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Americathon

  • 19791979
  • PGPG
  • 1h 26m
IMDb RATING
4.5/10
892
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
28,376
1,524
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
892
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
28,376
1,524
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Neal Israel
    • Writers
      • Phil Proctor(play)
      • Peter Bergman(play)
      • Neal Israel(screenplay)
    • Stars
      • Harvey Korman
      • Fred Willard
      • Peter Riegert
    Top credits
    • Director
      • 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
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 1 nomination

    Videos2

    Trailer
    Trailer 2:42
    Trailer
    Sneak Previews Season 2 Episode 6
    Video 28:37
    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
    • Director
      • 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
    Top review
    6/10
    SO weird, all this nonsense on 1979 its turning true on 2011
    From WIKI: Since the storyline was set 20 years into the future, several satirical forecasts were made, nearly all of which, amazingly, have since come true:

    The People's Republic of China embracing capitalism and becoming a global economic superpower.

    Cliques of Native Americans becoming wealthy (although in reality much of their wealth would come from the gaming industry, mostly from tribal casinos).

    Nike becoming a huge multinational conglomerate (In 1979, their "Tailwind" running shoe was just starting to gain popularity).

    Vietnam becoming a major tourist attraction among Asia's wealthy and powerful (this was also predicted in Back To The Future Part II, as seen on billboards and on TV commercials, with the airline that takes most Americans there being US Air).

    The continued existence and popularity of The Beach Boys in 1998.

    The collapse of the USSR.

    The depletion of US crude oil production, which, according to Hubbert's Peak theory, was already underway for several years at the time the film was made (Hubbert estimated in 1956 that the year of peak oil extraction in the United States would be 1970.).

    Jogging suits becoming fashionable as "casual wear".

    Reality television reaching absurd limits. (The telethon includes a boxing match between a mother and son. The son is played by Jay Leno.).

    An America with a devalued dollar and heavily in debt to foreign lenders.

    Network television dealing with previously taboo subjects accepted as normal. (Monty Rushmore stars in the sit-com, "Both Father and Mother", and plays a cross-dressing single father in the titular role. The film's narrative also mentions "The Schlong Show", a game show where contestants are judged by their reproductive organs.)

    Smoking being banned.

    A great increase in homelessness (Homelessness began to greatly increase in major U.S. cities during the recession of 1982 and the simultaneous cutting of the Section 8 program by the Reagan Administration).
    helpful•24
    3
    • juancarlosadex
    • Aug 5, 2011

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 10, 1979 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • West Germany
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • 1998 - Die vier Milliarden Dollar Show
    • 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
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $6,171,763
    • Gross worldwide
      • $6,171,763
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 26 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

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