Flying Wild

1941 film

This article is about the 1941 film. For the 1996 film, see Fly Away Home. For the 2011 TV series "Flying Wild: Alaska", see Flying Wild Alaska.

Flying Wild

Film poster

Directed by| William Beaudine
Written by| Al Martin
Produced by| Sam Katzman
Starring|

* Leo Gorcey
* David Gorcey
* Bobby Jordan
* 'Sunshine Sammy' Morrison
* Donald Haines

Cinematography| Fred Jacklman, Jr.
Edited by| Robert Golden
Music by| Johnny Lange
Lew Porter

Production
company

Banner Pictures

Distributed by| Monogram Pictures

Release date

* March 10, 1941 (1941-03-10)

Running time

| 64 minutes
Language| English

Flying Wild (aka The East Side Kids in Flying Wild and Air Devils) is a 1941 American comedy thriller film directed by William Beaudine under the pseudonym "William West" as the fifth installment of the East Side Kids series which eventually totalled 22 films. The film is the team's first one in the spy film genre.[1] The supporting cast includes Joan Barclay, Dave O'Brien and Herbert Rawlinson. It was distributed by Monogram Pictures.

## Plot

[edit]

Pals Skinny, Danny Graham, Peewee, Algy Reynolds, and Scruno all work at the Reynolds Aviation Company,[2] which is run by Algy's father. Muggs, however, is the only one of the kids who refuses to work, although he drives the gang to work in his jalopy. Once at the aviation company, he spends his time flirting with a flight nurse named Helen Munson who is in love with her test pilot boyfriend, Tom Lawson .

One day, when Tom's aircraft crashes at the plant airstrip, Reynolds suspects that the crash may have been the work of saboteurs. Later, at the airfield, Muggs jokingly appoints himself as the new operator of the flying ambulance owned by Dr. Richard Nagel and gives his pals a tour of the aircraft. Their playful games are soon brought to a halt by Nagel, the secret leader of a spy ring, who angrily orders the group off his aircraft.

Mr. Reynolds, certain that spies are working at the plant, asks Danny to act as a decoy so that the spies can be identified, and has him deliver to a downtown office a fake set of plans for a new bombsight. As Reynolds predicted, Nagel's men ambush Danny on his way to the office, but the plan goes awry when the detectives sent to trail Danny lose him. Danny eventually turns up unharmed some time later. When Muggs reports to Reynolds his suspicions that Nagel is behind the espionage ring, Reynolds dismisses the accusation as a product of the boy's imagination.

Not convinced by Reynolds that Nagel is innocent, Muggs and Danny begin their own investigation into Nagel, starting with a visit to the doctor on the pretext of a fake ailment. The visit turns up nothing, however, and when Danny and Muggs return to the hangar, a suspicious "accident" that was apparently meant to harm them leaves Peewee injured. While Peewee recovers at the hospital, Tom nearly loses his life when he is unable to make contact with the control tower for a landing. The controller is later found bound and gagged in the tower, prompting the kids to resume their investigation in earnest.

Helen provides the gang with further clues when she confirms that the ambulance plane was being flown on many unusual trips to Mexico, supposedly to deliver patients. When Helen tells the East Side Kids that a man named Forbes is the next "patient" to be transported, they rush to his house, where they find secret plans hidden in his head bandage. Disguising Danny as the transportee, the kids send Danny and Muggs on the flight to learn who is behind the espionage ring. Danny and Muggs soon find themselves in trouble, however, when Nagel, having found Forbes locked in his closet, tries to warn the pilot of the boys' ruse.

Meanwhile, Tom learns of the dangerous mission and goes after the flying ambulance in his own aircraft. Tom arrives in Mexico in time to save Danny and Muggs, and all the spies are arrested. Back at the plant, Reynolds rewards Muggs for his heroism by giving him a job as his driver, but his stint there is short-lived as he is soon distracted by a pretty woman and crashes the car with Reynolds in it.

