Love is on the Air is a 1937 American mystery film directed by Nick Grinde and starring Ronald Reagan (in his film debut), June Travis, Eddie Acuff, Robert Barrat, Raymond Hatton and Willard Parker. It was the first of three remakes of the 1933 Paul Muni picture Hi, Nellie!, to be followed by You Can't Escape Forever (1942) and The House Across the Street (1949).
Plot
Reckless radio commentator Andy McCaine finds trouble when he attacks a corrupt city government, so his boss forces him to host an innocuous children's program.
Cast Ronald Reagan as Andy McCaine June Travis as Jo Hopkins Eddie Acuff as 'Dunk' Glover Ben Welden as 'Nicey' Ferguson Robert Barrat as J.D. Harrington Addison Richards as E.E. Nichols Raymond Hatton as Weston Tommy Bupp as Mouse Dickie Jones as Bill - Mouse's Friend Willard Parker as Les Quimby William Hopper as Eddie Gould Spec O'Donnell as Pinky Herbert Rawlinson as Mr. George Copelin Lynne Roberts (credited as Mary Hart) as Mrs. George Copelin Jack Mower as Police Captain Lang
Release Love Is on the Air was first previewed in Des Moines, Iowa on September 16, 1937, where Ronald Reagan, known as "Dutch", had recently worked as a sports announcer for radio station WHO. Reagan's parents, en route to visit him in California, attended the preview screening, which brought Reagan's mother to tears.
The film was afforded a Hollywood-style premiere on September 30 in Des Moines. Before the film began, the audience heard a live telephone conversation between Reagan and Des Moines civic leaders and other supporters, including Reagan's brother Neil Reagan, who attended in person.
Reception In a contemporary review for The New York Times, critic Bosley Crowther called Love Is on the Air "a modest little comedy-melodrama which makes no pretentions to class and even less to credibility".
References
See also Ronald Reagan filmography
External links