Tailspin Tommy | |
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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
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Running time
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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.