AMERICAN SHORT STORY, THE: THE GREATEST MAN IN THE WORLD (TV)
Summary
One in this series of dramatized American short stories. Series host Henry Fonda introduces this adaptation of James Thurber's "The Greatest Man in the World," which concerns the media deification of a seriously flawed "hero" pilot named Jack Smurch. In the wake of Charles Lindbergh's celebrated solo transatlantic flight in 1927, drunken boor Jack Smurch attempts to be the first pilot to complete a solo flight around the world. Veteran journalist Aames Herbert and cub reporter Ray Smidgeon of the Journal Herald pursue the unlikely story, traveling to Smurch's hometown in Iowa, only to discover that the pilot possesses a truly unsavory character. Supressing this information, the Journal Herald -- and every other newspaper -- continues to lionize the lout as he flies further into his four-day mission. When Smurch successfully navigates the journey, he is kept from the public by the U.S. government and the press, in order to protect the masses from seeing the tarnished nature of their new aviator idol. When Smurch becomes uncontrollable, however, the upper echelon of the government attempts to knock him from his perch without upsetting the citizenry. Following this presentation, series executive producer Robert Geller interviews the author's widow, Helen Thurber, who discusses her late husband's poor sense of direction, his fabrication of news stories, and his illustrations of canines.
Details
- NETWORK: PBS
- DATE: February 18, 1980 Monday 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:58:52
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:17543
- GENRE: Comedy; Drama
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy; Drama; Heroes; Satire
- SERIES RUN: PBS - TV series, 1977-1980
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- For "The American Short Story"
- Robert Geller … Executive Producer
- Paul Morgan … Producer, Directed by, Written by
- Brian Benlifer … Producer
- Marjorie Lebow Rutiman … Associate Producer
- Phyllis M.G. Bishop … Associate Producer
- Henry Fonda … Series Host
- For "The Greatest Man in the World"
- Robert Geller … Executive Producer
- Ed Lynch … Producer
- Calvin Skaggs … Associate Producer
- Ralph Rosenblum … Director
- Jeff Wanshel … Writer, Teleplay by
- James Thurber … Writer, Based on the short story by
- Henry Fonda … Host
- Reed Birney … Cast, Ray Smidgeon
- Sudie Bond … Cast, Emma Smurch
- Howard DaSilva … Cast, the Editor
- Brad Davis … Cast, Jack Smurch
- Carol Kane … Cast, April Duffy
- John McMartin … Cast, Aames Herbert
- Roy Poole … Cast, Jake Smurch
- William Prince … Cast, Irwin Cod
- Russell Horton … Cast, Dr. Gresham
- Alma Cuervo … Cast, teh Irish Nurse
- Dan DaSilva … Cast
- Gene Heitzman … Cast
- John Buckwalter … Cast
- Richard Kuss … Cast
- Jack Straw … Cast
- For "The American Short Story" interview
- Robert Geller … Interviewer
- Helen Thurber … Guest