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“The Adventures of Smilin’ Jack” (R4)
Samuel Eppy, Inc., New York, NY, USA
Series Title: “The Adventures of Smilin’ Jack”
American Card Catalog Number: R4
Issued by: Samuel Eppy, Inc., New York, NY
Issued with: Available in Movie Theatres, Retail (Lost to history?)
Country: USA
Number of Cards: 128
Card Numbering: 1 to 128
Type of Card: Both single cards and 16 strips of 8 cards
Card Dimensions: 77.55 × 62.06 mm
Circa: 1943
Checklist: Checklist
A Little History About “Smilin’ Jack” [3]
“The Adventures of Smilin’ Jack” is a movie serial based on the comic strip “The Adventures of Smilin’ Jack”. The movie serial, was distributed by Universal Pictures during 1943, and was comprised of 13 chapters with a total run time of 265 minutes.
Plot — In 1941, an American aviator, “Smilin’ Jack” Martin wishes to resign as an advisor to the Nationalist Chinese Army in order to return to the United States to enlist as an aviator in America’s military buildup prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor. He is delayed when the Chinese discover that the neutral Tibetan like Mandon “Province” contains a secret road from India to China crucial for the Allied war effort. Determined to obtain the secret for themselves, or equally determined to have the secret destroyed is the Japanese espionage organization “The Black Samurai” and the German intelligence agent Fräulein von Teufel who masquerades as an American newspaper reporter. The cast of the 13 movie-serials are listed below. Click on the actor’s names to for additional information.
Production — The serial was based on the comic strip by Zack Moseley but it was not in the spirit of the strip as would normally be expected from a Universal production. Very little of the original comic strip was used and a new character, Tommy Thompson, was created by Universal. The similarity to Tommy Tomkins, of the Tailspin Tommy stories, may imply a crossover of sorts. Cline suggests that it was “a quick attempt to get a story on screen about a topical subject, and could have had almost any flyer with any name as a hero.” The movie serials were presented in the 13 following “Chapters”. Click on the individual Chapter Titles to view the original movie serials.
Chapter Titles
Overview
During 1943, Samuel Eppy, Inc. issued a 128-card set of “The Adventures of Smilin’ Jack”. Both single cards and sixteen 8-cards strips were issued. The original 8-card strips were issued without the normal machine perforations between the individual cards which were designed to make detaching of the cards easy. Later, the 8-card strips were issued with the machine perforations between the individual cards. The machine preformation process was not always that precise. Skytamer’s set of 16 8-card strips had the machine perforations misaligned between the margins of the individual cards. In some cases, the preferred perforations went through the image area of the card.
According to Benjamin[28], it is believed that the set was sold with candy or, perhaps by itself. Skytamer also speculates that the 8-card strips may have been available on a weekly basis at the theaters were the “Adventures of Smilin’ Jack” matinee serials were shown. If anyone out there recalls how they were actually distributed please let us know. The individual cards measure 77.55 × 62.06 mm, and are assigned the American Card Catalog reference number R4.
The fronts of the 1943 “The Adventures of Smilin’ Jack” cards feature both b&w artwork and photographs. Each card front features a drawing or photograph depicting a scene from the “The Adventures of Smilin’ Jack” movie serial. The images are all centered with a thin surround margin. The images themselves are rather uninspiring, but do depict a chronological story line of “The Adventures of Smilin’ Jack” matinee “cliffhanger” movie serials. There are no captions or card numbers on the fronts of the 128 cards.
The backs of the cards are divided into the following six vertical segments:
The following reference card shows the fronts of a typical photo-card and artwork-card, and a typical 1943 “The Adventures of Smilin’ Jack” (R4) card back. We have also included a computer-generated 600-dpi version (too big for the scanner) of the front and back of card strip #1. Click on the card images to reveal full-size computer enhanced 600-dpi images of the card and the 8-card strip.
Image-Guide
The following 1943 “The Adventures of Smilin’ Jack” (R4) 128-card set by Samuel Eppy, Inc., USA, Image-Guide shows computer enhanced images of the fronts and backs of the 128 cards in the R4 set. Behind each thumbnail image is a 600-dpi computer enhanced card image that you may access. In addition, directly beneath the Image Guide, in tabular form, are links to the original scans used for this series.
