The Phantom of the Air

The Phantom of the Air
File:The Phantom of the Air FilmPoster.jpeg
Directed by	Ray Taylor
Produced by	Henry MacRae
Written by	Basil Dickey Ella O'Neill George H. Plympton
Starring	Tom Tyler Gloria Shea LeRoy Mason Craig Reynolds William Desmond
Cinematography	John Hickson
Edited by	Alvin Todd Edward Todd
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release dates	1933 (1933)
Running time	12 chapters (240 minutes)
Country	United States
Language	English

The Phantom of the Air is a 12-episode 1933 Pre-Code Universal movie serial directed by Ray Taylor. The film stars Tom Tyler, Gloria Shea, LeRoy Mason, Craig Reynolds and William Desmond.

Plot

Scientist Thomas Edmunds (William Desmond) invents an anti-gravity device called the "Contragrav," which is sought after by a gang of smugglers led by Mort Crome (LeRoy Mason).

Crome wants the invention but pilot Bob Raymond (Tom Tyler) comes to the inventor's aid, using another of Edwards' inventions, the superplane, "The Phantom." Able to control the aircraft from an underground headquarters, Bob foils Crome's plans. A last attempt to get at the inventor's work leads to an explosion at his workshop that kills the criminals. Edmunds escapes and is reunited with his daughter (Gloria Shea) and Bob.

Chapter titles

1. The Great Air Meet
2. The Secret of the Desert
3. The Avenging Phantom
4. The Battle in the Clouds
5. Terror of the Heights
6. A Wild Ride
7. The Jaws of Death
8. Aflame in the Sky
9. The Attack
10. The Runaway Plane
11. In the Enemy's Hands
12. Safe Landing

_Source:

Cast

• Tom Tyler as Bob Raymond, pilot
• Gloria Shea as Mary Edmunds, Thomas Edwards' daughter and Raymonds' love interest.
• LeRoy Mason as Mort Crome, head of a gang of smugglers attempting to steal Edmunds' "Contragrav" device.
• Craig Reynolds as Blade, Raymonds' sidekick
• William Desmond as Mr Thomas Edmunds, the inventor of the "Contragrav" and "The Phantom"
• Sidney Bracey as Munsa
• Walter Brennan as "Skid"
• Jennie Cramer as Marie
• Cecil Kellogg as Joe
• Edmund Cobb as Bart, one of Crome's henchmen
• Bud Osborne as Spike, one of Crome's henchmen
• Nelson McDowell as Scotty
• Tom London as Jim
• Ethan Laidlaw as Durkin, one of Crome's henchmen
• Al Ferguson as Al, one of Crome's henchmen

References

Bibliography

• Cline, William C. "Filmography". In the Nick of Time. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc., 1984. ISBN 0-7864-0471-X.
• Harmon, Jim and Donald F. Glut. The Great Movie Serials: Their Sound and Fury. London: Routledge, 1973. ISBN 978-0-7130-0097-9.
• Weiss, Ken and Ed Goodgold. To be Continued ...: A Complete Guide to Motion Picture Serials. New York: Bonanza Books, 1973. ISBN 0-517-166259.
• Wynne, H. Hugh. The Motion Picture Stunt Pilots and Hollywood's Classic Aviation Movies. Missoula, Montana: Pictorial Histories Publishing Co., 1987. ISBN 0-933126-85-9.

External links

• The Phantom of the Air at IMDb
• The Phantom of the Air at AllMovie

Preceded by Clancy of the Mounted (1933)

Universal Serial The Phantom of the Air (1933)

Succeeded by Gordon of Ghost City (1933)