''The Phantom Flyer'' (aka ''The Phantom Ranger'') is a 1928 American silent

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

and

aviation Aviation includes the activities surrounding mechanical flight and the aircraft industry. ''Aircraft'' includes fixed-wing and rotary-wing types, morphable wings, wing-less lifting bodies, as well as lighter-than-air craft such as hot air ...

film directed by Bruce M. Mitchell and starring

Al Wilson Aldra Kauwa Wilson (born June 21, 1977) is a former American college and professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons. He played college football for the University of Tennessee, and ...

, Lillian Gilmore and

Buck Connors Buck Connors (November 22, 1880 – February 4, 1947) was an American actor. He appeared in more than 80 films between 1912 and 1941. He is the son of William L Conner and Leah Bowen. He was born in Streator, La Salle County, Illinois,Ariz ...

. The film was produced and distributed by the

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 ...

. ''The Phantom Flyer'' was one of a series of films that showcased the exploits of the stunt pilots in

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood, ...

. ''The Phantom Flyer'' is not to be confused with another 1928 film of the same title, a 2-reeler starring

Jack Hoxie John Hartford Hoxie (January 11, 1885 – March 28, 1965) was an American rodeo performer and motion-picture actor whose career was most prominent in the silent film era of the 1910s through the 1930s. Hoxie is best recalled for his roles in ...

Plot

Farmer James Crandall (

) is homesteading on a western tract with the aid of his daughter, Mary (Lillian Gilmore), his son, Nick (Billy "Red" Jones), and Isabella (Myrtis Crinley), an orphan girl. Rancher Julia Hart (Mary Cornwallis), is in a struggle with the Crandalls over the water rights of her ranch. Mary catches Julia's men running brands on their cattle and after running away from them, is rescued by Dick Stanton (

), a border patrol aviator, who agrees to help her. One of Hart's gang, Joe Calvert (

Larry Steers Lawrence Wells Steers (February 14, 1888 – February 15, 1951) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 550 films between 1917 and 1951. He was born in Indiana, and died in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles. Partial filmography * ' ...

) shoots Nick in an attempted raid and sabotages her aircraft, loosening a wheel that will fall off in mid-air. Dick flies to Mary's aid, taking with him a replacement wheel that he attaches while hanging from the landing gear in the air. Together they bring a doctor for Nick. When Crandall discovers that his "first entry" papers have been stolen, Dick goes to the Hart ranch to investigate. Crandall is forced to sign a quit-claim deed, but Dick arrives just as Calvert abducts Mary in an aircraft. "Slim" Decker (Don Fuller) flies with Dick and a battle takes place in the sky. Calvert falls to his death while Julia ultimately relinquishes her claim to the Crandall deed, and, finally there is peace.

Cast

as Dick Stanton * Lillian Gilmore as Mary Crandall *

as James Crandall * Billy "Red" Jones as Nick Crandall * Don Fuller as "Slim" Decker * Myrtis Crinley as Isabella Pipp, The Cook * Mary Cornwallis as Julia Hart *

as Joe Calvert

Production

was not only the star of ''The Phantom Flyer'' but also flew as a "stunt pilot" in the film. After Wilson became a flying instructor and a short period as manager of the

Mercury Aviation Company Mercury Aviation Company was one of the first commercial airline services founded in 1919 by Cecil B. DeMille. DeMille, Hollywood American film director and producer, was one of the first to see the aircraft's potential in commercial airline serv ...

, founded by one of his students,

Cecil B. DeMille Cecil Blount DeMille (; August 12, 1881January 21, 1959) was an American film director, producer and actor. Between 1914 and 1958, he made 70 features, both silent and sound films. He is acknowledged as a founding father of the American cine ...

, Wilson became more and more skilled in performing stunts, including wing-walking, and left the company to become a professional stunt pilot, specializing in

films. Production started on ''The Phantom Flyer'' in 1928 at the newly established Wilson Aero Service at Glendale Airport, California. Wilson had joined with his brother, Roy, another pilot, to create a fixed-base operation that not only worked on Hollywood films but also offered charter and passenger flights. Wilson worked together with stuntmen like Frank Clarke and

Wally Timm Wally Timm (August 8, 1896 – April 29, 1978) was an American aircraft designer, pilot and manufacturer. Early life Wally Timm was born in Lakefield, Minnesota, and with his family moved to Windom, Minnesota. He worked closely alongside his brot ...

and also worked independently for film companies, including

. After numerous appearances in stunt roles, he started his career as an actor in 1923 with the serial ''

The Eagle's Talons ''The Eagle's Talons'' is a 1923 American film serial directed by Duke Worne. The film is considered to be lost. Cast * Fred Thomson - Jack Alden * Ann Little - Enid Markham * Al Wilson - Charles Dean * Herbert Fortier - Gregory Markham * J ...

''. Wilson produced his own movies until 1927, when he went back to work with Universal.

Reception

Aviation film historian Stephen Pendo, in ''Aviation in the Cinema'' (1985) said ''The Phantom Flyer'' was only one of a long list of aviation films that showcased Wilson's talents. He alternately wrote, acted and flew in a career that "spanned more than 10 years, and he acted in more films than any other professional pilot."Pendo 1985, pp. 7–8, 11. Pendo noted that Wilson repeated the aerial stunts that highlighted the action in ''The Phantom Flyer'' in other films, including ''

Won in the Clouds ''Won in the Clouds'' is a 1928 American silent film directed by Bruce M. Mitchell and starring Al Wilson. Like many actors in the silent film era, Wilson did not survive the transition to "talkies", with ''Won in the Clouds'', one of his las ...

'' (1928) and '' The Cloud Dodger'' (1928).Pendo 1985, p. 7.

References

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

* 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

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Phantom Flyer, The 1928 films 1928 Western (genre) films Universal Pictures films American aviation films American black-and-white films Silent American Western (genre) films Films directed by Bruce M. Mitchell 1920s American films