Checklist
| 1943 “The Adventures of Smilin’ Jack” (R4) Samuel Eppy, Inc., 128-Cards, USA CHECKLIST | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| № | x | Card Title | |
| 1 | JACK MARTIN (Smilin’ Jack). Ace flier, barnstormer, … | ||
| 2 | TOMMY THOMPSON (Edgar Barrier). Tommy Thompson … | ||
| 3 | CAPTAIN WING (Keye Luke). An associate of Smilin’ Jack, … | ||
| 4 | JANET THOMPSON (Marjorie Lord). Sister of Soldier … | ||
| 5 | MAH LING (Cyril Delevanti). Mah Ling is High Priest … | ||
| 6 | GEN. KAI LING (Sidney Toler). This man is typical of … | ||
| 7 | KAGWYAMA (Turhan Bey). A sly, clever and treacherous … | ||
| 8 | GERTRUDE MILLER (Rose Hobart). Gertrude Miller, … | ||
| 9 | Jack Martin, known wherever there is flying danger or … | ||
| 10 | Smilin’ Jack visits Janet Thompson, sister of Tommy, … | ||
| 11 | Captain Wing glimpses the knife-thrower through the … | ||
| 12 | In searching the unconscious Jap the man’s shirt suddenly comes open. | ||
| 13 | Smilin’ Jack and Janet are sure that Tommy must have … | ||
| 14 | Gertrude Miller enters the private office of Kageyama, … | ||
| 15 | Smilin’ Jack has changed his mind about going home. | ||
| 16 | It is early morning. The Chinese plane waits for Jack … | ||
| 17 | What has gone before: Smilin’ Jack Martin, American … | ||
| 18 | Disengaging his ripcord just in the nick of time Jack … | ||
| 19 | The Jap henchmen arrive in Mandon before Smilin’ Jack … | ||
| 20 | As soon as the Americans are taken away the Japs decide … | ||
| 21 | As the Jap henchmen spirit the governor away, one of … | ||
| 22 | Lo San, the High Priest, holds Back the infuriated mob … | ||
| 23 | Jack sees a shadow over his shoulder. Drawing his gun … | ||
| 24 | Smilin’ Jack now tells Lo San his entire story. The High Priest … | ||
| 25 | What has gone before: Smilin’ Jack Martin, ace American … | ||
| 26 | Lo San, the High Priest, instructs his fierce guards, who … | ||
| 27 | In China Gertrude Miller and Kageyama hear the report … | ||
| 28 | Back at Mandon the High Priest’s soldiers have released … | ||
| 29 | The wily Jap has arrived ahead of the Americans and … | ||
| 30 | The Jap renegade crumples on the Temple steps. His … | ||
| 31 | Now the High Priest sees for himself that the guards … | ||
| 32 | The Jap guard lying on the steps of the Temple had not … | ||
| 33 | What has gone before: Smilin’ Jack, Ace American flier, … | ||
| 34 | Impressed with Smilin’ Jack’s quick-witted action in his … | ||
| 35 | The message low at first, begins to come in strong. It … | ||
| 36 | In spite of the vigilance of Fraulein von Teufel and her … | ||
| 37 | Smilin’ Jack knows that the danger is not over. He … | ||
| 38 | Smilin’ Jack returns to his apartment after his fake … | ||
| 39 | In a mysterious lodging along the China waterfront the … | ||
| 40 | Suddenly the floor gives away beneath Smiling’ Jack. He … | ||
| 41 | What has gone before: Smilin’ Jack, ace American flier, … | ||
| 42 | In spite of Smilin’ Jack’s bravery, Mah Ling is still in … | ||
| 43 | Waiting for time when only Janet is with Mah Ling, … | ||
| 44 | In Jack’s apartment Tommy finds signs of a scuffle and … | ||
| 45 | Smilin’ Jack is frantic when he learns about Mah Ling. | ||
| 46 | Janet Thompson is almost ill over the disappearance of … | ||
| 47 | Miss Miller, the Nazi spy, assembles her murderous … | ||
| 48 | Appearing suddenly through a secret door in the water-front hideout … | ||
| 49 | What has gone before: Smilin’ Jack, American flying … | ||
| 50 | On his way to the docks Smilin’ Jack remembers when … | ||
| 51 | Arriving at the chandler’s shop Jack begins looking at … | ||
| 52 | The police find the chandler’s shop easily through tracing … | ||
| 53 | After cleaning up the chandler’s shop, Smilin’ Jack and … | ||
| 54 | Learning through Janet that Jack has rescued Mah Ling … | ||
| 55 | General Kai Ling and his staff acompany Mah Ling to … | ||
| 56 | Arrangements are made for final meeting with the … | ||
| 57 | What has gone before: Smilin’ Jack Martin, American … | ||
| 58 | Before leaving Hong Kong a final meeting is held at … | ||
| 59 | As Sir Cecil turns over the signed pact to Jack for safe … | ||
| 60 | As Sir Cecil turns over the signed pact to Jack for safe … | ||
| 61 | British intelligence had warned Jack that plans had … | ||
| 62 | Jack and Tommy give one after another of the prisoners … | ||
| 63 | Sansone died without again speaking. Both Jack and … | ||
