Canadian Railway Telegraph History

MORSE GOES TO THE MOVIES!

MOVIE Titles A to D BELOW

The following table of Movie, Television Shows, TV Commercials, Heritage Commercials, and Cartoons, specifically outlines where Morse Code and telegraphic equipment has been used in this medium.

The above Media often uses (used) Morse purely for the aura and sound effect it creates but often not for the genuine accuracy of the code.

Note: Some movies may not have Morse sound but are included because the Morse scene is significant in the film.

Current Listing => 389 Morse Titles Todate
represents a Request for More Information (E-Gram Address at the bottom of the table).


Last Revision: 10 February 2000 - 2 new entries

Special Thanks to Linda Robinson KK1C for her work tracking down some 21 movies with missing data.

DATE ADDED
MOVIE PAGE
TITLE
Feb 10/00
M-P
OnTV
Feb 10/00
Q-T
Scorched Earth

	                     

TITLE
NOTES
MAIN ACTOR
DIRECTOR
YEAR Produced
VIDEO AVAILABLE
CREDITS

cartoon - title unknown
scene has two cats in the radio room of a ship in a storm - attached to the operating table is a mouse with a tail brought forward as a telegraph key - one of the cats sends SOS in mouse squeaks - "A 1 mouse power transmitter"??1930s?
Wilfred G
39 Steps, The (also: The Thirty-Nine Steps). Morse heard after train comes emergency stop on bridge
. code effect represents: HEIGHT 5 FOOT 10 SMALL MOUSTACHE LAST SCENE WEARING A DARK SUIT BUT HE MAY HAVE OBTAINED A CHANGE OF CLOTHING
Robert Donat, Madelaine CarrollAlfred Hitchcock1935Y
39 Steps, The (also: The Thirty-Nine Steps)
remake of 1935 film
. Morse used in similar fashion to above 1935 filmKenneth More, Taina ElgRalph Thomas1959Y
633 SquadronMorse signal lamps and code usedCliff RobertsonWalter Grauman1963Y
John Hann
680 Radio News680 Radio News, the all-news radio station in Toronto, Ontario is currently using Morse code to warn other road traffic reporting stations that the best traffic report is coming up and all others should stop & listen!--October 1997N
A Man Called Intrepid'Witness To Yesterday' series - excellent discussion with Canadian spy master William Stevenson ('Intrepid') on use of secret code by wireless telegraph & Enigma cipher machine during WWII - discussion of ULTRA code breaking technology & agent "Cynthia" who actually broke German code during WWII - interview by Patrick WatsonPatrick Watson, John NevillePatrick Watson & Ralan Gough1988N
A View To A KillJames Bond climbs aboard his motorized iceberg - his beautiful Captain sends a Morse code message stating they are underway (gibberish) - also small scene with Q show Bond a radio & has short Morse blurbRoger Moore, Tanya Roberts, Chris WalkenJohn Glen1985Y
Abraham Lincolnalmost three minute scene of excellent Morse Code in the 'Civil War relay room' - code is clean, some good shots of equipment, use of 'call boys'Walter Huston, Una Merkel, Kay HammondDW Griffith1930Y
Against The Winda few short Morse scenes with excellent Morse sound during WWII - one sign off is code for PERIOD - wireless Morse unit hidden under manual sewing machineRobert Beatty, Jack WarnerCharles Crichton1953N
Air Mail (also AirMail)not true Morse but Morse ticker is used extensively by airport to receive weather updates - can hear it pounding quite nicely at times - also, Miller crashes his plane and used Morse hand signals (navy) to send message to planes above him DONT LAND CRASH SURERalph Bellamy, Gloria Stuart, Pat O'BrienJohn Ford1932N
