Tailspin Tommy is a 12-episode 1934 Universal film serial based on the Tailspin Tommy comic strip by Hal Forrest. Directed by Lew Landers and produced by Milton Gatzert, the serial was the 97th serial of the 137 released by that studio (and the 24th with sound). The plot of Tailspin Tommy concerns a conflict over a government airmail contract.
Plot
Two cargo airlines clash over a government mail contract. "Tailspin" Tommy (Maurice Murphy), a young mechanic, gets a job with Three Points Airlines, which wins the contract. Their opponents resort to sabotage in order to have the contract 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 crowd 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).
Cast
Maurice Murphy as "Tailspin" Tommy Tompkins
Noah Beery, Jr. as Peter "Skeeter" Milligan
Patricia Farr as Betty Lou Barnes
Walter Miller as Bruce Hoyt
Grant Withers as Milt Howe
Charles A. Browne as Paul Smith
Bryant Washburn as Mr Grant, director of Midnight Patrol
Belle Daube as Mrs Martha Tompkins, Tommy's mother
John Davidson as Wade "Tiger" Taggart
Harrison Greene as the Air circus announcer
William Desmond as Sloane, Taggart's office henchman
Lew Kelly as Victor Martin, Three Point airport dispatcher
John Ince as Eric Peabody, one of Taggart's henchmen
Lee Beggs as Deacon Grimes
Ethan Laidlaw as Bart Dirk, one of Taggart's henchmen
Chapter titles
Death Flies the Mail
The Mail Goes Through
Sky bandits
The Copper Room
The Night Flight
The Baited Trap
Tommy to the Rescue
The Thrill of Death
The Earth God's Roar
Death at the Controls
Rushing Waters
Littleville's Big DaySource:
Production
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 The Sky Parade. Grant Withers played the sidekick in this film as well as both Tailspin Tommy serials.
The aircraft used in Tailspin Tommy included: Stearman C2B, c/n n110, NC4099 Travel Air B 4000, c/n 1337, NC406N and c / n 1323, NC688K Great Lakes 2T1 A, c/n 243, NC11326 Fleet 7 Douglas M2 Curtiss Fledgling, c/n 69, N465K Waco ATO, c/n A-122, NC925H Travel Air R Mystery Plane American Eagle A-101 Alexander Eaglerock A2, c / n 207, NC1412 Fokker Super Universal Boeing P-12 (archive footage)
Stunts
George DeNormand
George Magrill
Reception
William C. Cline wrote In the Nick of Tome that Tailspin Tommy was a success, partly due to name recognition. The serial was faithful to its roots and while "other serials were based on comic heroes that have long been forgotten, Hal Forrest's 'Tailspin Tommy' strip ran from 1928 to 1942. Dashing aviator Tommy, his sidekick Skeeter and his girlfriend Betty Lou Barnes ran Three Point Airlines, named after the perfect landing technique. Universal invested heavily in the franchise. Maurice Murphy played Tommy for 1934's Tailspin Tommy serial, and four 1939 feature films starred John Trent as the intrepid airman."
References
Notes
Citations
Bibliography
Cline, William C. "2. In Search of Ammunition"; "Filmography". In the Nick of Time. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc., 1984. . Harmon, Jim and Donald F. Glut. "7. The Aviators "Land That Plane at Once, You Crazy Fool"". The Great Movie Serials: Their Sound and Fury. London: Routledge, 1973. . Stedman, Raymond William. "3. At This Theater Next Week". Serials: Suspense and Drama By Installment. University of Oklahoma Press, 1971. . Weiss, Ken and Ed Goodgold. To be Continued ...: A Complete Guide to Motion Picture Serials. New York: Bonanza Books, 1973. .