TrainWeb.org Facebook Page
MORSE GOES TO THE MOVIES

Canadian Railway Telegraph History
MORSE GOES TO THE MOVIES!

MOVIE Titles E to H BELOW

		              

TITLE
NOTES
MAIN ACTOR
DIRECTOR
YEAR Produced
VIDEO AVAILABLE
CREDITS
Eagle Has Landed, TheDuvall is sitting in the communication centre waiting to be arrested by the SS - Morse heard briefly in background (message sent in fast code)Michael Caine, Robert Duvall, Donald SutherlandJohn Sturges1977Y
Edison, The Man. lady sending & receiving Morse in telegraph office
. Edison uses Morse to ask her for a date by striking a pipe that goes from the lab to her telegraph op position
. Edison gives his new invention a quick check by using a key
. key used in attempt to make a telegraph repeater
. worker gives story to press about himself teaching a rattlesnake - the code di di dah dah di di da dah di di da dah
. when Edison announces his discovery of light, he announces it by telegraph
Spencer Tracy, Rita JohnsonClarence Brown1940Y
John U, WD0FPY
Edison, Thomas A'Change Navigators' - History Television (Canada) recognizing Edison & in one short clip he is seen working a key (no sound)Thomas A EdisonHistory TelevisionOctober 1997N
Eight Men OutMorse Code keys are shown where newspeople are sending code about the baseball game & some kids are receiving the code using a coil, cat-whisker type receiver & headphones
(update rgb). also 'stock ticker' Morse unit with paper tape receiving news about Game One & how they are doing 'throwing' the game (odd because man reading off coded tape faster than receives!)
Charlie Sheen, John CusackJohn Sayles1988Y
Dwight W, W6AR
Emperor of the North Poleseveral scenes of gibberish Morse (nothing beats Borgnine swinging is conductor's stick though!)Ernest Borgnine
Lee Marvin
Robert Aldrich1973Y
Joe B, N3TTE
Empire of the AirDocumentary - as credits roll to an end 'Baseball next' is sent in CW-Ken Burns1991N
Fint T, N3CBJ
Bill J, WB8RAE
Empire of the Sunyoung Ballard in a Singapore hotel room watches Japanese ships use Morse signal lamps - the boy sees the code then sends a message that appears to contain the word 'FIRE' - seconds later a Japanese ship fires several rounds at the hotel & he blames himselfChristian Bale, John Malkovich, Miranda RichardsonSteven Spielberg1987Y
End of Morse Code (Newspaper)click link on Newspaper to read a write in The Toronto Star about end of Morse in Canada re: shipping & satelliteNicolaas van RunToronto Star02 Feb 1999N
EndeavourTheme music same as Inspector MorseShaun EvansVarious2012 onDVD
Enemy Below, Thenear end of movie, American Captain receives Morse signal lamp message from German submarine they will attack in 5 minutes - US Captain's signal man sends message 'message received' - all that is seen in code is MESSARobert Mitchum, Curt Jurgens, Doug McClureDick Powell1957Y
Enemy of the Statethere are five separate scenes where they show a 'keyhole' spy survellience satellite; each time it repeats CQ in Morse (also show a ham receiver)Will Smith, Gene Hackman, Jon VoightTony Scott1998N
Ron H, AH6RH
Ensign Pulverradio room scene has operator with marine wireless radio and bug that he uses to send SOS - two other brief radio room scenes but no MorseRobert Walker Jr, Burl Ives, Walter MatthauJoshua Logan1964Y
Executive DecisionMorse Code used on jet tail lights inform Navy pilots of their presenceKurt RussellStuart Baird1996Y
Jim W, N0BLU
Eye of the NeedleGerman agents use Morse to keep in touch with controllers in Germany (code heard is gibberish)Donald SutherlandRichard Matquand1981Y
Regis, N1XKE & D.Cox AA3EK
