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Tailspin Tommy (serial)

Tailspin Tommy
Tailspin Tommy (serial).jpg
Directed by Lew Landers
Produced by Milton Gatzert
Henry MacRae (associate)
Written by Ella O'Neill (screenplay)
Vin Moore
Basil Dickey
Norman S. Hall
Robert Hershon
George H. Plympton
Hal Forrest (comic strip)
Starring Maurice Murphy
Noah Beery, Jr.
Patricia Farr
Walter Miller
Grant Withers
Cinematography Richard Fryer
William A. Sickner
Edited by Albert Akst
Irving Applebaum
Saul A. Goodkind
Edward Todd
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release date
  • October 29, 1934 (1934-10-29)
Running time
12 chapters (248 min)
Country United States
Language English

Tailspin Tommy is a 12-episode 1934 Universal film serial based on the Tailspin Tommy comic strip by Hal Forrest. It was the 97th serial of the 137 released by that studio (and the 24th with sound). The plot concerns a conflict over a government airmail contract.

Two cargo airlines clash over a government mail contract. "Tailspin" Tommy (Maurice Murphy), a young mechanic, gets a job with Three Points Airlines, who win the contract. Their opponents resort to sabotage in order to have the contact for themselves. Wade "Tiger" Taggart (John Davidson) becomes their enemy, a man who will do anything to stop the airline from doing business.

After Tommy becomes a pilot, he prevents a runaway aircraft from crashing into a crow of children, among other adventures that put him into the public eye. Eventually Taggert and his gang are brought to justice. Tommy goes on to win a movie contract, and win the heart of his sweetheart Betty Lou Barnes (Patricia Farr).

Source:

Tailspin Tommy was the first serial to be based on a comic strip. From 1936 to 1945, Universal almost made more serial adaptations of comic strips than both of their rivals, Columbia and Republic, combined. Jimmy Allen was a rival radio serial character to the Tailspin Tommy newspaper strip. He featured in the film Sky Parade. Grant Withers played the sidekick in this film as well as both Tailspin Tommy serials.

Tailspin Tommy was a success, partly due to name recognition.


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