Howie Wing
American old-time radio juvenile aviation adventure serial
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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]
William Janney played the title role in Howie Wing | |
| Genre | Juvenile aviation adventure |
|---|---|
| Running time | 15 minutes |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Language | 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 |
Background
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]
Story line
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]
Characters and cast
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]
Legacy
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]