Fantastic VoyageCW used in the sound track sent by W6WYStephen Boyd
Raquel Welch
Richard Fleischer1966Y
Maty W & AL B, W1AB
Father GooseMorse heard in background when Eckland radios in via phone to headquartersGary Grant, Leslie CaronRalph Nelson1964Y
John Y, WD0FPY
FBI Story, The. 30 seconds of code received then radio destroyed and station blown up before the bad guys arrive on horseback
. FBI agents intercept a message on the radio indicating a shipment of platinum is on its way to Buenos Aires, the code heard is: PL ON ITS WAY TO BA
Jimmy Stewart, Vera MilesMervyn LeRoy1959Y
Dwight W, W6AR & D. Cox for update AA3EK
Finding Battleship BismarckNational Geographic Society - German newsreel footage shows battleship radio room of op sending CW with sound effects in backgrounddocumentaryNGS1989Y
Charlie C, KA8OQF
Final Countdown, Thesequence where radio officer listens to Morse & makes a statement about the old code he learned at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station
*update* when a storm comes up & Morse is used on the light guns to signal the other ships to return to port
Kirk Douglas, Martin SheenDon Taylor1980Y
Dan S, AA70A
*update* Jason J
Final Option, Thean SAS operative uses a flashlight to communicate the intentions of the bad guys & girl in the house to the authorities outsideJudy Davis, Lewis Collins, Richard WidmarkIan Sharp1982Y
Chris V
Firefoxseveral scenes with morse in background while in Russian command centre as track stolen aircraftClint Eastwood, David Huffman, Freddie JonesClint Eastwood1982Y
First Man On The MoonNOVA Episode 5692 - Scene where the Gemini spacecraft runs into operational difficulties and begins tumbling and spinning out of control after undocking from the test LEM - the background music is tonally and rhythmically morse SOSNeil Armstrong, Buzz Aldren et alChris Riley2014Y
Flash GordonA&E Biography - Morse used & heard (violin obligato for sounder effect) when 'Flash Gordon' first introduced via newspapersBuster Crabbe-1997Y
Sandford FlemingTV CommercialHeritage Canadana1994/5?
For The BoysInformation about soldiers is tapped out & sent to them by landlineCarmen Miranda, Vivian Blaine, Michael O'Shea, Phil SilversLewis Seller1944N
Richard W KW0U
For Valourseveral scenes of morse in this series mostly dealing with WWII spies - code good, sound good but all too short, mostly for effectactual operators/spies/agentsSeethe Kumar1980N
For Your Eyes OnlyJames Bond Movie - Morse clearly heard from the electronic surveillance ship 'St. Georges' radio room before an old WWII sea mine hits it & the ship goes downRoger Moore, Carole Bouquet, Lynn-Holly JohnsonJohn Glen1981Y
Foreign Correspondentradio op uses bug on plane (no sound)
. opening scene with has TTY receiving cablegram from overseas stating that there would not be war in Europe this year (1939!)
Joel McCreaAlfred Hitchcock1940Y
Four Faces West" (originally "They Passed This Way")Pounding telegraph key behind fleeing lovers shows that law is on their trailJoel McCrea, Frances Dee, Charles BickfordAlfred Green1948Y
Richard W, KW0U
Four Feathers, TheThe engagement scene has an interesting line: It is a Polka is it not? A bit jerky like saying Good Bye in Morse Code - Excellent Morse used in background while the General is questioning his Captain's blindness (the first feather return by John Clements)Ralph Richardson, John ClementsZoltan Korda1939 (not yet known if 1978 remake has Morse)Y
Four Feathers, TheSound is synchronized - lapses in key use - sound hard to pinpointMerian C Cooper, Richard Arlen, Fay WrayLothar Mendes1929?
