"The Air Adventures of Jimmie Allen" was indeed a popular American radio adventure serial that aired from 1933 to 1937. It was created by two World War I flying aces, Bob Burtt and Bill Moore, and originated from WDAF-FM in Kansas City, Missouri.
Here's some additional information about the show:
- Target Audience: The serial was primarily aimed at children and teenagers. It capitalized on the growing fascination with aviation during the "Golden Age of Aviation" in the 1930s.
- Sponsorship and Promotion: The original and primary sponsor was Skelly Oil Company. They used the show as a major promotional tool, creating the Jimmie Allen Flying Club. Children could join the club by applying at Skelly gas stations and would receive various "premiums" like a set of wings, a membership emblem, a "personal" letter from Jimmie Allen, and a secret service whistle. At its peak, an estimated 600,000 club newspapers were sent out weekly. Other oil companies like Richfield Oil (on the West Coast) and British-American Oil (in Canada) also sponsored the show regionally.
- Storyline: The show followed the adventures of Jimmie Allen, a young pilot, and his mentor, Speed Robertson (a WWI pilot and later revealed to be a G-Man). They thwarted hijackings, participated in air races, conducted rescues, and uncovered treasures, often battling villains like Black Pete and Digger Dawson. The scripts aimed to portray the heroes as models of good and honest behavior.
- Cultural Impact: "The Air Adventures of Jimmie Allen" was one of the first radio shows to effectively use a club as a promotional tool, a strategy that would be emulated by many future children's radio programs. It also contributed to the widespread interest in aviation and inspired many young listeners. While the original run ended in 1937, the show was revived with new stories from 1946 to 1947, though this later iteration didn't achieve the same level of popularity. The creators, Burtt and Moore, went on to create another successful boy-pilot series, "Captain Midnight," also initially sponsored by Skelly Oil.
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