Four Minute Fever

Four Minute Fever

9 mins | Documentary | June 8, 1956

Using newsreel footage, this Sportscope entry chronicles the race toward running's four-minute mile, highlighting several important contests. It starts in the 1920's, when Finland's Paavo Nurmi set the record for the distance at 4 minutes 10.4 seconds. It continues through Roger Bannister's first run under 4 minutes in 1954, and ends in spring 1956, when Australia's Joe Bailey became the first to break 4 minutes on US soil.

Four Minute Fever

9 mins | Documentary | June 8, 1956

Four Minute Fever
Using newsreel footage, this Sportscope entry chronicles the race toward running's four-minute mile, highlighting several important contests. It starts in the 1920's, when Finland's Paavo Nurmi set the record for the distance at 4 minutes 10.4 seconds. It continues through Roger Bannister's first run under 4 minutes in 1954, and ends in spring 1956, when Australia's Joe Bailey became the first to break 4 minutes on US soil.
Producers RKO Radio Pictures
Original title Four Minute Fever
Directors William Deeke
Writers

Cast

Harry Wismer

as Narrator / Narrator (voice)

Paavo Nurmi

as Himself (archive footage)

Fiorello LaGuardia

as Himself (archive footage)

Arne Andersson

as Himself (archive footage)

Jules Ladoumegue

as Himself (archive footage)

Bill Bonthron

as Himself (archive footage)

John Lovelock

as Himself (archive footage)

Glenn Cunningham

as Himself (archive footage)

Gene Venzke

as Himself (archive footage)

Sidney Wooderson

as Himself (archive footage)

Gunder Hagg

as Himself (archive footage)

Roger Bannister

as Himself (archive footage)

John Landy

as Himself (archive footage)

Christopher Chataway

as Himself (archive footage)

Laszlo Tabori

as Himself (archive footage)

Ron Delaney

as Himself (archive footage)

Joe Bailey

as Himself (archive footage)