Airplane!Morse heard where news reporters tell of the impending crash of the airlinerRobert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Lloyd BridgesJim Abrahams1980Y
Dan S, AA70A
Alvarez Kellya few short scenes of weak morse in background - poor qualityRichard Widmark, William HoldenEdward Dmytryk1966Y
Angel and The Badmanterrific opening telegraph/Morse scene - Wayne must send telegram & orders op to send message - Partial Message: TERRITORIAL RECORDERS OFFICE FORT LANSING...PLOTS 234 235...RECORD IN MY NAME sig COURT EVANSJohn Wayne, Gail RussellJames Edward Grant1947Y
An R.K.O. Radio PictureOpening production screen to movies produced by R.K.O. Studios - code sent: VVVV AN RKO RADIO PICTURE VVVV
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-
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Arizona Whirlwinda few telegraph scenes, Morse clean & readableErnie Adams, John Bridges, George Cheseboro, Myrna Dell, Frank Ellis, Al FergusonRobert Emmett Tansey1944Y
Alexander Graham BellNational Film Board of Canada - Eyewitness #90-Maurice Blackburn1957N
Alexander Graham BellA&E; BiographyAlexander Graham BellRich DavisJune 1997Y
Alexander Graham Bell
Voice of Invention
A&E; Biography For Kids - a few scenes with bug heard & Western Union offices in Boston plus clips of a sounder & bug operating with Morse soundAlexander Graham BellJaffe Productions1996Y
Assault On A QueenThe Queen Mary signals a USCG Cutter by Morse signal lampFrank Sinatra, Virna LisiJack Donohue1968Y
Dan S, AA70A
Avengers, TheTV Series - early episodes where Steed uses a hidden transmitter to send MorsePatrick Macnee & Honor BlackmanMaurice Blackburn1965-69Y
de Steve H KB0JYL
Back To BataanAustralian coast watcher HQ clearly seen using a bug to transmit back to Philippine resistance fighters (code not heard)John Wayne, Anthony QuinnEdward Dmytryk1945Y
Charlie C, KA8OQF
Baltoanimated story about a dog in Nome, Alaska, who saves the lives of a lot of people with diptheria by getting the lost antitoxin - 3 different scenes with a telegrapher & the dog (Morse!) under the deskKevin Bacon, Bridget Fonda, Phil Collins (voices)Simon Wells1995Y
Dwight (Dewey), W6AR
and his wife!
Beat The DevilMorse heard in background outside of ship's radio roomHumphrey BogartJohn Huston1954Y
Dave L, KA7OBU
Bernard und Bianca im Känguruhland
-or- Bernard and Bianca: Rescuers Down Under
very nice Morse scene where a mouse sends a message around the world to his friends in Morse Code-message: RESCUE AID SOCIETY...A LITTLE BOY IN TROUBLE...SEND HELP!-To read story click: Walt Disney Productions1997Y
Franz Matschl-Uhlig
Best Kept Secret 'D-Day,' Thea lot of Morse Code & straight keys - scene where the British spy 'Garbo' was sending code to Germany telling them that the Normandy Invasion was a diversion-History Channel Production1995(?)Y
Dwight 'Dewey', W6AR
Big Jakegood inside scene of station - in background three clear but quick shots of key, sounder and possibly relay behind John Wayne (no Morse though)John Wayne, Maureen O'Hara, Richard BooneGeorge Sherman1971Y
Big Valley, TheTV Series - odd episodeBarbara StanwyckVarious1965-69N
Bingostory about a boy & his dog called Bingo - Bingo becomes a hero after calling 911 on a pay phone then tapping out the emergency on the hook switchCindy Williams, David RascheMatthew Robbins1991Y
Stan A, WB6LAI
Blue LightTV Series - Wireless Morse used to communicate back to England in a few episodesRobert Gouletvarious1966N
BonanzaTV Series - early episodesLorne GreeneVarious1959-73?

