Earthkeeping “Sodbusters”

An episode of Earthkeeping, a television series produced in the early 1970s for WTTW that explores environmental, ecological and sociological issues. In this episode, historical parallels are drawn between westward expansion and modern practices of industrialization. John Belushi, Harold Ramis, and Joe Flaherty appear throughout the episode in a sketch by Second City.

Credits

DeWitt Beall (producer); DeWitt Beall (director); WTTW (Television station) (production company); Goldsholl Design & Film Associates (contributor); Steven Samler (music); Michael Lowenstein (contributor); Pepper Ross (contributor); Jim Gedwellas (contributor); Tom Markle (lighting director); Rich Well (sound); Kaz Ayukawa (contributor); Ralph Diamant (contributor); Ron Clasky (editor); Rod Nordberg (editor); DeWitt Beall (writer); Cal Langenberg (cinematographer); Margery Warder (contributor); John Belushi (actor); Jim Fisher (actor); Joe O'Flaherty (actor); Harold Ramis (actor); David Rasche (actor); Eugenie Ross-Leming (actor); Dave McDermand (narrator); Gordon Harrison (interviewee); Barry Commoner (interviewee); George Travers (interviewee); Mark Cruikshank (interviewee)

Complete catalog record

Cfa collection: DeWitt Beall Collection
Notes: The historical approach taken in “Sodbusters” differentiates the episode from the others in Earthkeeping – the narrative draws a comparison between the pioneer mindset of westward expansion/Manifest Destiny and the sense of entitlement possessed by corporate developers in the twentieth century. How much have modern practices of resource exploitation changed since the days of John Jacob Astor and the American Fur Company?; On The Yesterday Show, Robert Trashman (John Belushi) stands up for the environment, squaring off against cowboy star Jack Crabbe (Joe Flaherty) and industrialist C. Steel Mills (Harold Ramis).
Subjects: Industry; City planning
Places: North America > United States > Illinois > Chicago; North America > United States
Language: English
Cfa elements: Reversal Positive Print, 1,000 feet
Cfa records: https://collections.chicagofilmarchives.org/Detail/objects/11482; https://collections.chicagofilmarchives.org/Detail/objects/11476

Related films

Sources

Chicago Film Archives · record ↗ — title, creator, length, format, color, sound, genre, description, credits, catalog record, video

Record added 2026-11-08 21:25:12