Introduction

Blackhawk is a 1952 American 15-chapter science fiction adventure movie serial from Columbia Pictures, based on the comic book Blackhawk, first published by Quality Comics, but later owned by competitor DC Comics. It was Columbia’s forty-ninth serial. The one-sheet poster referred to the serial as The Miraculous Blackhawk: Freedom’s Champion. The home video release added the tagline: “Fearless Champion of Freedom”.

Blackhawk stars Kirk Alyn as Blackhawk and Carol Forman as the foreign spy that must be stopped from stealing the experimental super-fuel “Element-X”; Alyn and Forman were also the hero and villain of Columbia’s earlier Superman.

Known as Blackhawk, The Miraculous Blackhawk: Freedom’s Champion, Blackhawk: Fearless Champion of Freedom, and The Miraculous Blackhawk: Fearless Champion of Freedom.

Outline

A flying squadron of World War II veterans, The International Brotherhood, is a private flying investigative force led by Blackhawk. They uncover a gang of underworld henchmen, led by the notorious foreign spy Laska, who reports to The Leader, a mystery man. During the serial, Blackhawk and his flying squadron set about bringing these criminals to justice, following a series of cliff-hanger adventures.

Cast

• Kirk Alyn as Blackhawk
• Michael Fox as Mr. Case
• Don C. Harvey as Olaf (as Don Harvey)
• Rick Vallin as Stan/Boris
• John Crawford as Chuck
• Frank Ellis as Hendrickson [Chs. 1-2,4,8-9]
• Larry Stewart as Andre
• Weaver Levy as Chop-Chop
• Carol Forman as Laska
• Zon Murray as Bork
• Nick Stuart as Cress
• Marshall Reed as Aller
• Pierce Lyden as Dyke
• William Fawcett as Dr. Rolph [Chs.4-7]
• Rory Mallinson as Hodge [Chs. 11-14]

Production

Writer George Plympton described a production staff meeting where they listened to a recording of the short-lived Blackhawk radio series. Everyone at the meeting was “aghast at the confusing babble of accents”. For Columbia’s serial, all recruits of the Blackhawk squadron speak with standard American accents.

Stunts

In chapter 3 Kirk Alyn performs a potentially dangerous stunt without the use of a stunt double. In order to save the life of squadron member Stan, who’s tied to a stake in the path of a taxiing plane, Blackhawk (Alyn) runs up to the vehicle and turns it aside by grabbing the wing. A hidden pilot inside the plane steered it to simulate the movement. When writing this scene, the screenwriters were thinking of a small lighter wood-and-canvas plane, not the heavy metal aircraft used in the final scene; it could have easily killed Alyn if the stunt’s timing had gone wrong.

Release

The serial was released on VHS in 1997 by Columbia TriStar Home Video. In 2016, it was released on DVD by Mill Creek Entertainment under license from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

Trivia

• Blackhawk was produced by the famously cheap Sam Katzman and directed by the team of Spencer Gordon Bennet and Fred F. Sears.
• It is considered cheap and lacklustre, made in the waning years of studio movie serial production.
• Blackhawk was a creation of the late Will Eisner for Quality Comics, which was later bought out by DC Comics.
  • According to the “Who’s Who In The DC Universe” update, Blackhawk’s real name is Janos Prohaska, sometimes said to be Polish, other times said to be US-born.
  • He is the leader of the seven-man Blackhawks team, a group of WW2 ace pilots who travel the world combating evil.
• The same Standard Oil facility is used in Chapters 1, 8, and 9.
  • It also appears in Daredevils of the Red Circle (1939) and other cliffhanger serials.

Blackhawk Series

• Episode 01: Distress Call from Space.
• Episode 02: Blackhawk Traps a Traitor.
• Episode 03: In the Enemy’s Hideout.
• Episode 04: The Iron Monster.
• Episode 05: Human Targets.
• Episode 06: Blackhawk’s Leap for Life.
• Episode 07: Mystery Fuel.
• Episode 08: Blasted from the Sky.
• Episode 09: Blackhawk Tempts Fate.
• Episode 10: Chase for Element X.
• Episode 11: Forced Down.
• Episode 12: Drums of Doom.
• Episode 13: Blackhawk’s Daring Plan.
• Episode 14: Blackhawk’s Wild Ride.
• Episode 15: The Leader Unmasked.

Production & Filming Details

• Director(s):
  • Spencer Gordon Bennet … (as Spencer Bennet)
  • Fred F. Sears
• Producer(s):
  • Sam Katzman … producer
• Writer(s):
  • George H. Plympton … (written for the screen by) and
  • Royal K. Cole … (written for the screen by) and
  • Sherman L. Lowe … (written for the screen by)
  • Reed Crandall … (based on the Blackhawk Comic Magazine by) and
  • Chuck Cuidera … (based on the Blackhawk Comic Magazine by) (as Charles Guidera)
  • Will Eisner … (characters) (uncredited)
• Music:
• Cinematography:
  • William P. Whitley … (as William Whitley)
• Editor(s):
  • Earl Turner
• Production:
  • Sam Katzman Productions
• Distributor(s):
  • Columbia Pictures (United States, 1952)(theatrical)
  • Christiaan van der Ree (Venezuela, 1952)(theatrical)
  • Columbia Pictures Corporation (United Kingdom, 1952)(theatrical)
  • Columbia Pictures of Canada (Canada, 1952)(theatrical)
  • Columbia TriStar Home Video (United States, 1997)(VHS)
  • Stokey Video (United States)(VHS)
• Release Date: 24 July 1952 to
• Running time: 242 minutes (total running time).
• Rating: U.
• Country: US.
• Language: English.

Video Link(s)