidenced by all the allegories to recent personalities here ( Howard Stern, Clinton, etc...)...HOWEVER..the film is based (loosely) on a personality of the mid-50s: one Arthur Godfrey..yes, the IL' Redhead himself. Skillfully wrapped in the cliché of 'country boy makes good' story, the Godfrey story was hot news in 1957,and there weren't too many people back then who missed its allusions For those who do not know: Arthur Godfrey was one of THE hottest things in the country in the early to mid 1950's: he literally had about two or three different TV shows on the schedule, plus a radio show that was among the most popular in the day. Godfrey was JUST like this movie in this respect: on the air, he was America's home-spun hero..telling folksy stories....crooning in an off tone baritone, and presenting pure, CLEAN entertainment. OFF the air,however the legend that is Arthur Godfrey to this day is one of THE biggest control freaks in show biz history..to the point of controlling the lives of all of his 'family'..unfortunately that turned out to be downfall...One Julius LaRosa had been a singer that Godfrey had 'discovered' in the US Navy Band...after he was discharged LaRosa became a singer on Godfrey's nighttime TV show "Arthur Godfrey and Friends",where he became an instant star among the bobby sox set. In time, LaRosa started a recording career,and started to have VERY successful records..then suddenly, in 1953, Godfrey suddenly fired LaRosa from his show for the mysterious reason of him having 'no humilty' ...it has been assumed since then that Godfrey was extremely jealous of Larosa's success...Anyways, this exposed the 'real' Godfrey to the public.,and while it didn't happen as quickly or as totally as Lonesome Rhodes' career,Godfrey's career as a superstar was effectively over after that..he eventually was reduced to hosting game shows and such. Writer Schulberg obviously also puts in his 2 cents on fame...politics..the show business...and early television here, but as I said,there wasn't NO ONE in those days who didn't know it was about Godfrey....