Don Winslow of the Navy

Don Winslow of the Navy is a 1942 Universal Pictures Serial film based on the comic strip Don Winslow of the Navy by Commander Frank V. Martinek. It was theatrically released in January 1942.

Don Winslow of the Navy
Directed byFord Beebe
Ray Taylor
Written byMorgan Cox
(screen adaptation)
(as Morgan B. Cox)
Screenplay byPaul Huston
Griffin Jay
Based onFrank V. Martinek
(based on the comic strip by)
Produced byHenry MacRae
StarringDon Terry
Walter Sande
John Litel
CinematographyWilliam A. Sickner
Edited byJoseph Glouck
(as Joseph Glick)
D. Pat Kelley
(as Patrick Kelley)
Louis Sackin
Alvin Todd
Production
company
Universal Pictures
Distributed byUniversal Pictures
Release date
  • January 6, 1942 (1942-01-06)
Running time
12 chapters
(237 minutes)
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Plot

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Commander Don Winslow is returned to the Office of Naval Intelligence from his command of his cruiser to investigate strange events on the Pacific island of Tangita, noticeably a ship being torpedoed. He discovers that there is a ring of saboteurs and enemy agents who are trying to destroy ships carrying supplies to the troops stationed in the islands and sabotage the war effort. Though the US Navy is preparing to build a naval base on Tangita, an unknown foreign power secretly has a subterranean submarine base beneath the island with the goal of preventing the American base from being completed. He sets out with three assistants to find the mastermind behind the activities.

Cast

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Production

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The serial was based on the comic strip by Commander Frank V. Martinek, which was approved by the US Navy.[1] The strip gained new meaning with the approach of World War II, which would also affect the serial: "Its presentation as a Universal serial in October 1941 - just before the infamous attack on Pearl Harbor in December - was one of the most timely contributions of the serial field."[2]

The Universal serials for 1941-42 were meant to run: Riders of Death Valley, Sea Raiders, Head Hunters of the Amazon, Gang Busters. Head Hunters of the Amazon was, however, dropped in favor of this serial. This is possibly due to the greater name recognition of the licensed property over the more generic planned serial.[3]

Chapter titles

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  1. The Human Torpedo
  2. Flaming Death
  3. Weapons of Horror
  4. Towering Doom
  5. Trapped in the Dungeon
  6. Menaced by Man-Eaters
  7. Bombed by the Enemy
  8. The Chamber of Doom
  9. Wings of Destruction
  10. Fighting Fathoms Deep
  11. Caught in the Caverns
  12. The Scorpion Strangled

Source:[4]

Sequel

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In 1943, a sequel, Don Winslow of the Coast Guard, was released by Universal.[1]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Cline, William C. (1997). In the Nick of Time: Motion Picture Sound Serials. McFarland. p. 19. ISBN 9780786404711. Retrieved 2 September 2017.
  2. ^ Cline, William C. (1984). "2. In Search of Ammunition". In the Nick of Time. McFarland & Company, Inc. pp. 18–19. ISBN 0-7864-0471-X.
  3. ^ Universal Serial Pressbook 1941-42
  4. ^ Cline, William C. (1984). "Filmography". In the Nick of Time. McFarland & Company, Inc. pp. 231. ISBN 0-7864-0471-X.
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