People Are Funny (DVD)

Icon of American radio and television, Art Linkletter appears in a rare film role, playing himself in this romanticized account of the origins of his popular real-life radio show, "People Are Funny."

Unless radio producer Johnny Guedel can come up with a totally new concept for his variety show, temperamental sponsor Ormsby Jamison will pull out. Johnny calls his sometime lover/sometime collaborator Corey Sullivan for help. Corey's in no mood to help Johnny, until car troubles strand her and pal Leroy in rural Clearwater, where the town-folk are crazy for a local live radio show called People Are Funny. The program is hosted by hometown favorite, Pinky Wilson, and its novel format of audience participation and simple parlor games may be just what Ormsby Jamison ordered. Corey conspires to steal the show's idea, but not before Leroy intrigues Pinky with talk of a national show. A madcap race ensues, as Johnny, Corey, Leroy and Pinky compete to be the first to pitch People are Funny to an impatient Jamison.

Full of laughs, romance and music, People Are Funny features a fine cast headed by Jack Haley, Helen Walker, Ozzie Nelson and Rudy Vallee. Appearing as themselves, Frances Langford sings and Art Linkletter plays the host of the first national broadcast of the "People Are Funny" radio show. In real life, Linkletter parlayed the phenomenal success of the program into a series of TV shows that ran from the 1950s to the 1990s, making him one of America's most revered personalities.

• comedy