Thunderbirds

• Director: John H. Auer
• AMG Rating:
• Genre: Action
• Movie Type: Combat Films
• Themes: War in the Sky
• Main Cast: John Derek, John Drew Barrymore, Mona Freeman, Gene Evans, Eileen Christy
• Release Year: 1952
• Country: US
• Run Time: 98 minutes

Plot

Not to be confused with a 1942 20th Century-Fox aviation actioner with the same title, Thunderbirds is a Republic Pictures war flick. John Derek and John Barrymore Jr. play two handsome flyboys with the Oklahoma National Guard who are pressed into service at the outbreak of World War II. They spend most of the war in the Italian campaign, then blast their way into Berlin. By way of a plot complication, Ward Bond shows up as a tough veteran sergeant who turns out to be the long-lost father of hotheaded Barrymore. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Cast

• John Derek - Gil Hackett
• John Drew Barrymore - Tom McCreery
• Mona Freeman - Lt. Ellen Henderson
• Gene Evans - Mike Braggart
• Eileen Christy - Mary Caldwell

Ward Bond - Sgt. Logan; Barton MacLane - Sgt. Durkee; Wally Cassell - Pfc. Sam Jacobs; Ben Cooper - Calvin Jones; Robert Neil - Keith Watson; Slim Pickens - Pvt. Wes Shelby; Ben Baker - Pvt. Charles Klassen; Mae Clarke - Mrs. Jones; Sammy McKim - Cpl. Ray Hanford; Allene Roberts - Mrs. Ray Hanford; Dick Simmons - Capt. Norton; Walter Reed - Lt. Hammond; Suzanne Dalbert - Marie Etienne; Barbara Pepper - Mrs. Mike Braggart; Pepe Hern - Pvt. Jim Lastchance; Victor Millan - Pvt. Joe Lastchance; Norman Budd - Pvt. Lou Radtke; Armando Silvestre - Corporal Ralph Mogay

Credit

Frank Hotaling - Art Director, John H. Auer - Director, Richard Van Enger - Editor, Victor Young - Composer (Music Score), Reggie Lanning - Cinematographer, John H. Auer - Producer, John McCarthy - Set Designer, Otto Siegel - Set Designer, Kenneth Gamet - Screen Story, Mary C. McCall, Jr. - Screenwriter