Speed Gibson

Juvenile Adventure serial (1937 - 38)

Speed Gibson's thrilling adventures flying airplanes and facing down international crime operatives was heady stuff for the youngster listening in his living room on the RCA floor model radio. Speed and his pals are on the trail of a super-gang and its dreaded leader "The Octopus." The Octopus has his tentacles in crime everywhere, and without the International Secret Police, the world would be his oyster. Every fifteen-minute episode is action-packed!

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Strangely, the boy who played Speed is not known, says the authoritative "On the Air, The Encyclopedia of Old Time Radio," Speed's pal is Barney Dunlap, acted by John Gibson. Barney's OK, but no match for the cunning of the Octopus and his gang. Barney's favorite reaction to a tight spot is "Suffering wangdoodles!" Speed Gibson was written by Virginia Cooke, who was smart enough to include Marcia Winfield, governess to little Jean Kingsley, for the girls to follow. All team up in these exciting adventures in the Far East as Speed and his Pals, with Marcia, set out to get the slippery Octopus!

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Uncle Clint Barlow, undercover disguise artist extraordinaire got Speed and his pals in the ISP (International Secret Police.) Howard McNear, who went on to the classic roles of Doc on Gunsmoke and Floyd the Barber on TV's Andy Griffith show, plays Uncle Clint. In this early juvenile series, he's playing it straight with little of the characteristic sardonic deadpan delivery of Doc Adams.

This fine aviation-based adventure series is a worthy addition to a juvenile genre that first took flight with The Air Adventures of Jimmie Allen, then Captain Midnight, and later Hop Harrigan. Speed Gibson has all the action of these series, and perhaps a little bit more - some honest interaction between well-drawn, complete characters that begins to remind a fan of these classic juveniles serials of the classic cliffhanger for all ages, I Love a Mystery.

For other aviation adventure series, see also: Air Adventures of Jimmy Allen, Airplanes and Pilots in Old Time Radio, Anne of the Airlines, Air Stories of the World War, Captain Midnight,Hop Harrigan, Howie Wing, A Saga of Aviation, Rare Aviation Old Time Radio Shows, Airmail Mystery, Sky King, Speed Gibson, Tailspin Tommy, Terry & the Pirates, Sky King, Sky Blazers, Charles Lindbergh Recordings, Amelia Earhart, and Smilin' Jack.

See also: True Adventures of Junior G-Men.