Blackhawk (radio)

"Blackhawk" was a 1950 ABC radio series adapted from the long-run "Blackhawk" comic book about the team of adventurous World War II aviators.

According to broadcasting researcher Harrison Boyd Summers, author of the major reference work, "A Thirty-Year History of Programs Carried on National Radio Networks in the United States, 1926-1956", "Blackhawk" was an unsponsored half-hour show that aired on Wednesdays at 5:30pm. [Summers, Harrison Boyd. "A Thirty-Year History of Programs Carried on National Radio Networks in the United States, 1926-1956". Columbus, Ohio: Ohio State University, 1958. Reprinted by Arno Press, 1971.]

With Michael Fitzmaurice (1908-1967) portraying team leader Blackhawk, the series premiered September 13, 1950 and concluded a few months later on December 27, 1950. That same year, Fitzmaurice did the voice of Superman on ABC.

Radio historian Jim Harmon summoned his memories of the "Blackhawk" series::I heard the "Blackhawk" radio show when it was on ABC, probably about every one of its few episodes. "Superman" was on twice a week, and Blackhawk once a week in that time slot... I do recall Blackhawk had one different companion each episode - sometimes André, sometimes Olaf, etc. But it was the same actor, just changing his accent. The show seemed to be "okay," perhaps actually better than the short-lived half-hour "Captain Midnight".

By checking the schedules of the daily "On the Radio" feature in "The New York Times", radio researcher Irene Heinstein determined there were 16 episodes in the run, adding, "The programs in that time slot Monday-Friday were: Monday, "Space Patrol", Tuesday, "Superman", Wednesday, "Blackhawk", Thursday, "Superman", Friday, "Space Patrol". The next listing for "Blackhawk" should have been January 3, 1951. However, in its time slot appeared "Big Jon and Sparky", which held that time slot Monday-Friday throughout January, when I stopped looking. Checking on Monday, January 1, and Tuesday, January 2, "Space Patrol" and "Superman" had their final listings in that time slot rotation, which began Monday, September 11, 1950 on WJZ."

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