Hop Harrigan (1946)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Derwin Abrahams

Release Date:

28 March 1946 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure

Plot:

Hop Harrigan, a top Air Corps pilot, leaves the military and he and his mechanic, Tank Tinker, open up a small charter air service...

Plot Keywords:

Based On Comic | DC Comics | Serial | Based On Comic Book | Aviation

Cast

William Bakewell	...	Hop Harrigan
Jennifer Holt	...	Gail Nolan
Robert 'Buzz' Henry	...	Jackie Nolan
Sumner Getchell	...	Tank Tinker
Emmett Vogan	...	Arnold
Claire James	...	Gwen Arnold
John Merton	...	Dr. Tobor
Wheeler Oakman	...	Alex Ballard
Ernie Adams	...	Retner
Peter Michael	...	Mark Craven
Terry Frost	...	Barry
Anthony Warde	...	Edwards
Jackie Moran	...	Fraser
Bobby Stone	...	Gray
Jack Buchanon	...	Deputy Sheriff

Runtime:

(15 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Arizona, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Up We Go ...

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Prior to widespread television, the primary entertainment medium in the United States was radio. Besides the evening shows, there were 15-minute serials running in the 5:00 - 6:00 PM time period, called "The Children's Hour" by media types after a Longfellow poem. Among the serials was Hop Harrigsn, billed as "America's Ace of the Airways." Plot line contains minor spoilers.

As with other radio shows, comic books, and the like, Hop Harrigan became a serial. Released in 1946, Hop Harrigan, a pilot, and his mechanic, Tank Tinker, have left the Army Air Corps, and are operating out of a small airport as a charter air service. They are hired to fly an inventor, Dr. Tabor, to his secret laboratory. Tabor has developed a new power unit, and insists on secrecy (to the point that Hop has to fly a part of the route blindfolded (!!!), (An aside: even instrument-rated pilots have to be able to see the panel to fly with no visibility. But serials often overlook basics.) And there's some reason for the secrecy: a mysterious person named The Chief Pilot is interested in the invention, and manages to kidnap Tabor.

Solid spoiler follows: At one point, this serial has a cheat. At the close of one chapter, we see the aircraft Hop is piloting crash, not *quite* gaining sufficient altitude to clear a natural barrier. The beginning of the following chapter, the aircraft doesn't crash at all, but *barely* clears the barrier. This sort of cheat is rare, but does pop up once in a while.

Later on, Tabor goes around the bend, and decides to destroy the world with his power source. He issues orders, and his assistant carries them out without question. I dunno: if someone told *me* to destroy the world, which would include myself, I don't think I'd obey such a command.