The High and the Mighty

About this Broadcast

A pilot loses his nerve when one of his plane's engines fails on a flight bound for San Francisco, leaving his washed-up co-pilot to fly the craft to safety and save the passengers' lives. Disaster thriller based on the novel by Ernest K Gann, starring John Wayne, Claire Trevor, Laraine Day and Robert Stack

1954 continued

Disaster Movie Movie/Drama Thriller

Cast & Crew

John Wayne (Actor) .. Dan Roman

Claire Trevor (Actor) .. May Holst

Laraine Day (Actor) .. Lydia Rice

Robert Stack (Actor) .. John Sullivan

Jan Sterling (Actor) .. Sally McKee

Phil Harris (Actor) .. Ed Joseph

Robert Newton (Actor) .. Gustave Pardee

David Brian (Actor) .. Ken Childs

William A Wellman (Director)

More Information

Did You Know..

John Wayne (Actor) .. Dan Roman

Born: May 26, 1907 in Iowa

Best Known For: Being a Hollywood icon.

Early-life: Born Marion Robert Morrison in Iowa on May 26, 1907. His family moved to California when he was young. John studied pre-law at the University of Southern California and played on the university's American football team until a broken collarbone injury put an end to his athletic career. He got a summer job in the prop department of a local film studio.

Career: Wayne began doing bit parts in westerns and adventures and appeared in about 70 movies before his breakthrough role in John Ford's Stagecoach (1939). He went on to star in more than 20 John Ford pictures, including Fort Apache (1948), She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949), Rio Grande (1950), The Searchers (1956) and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962). Other notable films included Sands of Iwo Jima (1949), The Alamo (1960), The Green Berets (1968), True Grit (1969) and The Shootist (1976). He died of stomach cancer on June 11, 1979 at the age of 72.

Quote: 'I am an old-fashioned, honest-to-goodness, flag-waving patriot.'

Trivia: Known for his distinctive gravelly voice. He won an Academy Award for True Grit. He played the lead role in 142 films and was predominantly known for his roles in westerns.