291:) of the State Motor Police are stymied over a series of holdups in their sector. A band of clever crooks seem to have advance information on the movement of large payrolls, bank transfers and jewelry shipments. The secret of their success lies in having access to two locations: the cafe owned by Jerry Petri (
306:
Nick is fired for disobedience and takes a job flying aircraft for a millionaire sportsman. Meanwhile, Barbara stumbles upon the secret recording room at the cafe and is taken prisoner by Petri. Nick, looking for
Barbara at the cafe, discovers the pigeons. Unravelling the secret of the robberies, the
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After each holdup, the robbers, fly to
Pettingill's health spa, where they pose as patients. Nick becomes suspicious of the doctor when he lands without orders, at the health spa, spotting several cans of high-test gas.
280:), the commander, that any infraction of the rules will result in instant dismissal. Nick visits the cafe hangout of the Sky Police, where he encounters waitress Barbara Whitney (
311:) to intercept one of the doctor's planes. Nick follows and when Lambert is shot down, Nick calls headquarters and forces the criminal's aircraft down.
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was one of a large group of 1930s films where aviation was incidental to the plot, even if the title suggested otherwise.
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With the gang arrested, Nick is reinstated into the Sky Police, and
Barbara comes back to him.
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as, "a poor second bill offering for the juvenile crowd. In
Stephen Pendo's landmark,
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Although featuring some aerial action, aviation film historian James H, Farmer in
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The Motion
Picture Stunt Pilots and Hollywood's Classic Aviation Movies
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The Motion
Picture Stunt Pilots and Hollywood's Classic Aviation Movies
640:. Missoula, Montana: Pictorial Histories Publishing Co., 1987.
284:), his estranged wife and former stewardess who ignores Nick.
545:"Original print information: 'Pirates of the Skies' (1939)."
610:. Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania: Tab Books Inc., 1984.
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began mid-October and wrapped early
November, 1938.
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608:Celluloid Wings: The Impact of Movies on Aviation
436:Celluloid Wings: The Impact of Movies on Aviation
566:, September 13, 2010. Retrieved: July 17, 2019.
8:
307:major sends his crack pilot, Bill Lambert, (
625:. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 1985.
499:"Overview: 'Pirates of the Skies' (1939)."
450:was just another "low-budget actioneer."
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561:"Review: 'Pirates of the Skies' (1939)."
515:"Review: 'Pirates of the Skies' (1939)."
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260:was released on February 3, 1939, by
228:and Ben Grauman Kohn. The film stars
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16:Film directed by Joseph A. McDonough
126:Charles Maynard (Ted Kent credited)
530:"Catalog: 'Pirates of the Skies'."
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550:, 2019. Retrieved: July 17, 2019.
535:, 2019. Retrieved: July 16, 2019.
520:, 2019. Retrieved: July 17, 2019.
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287:Major Smith and Captain Higgins (
471:Film historian Hugh H. Wynne in
717:American black-and-white films
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732:English-language action films
722:1930s English-language films
395:, principal photography on
391:Under the working title of
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163:February 3, 1939
375:as Police Captain Higgins
34:Theatrical release poster
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712:Universal Pictures films
697:American aviation films
623:Aviation in the Cinema
444:Aviation in the Cinema
363:as Dr. Amos Pettingill
351:as Police Commissioner
702:American action films
413:C-8C s/n 2664, N14792
339:as Pilot Bill Lambert
216:) is a 1939 American
727:1930s American films
672:Pirates of the Skies
661:Pirates of the Skies
575:Farmer 1984, p. 323.
559:Santoir, Christian.
477:Pirates of the Skies
448:Pirates of the Skies
440:Pirates of the Skies
425:7-W c/n 14, NC17615
404:Pirates of the Skies
397:Pirates of the Skies
258:Pirates of the Skies
207:Pirates of the Skies
22:Pirates of the Skies
357:as Pilot Hal Weston
272:Pilot Nick Conlan (
222:Joseph A. McDonough
45:Joseph A. McDonough
707:1930s action films
677:TCM Movie Database
593:Wynne 1987, p. 51.
584:Pendo 1985, p. 16.
475:(1987) noted that
361:Lucien Littlefield
333:as Barbara Whitney
297:Lucien Littlefield
262:Universal Pictures
254:Lucien Littlefield
150:Universal Pictures
140:Universal Pictures
109:Lucien Littlefield
616:978-0-83062-374-7
606:Farmer, James H.
513:Brennan, Sandra.
438:(1984) dismissed
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234:Rochelle Hudson
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337:Regis Toomey
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238:Regis Toomey
220:directed by
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179:Running time
156:Release date
93:Regis Toomey
325:Kent Taylor
274:Kent Taylor
230:Kent Taylor
226:Lester Cole
218:action film
85:Kent Taylor
71:Produced by
66:Lester Cole
55:Lester Cole
41:Directed by
692:1939 films
686:Categories
564:Aeromovies
454:References
387:Production
355:Ray Walker
250:Ray Walker
183:60 minutes
167:1939-02-03
132:Production
118:Jerome Ash
105:Ray Walker
487:Citations
430:Reception
373:Guy Usher
289:Guy Usher
123:Edited by
518:AllMovie
446:(1985),
393:Plane 66
345:as Kitty
213:Plane 66
196:Language
81:Starring
63:Story by
675:at the
502:TCM.com
199:English
188:Country
165: (
134:company
644:
629:
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406:were:
459:Notes
210:(aka
666:IMDb
642:ISBN
627:ISBN
612:ISBN
318:Cast
268:Plot
252:and
664:at
548:TCM
256:.
688::
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169:)
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