Fugitive, TheTV SeriesDavid JanssenVarious1963-66Y
Full Steam AheadTV Series - Episode 4 - an excellent demo of the Wheatstone telegraph as used on British railways before Morse Code (used now on steam preservation) - also scenes with junction boxes and bell codes (another excellent series)Ruth Goodman, Alex Langlands, Peter Ginn & plenty of steam volunteersVarious2016Y
Gameraa giant turtle breaks free of the polar ice as the result of a Cold War incident between U.S. fighter planes & an unknown bomber. The bomber crashes & a nuclear explosion results, setting the radioactive, fire-breathing turtle free. The turtle goes on a rampage, but final turns good by using it's Breath of Fire to push back a life-threatening typhoon. Morse Code is used several times in the early portions of the film - mostly in Ship-to-Shore scenes Albert Dekker, Brian DonlevyNorlyaki Yuasa1965Y
Dave D, K7HMP
Garfield (comic strip)Garfield shown in the top of the Weekender pounding out his name in Railway morse - link: ( http://www.garfield.com/comics/pages/ga000319.html )Garfieldna2000N
Wenlock
General, Thesilent filmBuster KeatonBuster Keaton1927Y
Giant Behemoth, Thea radioactive dinosaur zaps London - the British Coast Guard warns shipping using radio & blinker MorseGene Evans, Jack MacGowranEugene Lourie1959N
Richard W, KW0U
Glenn Miller Story, Themilitary forces are listening to his music and scene shows preparation for battle & a signal lamp is usedJimmy Stewart, June AllysonAnthony Mann1954Y
Dan S, AA70A
Golden Age of Steam Trainsa few excellent vintage & TV series/movies of telegraph operators - music acts as accurate code-Glen Parkway Prod1991Y
Goodbye, Mr. Chips!brief (too brief) shot of telegraph office (twice) - no soundRobert Donat, Greer Garson, John MillsSam Wood1939Y
Good Morning, Vietnammorse imitated by Robin Williams while doing a few radio broadcasts in the imitaition of famous radio announcer di di die di etcRobin Williams, Forest Whitaker, JT WalshBarry Levinson1987Y
Go Tell The Spartansseveral scenes with Toffee the radio man using legless straight key & good Morse effects in background heard but code not accurate / scene with Lancaster sending 'funny'Burt Lancaster, Marc SingerTed Post1978Y
Gray Lady Downpeople are trapped inside a submarine & exchange messages with their rescuers inside a DSRV (US Marine special purpose vessel to execute Deep Sea Rescues) - Morse messages tapped using spannersCharlton Heston, David Carradine, Stacy KeachDavid Greene1977Y
de Alfred H
and Dan S, AA70A title update!
Great Escape, Themany repeated hand signals to warn of coming 'ferrets' have Morse patterns / generally heard are 'X M I S' & '/' -note: several recent interviews of actual POWs have confirmed use of Morse for signallingRichard Attenborough, Steve McQueen, James Garner, Charles BronsonJohn Sturges1963Y
Great Escapes of World War IIA&E Special - Morse used by underground in one segment but Morse poorly dubbed inVariousMichael AndrewsFebruary 1997Y
Great Imposter, Thetowards end of film, faint Morse heard coming from Royal Canadian Navy ship radio room Cayuga informing captain that the Canadian naval doctor is an imposterTony Curtis, Edmond O'Brien, Arthur O'ConnellRobert Mulligan1960Y
Great Train Stories (Canadian)currently on History Television Canada - episode on Stations disappointing as some good Morse scenes of morse in tower & stations but historical details weak - has purely Quebec slant with little regard for rest of Canada - details on morse with train dispatching & signalling not well done / some curious vintage footage used throughout series using Great Northern, CN steam shots when talking about CPR, constantly repeating a few scenes from Buster Keaton's silent film 'The General' which has little bearing (US civil war to Canadian dispatching?)-series needs some careful, historical & thoughtful re-editingpersonnal interviewsG Turcotte2000Not Yet
Green Goddessgroup of Brits are being held hostage by an evil Raj but they foil his plans because unbeknownst to his aids, one of the hostages knows morse codeGeorge ArlissAlfred E Green1930?
