July 14, 2020 Girl Around The World

The Liberty Gazette

July 14, 2020

Ely Air Lines
By Mike Ely and Linda Street-Ely

Linda: I happened upon a link to an early (1950’s) episode of What’s My Line? which led to all manner of fascination. Bennett Cerf, for instance. When I was a kid, we had a children’s joke book he authored. I didn’t realize he was the iconic co-founder, and the very public face of Random House publishing company. I’ve since read his autobiography. What a giant he was. But he didn’t know much about airplanes, or anything mechanical. We all have our shortcomings.

Another regular panelist on the mega-popular TV game show was Arlene Francis. Talk about charm. The lady was the very essence of charm (with a sparkle of mischievousness in those big dark eyes). I wish I’d known both Ms. Francis and Bennett Cerf.

The third regular panelist was Dorothy Kilgallen. Hers is not a household name today, but it should still be. She was a syndicated columnist, the best journalist of her time. She was about to crack the JFK assassination case when she was murdered. I believe it was the mob in cooperation with the American government, the FBI and CIA, because she had the story. She was the only person to privately interview Jack Ruby. Twice. There’s plenty of evidence to bring me to my belief, and there’s a new appeal this year for her murder case to be re-opened with new evidence. Let the truth to be known.

Unlike her co-panelists on the show, Dorothy did have a little something to do with airplanes. She wasn’t a pilot, but a passenger with some claims to firsts: the first woman to travel around the world on commercial airlines, and the first female to fly across the Pacific Ocean.

She did these things in September 1936, when she took part in a race around the world against fellow newsmen Bud Ekins of the New York World-Telegram and Leo Kieran of the New York Times. The trip took Dorothy 24 days, and she came second to Ekins (21 days). However, Ekins may not have played by the rules.

After the race, Dorothy published her book, "Girl Around The World." The following year she wrote the film script, Fly Away Baby, which was loosely based on the race. Characters Torchy and Steve (Glenda Farrell and Barton MacLane) investigate a murder/jewel theft with roots in Germany. Torchy lobbies her publisher to underwrite her participation in an around-the-world airplane race because arrogant businessman Sonny Croy will be a participant. He’s a prime suspect in the case, and she intends to chase him and prove his guilt. The trail leads to Nazi Germany. With the help of the German police, the mystery is solved—aboard the Hindenburg.

The film was released six weeks after the Hindenburg disaster, and the stock footage at the end is likely the Hindenburg. The two Pan Am Clippers, “Philippine Clipper” and “Hawaii Clipper,” met tragic ends a few years later. The DC-3 (my favorite airplane) is thought by many to be a possible Bermuda Triangle mystery. It disappeared. Like Dorothy’s file on Kennedy’s assassins.

ElyAirLines.blogspot.com