Genre | Juvenile aviation adventure |
---|---|
Running time | 15 minutes |
Country of origin | United States |
Language(s) | English |
Syndicates |
CBS Don Lee Network |
Starring | William Janney Neil O'Malley |
Created by | Bill Moore |
Written by | Bill Moore |
Original release | January 31, 1938 June 30, 1939 | –
Sponsored by | Kellogg's |
Howie Wing is an American old-time radio juvenile aviation adventure serial. It was syndicated by the World Broadcasting System and distributed initially to stations in Canada, [1] beginning on January 31, 1938. [2] The Don Lee Network began carrying it in the western United States on February 12, 1938. [3] The program was broadcast weekdays on CBS from October 3, 1938, until June 30, 1939. [4]
Bill Moore, who created and wrote Howie Wing, was one of the creators of another old-time radio aviation program, The Air Adventures of Jimmie Allen. Moore was a pilot with the Royal Flying Corps in World War I and a barnstorming pilot thereafter, both of which provided a background for his writing about aviation. [5] An article in Radio Guide magazine described the program as "an authentic saga of aviation." [6] Moore enhanced the show's authenticity by taking the cast and sound-effects people flying to help them appreciate the atmosphere needed for the program. [7]
Howie Wing began as a flier with the Cadet Aviation Corps. Later, Captain Harvey, who owned an airline in South America, made Wing his co-pilot. The program's plots focused on Wing's battles against corruption, especially that involving Burton York, [8] a saboteur who operated under the cover of being an insurance agent. [9]
In light of research that showed 70 percent of the program's audience was children, the scripts avoided situations that might have been confusing for children. [5]
Howie Wing was sponsored by Kellogg's. [9]
In addition to Wing, the program featured Captain Harvey, a veteran flier of World War I. Donna Cavendish was a stewardess who became Wing's love interest. Zero Smith was a disagreeable fellow pilot, Typhoon Tootel was the mechanic, and Burton York was the villain. [10]
Characters in Howie Wing and the actors who portrayed them are shown in the table below.
Character | Actor |
---|---|
Howie Wing | William Janney [9] |
Captain Harvey | Neil O'Malley [9] |
The Chief | Richard Bishop [9] |
Burton York | Raymond Bramley [9] |
Zero Smith | John Griggs [9] |
Donna Cavendish | Mary Parker [9] |
Typhoon Tootel | Robert Strauss [9] |
The transcribed version had a different cast, which included Billie Rose, Audrey McGrath, Bill Bouchey, and Hugh Studebaker. Moore wrote and produced that program. [2]
In 1939, American Airlines named a flagship Howie Wing, the first time in air transportation history that a plane had been named for a radio program. [11] The trade publication Broadcasting described the designation as "a tribute of the airline to the work of Kellogg Co. in making American youngsters air-minded." [12]
Genre | Juvenile aviation adventure |
---|---|
Running time | 15 minutes |
Country of origin | United States |
Language(s) | English |
Syndicates |
CBS Don Lee Network |
Starring | William Janney Neil O'Malley |
Created by | Bill Moore |
Written by | Bill Moore |
Original release | January 31, 1938 June 30, 1939 | –
Sponsored by | Kellogg's |
Howie Wing is an American old-time radio juvenile aviation adventure serial. It was syndicated by the World Broadcasting System and distributed initially to stations in Canada, [1] beginning on January 31, 1938. [2] The Don Lee Network began carrying it in the western United States on February 12, 1938. [3] The program was broadcast weekdays on CBS from October 3, 1938, until June 30, 1939. [4]
Bill Moore, who created and wrote Howie Wing, was one of the creators of another old-time radio aviation program, The Air Adventures of Jimmie Allen. Moore was a pilot with the Royal Flying Corps in World War I and a barnstorming pilot thereafter, both of which provided a background for his writing about aviation. [5] An article in Radio Guide magazine described the program as "an authentic saga of aviation." [6] Moore enhanced the show's authenticity by taking the cast and sound-effects people flying to help them appreciate the atmosphere needed for the program. [7]
Howie Wing began as a flier with the Cadet Aviation Corps. Later, Captain Harvey, who owned an airline in South America, made Wing his co-pilot. The program's plots focused on Wing's battles against corruption, especially that involving Burton York, [8] a saboteur who operated under the cover of being an insurance agent. [9]
In light of research that showed 70 percent of the program's audience was children, the scripts avoided situations that might have been confusing for children. [5]
Howie Wing was sponsored by Kellogg's. [9]
In addition to Wing, the program featured Captain Harvey, a veteran flier of World War I. Donna Cavendish was a stewardess who became Wing's love interest. Zero Smith was a disagreeable fellow pilot, Typhoon Tootel was the mechanic, and Burton York was the villain. [10]
Characters in Howie Wing and the actors who portrayed them are shown in the table below.
Character | Actor |
---|---|
Howie Wing | William Janney [9] |
Captain Harvey | Neil O'Malley [9] |
The Chief | Richard Bishop [9] |
Burton York | Raymond Bramley [9] |
Zero Smith | John Griggs [9] |
Donna Cavendish | Mary Parker [9] |
Typhoon Tootel | Robert Strauss [9] |
The transcribed version had a different cast, which included Billie Rose, Audrey McGrath, Bill Bouchey, and Hugh Studebaker. Moore wrote and produced that program. [2]
In 1939, American Airlines named a flagship Howie Wing, the first time in air transportation history that a plane had been named for a radio program. [11] The trade publication Broadcasting described the designation as "a tribute of the airline to the work of Kellogg Co. in making American youngsters air-minded." [12]