Rhabyn S
Gung Ho!. Japanese radio operator keying Emergency code as a steam roller smashes into the radio room (no sound)
. violin pedal-point sending repetitive rhythmical code as Noah Beery Jr receives radio message about incoming Japanese plane attack
Randolph Scott, Noah Beery Jr, Robert MitchumRay Enricht1943Y
Gunga DinThe telegram & some Morse in town sceneCary Grant, Douglas Fairbanks Jr, Joan FontaineGeorge Stevens1939Y
Guns of Naverone, TheWireless Morse as Germans try to radio that British ships are going through the straitsGregory Peck
Anthony Quinn
J. Lee Thompson1961Y
Steve H KB0JYL
GunsmokeTV Series - odd episodeJames ArnessVarious1955-75N
Hanoi Hilton, The. prisoners of war tap messages in Morse on walls of their cells to communicate with each other (to see code style: Morse Codes/'Rock Telegraph')
. Denton uses his eyes to blink Morse revealing how they were being treated, during an interview that was aired for the public
Michael Moriarty, Paul LeMatLionel Chetwynd1987Y
Dan S, AA70A & update Suzy (AA70A)
Have Gun Will TravelTV Series - several episodes where people wanting his services wire him - on his card: "HAVE GUN, WILL TRAVEL. WIRE PALADIN, SAN FRANCISCO"Richard BooneAndrew V McLaglen, various others1957-63Y - some episodes
HeartbeatTV Series: Turn Of the Tide - Alf and Rowan on a boat signalling smugglers with a ship Morse lamp - jibberish (an O M N and other letters unable to determine)Nick Berry, Niamh Cusack, Derek Fowlds, Willian SimonsTim Dowd1994Y
Hell and High WaterThe mystery sub's crew has a Morse blinker conversation with a Chinese warship, which then tries to kill themRichard Widmark, Cameron Mitchell, Bella DarviSam Fueller1954N
Richard W, KW0U
Heroes of Telemark (,The)3 very poor Morse sound scenes (for almost historically correct movie) where woman op sends repeated DDDDDD & in another scene to GGGGG
. a radio detection unit pinpoints transmitter at 247degrees by 73degress "WSW about 6 kilometres away" while same op tries to notify England about failure to blow up German heavy water plant
Kirk Douglas, Richard Harris, Ulla JacobsonAnthony Mann1965N
Hetty Wainthropp InvestigatesEye Witness Episode - A deaf birdwathcer escapes a crooked copper and gets to a phone box to Morse (poorly!) to his parents he is okayPatricia Routledge, Dominic Monaghan, Derek BenfieldVarious1996Y
Hidden FiguresThere's a scene where a radio broadcast flashes the news that the Soviets have orbited Yuri Gagarin into earth orbit. It's prefaced by a morse code bulletinTaraji P Henson, Octavia SpencerTheodore Melfi2016Y
Ron H, AH6RH
High Frequency (aka: Qualcuno in Ascoltofilm about a couple of hams who solve a murder mystery and also find love, Morse featured several times - technology in movie pretty much impossible, it presented a positive image of ham radioVincent Spano, Oliver Benny, Anne CanovasFalierio Rosati1988Y
Jim N2TAW
High Noonclean opening scene at station with agent dressed in usual garb - good shot of Bunnell sounder & relay - relay & sounder can be seen and heard tapping out closing of messageGary Cooper, Grace Kelly, Lloyd BridgesFred Zinnemann1952Y
High Road to China-Tom SelleckBrian G Hutton1983Y
HindenburgHistory Television (Canada) - examines Hindenburg disaster in series 'Great Disasters' - brief scene of newspaper reporters using 'bugs' to file copy for arrival of air ship just before the disasterhistorical footageGeorge Marshall1966N
Hindenburg, Thein one scene just a couple of clicks sounding like the letter I - a few good scenes of radio equipment and Morse key on board air ship / Ritter (Scott) in radio room & faint Morse in background hard to decodeGeorge C Scott, Anne BancroftRobert Wise1975Y
His Double Lifebased on novel 'Buried Alive' & play 'The Great Adventure' by Arnold Bennett - a valet dies & is buried in his master's stead - Morse is faithful & accompany's titling twiceRoland Young, Lillian Gishby Arthur Hopkins 1933?
Art G
History Channel (Canada) Spy Weekterrific clear Morse in ad for 'Spy Week' beginning 09 January 2000documentaries of WWII spies-1999?