Breakheart Pass
has a scene where landline code is sent between a pole connection & fortCharles BronsonTom Gries1976Y
update Richard W, KW0U
Breaking The Codes - Breaking the Enigmaexcellent material, explanations & deciphering methods on German enigma code machine during WWII - also several japanese sequencesdocudramaNorman de Lacy Evans1990sN
Breaking The Codes - Revealing The Enigmaexcellent material, explanations & deciphering methods on German enigma code machine during WWIIdocudramaNorman de Lacy Evans1990sN
Breaking The Codes - Room 40excellent Marconi scenes of equipment during WWI - vintage radio scenes & morse equipment - effective morse & radio at sea - establishment of Room 40 - morse signal lamps - Morse sound gooddocudramaNorman de Lacy Evans1990sN
Brides of Fu Manchu, TheMorse used to keep in touch with agentsChristopher LeeDon Sharp1966N
Steve H, KB0JYL
Bridge Under the OceanNational Film Board of CanadaanimatedRaymond Garceau1957N
Briscoe County, Jr., The Adventures of . western spoof (one season 1993-94)
. he & his friends chase a mysterious killer from the future who has global powers
. in one episode: he sents his backers a telegram received in Latin & the op is corrected for misspelling a word
Bruce Campbell, Julius CarryBryan Spicer (directed pilot), various1993-94N
update Linda KK1C
Britannica couple of wireless shack shots & transmission to spy who had a radio in a Bible(?) - heard DEdocudrama?19???
Paul S
Richard E Byrd
The Last Explorer
A&E; Productions
. Morse used by New York Times reporter to send stories out from Antartica -dubbed code used with scene
. Morse used by 'Advance Team' to Byrd as flies to/over South Pole
. Byrd seen alone in 'shack' receiving code, & by radio ops who knew something not right at 'Advance Base' so send rescue team out
. Byrd seen keying Morse while turning electric generator for power
Richard E Byrd, et alPaul BudlineAugust 1997Y
Camp 'X'docudrama on major spy centre in Canada during WWII where most spies used against Nazi's located (Oshawa, Ontario) - MANY scenes of morse equipment & training spy-ops - many sound sequences of code (but mostly gibberish sound effect)actual members of Camp 'X'Jeremy McCormack1999N
Cast A Giant Shadowbefore Israel became a country, it learned of a Syrian raid, so the Jews attacked the Syrian fuel depot - after it was over, Morse used/heard being received telling of death of 3 Israeli's & a successful attackKirk Douglas, John Wayne, Angie DickinsonMelville Shavelson1966Y
CFTO News, Toronto - Closure of MF Commercial Morse Servicesexcellent news capsule, history of Morse, & of closure of the MF Commercial Morse Services as of 31 Dec 1997 at midnight - the distress watch will now be carried out by satelite and computer beaconsoperator from Cornwall, England seen & several historical Morse news clipsCFTO News, TorontoDecember 31 1997N
Cadillac DesertPBS show about the building of the Glenn Canyon Dam in Arizona - shows President Dwight Eisenhower setting off the first explosion for the dam construction in 1956 using a J37 or J38 type straight keyJohn Else (Episodes 1,2,3), Linda Harra (Episode 4)PBS KCET Channel 819??N
Dwight W, W6AR
Cain Mutiny. Morse signal lamp used to communicate between ships as the 3 officers make their way back to the Cain following an abortive attempt to see Adm. Halsey
. message not readable but implication is fleet is ordered to sail and a severe weather warning is being issued
Humphrey Bogart, Jose Ferrer, Van JohnsonEdward Dmytryk1954Y
Dan S, AA70A
Canada Remembers - World War II3 Part Series dedicated to Canadian military during WWII - National Film Board of Canada - Morse segments brief - use of Morse Signal Lamp alsovariousT Macartney-Filgate1995N
Canadian Nickel CommercialRoyal Canadian Mint advertising the Canadian nickel (5 cent piece) - no sound - shows the Morse code engraved around the 1943 to 1945 nickels - "WE WIN WHEN WE WORK WILLINGLY" - code starts at bottom between the E & N of CENTS & continues clockwise-Royal Canadian Mint of CanadaApril 1999N
The Canadians - Billy Miner, The Truth About the Grey FoxTV series, History Channel Canada - Morse used with Pinkerton scene when trying to set up & track down Billy Miner, Canada's greatest train robber!Billy MinerRobert Duncan, Host: Patrick Watson1989Y
Casey JonesSyndicated TV AdventureAlan Hale Jr.na1958na
Cash, Johnny(A&E; Biography) Johnny Cash, the singer, was an expert Morse op during Korean war - expert at deciphering code & sending (no sound but good still photos)Johnny CashLisa Ziff1998Y
Century of Warfareepisodal: too many to list, show Morse being used in WWI trenches, early years of WWII, Morse signal lamps with most ships - any one episode may have a scene/sound (generally poorly dubbed) of Morse-various1988Y
Charge of the Light Brigade, Thelast scene in graphic drawing opening credits has an excellent animated drawing of "The Electric Telegraph" being pulled across the Dover Strait between Calais and DoverTrevor Howard, John Gielgud, Vanessa RedgraveTony Richardson1968Y