## Cast

[edit]

### The East Side Kids

[edit]

* Leo Gorcey as Muggs McGinnis
* Bobby Jordan as Danny Graham
* Sunshine Sammy Morrison as Scruno
* David Gorcey as Peewee
* Donald Haines as Skinny
* Eugene Francis as Algy Reynolds
* Bobby Stone as Louie

### Additional Cast

[edit]

* Joan Barclay as Helen Munson
* Dave O'Brien as Tom Lawson
* George Pembroke as Dr. Richard Nagel III
* Herbert Rawlinson as Mr. Reynolds
* Dennis Moore as George
* Forrest Taylor as Forbes
* Robert F. Hill as Woodward
* Mary Bovard as Maisie (uncredited)
* George Eldredge as Man [Note 1]
* Alden "Stephen" Chase as Jack, Henchman (uncredited)
* Al Ferguson as Henchman
* Jack Kenny as Henchman
* Carey Loftin as Henchman
* Bud Osborne as Henchman
* Eddie Parker as Henchman
* Dick Scott as Henchman

## Production

[edit]

Robert F. Hill who plays the role of Woodward, was director of the first East Side Kids film. The working title of the film was Air Devils. Production was slated from mid-January to February, 1941.[4]

The scene in which the car flips onto its side was not scripted; Leo Gorcey was driving the car, and had made the turn too fast. The expressions on the gang's faces were one hundred percent real.[5]

Flying Wild was last East Side Kids film for Eugene Francis. He was drafted for World War II service shortly after completing this film.[6][7]

### Aircraft used

[edit]

Principal photography took place at the Alhambra, California airport. Aircraft in Flying Wild prominently featured a Ford 4-AT-35 Trimotoras a "Flying Ambulance". Other aircraft that are used included a Lockheed Vega 5C, Lockheed Model 12 Electra Junior Bellanca Cruisair, Travel Air 6000 and Harlow PJC-4 (in background).[8]

## Reception

[edit]

Film critic Theodore Strauss in his review of Flying Wild, wrote in The New York Times, "The cycle of the Dead End Kids is slowing down. In fact, with 'Flying Wild', now at the Rialto, it has completely stalled. This time the talkative young toughs are out sleuthing for saboteurs in an airplane plant. Though the original group has been revised somewhat, they are still dropping the same hard-boiled gags with the same corner-of-the-mouth delivery and the plot harks back to some of the naïvetés of the nickelodeon era. 'Flying Wild' is downright tedious."[9]

## Re-release

[edit]

Flying Wild was re-released twice, once in 1949 by Favorite Films and again in 1952 by Savoy Films Corporation.[10]

### Home media

[edit]

Since Flying Wild is in the public domain, there have been several releases from various companies.[5]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Pendo 1985, p. 20.
2. ^ Hayes, David (1984). The Films of the Bowery Boys. Secaucus, NJ: The Citadel Press. ISBN 978-0806509310.
3. ^ "Notes: 'Flying Wild' (1941)." TCM. Retrieved: July 18, 2017.
4. ^ "Original print information: 'Flying Wild' (1941)." TCM. Retrieved: July 18, 2017.
5. ^ a b "Flying Wild". Internet Archive. Retrieved: July 18, 2017.
6. ^ "Biography: Eugene Francis." IMDb. Retrieved: July 18, 2017.
7. ^ Antosiewicz, John. "Eugene Francis: East Side Kid memories." The Muscatine Journal, July 17, 2007. Retrieved: July 19, 2017.
8. ^ Santoir, Christian. "Review: 'Flying Wild'." Aeromovies. Retrieved: July 19, 2017.
9. ^ Strauss, Theodore as T.S. "Movie review: At the Rialto." The New York Times, April 12, 1941. Retrieved: July 18, 2017.
10. ^ Roughley, N. "Monogram Pictures Corporation Library." Monogram Pictures Corporation Library, June 3, 2017. Retrieved: July 18, 2017.

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Although listed in the credits, George Eldredge may not have appeared in the film.[3]

### Bibliography

[edit]

* Pendo, Stephen. Aviation in the Cinema. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 1985. ISBN 0-8-1081-746-2.