History ErasedHistory Television Canada starting new series 19 April 2019 - Morse key shown in preview - assuming at this time will be an episode on Morse--2019?
History ErasedFrench Education - Lots of excellent scenes with Chappe Optical Telegraph and simplified explanations and uses for it across EuropeClifford Johnson, Jacalyn Duffin-2019Patrick Camron (Producer)
History ErasedItalian Series - Lots of excellent scenes with Morse and sound is 100% accurate and clean - mostly dealing with Marconi in Italy and mention of the Titanic with CQD and SOS use - quite goodFrancesco da Mosto, Kenneth Bartley, Michael Scott-2019?
History's MysteriesHistory Channel Documentary - In 1945, the US is on friendly terms with Ho Chi Minh - Ho & his liberation fighters spy on Japanese troop movements & radio American OSS using Morse--1997?
George B, WA5HRC
Hitler's Most Wanted (TV Series) Discovery Channel - Host James Ellis introduces Wilhelm Canaris as one of the Most Wanted - in this episode (Wilhem Canaris) two scenes of good Morse sound and several images of Morse keys, radios et al - incredible tour of the German Spy Museum and the equipment spies used during WWIIJames Ellis (host)Mark Stevenson2019NY
H.M.C.S. HaidaHistory Television (Canada) Documentary of HMCS Haida at Toronto's Ontario Place - good slow example of naval Morse & equipment about rescue needed for HMCS Athabasca by HMCS Haidasurvivors of HMCS Athabasca & HaidaHoward Green1999N
Hogan's HeroesTV Series - opening intro (flag pole antenna) & various early episodes - you hear sent CQ CQ CQ CQ CQ...Bob CraneVarious1965-70Y
update, Ron H AH6RH
Home FiresTV Series - telegrams on deaths, captures, missing - Morse suggested Clare Calbraith, Brian Fletcher, Samantha BondVarious2015DVD
Horse FeathersDuring a chaotic biology lecture Groucho bangs on a key & yells for helpThe Marx Brothers, Thelma Tood, David LandauNorman McLeod1932Y
Richard W, KW0U
Hot Lead
(aka: Run of the Arrow)
Station telegraph announces approach of trainTim Holt, Richard Martin, Joan DixonStuart Gilmore1951N
Richard W, KW0U
Hour of the Gunno Morse but an excellent scene with the operator hooping a 'telegram' (not flimsy) to the conductor on a speeding train to pass onto Wyatt Earp & if watch closely, you'll see the semaphore signal drop! (some excellent train shots)James Garner, Jason Robarts Jr, Robert RyanJohn Sturgess1967Y
How The West Was Wonno keyed Morse but Morse code briefly used by US Cavalry troopers sending messages about position of Indians by using mirrors & hats to replicate the dit & dah in transmiting code - appeared to be only an S & HGregory Peck, Jimmie Stewart, Henry Fonda, John Wayne, Karl MaldenHenry Hathaway, John Ford, George Marshall1963Y
Human Comedy, TheSmall town USAMickey Rooney, Frank Craig, Marsha HuntClarence Brown1943Y
Hunt For Red October, The. Captain of the Dallas sends Morse by signal lamp on the periscope & comments on "...how rusty his Morse is."
. scene where Alfa sub Kanavolov receives orders to Red October, the scene with the mast of the sub extending above the surface of the water, you can clearly audibly identify US marine broadcast station DE WLO RTTY
Sean ConneryJohn McTiernan1990Y
Dan S, AA70A
update Leland E V aa2qx/g0szp
Hurricane Express, Thefirst episode several scenes showing railroad telegraph in operation (relay, sounder, key)John WayneArmand Schaefer1932Y
update from John Y, WD0FPY
Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotteno morse sound but a quick scene of Hollisport Station & in background see op with eye shades working in Bay Window - nice!Betty Davis, Olivia de Havilland, Joseph CottonRobert Aldrich1965Y

			          

Send updates to: robert.burnet@sympatico.ca