Chartroose Caboose-Edgar BuchananWilliam 'Red' Reynolds1960N
Gar D
CheyenneTV Series - early episodes to report cattle drive success or troubles 'on-the-trail'Clint WalkerLeslie Martinson, Lee Sholem1955-63Y - some episodes
Cheyenne Autumnopening scene has Richard Widmark entering 'Telegraph' tent to see if any news has been received - sounder goes off with excellent Morse of a US Senator's name
later scene with newspaper op trying to send over wire but wires down (good shot of Dominion insulator) then starts jiggling the sounder and key to see why it won't send!
Richard Widmark, Karl Malden, Carroll BakerJohn Ford1964Y
Chilis Grill & BarTV Commercial on A&E; - rythmic pattern very interesting Morse sound effect??May 1997N
Citizen CohnRadio announcer Walter Winchell is shown several times using a straight key tapping gibberish to announce his newscast (KOB in one scene with sounder)James Woods, Joe Don Baker, Lee GrantFrank Pierson1992Y
Citizen KaneStock ticker in background hardly audible in Mr Berstein's officeOrsen Wells, Joseph CottonOrsen Wells1941Y
Closely Watched Trains. movie in Czechoslovakian with English subtitles - many good Morse scenes/sounds in Czech-Morse!
. scenes/sounds of station's receiving paper tape recorder registers
. female day op
. lots of station/train signal bells
Vaclav Neckar, Josef SomrJiri Menzel1966Y
Cockleshell HeroesMorse sound heard in background as German commander receives POWs answers to his written questionnairesJose Ferrer, Trevor HowardJose Ferrer1955N
Colditz (TV Series)The Carrington Book Epsiode - although not directly Morse, it makes use of very interesting algorithms and secret coding practices that the Gestapo discover in Carrington's alleged book - codes discover reveal german politics, movements, military secretsDavid McCallum, Robert Wagnervarious1980sN
Vincent P ColemanTV CommercialTrain Dispatcher *Hero* 1917 - Heritage Canadana1994N
Combat!TV Series/War Drama - some episodes using Morse Code with radio operationsVic Morrow, Rick Jason, Dick Peabodyvarious1962-67N
Currently on History Television (Canada)
Comedy CentralTV Commercial with CW playing continuous SOSComedy Channel-1996N
Joe B N3TTE
Contact. At start of the movie you are taken back in time & pass increasingly older radio broadcasts including faint Morse Code at the end
. Young Ellie used the call W9GFO to CQ TO K4WLD (although this qso occured on SSB & not MORSE), W9GFO is the real call of Robert Wilson (recent silent key)
. orignally they were going to use call W9GFZ of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory Arc
Jodie Foster, Matthew McConaugheyRobert Zemeckis1997N
George B, WA5HRC
*Update* Joe R, W1EK
*CallSign Update* Robert H, KF4OEG
Corvette K-225In 1943, after losing his ship and many of his men, 'Mac' MacClain, Canadian Navy officer, returns to his home port - excellent Morse signal lamp used with Navy code(?) and Morse heard in background - also note music often imitates the Morse effect, especially S, O & SRandolph Scott, James Brown, Ella Raines, Andy DevineRichard Rosson1943N
Counterfeit Traitor, Thenear end of film German patrol boat uses Morse signal lamp on Norwegian fishing boat - send S S S T SWilliam Holden, Lilli PalmerGeorge Seaton1962Y
Crime of the Centuryafter Hauptmann has been convicted of killing the Lindberg baby, there is a short scene with an operating Morse key, TTY, & Cable News connection (no sound)Stephen Rea, Isabella Rossellini, JT Walsh, Michael MoriarityMark Rydell1996N
Cross of IronGerman radio man discovers transmitter wrecked but power still available so sends message in Morse by shorting wires! - only letters heard are S T E (likely for Steiner)James Coburn, Maximillian Schell, James MasonSam Peckinpah1977Y
Cruel Sea, TheMorse signal lamps used in several scenes but do not match script spokenJack Hawkins, Virginia McKennaCharles Fend1953Y
Dairy Queen Commercialcommercial begins with Q as if announcing a weather 'blizzard' but actually for the Blizzard with M&M;'s at the DQ--March 1998N
Dam Busters, TheMorse used
  • plane to plane
  • to report dams gone
  • before takeoff code word 'goner' used to report bombing results-after each bomber makes its run 'goner' is used to report bomb dropped followed by letter indicating the aircraft - in Morse you hear GONER G, GONER P & GONER Z - listening op announces same
  • Richard Todd, Michael RedgraveMichael Anderson1954Y
    update, Ron C
    Danger Lights-Louis WolheimGeorge B Seitz1930Y
    Dark Command, The. sending of telegrams with some Morse montages (American Civil War setting)
    . telegraph wire cut by sword
    . op scene but no key/sound
    John Wayne,Claire Trevor, Walter Pidgeon, Roy RogersRaoul Walsh1940Y
    Greg, W8XP
    Das Boot (The Boat)Morse is used in the background as the sub launches & Morse signal lamps are used sub-to-sub on the surfaceJurgen ProchnowWolfgang Petersen1981Y
    Regis, N1KXE
    Dawn of the EyePart One: Born Among ClownsCBC Televison Mini-SeriesLaine DreweryJan 1997?

