82 year old inventor and entrepreneur Thomas Alva Edison is honored in 1929 and he reflects back on his sixty year career of scientific achievement.
"Bodyguard" star Richard Madden gives us the rundown of his record shattering new show.
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Title: Edison, the Man (1940)
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Spencer Tracy | ... | Thomas A. Edison | |
| Rita Johnson | ... | Mary Stilwell | |
| Lynne Overman | ... | Bunt Cavatt | |
| Charles Coburn | ... | General Powell | |
| Gene Lockhart | ... | Mr. Taggart | |
| Henry Travers | ... | Ben Els | |
| Felix Bressart | ... | Michael Simon | |
| Peter Godfrey | ... | Ashton | |
| Guy D'Ennery | ... | Lundstrom | |
| Byron Foulger | ... | Edwin Hall | |
| Milton Parsons | ... | 'Acid' Graham | |
| Arthur Aylesworth | ... | Jack Bigelow | |
| Gene Reynolds | ... | Jimmy Price | |
| Addison Richards | ... | Mr. Johnson | |
| Grant Mitchell | ... | Snade | |
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Plot Summary
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Add Synopsis
Storyline
Hoored at a banquet for his sixty year career as an inventor, scientist, and businessman, 89 year old Thomas Alva Edison reflects back on his long career, which includes such achievements as the stock market ticker, the phonograph, the light bulb, and the motion picture. Written by duke1029@aol.com
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Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
10 May 1940 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Edison, el hombre See more »Filming Locations:
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USACompany Credits
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IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Sound System)Color:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1
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Bunt Cavatt: Hah? Oh... You don't want to work in New York, Tom. This town is no good fer yeh. The tall buildings crush the spirit and torment the soul.
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(1887) (uncredited)
Music by Reginald De Koven
Lyrics by Clement W. Scott
Played at wedding.
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Did You Know?
Trivia
The World Premiere for this film in Thomas A. Edison's hometown of West Orange, New Jersey, serves as the backdrop for the mystery novel "Dead at the Box Office" by John Dandola. The novel explains in great detail how M.G.M. went about planning and carrying out the festivities. See more »Goofs
The montage sequence depicting Edison's inventions lists "electric power transmission" over a shot of a massive transmission line and the tower that holds it up. That technology was actually developed not by Thomas A. Edison but by Nikola Tesla. (Tesla held over 700 patents, including Radio. Guglielmo Marconi stole the radio patent from Tesla. The US Patent office has since revoked Marconi's claim, giving it to Tesla.) Edison insisted on powering his lights with direct current, which could only travel short distances from the generators that produced it. Tesla used alternating current, which could be run through transformers to increase its voltage so it could be moved over long distances, then reduced in voltage again for home use. Tesla's alternating current, not Edison's direct current, quickly became the standard and is what we use today. See more »Quotes
Thomas A. Edison: How about that job you promised me?Bunt Cavatt: Hah? Oh... You don't want to work in New York, Tom. This town is no good fer yeh. The tall buildings crush the spirit and torment the soul.
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Crazy Credits
The opening credits appear as 19th Century sampler embroideries. See more »Soundtracks
Oh, Promise Me(1887) (uncredited)
Music by Reginald De Koven
Lyrics by Clement W. Scott
Played at wedding.
See more »
Very well made film, effortlessly acted out by, who else but, Spencer Tracy. The movie traces the dedication of Edison and his team and their sometimes frustrating situations which they conquer eventually to succeed. A must for anyone who is inspired by the work of great people.