Flight into Danger

Last updated
Flight into Danger
Flight Into Danger.gif
Promotional poster
Written by Arthur Hailey
Directed by David Greene
Starring
Country of originCanada
Original languageEnglish
Production
Producer Sydney Newman
Running time60 minutes
Production company Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC)
Budget$18,000 (Canadian)
Original release
Network CBC Television
ReleaseApril 3, 1956 (1956-04-03)

Flight into Danger is a 1956 Canadian live television play starring James Doohan, Corinne Conley and Cec Linder. It was written by Arthur Hailey, produced and screened by CBC Television, and broadcast on April 3, 1956, on the General Motors Theatre series. It was later adapted into two different feature films, a parody feature film, a novel, and international television versions in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Australia.

Contents

Plot

While on a flight from Toronto, Ontario, to Vancouver, British Columbia, the pilots at the controls of a Canadair North Star, a large commercial airliner, fall victim to food poisoning. Approximately half of the passengers have also been incapacitated by eating the same fish served to the pilots. After the stewardess (Corinne Conley) asks for help from the passengers, George Spencer (James Doohan), an ex-Second World War Spitfire fighter pilot, is forced to take over, with the stewardess's assistance.

Cast

Production

The Canadair North Star was a derivation of the Douglas DC-4 airliner and was a common sight in North America in the 1950s. BOAC C-4 Argonaut Heathrow 1954.jpg
The Canadair North Star was a derivation of the Douglas DC-4 airliner and was a common sight in North America in the 1950s.

Playwright Hailey, a former British pilot in the Second World War, emigrated to Canada in 1947. He began working as a sales promotion manager for a tractor-trailer manufacturer in Toronto. On a flight between Vancouver and Toronto in 1955, he came up with the original idea that spawned Flight into Danger. The story of an airliner whose passengers and crew were threatened by an unforeseen event such as food poisoning was written in only nine days and shopped about as a screenplay. [2] The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, whose television service was less than four years old, bought the script for $600. [3]

The production acquired the cockpit of a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Canadair North Star and had it shipped by road to RCAF Station Trenton, where the filming took place, including aerial shots. The Malton Airport at Malton, Ontario, present day Toronto Pearson International Airport, was also used for the airport scenes. [4]

Reception

When Flight into Danger was broadcast live-to-air on April 3, 1956, on the network's General Motors Theatre, it was seen by two million people and received a resounding positive reaction. "In the words of one journalist, it was 'probably the most successful TV play ever written anywhere'." [5] A kinescope of the live production was broadcast in August 1956 due to viewer demand. [6] The play was remade with a new cast and production staff on NBC's anthology series The Alcoa Hour on September 16, 1956, and later the same month the original CBC version was shown by the BBC in the United Kingdom and was a major factor in the supervising producer of CBC's television dramas, Sydney Newman, being brought across to work in the UK. There he made a significant impact on the British television drama industry. [7]

In 1957, Flight into Danger was adapted into the feature film Zero Hour! and, in 1962, the story was adapted for an episode of the BBC series Studio 4 . [3] In 1964, a German version of the television film was produced under the title Flug in Gefahr. [8] Czechoslovak radio (Československý rozhlas) has produced it as part of the radio series Let do nebezpečí, directed by Jiří Horčička. An Australian television version was produced in 1966.

In Flight into Danger, Hailey created the template for future disaster films. [9] Character-driven plot lines built up among diverse characters would dominate, with brief episodes or flashbacks giving back stories, and all the individual stories coming together at the climax. [10] Hailey's story was adapted as a novel by John Castle (a pseudonym for Ronald Payne and John Garrod), with Hailey receiving credit as co-author. The book was called Flight into Danger (Souvenir Press) for its British publication in 1958, but retitled Runway Zero-Eight (Doubleday) for its American publication in 1959. [11] The story was again produced for American television in 1971 as Terror in the Sky , a Movie of the Week, and more famously parodied in the 1980 comedy feature film Airplane! . [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arthur Hailey</span> Canadian writer

Arthur Frederick Hailey, AE was a Canadian novelist whose plot-driven storylines were set against the backdrops of various industries. His books, which include such best sellers as Hotel (1965), Airport (1968), Wheels (1971), The Moneychangers (1975), and Overload (1979), have sold 170 million copies in 38 languages.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow</span> Canadian interceptor aircraft family

The Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow was a delta-winged interceptor aircraft designed and built by Avro Canada. The CF-105 held the promise of Mach 2 speeds at altitudes exceeding 50,000 feet (15,000 m) and was intended to serve as the Royal Canadian Air Force's (RCAF) primary interceptor into the 1960s and beyond.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Doohan</span> Canadian actor (1920–2005)

James Montgomery Doohan was a Canadian actor and author, best known for his role as Montgomery "Scotty" Scott in the television and film series Star Trek. Doohan's characterization of the Scottish chief engineer of the Starship Enterprise has become one of the most recognizable elements in the Star Trek franchise, and inspired many fans to pursue careers in engineering and other technical fields. He also made contributions behind the scenes, such as the initial development of the Klingon and Vulcan languages.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London International Airport</span> Airport in Ontario, Canada

The London International Airport is an international airport located in London, Ontario, Canada. It is located 5 nautical miles northeast of the city of London, Ontario and is classified as an airport of entry by Nav Canada. In 2023, the airport was listed as the 17th busiest airport in Canada in terms of aircraft movements with 102,122 flights. The airport posted a record 683,000 travelers in 2019 and 332,447 passengers in 2023. It provides services for cargo airlines and year-round flights with Air Canada Express and WestJet.

The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1914, with the formation of the Canadian Aviation Corps (CAC) that was attached to the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War. It consisted of one aircraft that was never called into service. In 1918, a wing of two Canadian squadrons called the Canadian Air Force (CAF) was formed in England and attached to the Royal Air Force, but it also would never see wartime service. Postwar, an air militia also known as the Canadian Air Force was formed in Canada in 1920. In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) when it was granted the royal title by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadair CT-114 Tutor</span> Military training aircraft

The Canadair CT-114 Tutor is a jet trainer that was designed and produced by Canadian aircraft manufacturer Canadair. It served as the standard jet trainer of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), and later Canadian Armed Forces, between the early 1960s and 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golden Hawks</span> Canadian military flight demonstration team 1959–1964

The Golden Hawks were a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) aerobatic flying team established in 1959 to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the RCAF and the "Golden" 50th anniversary of Canadian flight, which began with the AEA Silver Dart in 1909.

<i>Zero Hour!</i> 1957 American drama film directed by Hall Bartlett

Zero Hour! is a 1957 American drama film directed by Hall Bartlett from a screenplay by Bartlett, Arthur Hailey, and John Champion. It stars Dana Andrews, Linda Darnell, and Sterling Hayden and features Peggy King, Elroy "Crazy Legs" Hirsch, Geoffrey Toone, and Jerry Paris in supporting roles. It was released by Paramount Pictures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadair CL-44</span> Canadian turboprop airliner (1950s–60s)

The Canadair CL-44 was a Canadian turboprop airliner and cargo aircraft based on the Bristol Britannia that was developed and produced by Canadair in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Although innovative, only a small number of the aircraft were produced for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), and for commercial operators worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadair CP-107 Argus</span> Type of aircraft

The Canadair CP-107 Argus is a maritime patrol aircraft designed and manufactured by Canadair for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). The Argus served throughout the Cold War in the RCAF's Maritime Air Command and later the Canadian Force's Maritime Air Group and Air Command.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadair CF-104 Starfighter</span> Licensed built variant of the F-104 Starfighter

The Canadair CF-104 Starfighter is a modified version of the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter supersonic fighter aircraft built in Canada by Canadair under licence. It was primarily used as a ground attack aircraft, despite being designed as an interceptor. It served with the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and later the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) until it was replaced by the McDonnell Douglas CF-18 Hornet in 1987.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadair CF-5</span> Fighter bomber aircraft by Canadair

The Canadair CF-5 is a Canadian licensed-built Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter. It is a light, supersonic, twin engine, daylight air superiority fighter primarily for the Canadian Forces and the Royal Netherlands Air Force. The CF-5 was upgraded periodically throughout its service life in Canada. While Canadian Forces retired the aircraft in 1995, it continues to be used by other countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadair North Star</span> Canadian airliner with 4 piston engines, 1946

The Canadair North Star is a 1940s Canadian development, for Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA), of the Douglas DC-4. Instead of radial piston engines used by the Douglas design, Canadair used Rolls-Royce Merlin V12 engines to achieve a higher cruising speed of 325 mph (523 km/h) compared with the 246 mph (396 km/h) of the standard DC-4. Requested by TCA in 1944, the prototype flew on 15 July 1946. The type was used by various airlines and by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). It proved to be reliable but noisy when in service through the 1950s and into the 1960s. Some examples continued to fly into the 1970s, converted to cargo aircraft.

