Product Details

• Actors: Maurice Murphy, Patricia Farr, Noah Berry Jr., Belle Daube, Lee Beggs
• Directors: Louis Friedlander
• Format: Black & White, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: All Regions
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: VCI Entertainment
• DVD Release Date: April 29, 2008
• Run Time: 220 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• ASIN: B0013PVGI6
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #81,171 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Based on the cartoon strip by Hal Forrest, this thrilling serial faithfully re-creates all of the exciting characterizations and non-stop action followed by millions in the daily comics. Tommy Hopkins is a youthful auto mechanic recruited to fly for the Three Points Airlines in a race against time for a mail-delivery contract against airline rival Tiger Taggart. After winning the contract, Tommy becomes a full time pilot and a local hero when he saves a crowd of children from being killed by a runaway plane and also later prevents a railroad catastrophe. Taggart becomes infuriated by Tommy's success, and along with his henchmen, sabotage the airlines and try to crash Tommy's plane in a series of aerial "dog fights" that will keep you on the edge of your seat with some of the most remarkable stunt flying ever filmed. Bonus Features: Scene Selection| Trailers Product Specs: 1-DVD9; Dolby Digital; 220 minutes; B&W; 1.33:1Aspect Ratio; MPAA - NR; Year - 1934; SRP - $19.99

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Tailspin Tommy (1934) ... Maurice Murphy ... VCI Ent. (2008)", May 30, 2008

By	J. Lovins "Mr. Jim" (Missouri-USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

VCI Entertainment and Universal Pictures presents Hal Forrest's comic strip creation "TAILSPIN TOMMY" (29 October 1934) (220 mins/B&W) (Dolby digitally remastered) --- A 12-episode serial as a young mechanic gets a job with a small airline, which he helps win a mail contract --- A rival airline plots to destroy it in order to get the contracts for itself. --- Here's the big news, your favorite cartoon hero now comes to life on the screen with 12 gasping, electrifying and breath-taking chapters of thrills, spills, stunts and chills of screeching sirens, billowing parachutes roaring engines and barking guns, the greatest air thriller ever made --- Very action packed, with excellent direction from Lew Landers. who also gave us - (The Adventures of Frank Merriwell (1936)/The Call of the Savage (1935)/The Rustlers of Red Dog (1935)/The Red Rider (1934)/The Vanishing Shadow (1934) as Louis Friedlander)

Under the production staff of:
Louis Friedlander (Lew Landers) - Director
Milton Gatzert - Producer
Henry MacRae - Associate Producer
Basil Dickey - Screenwriter
Vin Moore - Screenwriter
Hal Jon Norman - Screenwriter
Ella O'Neill - Screenwriter
George DeNormand - Stuntmen
George Magrill - Stuntmen

The story line and plot, 12 Chapters of vintage Universal serial episodes loaded with action sequences --- Story line follows this 12 episode comic strip character Tailspin Tommy Thompkins as he gets out of some mighty tough spots --- If Tommy joins the Three Points Airlines will his actions get them the government mail contracts they need...will the rival airline for the cargo give up and leave Tommy and his associates in peace --- Not on your life as this 12 Chapter serial wouldn't survive without all the flying stunt work that you're in store for --- What sabotage and villains work lie ahead from rival airline Tiger Taggart --- Is Tailspin Tommy really that good at dog fighting to save the day for the entire Universal Pictures cast and crew --- Don't leave the theater until the final chapter is over and done with "Littleville's Big Day" --- Return next week to this local theater for another episode of action and adventure that will keep you thrilled until the next chapter.