## External links

[edit]

* Flying Wild at the TCM Movie Database
* IMDB page for Flying Wild
* IMPD for Flying Wild
* Flying Wild is available for free viewing and download at the Internet Archive

* v
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Films directed by William Beaudine

1920s-30s|

* Watch Your Step (1922)
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* The Cohens and the Kellys in Paris (1928)
* Heart to Heart (1928)
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* Wedding Rings (1929)
* Those Who Dance (1930)
* Road to Paradise (1930)
* Father's Son (1931)
* Misbehaving Ladies (1931)
* The Lady Who Dared (1931)
* The Mad Parade (1931)
* Penrod and Sam (1931)
* Men in Her Life (1931)
* Three Wise Girls (1932)
* Make Me a Star (1932)
* The Crime of the Century (1933)
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* The Old Fashioned Way (1934)

British films|

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1930s-40s|

* Torchy Gets Her Man (1938)
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* Emergency Landing (1941)
* Mr. Washington Goes to Town (1941)
* Federal Fugitives (1941)
* Desperate Cargo (1941)
* Flying Wild (1941)
* Mr. Celebrity (1941)
* The Miracle Kid (1941)
* Blonde Comet (1941)
* Duke of the Navy (1942)
* Broadway Big Shot (1942)
* Lucky Ghost (1942)
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* The Ape Man (1943)
* Clancy Street Boys (1943)
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* Ghosts on the Loose (1943)
* Here Comes Kelly (1943)
* Mr. Muggs Steps Out (1943)
* Mystery of the 13th Guest (1943)
* What a Man! (1944)
* Voodoo Man (1944)
* Hot Rhythm (1944)
* Detective Kitty O'Day (1944)
* Follow the Leader (1944)
* Leave It to the Irish (1944)
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* Jinx Money (1948)
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* Incident (1948)
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* Jiggs and Maggie in Jackpot Jitters (1949)
* Tough Assignment (1949)

1950s-60s|

* Blue Grass of Kentucky (1950)
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* Ghost Chasers (1951)
* Let's Go Navy! (1951)
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* Born to the Saddle (1953)
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* Yukon Vengeance (1954)
* Paris Playboys (1954)
* Pride of the Blue Grass (1954)
* High Society (1955)
* Jail Busters (1955)
* Westward Ho the Wagons! (1956)
* Up in Smoke (1957)
* In the Money (1958)
* Ten Who Dared (1960)
* Billy the Kid Versus Dracula (1966)
* Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter (1966)

* v
* t
* e

East Side Kids

* East Side Kids
* Boys of the City
* That Gang of Mine
* Pride of the Bowery
* Flying Wild
* Bowery Blitzkrieg
* Spooks Run Wild
* Mr. Wise Guy
* Let's Get Tough!
* Smart Alecks
* 'Neath Brooklyn Bridge
* Kid Dynamite
* Clancy Street Boys
* Ghosts on the Loose
* Mr. Muggs Steps Out
* Million Dollar Kid
* Follow the Leader
* Block Busters
* Bowery Champs
* Docks of New York
* Mr. Muggs Rides Again
* Come Out Fighting

* v
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Films produced by Sam Katzman

Showmen's/
Screencraft|

* His Private Secretary (1933)
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Supreme|

* A Demon for Trouble (1934)
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Victory|

| Peter B. Kyne|

* Danger Ahead (1935)
* Hot Off the Press (1935)
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* The Fighting Coward (1935)
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* Kelly of the Secret Service (1936)

|

Tom Tyler|

* Rip Roarin' Buckaroo (1936)
* The Phantom of the Range (1936)
* Orphan of the Pecos (1937) (also d)
* Brothers of the West (1937) (also d)
* Cheyenne Rides Again (1937)
* Lost Ranch (1937) (also d)
* Mystery Range (1937)
* Feud of the Trail (1937)

Serials|

* Shadow of Chinatown (1936)
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Herman Brix|

* Two Minutes to Play (1936)
* Silks and Saddles (1936)
* Amateur Crook (1937) (also d)
* Flying Fists (1937)
* Million Dollar Racket (1937)
* Sky Racket (1937) (also d)

