107 minutes
5/10/1940
In flashback, fifty years after inventing the light bulb, an 82-year-old Edison tells his story starting at age twenty-two with his arrival in New York. He's on his way with the invention of an early form of the stock market ticker.
Spencer Tracy
as Thomas A. Edison
Charles Coburn
as General Powell
Lynne Overman
as Bunt Cavatt
Rita Johnson
as Mary Stilwell
Gene Lockhart
as Mr. Taggart
Henry Travers
as Ben Els
Felix Bressart
as Michael Simon
Peter Godfrey
as Ashton
Guy D'Ennery
as Lundstrom
Byron Foulger
as Edwin Hall
Milton Parsons
as 'Acid' Graham
Arthur Aylesworth
as Bigelow
Gene Reynolds
as Jimmy Price
Addison Richards
as Mr. Johnson
Grant Mitchell
as Snade
Paul Hurst
as Sheriff
George Lessey
as Toastmaster
Jay Ward
as John Schofield
Ann Gillis
as Nancy Grey
Erville Alderson
as First Lecturer
William Arnold
as Minor Role
Hooper Atchley
as Broker
Irving Bacon
as Sheriff
Arthur Belasco
as Broker
Edward Biby
as Party Guest
Billy Bletcher
as Reporter
Harry C. Bradley
as Preacher
Harlan Briggs
as Bisbee
Fritzi Brunette
as Minor Role
John Butler
as Mechanic
James Carlisle
as Party Guest
George Chandler
as Gold Exchange Clerk
Howard Chase
as Minor Role
James Conaty
as Party Guest
Jimmy Conlin
as Waiter
Nick Copeland
as Reporter
Maurice Costello
as Broker
Nell Craig
as Woman
Jack Daley
as Minor Role
Edgar Dearing
as Policeman
Helen Dickson
as Minor Role
John Dilson
as Broker
Donald Douglas
as Jordan
Edward Earle
as Broker
Frank Faylen
as Galbreath
Walter Fenner
as Man at Banquet
Eddie Gribbon
as Cashier
Hale Hamilton
as Broker
Sam Harris
as Party Guest
Edward Hearn
as Broker
Arthur Stuart Hull
as Broker
Harry Humphrey
as Broker
Edward Keane
as Lecturer
Eve Kendall
as Marion Estelle Edison
Milton Kibbee
as Workman
Charles Lane
as Second Lecturer
Edward LeSaint
as Doctor
Wilfred Lucas
as Broker
Tom Mahoney
as Policeman
Eric Mayne
as Party Guest
Ralph McCullough
as Reporter
George Meader
as Minister
Harold Minjir
as Blair
Bruce Mitchell
as Coachman
Hans Moebus
as Party Guest
Edmund Mortimer
as Party Guest
Forbes Murray
as Broker
Louis Natheaux
as Broker
Alex Novinsky
as Party Guest
William H. O'Brien
as Waiter
George Ovey
as Lamplighter
Thomas Pogue
as Minor Role
Alexander Pollard
as Butler
Cyril Ring
as Reporter
Count Stefenelli
as Party Guest
Harry Strang
as Minor Role
Charles Trowbridge
as Clark
Emmett Vogan
as Secretary
Charles Waldron
as First Commissioner
Frank Whitbeck
as Trailer Narrator (voice)
Joe Whitehead
as Minor Role
Lloyd Whitlock
as Broker
Robert Winkler
as Newsboy