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IMDbPro

Americathon

  • 19791979
  • PGPG
  • 1h 26m
IMDb RATING
4.5/10
908
YOUR RATING
Americathon (1979)
In a story told in narrative flashbacks, a young TV consultant is hired by the President of a bankrupt USA to organize a telethon in order to prevent the country from being repossessed by wealthy Native Americans.
Play trailer2:42
2 Videos
35 Photos
Comedy
In a story told in narrative flashbacks, a young TV consultant is hired by the President of a bankrupt USA to organize a telethon in order to prevent the country from being repossessed by we... Read allIn a story told in narrative flashbacks, a young TV consultant is hired by the President of a bankrupt USA to organize a telethon in order to prevent the country from being repossessed by wealthy Native Americans.In a story told in narrative flashbacks, a young TV consultant is hired by the President of a bankrupt USA to organize a telethon in order to prevent the country from being repossessed by wealthy Native Americans.
IMDb RATING
4.5/10
908
YOUR RATING
    • Neal Israel
  • Writers
    • Phil Proctor(play)
    • Peter Bergman(play)
    • Neal Israel(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Harvey Korman
    • Fred Willard
    • Peter Riegert
    • Neal Israel
  • Writers
    • Phil Proctor(play)
    • Peter Bergman(play)
    • Neal Israel(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Harvey Korman
    • Fred Willard
    • Peter Riegert
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 18User reviews
    • 21Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards

    Videos2

    Trailer
    Trailer 2:42
    Watch Trailer
    Sneak Previews Season 2 Episode 6
    Video 28:37
    Watch Sneak Previews Season 2 Episode 6

    Photos35

    Meatloaf "Americathon" 1979/Warner
    Americathon (1979)
    Americathon (1979)
    Nancy Morgan in Americathon (1979)
    Meat Loaf in Americathon (1979)
    Zane Buzby in Americathon (1979)
    Peter Riegert in Americathon (1979)
    Cybill Shepherd and Harvey Korman in Americathon (1979)
    Zane Buzby in Americathon (1979)
    Peter Riegert in Americathon (1979)
    Americathon (1979)
    John Ritter and Nancy Morgan in Americathon (1979)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Harvey Korman
    Harvey Korman
    • Monty Rushmore
    Fred Willard
    Fred Willard
    • Vincent Vanderhoff
    Peter Riegert
    Peter Riegert
    • Eric McMerkin
    Zane Buzby
    Zane Buzby
    • Mouling Jackson
    Nancy Morgan
    Nancy Morgan
    • Lucy Beth
    John Ritter
    John Ritter
    • President Chet Roosevelt
    Richard Schaal
    Richard Schaal
    • Jerry
    Allan Arbus
    Allan Arbus
    • Moishe Weitzman
    Elvis Costello
    Elvis Costello
    • Earl Manchester
    Chief Dan George
    Chief Dan George
    • Sam Birdwater
    Tommy Lasorda
    Tommy Lasorda
    • Jimmy Dunphy
    Jay Leno
    Jay Leno
    • Larry Miller (Poopy Butt)
    Peter Marshall
    Peter Marshall
    • Peter Marshall
    David Opatoshu
    David Opatoshu
    • Abdul Muhammad
    Meat Loaf
    Meat Loaf
    • Oklahoma Roy Budnitz
    George Carlin
    George Carlin
    • Narrator
    Nellie Bellflower
    Nellie Bellflower
    • Missy, VP Advertising
    J.A. Preston
    J.A. Preston
    • Morty
      • Neal Israel
    • Writers
      • Phil Proctor(play) (adaptation)
      • Peter Bergman(play) (adaptation)
      • Neal Israel(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      As part of the promotion for this film's release in 1979, Ted Coombs traveled on roller-skates across the USA for a total of 5,193 miles, setting a world record. He is now a technology author, futurist, artist, and scientist.
    • Goofs
      The movie mentions that people all over the country were watching the telethon, including people from the first gay state, North Dakota. We then see a picture of Mount Rushmore which is in South Dakota
    • Quotes

      [opening sequence; two dinosaurs fighting]

      Jimmy Carter: What you're looking at is downtown Pittsburgh, one million B.C. Those two big guys are fighting for a parking space. This is where our story begins. If they could have just learned to live together like decent human beings, they'd still be around and there never would have been an energy crisis. But they died out, and what was left of them turned into fossil fuel... Oil. See, it's not cute when eleven tons gets cranky. Their problem was they were all teeth and no brain...

      [Shot of President Jimmy Carter]

      Narrator: ...which brings us to this guy. Jimmy Carter was President of the United States when everybody started to notice we were running out of dead dinosaurs. No more gas to run our cars. Fights at the pump. People getting nozzle-whipped. So what was his solution? He made a speech.

      Jimmy Carter: The energy crisis has not yet overwhelmed us. But it will, if we do not act quickly.

      Narrator: We didn't. When America finally ran out of gas, an angry mob broke into the White House and lynched him. Along with three or four of his snottier cabinet members.

    • Connections
      Featured in Sneak Previews: Sunburn, Americathon, Hot Stuff, Meatballs, The Concorde: Airport '79 (1979)
    • Soundtracks
      It's A Beautiful Day
      Written by Mike Love and Al Jardine

      Performed by The Beach Boys

      Produced by Bruce Johnston

    User reviews18

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    9/10
    Where's the DVD?
    This is a move that has never got the respect it deserves. I loved it the first time I saw it — its creators were previously involved in the Firesign Theatre comedy troupe and they brought the same envelope-pushing irreverent spirit to it that they had to their great records — and ever since I've never forgiven the critics for savaging it on its initial release. It's the late John Ritter's finest big-screen performance, it contains the last truly great song recorded by the original Beach Boys, Elvis Costello's music video is an added bonus, and though some of the satire is a bit dated, much of it — particularly the idea of how drastically life in this country will change when we inevitably run out of oil — holds up beautifully. I haven't seen this in years but I wanted to post this to defend this marvelous film and demand a DVD release pronto. (Put me down as mgconlan from Tijuana Heights.)
    helpful•12
    4
    • mgconlan
    • May 22, 2005

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 10, 1979 (United States)
      • West Germany
      • United States
      • English
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • Grand Street Overpass, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Lorimar Filmgesellschaft GmbH
      • Lorimar Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • 1 hour 26 minutes
      • Mono

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