Charles Coughlin - References in Popular Culture

References in Popular Culture

• Coughlin was mentioned in a verse of Woody Guthrie's pro-interventionist song "Lindbergh": "Yonder comes Father Coughlin, wearin' the silver chain, Gas on the stomach and Hitler on the brain."
• Coughlin was attacked in 1942 cartoons by Theodor Seuss Geisel, best known for his children's books written under the pen name of Dr. Seuss.
• Sinclair Lewis's 1935 novel about a fascist coup in the United States, It Can't Happen Here, features a "Bishop Prang", an extremely successful pro-fascist radio host who is said to be "to the pioneer Father Coughlin"..."as the Ford V-8 to the Model A".
• The producers of the HBO television series Carnivàle have said that the character of Brother Justin Crowe was inspired by Coughlin.
• In the fictional work The Plot Against America, author Philip Roth uses Coughlin as the villain who helps a pro-fascist government.
• Sax Rohmer's 1936 novel President Fu Manchu features a character based on Coughlin, a Catholic priest and radio host who is the only person who knows that a criminal mastermind is manipulating a U.S. presidential race.
• Cole Porter referenced and rhymed "Coughlin" in his 1935 song "A Picture of Me Without You" (in the fourth refrain): "Picture City Hall without boondogglin', picture Sunday tea minus Father Coughlin".
• Coughlin's influence on American antisemitic organizations in the 1930s and 1940s is referenced in Arthur Miller's 1945 novel Focus.
• In the M*A*S*H episode "The Bus", Frank Burns claims that during his sophomore year he lost a debate to a Jewish fellow student by the name of Helen Rappaport. The topic of the debate was "Should Father Coughlin become our next President?"