Tim McCoy|

* Six-Gun Trail (1938)
* Lightning Carson Rides Again (1938)
* Texas Wildcats (1939)
* Code of the Cactus (1939)
* Outlaws' Paradise (1939)
* Trigger Fingers (1939)
* The Fighting Renegade (1939)
* Straight Shooter (1939)

Puritan|

* The Rogues' Tavern (1936)

Monogram|

| East Side Kids|

* East Side Kids (1940)
* Boys of the City (1940)
* That Gang of Mine (1940)
* Pride of the Bowery (1941)
* Flying Wild (1941)
* Bowery Blitzkrieg (1941)
* Spooks Run Wild (1941)
* Mr. Wise Guy (1942)
* Let's Get Tough! (1942)
* Smart Alecks (1942)
* 'Neath Brooklyn Bridge (1942)
* Kid Dynamite (1942)
* Clancy Street Boys (1942)
* Ghosts on the Loose (1943)
* Mr. Muggs Steps Out (1943)
* Million Dollar Kid (1943)
* Follow the Leader (1944)
* Block Busters (1944)
* Bowery Champs (1944)
* Docks of New York (1945)
* Mr. Muggs Rides Again (1945)
* Come Out Fighting (1945)

|

Bela Lugosi|

* Invisible Ghost (1941)
* Bowery at Midnight (1942)
* The Corpse Vanishes (1942)
* Black Dragons (1942)
* The Ape Man (1943)
* Voodoo Man (1944)
* Return of the Ape Man (1944)

Musicals|

* Zis Boom Bah (1942)

Billy Gilbert|

* Spotlight Scandals (1943)
* Crazy Knights (1944)
* Three of a Kind (1944)
* Trouble Chasers (1945)

The Teen-Agers|

* Junior Prom (1946)
* Freddie Steps Out (1946)
* High School Hero (1946)
* Vacation Days (1947)

Columbia|

| Serials|

* Who's Guilty? (1945)
* Jungle Raiders (1945)
* Brenda Starr, Reporter (1945)
* Hop Harrigan (1946)
* Chick Carter, Detective (1946)
* Son of the Guardsman (1946)
* Jack Armstrong (1947)
* The Vigilante (1947)
* The Sea Hound (1947)
* Brick Bradford (1947)
* Congo Bill (1948)
* Tex Granger (1948)
* Superman (1948)
* Adventures of Sir Galahad (1949)
* Batman and Robin (1949)
* Bruce Gentry – Daredevil of the Skies (1949)
* Pirates of the High Seas (1950)
* Atom Man vs. Superman (1950)
* Cody of the Pony Express (1950)
* Captain Video: Master of the Stratosphere (1951)
* The Mysterious Island (1951)
* Roar of the Iron Horse (1951)
* Son of Geronimo (1952)
* Blackhawk (1952)
* The Great Adventures of Captain Kidd (1953)
* The Lost Planet (1953)
* Riding with Buffalo Bill (1954)
* Gunfighters of the Northwest (1954)
* Adventures of Captain Africa Mighty Jungle Avenger! (1955)
* Perils of the Wilderness (1956)
* Blazing the Overland Trail (1956)

|

Jean Porter|

* Betty Co-Ed (1946)
* Little Miss Broadway (1947)
* Sweet Genevieve (1947)
* Two Blondes and a Redhead (1947)

Jon Hall|

* Last of the Redskins (1947)
* The Prince of Thieves (1948)
* The Mutineers (1949)
* Hurricane Island (1951)
* When the Redskins Rode (1951)
* Brave Warrior (1952)
* Last Train from Bombay (1952)

Jungle Jim|

* Jungle Jim (1948)
* The Lost Tribe (1949)
* Mark of the Gorilla (1950)
* Captive Girl (1950)
* Pygmy Island (1950)
* Fury of the Congo (1951)
* Jungle Manhunt (1951)
* Jungle Jim in the Forbidden Land (1952)
* Voodoo Tiger (1952)
* Savage Mutiny (1953)
* Valley of the Head Hunters (1953)
* Killer Ape (1953)
* Jungle Man-Eaters (1954)
* Cannibal Attack (1954)
* Jungle Moon Men (1955)
* Devil Goddess (1956)

