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Secret Service of the Air

  • 1939
  • Approved
  • 1h 1m
IMDb RATING
5.7/10
273
YOUR RATING
Ronald Reagan, Ila Rhodes, and James Stephenson in Secret Service of the Air (1939)
ActionAdventureCrimeDramaThriller

Brass Bancroft and his sidekick Gabby Watters are recruited into the secret service and go undercover to crack a ruthless gang that smuggles illegal aliens.Brass Bancroft and his sidekick Gabby Watters are recruited into the secret service and go undercover to crack a ruthless gang that smuggles illegal aliens.Brass Bancroft and his sidekick Gabby Watters are recruited into the secret service and go undercover to crack a ruthless gang that smuggles illegal aliens.

  • Director
    • Noel M. Smith
  • Writers
    • Raymond L. Schrock
    • W.H. Moran
  • Stars
    • Ronald Reagan
    • John Litel
    • Ila Rhodes
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • IMDb RATING
    5.7/10
    273
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Noel M. Smith
    • Writers
      • Raymond L. Schrock
      • W.H. Moran
    • Stars
      • Ronald Reagan
      • John Litel
      • Ila Rhodes
    • 13User reviews
    • 5Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro

    • Photos6

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    Top cast49

    Edit
    Ronald Reagan
    Ronald Reagan
    • Lt. 'Brass' Bancroft
    John Litel
    John Litel
    • Saxby
    Ila Rhodes
    • Pamela Schuyler
    James Stephenson
    James Stephenson
    • Jim Cameron
    Eddie Foy Jr.
    Eddie Foy Jr.
    • Gabby Watters
    Rosella Towne
    Rosella Towne
    • Zelma Warren
    Larry Williams
    Larry Williams
    • Dick Wayne
    John Ridgely
    John Ridgely
    • Joe LeRoy
    Anthony Averill
    Anthony Averill
    • Hafer
    Bernard Nedell
    Bernard Nedell
    • Earl 'Ace' Hemrich
    Frank M. Thomas
    Frank M. Thomas
    • Doc
    Joe Cunningham
    • Agent Dawson
    Morgan Conway
    Morgan Conway
    • Edward V. Powell
    John Harron
    John Harron
    • Agent Cliff Durell
    Herbert Rawlinson
    Herbert Rawlinson
    • Adm. A.C. Schuyler
    Raymond Bailey
    Raymond Bailey
    • Klune - Henchman Starting Fight
    • (uncredited)
    Eumenio Blanco
    Eumenio Blanco
    • Mexican
    • (uncredited)
    Richard Bond
    Richard Bond
    • Buzzy - San Francisco Radio Operator
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Noel M. Smith
    • Writers
      • Raymond L. Schrock
      • W.H. Moran
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The Corrigan mentioned by Gabby is a reference to Douglas "Wrong Way" Corrigan (January 22, 1907 - December 9, 1995), an American aviator born in Galveston, Texas. He earned the nickname "Wrong Way" in 1938 when after a transcontinental flight from Long Beach, California, to New York, he flew from Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn, New York, to Ireland, though his flight plan was filed to return to Long Beach. He was thereafter known in American culture as "Wrong Way" Corrigan.
    • Quotes

      Gabby Watters: [Last lines] I'll bet they're going to be married.

      Tom Saxby: I'm afraid you're right.

      Gabby Watters: Well, that finishes him as a secret service man.

      Tom Saxby: What, Why?

      Gabby Watters: Well, he won't be unable to keep a secret now.

    • Connections
      Featured in American Masters: You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story - Part 1 (2008)
    • Soundtracks
      Shuffle Off to Buffalo
      (1933) (uncredited)
      Music by Harry Warren
      Lyrics by Al Dubin
      Sung a cappella twice by Eddie Foy Jr. with modified lyrics
      about San Francisco

    User reviews13

    Review
    Review
    Featured review

    Enjoyable

    Secret Service of the Air (1939)

    ** 1/2 (out of 4)

    Warner "B" flick about a pilot (Ronald Reagan) who joins the Secret Service so that he can take down some smugglers. I wasn't expecting too much out of this film but like Warner's gangster pictures, this film contains just about everything you could possibly fit into a 61-minute movie. You get a prison break, car chases, shootouts, bar fights, a silly love story, brawls, various plane chases and much more. I wouldn't exactly say Reagan gives a good performance but he is fun to watch. The film eventually runs out of steam and never gets too deep but overall this is a pretty entertaining movie.
    • Michael_Elliott
    • Feb 26, 2008
    • Permalink

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 4, 1939 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Contrabandistas del aire
    • Filming locations
      • Glendale Grand Central Air Terminal - Grandview Avenue, Glendale, California, USA(called "Valley Airport" in the movie-location of Los Angeles Air Taxi Company)
    • Production company
      • Warner Bros.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 1 minute
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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    Ronald Reagan, Ila Rhodes, and James Stephenson in Secret Service of the Air (1939)
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