No. 666 Squadron RCAF was originally an RCAF air observation post (AOP) squadron formed during the Second World War. It was manned principally by Royal Canadian Artillery (RCA) and Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) personnel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">412 Transport Squadron</span> Military unit

No. 412 Transport Squadron is one of three Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) transport squadrons attached to Ottawa, Ontario. The squadron operates with a strength of about 29 out of the Pilot Officer John Gillespie Magee, Jr. Annex.The Annex officially opened on January 11, 1995.

General Motors Theatre was a Canadian television anthology drama series of television plays, which ran on CBC Television under various titles from September 18, 1952, until January 1, 1961, and in the US on ABC from October 5 to November 2, 1958. The series mainly consisted of one-hour episodes of romance, adventure, or mystery stories, with some social realist drama plays.

<i>Birth of a Giant</i> 1957 Canadian short documentary film

Birth of a Giant is a 29-minute 1957 Canadian documentary film, directed by Hugh O'Connor and produced by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) television series, Perspective.

<i>Screaming Jets</i> (film) 1951 Canadian film

Screaming Jets is an 11-minute 1951 Canadian documentary film, made by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) as part of the postwar Canada Carries On series. The film, directed by Jack Olsen and produced by Sydney Newman, depicted the contemporary Canadian and international aircraft in production and on the drawing boards. The film's French version title is Avions à réaction.

Corinne Alexandra Conley is an American actress who spent the majority of her career in Canada, notable for having won the Canadian Council of Authors and Artists' Best Actress Award. Conley is known for her voiceover work in various films and television productions and is better recognized for voicing Rudolph's mother and presumably Dolly for Sue in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964).

Aviation accidents and incidents, particularly civilian airplane crashes or incidents threatening a crash or requiring an emergency landing, are a common theme in fiction. Films centered on such incidents make up a substantial subset of the disaster film genre, and influence how other stories within the genre are told. Works in this genre encompass both fictional depictions of the incidents themselves, and depictions of consequences such as investigations, lawsuits, and the effect on the lives of persons involved. A subgenre, the "plane crash survival movie", involves characters placed in a dangerous environment by an initial airplane crash. Airplane crashes have been described as "the easy and obvious device" for dramatically incorporating an airplane into the plot of a film, and as "a Hollywood staple", with various levels of praise or criticism directed to the realism of specific depictions.

References

  1. ↑ Doohan was a wartime pilot flying Taylorcraft Auster Mark V aircraft for 666 (AOP) Squadron, RCAF as a Royal Canadian Artillery officer. [1]

Citations

  1. ↑ Fromow 2002, p. 45.
  2. ↑ Barker, Dennis. "Obituary: Arthur Hailey." The Guardian, November 27, 2004. Retrieved: September 7, 2014.
  3. 1 2 "Arthur Hailey". ABC Bookworld. Retrieved: September 6, 2014.
  4. ↑ Hailey 2014.
  5. ↑ Plummer, Kevin. "Hailey's Comet." Historicist, August 13, 2011. Retrieved: September 6, 2014.
  6. ↑ ""General Motors Theatre" Flight Into Danger (1956)". IMDB. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  7. 1 2 Cady, Brian. "Zero Hour." Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved: September 6, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Flug in Gefahr (1964)". IMDB. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  9. ↑ Kay and Rose 2006, p. 48.
  10. ↑ Sparber 2011.
  11. ↑ Hailey, Sheila (1978). I Married a Best Seller: My Life with Arthur Hailey. Open Road Media, 2014. Kindle Edition.

Bibliography

  • Fromow, D. L. Canada's Flying Gunners: A History of the Air Observation Post of the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Air O.P. Pilot's Association, 2002. ISBN   0-9730055-0-5.
  • Haliley, Sheila. I Married a Best Seller: My Life with Arthur Hailey. New York: Open Road Media, 2014. ISBN   978-1-48049-004-8.
  • Kay, Glenn and Michael Rose.Disaster Movies: A Loud, Long, Explosive, Star-studded Guide to Avalanches ... Oakville, Ontario, Canada: Mosaic Press, 2006. ISBN   978-1-55652-612-1.
  • Sparber, Max. Ultra-Actors: William Shatner. Seattle, Washington: Ultramod, 2011. ISBN   978-1-45803-457-1.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.