The Wings of Eagles (1957)
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- Approved
- 1h 50min
- Biography, Drama
- 22 Feb 1957 (USA)
- Movie
A biography of Navy flier-turned-screenwriter Frank W. "Spig" Wead.
Director:
Writers:
Stars:
Photos and Videos
Cast verified as complete
| John Wayne | ... |
Frank W. 'Spig' Wead
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| Dan Dailey | ... |
'Jughead' Carson
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| Maureen O'Hara | ... |
Min Wead
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| Ward Bond | ... |
John Dodge
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| Ken Curtis | ... |
John Dale Price
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| Edmund Lowe | ... |
Adm. Moffett
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| Kenneth Tobey | ... |
Capt. Herbert Allen Hazard
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James Todd | ... |
Jack Travis
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| Barry Kelley | ... |
Capt. Jock Clark
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| Sig Ruman | ... |
Manager
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| Henry O'Neill | ... |
Capt. Spear
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| Willis Bouchey | ... |
Barton
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| Dorothy Jordan | ... |
Rose Brentmann
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Tige Andrews | ... |
Arizona Pincus (uncredited)
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| Frank Baker | ... |
Police Officer (uncredited)
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Ray Baker | ... |
Captain (uncredited)
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Audrey Betz | ... |
Tourist (uncredited)
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| Veda Ann Borg | ... |
Lovely (uncredited)
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Danny Borzage | ... |
Pete (uncredited)
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| George Bruggeman | ... |
Party Guest (uncredited)
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| Olive Carey | ... |
Bridy O'Faolain (uncredited)
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| Gordon Carveth | ... |
Party Guest (uncredited)
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Donald Chaffin | ... |
Spectator at Screening (uncredited)
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Russ Clark | ... |
Cop (uncredited)
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| Ruth Clifford | ... |
Tourist (uncredited)
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Tom Coleman | ... |
Spectator at Screening (uncredited)
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Oliver Cross | ... |
Premier Guest (uncredited)
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Jane Crowley | ... |
Tourist (uncredited)
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Dan Dowling | ... |
Waiter (uncredited)
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Michael Dugan | ... |
Captain (uncredited)
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Ken DuMain | ... |
Spectator at Screening (uncredited)
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| Franklyn Farnum | ... |
Premier Guest (uncredited)
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| Fred Fisher | ... |
Officer (uncredited)
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| James Flavin | ... |
MP at Garden Party (uncredited)
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| William Forrest | ... |
Admiral Gooding (uncredited)
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Raoul Freeman | ... |
Committee Member (uncredited)
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Kenneth Gibson | ... |
Party Guest (uncredited)
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| Mimi Gibson | ... |
Lila Wead (uncredited)
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| James Gonzalez | ... |
Board Member (uncredited)
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| Fred Graham | ... |
Officer in Brawl (uncredited)
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| Sam Harris | ... |
Patient (uncredited)
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Marcoreta Hellman | ... |
Tourist (uncredited)
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| William Henry | ... |
Naval Aide (uncredited)
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| Louis Jean Heydt | ... |
Dr. John Keye (uncredited)
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| Stuart Holmes | ... |
Producer (uncredited)
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Shep Houghton | ... |
Party Guest (uncredited)
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| John Hudkins | ... |
Officer in Brawl (uncredited)
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Ray Hyke | ... |
Lieutenant (uncredited)
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| William Joyce | ... |
Naval Aide (uncredited)
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Janet Lake | ... |
Nurse (uncredited)
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| Leota Lorraine | ... |
Red Outfit Wife (uncredited)
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William Paul Lowery | ... |
Wead's Baby - 'Commodore' (uncredited)
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| Cliff Lyons | ... |
Officer in Brawl (uncredited)
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| Mae Marsh | ... |
Nurse Crumley (uncredited)
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| May McAvoy | ... |
Nurse (uncredited)
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| Jody McCrea | ... |
Tex Brooks (uncredited)
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| Frank McLure | ... |
Committee Member (uncredited)
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| Matt Moore | ... |
Doctor (uncredited)
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| Bob Morgan | ... |
Officer in Brawl (uncredited)
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| Alberto Morin | ... |
Second Manager (uncredited)
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| Sol Murgi | ... |
Spectator at Screening (uncredited)
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| Forbes Murray | ... |
Congressman (uncredited)
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Peter Ortiz | ... |
Lt. Charles Dexter (uncredited)
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Web Overlander | ... |
Congressman (uncredited)
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| Jack Pennick | ... |
Joe McGuffey (uncredited)
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| Gil Perkins | ... |
Officer in Brawl (uncredited)
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| Chuck Roberson | ... |
Officer (uncredited)
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John Rosser | ... |
Army Officer (uncredited)
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| Evelyn Rudie | ... |
