''Pirates of the Skies'' (aka ''Plane 66'') is a 1939 American

action film Action film is a film genre in which the protagonist is thrust into a series of events that typically involve violence and physical feats. The genre tends to feature a mostly resourceful hero struggling against incredible odds, which include life ...

directed by Joseph A. McDonough and written by

Lester Cole Lester Cole (June 19, 1904 – August 15, 1985) was an American screenwriter. Cole was one of the Hollywood Ten, a group of screenwriters and directors who were cited for contempt of Congress and blacklisted for their refusal to testify regardin ...

and Ben Grauman Kohn. The film stars

Kent Taylor Kent Taylor (born Louis William Weiss; May 11, 1907 – April 11, 1987) was an American actor of film and television. Taylor appeared in more than 110 films, the bulk of them B-movies in the 1930s and 1940s, although he also had roles in more pr ...

Rochelle Hudson Rochelle Hudson (born Rachael Elizabeth Hudson; March 6, 1916 – January 17, 1972) was an American film actress from the 1930s through the 1960s.Regis Toomey John Francis Regis Toomey (August 13, 1898October 12, 1991) was an American film and television actor. Early life Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he was one of four children of Francis X. and Mary Ellen Toomey, and attended Peabody High ...

Marion Martin Marion Suplee (born June 7, 1909 – August 13, 1985) known professionally as Marion Martin was an American film and stage actress. Biography Martin was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the daughter of a Bethlehem Steel executive. She became ...

Samuel S. Hinds Samuel Southey Hinds (April 4, 1875 – October 13, 1948) was an American actor and former lawyer. He was often cast as kindly authority figures and appeared in more than 200 films until his death. Early years Hinds was born in Brooklyn, New Y ...

, Ray Walker and

Lucien Littlefield Lucien Littlefield (August 16, 1895 – June 4, 1960) was an American actor who achieved a long career from silent films to the television era. He was noted for his versatility, playing a wide range of roles and already portraying old men befor ...

. ''Pirates of the Skies'' was released on February 3, 1939, by

Universal Pictures Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Ameri ...

Plot

Pilot Nick Conlan (

) applies for a job in the State Air Police Force. Known as undisciplined, Nick is warned by Major Smith (

Stanley Andrews Stanley Andrews (born Stanley Martin Andrzejewski; August 28, 1891 – June 23, 1969) was an American actor perhaps best known as the voice of Daddy Warbucks on the radio program ''Little Orphan Annie'' and later as "The Old Ranger", the first ...

), the commander, that any infraction of the rules will result in instant dismissal. Nick visits the cafe hangout of the Sky Police, where he encounters waitress Barbara Whitney (

Rochelle Hudson Rochelle Hudson (born Rachael Elizabeth Hudson; March 6, 1916 – January 17, 1972) was an American film actress from the 1930s through the 1960s.Guy Usher James Guy Usher (May 9, 1883 – June 16, 1944) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 190 films between 1932 and 1943. Born in Mason City, Iowa, Usher acted on stage before venturing into films. Billed as James Guy Usher, h ...

) of the State Motor Police are stymied over a series of holdups in their sector. A band of clever crooks seem to have advance information on the movement of large payrolls, bank transfers and jewelry shipments. The secret of their success lies in having access to two locations: the cafe owned by Jerry Petri (

Frank Puglia Francesco Giuseppe "Frank" Puglia (9 March 1892 – 25 October 1975) was an Italian-American film actor. He had small, but memorable roles in films including ''Casablanca'' (a Moroccan rug merchant), ''Now, Voyager'' and ''The Jungle Book''. ...

), who has microphones and tape recorders to record pilots, which are sent by carrier pigeon to Dr. Amos Pettingill (

), the brains behind the operation and owner of a health spa and pigeon farm. After each holdup, the robbers, fly to Pettingill's health spa, where they pose as patients. Nick becomes suspicious of the doctor when he lands without orders, at the health spa, spotting several cans of high-test gas. Nick is fired for disobedience and takes a job flying aircraft for a millionaire sportsman. Meanwhile, Barbara stumbles upon the secret recording room at the cafe and is taken prisoner by Petri. Nick, looking for Barbara at the cafe, discovers the pigeons. Unravelling the secret of the robberies, the major sends his crack pilot, Bill Lambert, (

Regis Toomey John Francis Regis Toomey (August 13, 1898October 12, 1991) was an American film and television actor. Early life Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he was one of four children of Francis X. and Mary Ellen Toomey, and attended Peabody High ...

) to intercept one of the doctor's planes. Nick follows and when Lambert is shot down, Nick calls headquarters and forces the criminal's aircraft down. With the gang arrested, Nick is reinstated into the Sky Police, and Barbara comes back to him.

Cast

as Nick Conlon *

as Pilot Bill Lambert *

as Kitty *

as Police Commissioner * Ray Walker as Pilot Hal Weston *

as Dr. Amos Pettingill *

as Maj. Smith *

Guy Usher James Guy Usher (May 9, 1883 – June 16, 1944) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 190 films between 1932 and 1943. Born in Mason City, Iowa, Usher acted on stage before venturing into films. Billed as James Guy Usher, h ...

as Police Captain Higgins *

as Jerry Petri

Production

Under the working title of ''Plane 66'', principal photography on ''Pirates of the Skies'' began mid-October and wrapped early November, 1938. The aircraft in ''Pirates of the Skies'' were: * Fairchild 24C-8C s/n 2664, N14792 * Lockheed Orion 9 s/n 180 NR1222 *

Spartan Executive The Spartan 7W Executive is a cabin monoplane aircraft that was produced by the Spartan Aircraft Company during the late 1930s and early 1940s. The 7W features an all-metal fuselage, as well as a retractable undercarriage. The 7W Executive was ...

7-W c/n 14, NC17615

Reception

Although featuring some aerial action, aviation film historian James H, Farmer in ''Celluloid Wings: The Impact of Movies on Aviation'' (1984) dismissed ''Pirates of the Skies'' as, "a poor second bill offering for the juvenile crowd. In Stephen Pendo's landmark, ''Aviation in the Cinema'' (1985), ''Pirates of the Skies'' was just another "low-budget actioneer."Pendo 1985, p. 16.

References

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

* Farmer, James H. ''Celluloid Wings: The Impact of Movies on Aviation''. Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania: Tab Books Inc., 1984. . * Pendo, Stephen. ''Aviation in the Cinema''. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 1985. . * Wynne, H. Hugh. ''The Motion Picture Stunt Pilots and Hollywood's Classic Aviation Movies''. Missoula, Montana: Pictorial Histories Publishing Co., 1987. .

External links

* * {{tcmdb title, 86749, Pirates of the Skies 1939 films American aviation films American action films 1930s action films Universal Pictures films American black-and-white films 1930s English-language films 1930s American films