******W.W. I veteran pilot Robert Morris Burtt was a 22 year old
lieutenant from Massachusetts and had flown
SPADS in the final
weeks of the war over France.British pilot Wilfred Gibbs Moore
flew
S.E.5As for the Royal Flying Corps.After the war was over
he came to the US and started a career in Radio Broadcasting.
Burtt with a degree in journalism from Columbia University moved to
Chicago to work as a writer.There is where he meet Moore who also
loved flying and adventure so they created
The Air Adventures of Jimmy
Allen in 1933 and was sponsored by the Richfield Oil Company.
In 1939 they created another flying radio program,you guessed it
Captain Midnight!
******Then during WW II ,in 1942 they provided another
flying hero for the American boys and girls as we fought the Axis,
this time it was Hop Harrigan-Ace Of The Airways.And now they
saved their best for last as you and I know him as SKY KING
sponsored by Peter Pan Peanut Butter,made by Derby Foods Inc.,
a subsidary of Swift & Company.The first 15 min.radio program was
radio program was aired Monday ,October 29,1946 transcribed from
Chicago on WGN,from 5:15 to 5:30 pm. The show was such a smashing
success that the program was increased to a full half hour with each
one a complete adventure.The rest of childrens radio programs
such as Superman,Captain Midnight and Tom Mix ,all were quick
to follow suit.
******Sky King was first heard on ABC,and then on Mutual
Broascasting Network.Three different stars would play the part of
Sky King,first was Roy Engel,the second star to play the part was
Jack Lester,and in the last years up to the end of Radio Sky King,
none other than Earl Nightingale brought it into 1954.
Sky King was already on TV since 1951.For three years you could
listen and watch Sky King if you had one of those new expensive
inventions called television.The Next installment will cover that era,
be sure to tune in again next week for another high flying adventure of
...S-K-Y-K-I-N-G-!!Americas Favorite Flying Cowboy!
Later Sky King Intro.
Peter Pan Intro. (RealAudioVideo-378K)
Episode Closing Video (Window Media Player-2.69M)
K.Grant Interview (Real Audio) - 1984
"SKY KING" the Television Series
* Sky King: 1951-1952 = 19 Half Hour Episodes
* Sky King: 1955-1956 = 20 Half Hour Episodes
* Sky King: 1957-1962 = 97 Half Hour Episodes
This gives us a total of 136 episodes filmed,64 of
the last episodes from the number 73 to 136 were
distroyed in a New York film vault fire.(a huge lose to us all)
Only episodes 1 thru 72 remain.
(see link below)
From 1951 to 1956 a Cessna Bobcat T-50 was used as the "Song Bird", the episodes in 1957 to end of the shows run
(only 33 surviving episodes) were filmed with a Cessna
310B.
Sky King came to be the longest running television childrens show. It ran
between 1951 to 1968 on ABC, CBS, NBC and rerun again in
1987 to 1988 CBN.
Kirby Grant stared in or was a supporting actor in 53 motion pictures. (see link below)
Kirby Grant also had 2 television specials (30 minute)
"Where The Heart Is" and "U.S. Saving and Loan"
He made special apperance's in every state in the union, as Grand Marshall, Master of Ceremony, Guest Star, Charity Benefits
and made homes for boys and girls by founding "Sky King Youth Ranches of America Inc."
along with his wife Carol.
My New Flying Bobcat Page
Sky King Cast Photos
Sky King Quiz
Kirby Grant Movie History
Surviving Sky King Episodes
LINKS
Here is Kents new web page address,a very nice Sky King site....
For further information,Send SASE to
Sky King Fan Club
P.O.Box 566
Auburn,Washington
98071-0566
Email: skykingjon@hotmail.com