Doris Wead (uncredited)
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Arthur Salzfass | ... |
Navy Pilot (uncredited)
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| Jeffrey Sayre | ... |
Committee Member (uncredited)
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| Scott Seaton | ... |
Premier Guest (uncredited)
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Mabel Smaney | ... |
Tourist (uncredited)
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| Tom Steele | ... |
Officer in Brawl (uncredited)
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| Harry Strang | ... |
Bartender (uncredited)
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| William Tracy | ... |
Air Officer (uncredited)
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| Charles Trowbridge | ... |
Adm. Crown (uncredited)
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| Dale Van Sickel | ... |
Naval Officer (uncredited)
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Eleanore Vogel | ... |
Tourist (uncredited)
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Ralph Volkie | ... |
Jimmie (uncredited)
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| Harlan Warde | ... |
Executive Officer (uncredited)
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| Blue Washington | ... |
Bartender at Officer's Club (uncredited)
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Luree Wiese | ... |
Tourist (uncredited)
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| Terry Wilson | ... |
Naval Officer (uncredited)
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Judith Woodbury | ... |
Spectator at Screening (uncredited)
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Directed by
| John Ford | ||
Written by
| Frank Fenton | ... | (screenplay) and |
| William Wister Haines | ... | (screenplay) |
| Frank Wead | ... | (based on the life and writings of) (as Commander Frank W. 'Spig' Wead) |
Produced by
| James E. Newcom | ... | associate producer |
| Charles Schnee | ... | producer |
Music by
| Jeff Alexander | ||
Cinematography by
| Paul Vogel | ... | director of photography (as Paul C. Vogel) |
Editing by
| Gene Ruggiero | ||
Editorial Department
| Charles K. Hagedon | ... | color consultant |
Art Direction by
| Malcolm Brown | ||
| William A. Horning | ||
Set Decoration by
| F. Keogh Gleason | ... | (as Keogh Gleason) |
| Edwin B. Willis | ||
Makeup Department
| William Tuttle | ... | makeup artist |
Production Management
| Tom Andre | ... | unit manager (uncredited) |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Wingate Smith | ... | assistant director |
Art Department
| Frank Wesselhoff | ... | painter (uncredited) |
Sound Department
| Wesley C. Miller | ... | recording supervisor (as Dr. Wesley C. Miller) |
| James Brock | ... | sound (uncredited) |
Special Effects by
| A. Arnold Gillespie | ... | special effects |
| Warren Newcombe | ... | special effects |
Stunts
| Fred Graham | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
| Chuck Hayward | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
| John Hudkins | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
| Cliff Lyons | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
| Paul Mantz | ... | aerial stunts (uncredited) |
| Frank McGrath | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
| Bob Morgan | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
| Chuck Roberson | ... | stunt double: John Wayne (uncredited) / stunts (uncredited) |
| Ronnie Rondell Jr. | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
| Paul Stader | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
| Dale Van Sickel | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
| Jack Williams | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
| Terry Wilson | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| Walter Plunkett | ... | wardrobe: Miss O'Hara |
Music Department
| Arthur Morton | ... | orchestrator (uncredited) |
Additional Crew
| John Dale Price | ... | technical advisor (as Adm. John Dale Price USN [Ret]) |
| John Keye | ... | technical advisor (uncredited) |
Thanks
| Frank Wead | ... | dedicatee (as Commander Frank 'Spig' Wead) |
Production Companies
Distributors
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1957) (United States) (theatrical)
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1957) (Belgium) (theatrical)
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1957) (France) (theatrical)
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1957) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1957) (West Germany) (theatrical)
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1957) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (1957) (India) (theatrical)
- National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1963) (United States) (tv) (original airing)
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1966) (United States) (theatrical) (re-release)
- MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1990) (United States) (VHS)
- Atalanta Filmes (1999) (Paraguay) (VHS) (re-release)
- Warner Home Video (2006) (United States) (DVD)
- HBO Max (2020) (United States) (video) (VOD)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- Department of Defense (grateful acknowledgement)
- United States Navy (grateful acknowledgement)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
U.S. Navy pilot Frank 'Spig' Wead is a fun-loving and rowdy adventurer, but also a fierce proponent of Naval aviation. His dedication to the promotion of the Navy's flying program is so intense that his marriage and family life suffer. When an accident paralyzes him, Spig finds a new means of expressing his love of flying: screenwriting. Successful and acclaimed, he finds the U.S. entry into World War II to be an irresistible call. Pleading that he be reinstated in the Navy despite his paralysis, Spig finds he has an enormous contribution yet to make.
Written by Jim Beaver |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | What A Guy Wayne ! See more » |
| Genres | |
| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
| Certification |
Additional Details
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Box Office
| Budget | $2,644,000 (estimated) |
Did You Know?
| Trivia | Most of the extras in the Pensacola, Florida, scenes were Navy flight students and flight instructors. Although the Navy objected, director John Ford made certain that the military men were paid "extra" wages. See more » |
| Goofs | When Frank "Spig" Wead is taking command of the aircraft carrier during WWII the car that drives up to the docked carrier is a 1950 or '51 Chevrolet or Pontiac yet the scene is supposed to be during the war, which ended in 1945. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Edited from Hell Divers (1931). See more » |
| Soundtracks | Mama Inez See more » |
| Quotes |
Frank W. 'Spig' Wead:
[while trying to regain nerve control of his toes in the hospital]
I'm gonna move that toe! See more » |