Horace Heidt (May 21, 1901 – December 1, 1986)[1] was an American pianist, big band leader, and radio and television personality.

A broken back suffered in a practice session caused him to give up football, leading him to turn his attention to music.

During the late 1930s on CBS he did Captain Dobbsie's Ship of Joy and Horace Heidt's Alemite Brigadiers before returning to NBC for 1937–39 broadcasts.

[1] In 1936, Horace Heidt conducted an ensemble of eight musicians all of whom played harmonica on Saturday evenings at the Drake Hotel in Chicago.

The movie gives a fairly accurate depiction of Heidt's radio show but features staged sequences, such as a scene in which a Minnesota farmer (allegedly phoned at random by Heidt during his radio show) is played by well-known character actor John Qualen.

Other discoveries of note include, Dean Jones (actor), Johnny Carson, Marlene Willis, Florence Henderson, Al Hirt, Dominic Frontiere, Richard Keith (actor), Johnny Standley, Ralph Sigwald, Conley Graves, Dick Kerr, and Doodles Weaver.

Known as Horace Heidt's Magnolia Estates, the complex is a ten-acre (4.0 ha) community of apartments, swimming pools, a clubhouse, and a golf course.