| 64 | A close search of all passengers discloses nothing. Then … | ||
| 65 | What has gone before: Smilin’ Jack Martin, great … | ||
| 66 | The search of clipper passengers is suddenly stopped as … | ||
| 67 | On the sub the Jap captain gives Mah Ling one hour … | ||
| 68 | After capturing the officers and radio operator on the … | ||
| 69 | At first the Jap crew members refuse to obey and guns … | ||
| 70 | After the battle on the submarine is over Smilin’ Jack … | ||
| 71 | When the Japs learn that a freighter is on the way to … | ||
| 72 | Forgetting all capture now the Jap crew rushes … | ||
| 73 | What has gone before: Smilin’ Jack Martin, his pal … | ||
| 74 | As the submarine continues to sink, the German captain … | ||
| 75 | Before sending his prisoners below the Captain looks … | ||
| 76 | The prisoners have been shut in what appears to be the … | ||
| 77 | With the boat all finished and covered up again the … | ||
| 78 | Almost immediately after the men have gone, other … | ||
| 79 | In a few minutes it is dark enough to launch the boat. | ||
| 80 | Smilin’ Jack uses the ship’s radio to contact the naval … | ||
| 81 | What has gone before: Guarding Mah Ling, governor of … | ||
| 82 | Smilin’ Jack and his party are finally rescued by an … | ||
| 83 | Miller is visited by a sulking Nazi agent known as … | ||
| 84 | Miller is taken to Blenker hideout on a lonely river road. | ||
| 85 | Mah Ling is carefully guarded in a secret apartment. | ||
| 86 | Arriving at Mah Ling’s apartment, Smilin’ Jack suspects … | ||
| 87 | Search of the other rooms of the apartment finds Wu … | ||
| 88 | Smilin’ Jack races to Miller’s apartment remembering … | ||
| 89 | What has gone on before: Smilin’ Jack Martin, and associates … | ||
| 90 | Janet informs Miller that Jack believes the jeweler who … | ||
| 91 | Miller then rushes by short cut to the derelict barge. | ||
| 92 | Tommy and Capt. Wing followed Jack’s instructions and … | ||
| 93 | Wu Tan is very worried about Mah Ling. He urges … | ||
| 94 | Tricking the police into removing his handcuffs, Smilin’ … | ||
| 95 | Jack has been following Blenker and suddenly appears … | ||
| 96 | Smilin’ Jack gives himself up to the police. With the … | ||
| 97 | What has gone before: Smilin’ Jack Martin and his … | ||
| 98 | After the signing of the Pack Jack feels that he need … | ||
| 99 | Working with the police to discover Mah Ling’s murderer, … | ||
| 100 | Advised by Miller that Smilin’ Jack will visit him soon, … | ||
| 101 | Half dazed they had forgotten momentarily that Captain Wing … | ||
| 102 | After taking Wing to the hospital Tommy reports to Janet. | ||
| 103 | Continuing from the wrecked car Smilin’ Jack finds the … | ||
| 104 | Smilin’ Jack finds himself looking into the barrel of a … | ||
| 105 | What has gone before: Smilin’ Jack and his associates, … | ||
| 106 | Wu Tan becomes the real head of the Mandon government … | ||
| 107 | Wu Tan now tells Kai Ling that he can divulge the … | ||
| 108 | Soon after Jack’s visit with General Ling he gets a telephone … | ||
| 109 | “Not so fast Mr. Jack … pleased to put down gun and … | ||
| 110 | Knowing that he was walking into a trap, Jack warned … | ||
| 111 | In her Chinese costume Miss Miller, accompanied by … | ||
| 112 | When Miller turns to confront Kageyama again she … | ||
| 113 | What has gone before: Smilin’ Jack Martin, ace American … | ||
| 114 | Running true to form, Kageyama, once he has the upper … | ||
| 115 | Jack’s native spies have located the distant cabin where … | ||
| 116 | Miller, however, hasn’t allowed Jack to put one over. | ||
| 117 | Just as Miller finishes speaking, the sound of a giant … | ||
| 118 | More trouble is in store for Jack and the Mandon plan. | ||
| 119 | Wu Tan has been active on his own. While Jack was … | ||
| 120 | Threatened with instant death Kato is forced to call … | ||
| 121 | What has gone before: Smilin’ Jack Martin, ace American … | ||
| 122 | Arriving at the rendezvous Jack and his party is met … | ||
| 123 | After days of hard travel Jack and his caravan arrived … | ||
| 124 | Jack is finally called to the Temple where he again … | ||
| 125 | During the night false Temple guards allowed Kato’s men … | ||
| 126 | Just as Jack is about to try the ordeal of the hot … | ||
| 127 | After being refreshed, Jack is called to the private … | ||
| 128 | At last the mission of Smilin’ Jack ends successfully. | ||
References
