Speed Gibson was a fifteen-year old pilot whose interests included short-wave radio, aviation, and the International Secret Police. His uncle, Clint Barlow, manages to get Speed inducted into the ISP and the adventures begin, with fifteen-minute episodes airing weekly* from January 2, 1937 to May 25, 1940 -- 178 episodes total. (Actually, that time frame may be inaccurate; some old-time radios experts say they have not found any proof that the show premiered on January 2, 1937, and that the show may have premiered as late as October 18 or, perhaps, September 30.) The first 100 episodes form a long story arc as Speed, his friend Barney Dunlop, and his Uncle Clint pursue the evil Octopus and his gang throughout the orient; the remaining 78 episodes shift to Africa as Speed continues his efforts to defeat The Octopus.
Speed Gibson of The International Secret Police was created and written by Virginia Cooke. It was a syndicated show sponsored by local bakeries in each market area. It is not known who played Speed but it may have been Elliot Lewis. We do know that Howard McNear (Floyd the barber on The Andy Griffith Show) played Uncle Clint, John Gibson (Casey. Crime Photographer, A Date with Judy, and the voice of Sleepy in Disney's Snow White) was Barney, and Gale Gordon (Our Miss Brooks, The Lucy Show, Dennis the Menace) played The Octopus.
"Prisoners on the Flower Boat" was Episode 24 in the series, airing (most likely) on November 29, 1937. So, as Barney Dunlop was prone to say, "Sufferin' wangdoodles!" Let's see what the gang has been up to.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSbm46i7qF0
* sometimes three times a week, sometimes four, and sometimes five; syndicated shows can be a bit loosey-goosey
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