Collins, In the Movies
by: Rod Blocksome

Often one can catch a glimpse of Collins equipment on TV or at the Movies. It's always interesting to see how accurate the particular scene portrays the equipment.

I thought it might be interesting to publish a list of “Collins Spots” based on notes I've made over the years.

By publishing this list, I hope you might add your “Collins Cameos” by dropping me an email.

Rod Blocksome


Bond travels in Style...
#YearTitleStarsSceneCollins Equipment
11954Them!
Warner Bros.
James Arness, James Witmore, Edmund Gwenn, Joan Weldon, Fess ParkerNuclear Tests in desert create mutant giant ants & has a scene where a guy hurridly sends a CW message on a bug in front of Collins A/Line rigs.Collins A/Line
21955Strategic Air Command
Paramount Pictures
James Stewart & Harry Morgan, et alJimmie and Harry are crawling around inside their Convair B-36.ART-13
31964Goldfinger
United Artists
Sean Connery, Honor BlackmanJames Bond enters a Jet Star aircraft sporting a Collins VHF Blade antenna with the “meatball” logo.VHF aircraft Blade antenna.
41964Father Goose
Universal Pictures
Cary Grant, Trevor HowardSeveral Collins radios are shown in the radio room of the British Base.??
51956the Flight of the Phoenix
20th Century Fox
James Stewart & Richard Attenborough, et alThe aircraft's radio was damaged (highly unlikely) in the crash of their Fairchild C-82.ART-13
61966Mission Impossible,
first episode

Desilu Productions
Barbara Bain, Greg Morris, Peter Lupus, Martin LandauThe IMF team is messing around with some S/Line Equipment.Collins S/Line
71966The Glass Bottom Boat
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Doris Day, Arthur Godfrey, Rod TaylorDoris Day uses an S/Line frequently in the movie. Soviet spy station has old Collins St. James Gray Equipment.Collins S/Line
81968-1980Hawaii Five–O
TV Series
CBS Productions
Jack LordPolice station scenes often show a Collins KW-1 Transmitter.KW-1
91968-1973Mission Impossible
TV Series
Paramount Television
Greg Morris & Martin LandauRollin and Barney are moving some S/Line equipment.S/Line
101978Battlestar Galactica
TV Series
Universal Television
Lorne Greene, Terry Carter, Richard Hatch, Dirk BenedictThe 'Viper' spacecraft cockpit has a Rockwell-Collins 329B-8G Attitude Indicator and a 331A-10A Horizontal Situation Indicator.Avionics
111980The Final Countdown
United Artists
Kirk Douglas, Martin Sheen, Katharine RossThe aircraft carrier Nimitz is thrown back in time to December 6, 1941 – Just before Pearl Harbor is attacked.KWM-2, SM-2, and perhaps, 312B-4
121983Never Say Never Again
Warner Bros.
Sean ConnerySean Connery on board a ship, during a fake fire drill, sneaks into the radio room to send a message back to HQ on a KWM-380.KWM-380
131990Memphis Belle
Warner Bros.
Mathew Modine, Harry Connic Jr., John Lithgow, Billy Zane, et alWWII B-17 Bomber crew ready for their 25th mission & thus first to earn a trip home.AN/ART-13
141992Crazy in Love
Turner Home Entertainment
Holly Hunter, Bill Pulman, Gena Rowlands?Collins S/Line
151996Phenomenon
Buena Vista Pictures
John TravoltaJohn Travolta's friend is a ham with a KWM-2.KWM-2
161997Contact
Warner Bros.
Jodie Foster, Matthew McConaugheyDr. Eleanor Ann Arroway, as a young girl, uses a KWM-2.KWM-2
171998Primary Colors
Universal Pictures
John Travolta, Kathy BatesPolitics and dirty tricks in a presidential race use KWM-380's.KWM-380
  November 20, 2021