Gloria Henry|

* Racing Luck (1948)
* Triple Threat (1948)

Gloria Jean|

* I Surrender Dear (1948)
* Manhattan Angel (1949)

Musical|

* Mary Lou (1948)
* Glamour Girl (1948)

Crime|

* Chinatown at Midnight (1949)
* State Penitentiary (1950)
* Revenue Agent (1950)
* Chain Gang (1950)
* The Miami Story (1954)
* Chicago Syndicate (1955)
* The Crooked Web (1955)
* Inside Detroit (1955)
* Teen-Age Crime Wave (1955)
* Miami Exposé (1956)
* Rumble on the Docks (1956)
* Escape from San Quentin (1957)
* The Tijuana Story (1957)
* The World Was His Jury (1958)

William Castle|

* Serpent of the Nile (1953)
* Fort Ti (1953)
* Slaves of Babylon (1953)
* Conquest of Cochise (1953)
* The Law vs. Billy the Kid (1954)
* Jesse James vs. the Daltons (1954)
* Masterson of Kansas (1954)
* The Battle of Rogue River (1954)
* Charge of the Lancers (1954)
* Drums of Tahiti (1954)
* The Saracen Blade (1954)
* The Iron Glove (1954)
* Duel on the Mississippi (1955)
* The Gun That Won the West (1955)
* New Orleans Uncensored (1955)
* Uranium Boom (1956)
* The Houston Story (1956)

Action|

* Barbary Pirate (1949)
* The Mutineers (1949)
* Last of the Buccaneers (1950)
* Tyrant of the Sea (1950)
* The Magic Carpet (1951)
* The Golden Hawk (1952)
* Thief of Damascus (1952)
* Prisoners of the Casbah (1953)
* Flame of Calcutta (1953)
* Siren of Bagdad (1953)
* Prince of Pirates (1953)
* Target Hong Kong (1953)
* The 49th Man (1953)
* Pirates of Tripoli (1955)
* Crash Landing (1958)

War|

* Purple Heart Diary (1951)
* A Yank in Korea (1951)
* The Pathfinder (1952)
* A Yank in Indo-China (1952)
* Sky Commando (1953)
* Mission Over Korea (1953)
* The Last Blitzkrieg (1959)
* The Enemy General (1960)

Western|

* California Conquest (1952)
* Jack McCall, Desperado (1953)
* Seminole Uprising (1955)

* Blackjack Ketchum, Desperado (1956)
* Utah Blaine (1957)
* The Wild Westerners (1962)

Sci-fi|

* Creature with the Atom Brain (1955)
* It Came from Beneath the Sea (1955)
* Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956)
* The Werewolf (1956)
* The Man Who Turned to Stone (1957)
* The Giant Claw (1957)
* Zombies of Mora Tau (1957)
* The Night the World Exploded (1957)
* Lock Up Your Daughters (1959)

Rock Musical|

* Rock Around the Clock (1956)
* Cha-Cha-Cha Boom! (1956)
* Calypso Heat Wave (1957)
* Don't Knock the Rock (1957)
* Juke Box Rhythm (1959)
* Twist Around the Clock (1961)
* Don't Knock the Twist (1961)

Drama|

* Going Steady (1958)
* Life Begins at 17 (1958)
* The Flying Fontaines (1959)
* The Love-Ins (1967)
* For Singles Only (1968)

Fox|

* Pirates of Tortuga (1961)
* The Wizard of Baghdad (1961)

TV|

* Tallahassee 7000 (1961)

MGM|

| Musicals|

* Hootenanny Hoot (1963)
* Get Yourself a College Girl (1964)
* Kissin' Cousins (1964)
* Your Cheatin' Heart (1964)
* Harum Scarum (1965)
* When the Boys Meet the Girls (1965)
* Hold On! (1966)
* The Fastest Guitar Alive (1967)
* A Time to Sing (1968)

|

Non-musical|

* Hot Rods to Hell (1967)
* Riot on Sunset Strip (1967) (sold to AIP)
* The Young Runaways (1968)

Other|

* Angel, Angel, Down We Go (1969)
* How to Succeed with Sex (1970)
* The Loners (1972)

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