7.6 /10 1 Votes7.6
6.9/10 TV First episode date 4 February 1957 Number of seasons 3 | 8.1/10 IMDb Genre Adventure Original language(s) English Final episode date 18 January 1960 Number of episodes 111 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Also known as ''The WhirlybirdsCopter Patrol'' Created by Art NapoleonJo Napoleon Starring Nancy HaleCraig HillSandra SpenceKenneth Tobey Similar Sheriff of Cochise, Tales of Wells Fargo, Dick Powell's Zane Gre, Schlitz Playhouse of Stars, 77 Sunset Strip | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Whirlybirds (sometimes called The Whirlybirds or Copter Patrol) is a syndicated American drama/adventure television series, which aired for 111 episodes — broadcast from February 4, 1957, through January 18, 1960. It was produced by Desilu Studios.
Contents
Plot synopsis
The program features the exploits of Chuck Martin and Pete "P. T." Moore (Kenneth Tobey and Craig Hill, respectively), owners of a fictitious helicopter chartering company, Whirlybirds, Inc., in the American West. Martin and Moore sell their services to various clients at the fictional airport Longwood Field.
The Whirlybirds series was, like I Love Lucy, a product of Desilu Studios. One particular episode of I Love Lucy, Number 140, became pivotal to the Bell 47's public image as the definitive light helicopter of the 1950s. In No. 140, entitled "Bon Voyage" and first aired on CBS on January 16, 1956, Lucy Ricardo misses the sailing of her trans-Atlantic oceanliner and commandeers a friendly pilot of a Bell 47G to fly her to the ship; Jack Albertson guest stars in this episode. Down she goes on the hoist, in a studio sequence carefully staged using a 47G cabin mockup. Desilu Studios, intrigued by the Bell 47 and its manufacturer, began discussions with Bell Aircraft about how the entertainment potential of the Bell 47 might be further developed for a TV audience. The result of this collaboration became The Whirlybirds.
Tobey and Hill did not fly the helicopters on the show. That task was handled by expert copter pilots Ed Fuderich, Bob Gilbreath, and Harry Hauss of National Helicopter Service, Inc.
After production of the series ended, Kenneth Tobey reprised his role as Chuck Martin in episode #223 of the long-running TV series, Lassie. Entitled "The Rescue", the Lassie episode was broadcast on October 2, 1960. Chuck Martin uses a Bell 47G to rescue a trapped Timmy Martin (Jon Provost).
Episodes status
Some copies of the series are sold on the internet, but no officially authorized DVD sets are available. The U.S. National Archives possesses a complete set of original 16 mm prints. The original 35mm film prints of the series are no longer available; unfortunately, extant video copies are inferior with poor contrast/low-resolution images, some emulsion scratches, and with 16mm projector film-gate dirt visible in the frame corners. Considering the many generations of dubs made of this series, the soundtracks of most episodes remain in relative high fidelity.
Syndication
After production of Whirlybirds ended, CBS returned 39 of the 111 episodes to syndication and retitled the series, Copter Patrol.
International airings
In the United Kingdom, it was shown by the BBC in the late 1950s and early 1960s and repeated in the 1970s and late 1980s. In Italy, RAI dubbed many episodes in the early 1960s with the title Avventure in elicottero.