Remote Control (1930)
Co-directed by Nick Grinde, Edward Sedgwick, and Malcolm St. Clair (uncredited), and released on November 15, 1930, Remote Control is a fast-moving pre-Code crime comedy produced and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Starring silent-screen top box-office draw William Haines alongside Charles McNaughton, Edward J. Nugent, John Miljan, and Polly Moran, this early talkie offers a uniquely 1930s blend of radio-broadcasting gimmickry, gangland extortion, and high-energy wise-cracking.
Plot Overview
William Brennan (William Haines) is a brash, fast-talking radio station manager for station WZZ in Chicago. Eager to boost ratings and land lucrative sponsorship deals, William turns his station into a roaring success through energetic broadcasts and snappy on-air personality. However, unbeknownst to him or the police, WZZ is secretly being exploited by a shadowy underworld mastermind known as “The Doctor” (John Miljan), who poses as a benign spiritualist broadcasting fortune-telling advice to listeners.
In reality, “The Doctor” uses his coded radio broadcasts to transmit secret instructions and robbery locations to his gang of armed bank thieves. When a major heist leads to murder and the stolen loot is traced back to the station premises, suspicion falls squarely on William. To clear his name and save his sweetheart Marion (Mary Doran), William must use his wits, sound-effects gadgetry, and the station’s own broadcasting equipment to outsmart the gang and expose “The Doctor” live on the airwaves.
Cast
- William Haines as William Brennan
- Charles McNaughton as Freddie
- Edward J. Nugent as Radio Engineer
- John Miljan as Doctor Walters (“The Doctor”)
- Polly Moran as Polly
- J. C. Nugent as Doctor Ferguson
- Mary Doran as Marion Ferguson
- Wilbur Mack as Chief of Police
Production Notes & Trivia
- Filmed when William Haines was one of MGM’s most profitable stars, Remote Control tailored its dialogue specifically to his popular screen persona—the arrogant, fast-talking quipster who undergoes a trial by fire to become a genuine hero.
- Released during the height of America’s obsession with national radio networks, the film features early studio recording equipment, microphone tech, and radio control boards, treating audiences to a behind-the-scenes look at sound-stage broadcasting.
- Like many early MGM sound talkies undergoing transition adjustments, the picture saw multiple directors at the helm: slapstick veteran Edward Sedgwick (frequent Buster Keaton collaborator) and Nick Grinde managed the main camera setups, with comedy pioneer Malcolm St. Clair contributing uncredited scenes.
