''The Air Patrol'' is a 1928 American

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...

directed by

Bruce M. Mitchell Bruce M. Mitchell (November 16, 1883 – September 26, 1952) was an American film director and writer active during the silent film era from 1914 to 1934. With the advent of sound films in the 1930s, Mitchell abandoned directing and became an a ...

and written by

William Berke William A. Berke (born October 3, 1903 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin – died February 15, 1958 in Los Angeles, California) was an American film director, producer, actor and screenwriter. He wrote, directed, and/or produced some 200 films over a ...

and Gardner Bradford from a story by

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 ...

, the star. The film stars Al Wilson,

Elsa Benham Elsa Benham (November 20, 1908 – April 20, 1995, Dallas, Texas) was a dancer and silent movie actress. Benham was born in St. Louis, Missouri. She and her family moved to Hollywood during her early childhood. Benham was Theodore Kosloff' ...

Jack Mower Jack Mower (September 5, 1890 – January 6, 1965) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 520 films between 1914 and 1965. He was born in Honolulu and died in Hollywood. After studying at Punahou College, in Honolulu, Mower move ...

, Frank Tomick,

Monte Montague Monte Montague (April 23, 1891 – April 6, 1959) was the stage name for Walter H. Montague, an American film actor. He appeared in more than 190 films between 1920 and 1954. He was born in Somerset, Kentucky, and died in Burbank, California ...

and Taylor N. Duncan. The film was released on January 1, 1928, 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 ...

. ''The Air Patrol'' 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, ...

Plot

Special agent Captain Al Langdon ( Elsie Tarron) of the Air Patrol forces "Flash" Kelly (Frank Tomick)", a suspected diamond smuggler, to land, but when he proves to be the wrong man, Langdon's suspicion is directed toward Michael Revere (

) as the leader of the gang. During an outing with his neighbor Mary Lacy (

), Revere finds Langdon, in an apparently drunken state, parachuting from an aircraft. In spite of Mary's intercession in his behalf, Langdon is dismissed and later offers his services to Revere as a ruse to aid in capturing the gang. Langdon is captured through Mary's innocent revelation of a secret message, but she discovers Revere's true nature. She also realizes Langdon's real purpose. Both are captured, with Langdon bound hand-and-foot and locked in a shack. When Revere forces Mary onto his aircraft, Langdon escapes in time to give chase to Revere and overpowers the smugglers. Langdon not only is restored to his position in the Air Patrol, he also wins the girl.

Cast

as Al Langdon *

as Mary Lacy *

as Michael Rovere * Frank Tomick as "Flash" Kelly *

as Professor Simeon Swivel * Taylor N. Duncan as Captain Carter * Art Goebel as Aviator * Frank Clarke as Lt. Blount

Production

was not only the star of ''The Air Patrol'' 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 cinem ...

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

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 ...

films. Production started on ''The Air Patrol'' in 1928 at the newly established Wilson Aero Service at

Glendale Airport Glendale Municipal Airport is a city-owned, public-use airport located west of the central business district of Glendale, a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. It is included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for ...

, California. Art Goebel, Frank Tomick and Frank Clarke, also actor/pilots were in the film, flying the chase and "pickup" aircraft. 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 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 Air Patrol'' 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. In ''The Air Patrol'' , Pendo noted the aerial stunts featured Wilson who was "battling diamond smugglers in an almost non-existent plot."Pendo 1985, p. 7. Film reviewer Hal Erickson in ''AllMovie. com'' described "The Air Patrol", as one of real-life "flyboy Al Wilson" who starred in "a string of successful silent aviation epics, of which '(The) Air Patrol' was typical ..." with aerial stunts, "leading to a thrill-packed conclusion high above the clouds."Erickson, Hal
"Review: 'The Air Patrol' (1928) - Bruce Mitchell."
''AllMovie'', 2019. Retrieved: June 20, 2019.

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:Air Patrol, The 1928 films 1920s English-language films Silent American drama films 1928 drama films Universal Pictures films Films directed by Bruce M. Mitchell American silent feature films American black-and-white films 1920s American films