the cast includes:
Maurice Murphy ... Tailspin Tommy Tompkins
Noah Beery Jr. ... Peter 'Skeeter' Milligan
Patricia Farr ... Betty Lou Barnes
Walter Miller ... Bruce Hoyt
Grant Withers ... Milt Howe
Charles A. Browne ... Paul Smith
Bryant Washburn ... Mr. Grant - Film Director of 'Midnight Patrol', Chs. 10-12
Belle Daube ... Mrs. Martha Tompkins, Tommy's Mother - Chs. 1, 12
John Davidson ... Wade 'Tiger' Taggart
Harrison Greene ... Air Circus Announcer [Ch. 2]
William Desmond ... Sloane - Taggart's Office Henchman, Chs. 4, 7, 10-11
Lew Kelly ... Victor Martin - Three Point Airport Dispatcher
John Ince ... Eric Peabody [Chs. 3-5]
Lee Beggs ... Deacon Grimes [Chs. 1,12]
Ethan Laidlaw ... Bart Dirk, Henchman
Dennis Moore ... Pilot Herb Slack (as Denny Meadows)
Edmund Cobb ... Pilot 'Speed' Walton
Jack Leonard ... Al, Skinny Mechanic
Monte Montague ... Cliff, Hefty Mechanic
Rita Rozelle ... Mary Dale - Actress in 'Midnight Patrol', Ch. 10
Beulah Hutton ... Sloane's Ambassador Club Date
Gertrude Astor ... Fake Office Nurse / Taggart's Date - Chs. 7, 9
Walter Brennan ... Hospital Orderly - slugged by 'Skeeter', Ch. 8
Horace B. Carpenter ... Postmaster Jed Purdy [Chs. 1, 12]
George DeNormand ... George - Denver Official, Ch. 6
Al Ferguson ... Henchman Curly - Chs. 3-7, 9
Lois January ... Mrs. Grant - L.A. Film Premiere, Ch. 12
George Magrill ... Henchman Bailey [Chs. 4, 6-7]
Bud Osborne ... Pug Nelson. Henchman-Mechanic
Slim Whitaker ... Henchman Charlie - Chs. 6-7
Jane Withers ... Little Girl going to Littleville Premiere - Ch. 12

CHAPTER TITLES:
1. Death Flies the Mail
2. The Mail Goes Through
3. Sky Bandits
4. The Copper Room
5. The Night Flight
6. The Baited Trap
7. Tommy to the Rescue
8. The Thrill of Death
9. The Earth Gods Roar
10.Death at the Controls
11.Rushing Waters
12.Littleville's Big Day

SPECIAL FEATURES:
TRAILERS:
1. CAPTAIN VIDEO - 27 December 1951 - 15 Chapter Serial
2. TAILSPIN TOMMY - 29 October 1934 - 12 Chapter Serial
3. JUNIOR G-MEN OF THE AIR - 4 May 1942 - 12 Chapter Serial
4. TIM TYLER'S LUCK - 27 December 1937 - 12 Chapter Serial

BIOS:
1. Maurice Murphy
Birth Date: 10/03/1913 - Seattle, Washington
Died: 11/23/1978 - Los Angeles, California

2. Noah Beery Jr
Birth Date: 8/10/1913 - New York New York
Died: 11/01/1994 - Tehachapi, CA

3. Patricia Farr
Birth Date: 1/15/1913 - Kansas City, Missouri
Died: 2/23/1948 - Burbank, California

4. Louis Friedlander (Lew Landers) (Director)
Birth Date: 1/02/1901 - New York, New York
Died: 12/16/1962 - Palm Desert, California,

5. Henry MacRae (Producer)
Birth Date: 8/29/1876 - Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Died: 10/02/1944 - Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, CA

Hats off and thanks to Robert Blair and his staff at VCI Entertainment --- VCI was named in Variety and Hollywood Reporter as the first company to produce and release motion pictures directly to the home marketplace --- order your copy now from Amazon or VCI Entertainment where there are plenty of copies available on DVD, stay tuned once again for top notch releases --- VCI are experts in releasing long forgotten films and treasures to the collector -- looking forward to more Nostalgic Collections.

Total Time: 220 mins on DVD ~ VCI Entertainment 8527 ~ (4/29/2008)