The Friendship Train - Cast

The Friendship Train (1948)
Short | 14 min | Documentary, Short, Family

The Friendship Train (1948)

Short | 14 min | Documentary, Short, Family

Two years after the end of World War II, many people in France and Italy were still ill-fed. Washington newspaper columnist Drew Pearson decided to launch a program that would help feed those still hungry in these countries and other ...See moreTwo years after the end of World War II, many people in France and Italy were still ill-fed. Washington newspaper columnist Drew Pearson decided to launch a program that would help feed those still hungry in these countries and other places in western Europe. It would not be a government program like the Marshall Plan. Rather, it would be a people-to-people effort, with contributions from individuals. Pearson met with the Association of American Railroads, steamship lines, leaders of labor and agricultural groups, radio and the press, and the motion picture industry. He persuaded them to publicize the program and to donate their time and facilities to transport the foodstuffs that would be collected. The result was the Friendship Train. This short film documents the Friendship Train's trip from Hollywood across the country to New York City, as well as the initial delivery of food in France and Italy. The journey began on October 27, 1947 and ended in New York City on November 19. When the train pulled out of Hollywood, it had eight freight cars of cargo. At various stops along the route, the train was met by cheering crowds, and cars would be added to the train. When the train left Chicago it was split, with the New York Central Railroad going through northern New York state and the Pennsylvania Railroad going through Pennsylvania directly to New York City. At journey's end, there were 270 cars filled with food supplies for Europe. At the end, the cargo was loaded onto ships bound for Europe, and the first ships arrived in France and Italy in late December 1947. Written by David Glagovsky See less

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Cast	+ Add Cast
20 cast members

Name	Known for
Eddie Cantor Self - Sendoff Master of Ceremonies Self - Sendoff Master of Ceremonies See fewer	Kid Millions (1934)
Harry M. Warner Self - National Chairman Self - National Chairman See fewer	The Lost City (1920)
Charles Luckman Self - Citizens National Food Committee Self - Citizens National Food Committee See fewer	Delta Kappa Alpha Silver Anniversary Banquet (1963)
Earl Warren Self - Signalling Train Departure (as Governor Warren) Self - Signalling Train Departure (as Governor Warren) See fewer	Stars in the Eye (1952)
Frank Tessier Self - Merced Grocer Self - Merced Grocer See fewer	The Friendship Train (1948)
Drew Pearson Self - Train Organizer Self - Train Organizer See fewer	City Across the River (1949)
G.G. Atkinson Self - Contributing Boy in Kearney Self - Contributing Boy in Kearney See fewer	The Friendship Train (1948)
Bill Plummer Self - Grand Island Prospector Self - Grand Island Prospector See fewer	The Friendship Train (1948)
Ed White Buffalo Self - Sioux Chief in Grand Island Self - Sioux Chief in Grand Island See fewer	The Friendship Train (1948)
Henri Bonnet Self - French Ambassador (as Ambassador Bonnet) Self - French Ambassador (as Ambassador Bonnet) See fewer	Longines Chronoscope (1951)
Dwight Green Self - Illinois Governor Self - Illinois Governor See fewer	The Friendship Train (1948)
Henry J. Kaiser Self - Industrialist in Chicago (as Henry Kaiser) Self - Industrialist in Chicago (as Henry Kaiser) See fewer	Hawaii Five-O (1968)
William O'Dwyer Self - Mayor of New York (as Mayor O'Dwyer) Self - Mayor of New York (as Mayor O'Dwyer) See fewer	Daniel Boone, Trail Blazer (1956)
Pierre de Gaulle Self - Paris Municipal Council President Self - Paris Municipal Council President See fewer	The Friendship Train (1948)
Tom D'Andrea Self - At Sendoff (uncredited) Self - At Sendoff (uncredited) See fewer	Dark Passage (1947)
Alan Hale Self - At Sendoff (uncredited) Self - At Sendoff (uncredited) See fewer	The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)
Ronald Reagan Self - At Sendoff (uncredited) Self - At Sendoff (uncredited) See fewer	Kings Row (1942)
S.Z. Sakall Self - At Sendoff (uncredited) Self - At Sendoff (uncredited) See fewer	Casablanca (1942)
Zachary Scott Self - At Sendoff (uncredited) Self - At Sendoff (uncredited) See fewer	Mildred Pierce (1945)
Dwight Weist Narrator (voice) (uncredited) Narrator (voice) (uncredited) See fewer	The Name of the Rose (1986)