    Death On The Nile
    when Hercule Poirot (Peter Ustinov) discovers a cobra in his bathroom he taps out SOS on the wall to alert Colonel Race (David Niven)Peter Ustinov, David Niven, Angela Lansbury, Bette Davis, Mia Farrow John Guillermin1978Y
    Greg G
    Decoding Nazi Secretsstory of breaking German WWII military codes. Morse messages encoded on "Enigma" machines, & teletype on "Lorenz" machines. Codebreakers at Bletchley Park UK & Arlington Hall USA decoded messages first by hand. Later used a mechanical computer called a "bombe." Numerous film clips of German WWII military radio operations, mostly Morse. Background sound of random Morse groups. Several closeups of Morse operation (for atmosphere) with more than one key style of the era.Numerous interviews with survivors (Allies/German)NOVA docudrama1999N
    Charles C KA80QF
    Delta Force, TheNorris & other Force team are communicating with an arriving Israeli landing craft by using Morse by flashlight - the landing craft replies with ship's light gunChuck Norris, Lee Marvin, Martin BalsamMenahem Golan1986Y
    Kevin W
    Denver & Rio Grande-Sterling HaydenByron Haskin1948Y
    Desert Fox, The
    (The Story of Rommel)
    an excellent opening scene of Morse signal lamp use sent & received from British submarine / several wireless scenes and 'thumping' key effects in Rommel's HQJames Mason, Jessica Tandy, Cedric HardwickeHenry Hathaway1951Y
    Destination GobiUS navy weathermen in Inner Mongolia use Morse to keep in touch with their headquarters in China - one scene mentions needing a new 807 tubeRichard Widmark, Don Taylor, Casey AdamsRobert Wise1953N
    Richard W, KW0U
    Destination Toyko. submarine leaving San Francisco using Morse signal lamp & sends MSQ
    . signal lamp used to challenge airplane & see SM
    . landing party sends C (for 'clear') & J (for 'Danger Japanese Around')
    . music uses V pattern
    Cary Grant, John Garland, Alan Hale SrDelmer Daves1943Y
    John Y, WD0FPY
    Die Hard With A VengeanceWillis finds a bomb on a train, he throws it out the window, at the precise moment the train hits the detinator that sends Morse code to the bomb setting it offBruce Willis, Jeremy Irons, Graham GreeneJohn McTierman1995Y
    AJ Fox, N9ONP
    Dionne Quintuplets, Theexcellent slow Morse heard behind scene of original CPR telegram sent announcing Quintuplets birthThe Dionne Family - Host:Pierre BertonDonald Brittain1998Y
    Dirigiblethere are several scenes of the wireless shack using an early tube set - Morse is gibberishJack Holt, Fay WrayFrank Capra1931?
    Joe L, N2ADP
    Discovery Channelpromotional ad for television channel includes some fast clear Morse??1999N
    Dogs of War, Thevery brief Morse gibberish near end of film where mercenary sends prepared audio tape from ship-to-shore about land attack - SOMSE heardChristopher Walken, Tom Berenger, Colin BlakelyJohn Irvin1980Y
    Donald Duck (cartoon)Donald, as a child, is on his way to school; there is a struggle between the 'good' & 'bad' aspects of his conscience & while walking past a rural mailbox, the flag points at Donald & beats out in beautifully modulated international Morse CW tone: HEY KIDDonald DuckWalt Disney19??N
    Robert W VE9HT (ex-VE1HN, exx-VE1BOR)
    Doomed Voyage of the St. Louis, The
    (see also: Voyage of the Damned)
    Captain Schroder of the SS St.Louis receives a telegram - Roosevelt states he would noy accept the Jews but leaders in Belgium, France, Holland, England said they would help save over 900 Jews onboard the ship - see straight key - also receive messages from Belgium, France, Holland, EnglandOskar Werner, Faye Dunaway, Orsen WellsStuart Rosenberg1976Y
    Dwight, W6AR
    Dr. Quinn, Medicine WomanTV SeriesJane Seymourvarious1993-6na

    			          
    

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    This website page was reviewed by Donald Cox, AA3EK
    of QST Amateur Radio Magazine,
    April 1997, Page 58
    On July 22, 1998, this site was mentioned in the Toronto Star under: SOS! Morse Code Is Sinking