Wilma Deering
Encyclopedia
Wilma Deering is a fictional character featured in the various iterations of Buck Rogers
which have spanned many media over the years.
Through all the versions of Buck Rogers, Wilma Deering has maintained some clear characteristics. She is a sometimes romantic interest for Buck, always a loyal defender of Earth, and an attractive and smart woman. She is generally depicted as having a spunky attitude and a penchant for getting herself into trouble. As with other science fiction
heroines from the pulp sf genre and others, she has sometimes been depicted as a damsel in distress
but mostly as an assertive adventurer in her own right. In this way, her character resembles that of Dale Arden
of the Flash Gordon
comic book
s and movie serials, and also the character of Lois Lane
from Superman
.
, and the basic elements are present. She is depicted as adventurous, heroic and beautiful, and of course a romantic interest for the hero.
. The role of Wilma was portrayed by Constance Moore
, in what would come to be her first highly recognized film role. In the serial, Buck Rogers and Buddy Wade awaken in the 25th century to find out that the world has been taken over by the outlaw army of Killer Kane
. Along with Wilma Deering, who is a Lieutenant in this incarnation, Buck and Buddy join in the fight to overthrow Kane with the help of Prince Tallen of Saturn and his forces. In this serial, Wilma is essentially the faithful sidekick, and her relationship with Dr. Huer is akin to that of a daughter.
in the made for TV movie and subsequent NBC
television series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
. Initially, Wilma was depicted as a cold, emotionless soldier and pilot, with little interest in Captain Rogers. However, along with some of the changes made to the storyline to accommodate a weekly series, Wilma Deering's character became warmer and more playful. Often, it was Wilma who came to the rescue of Buck, as opposed to the other way round. Erin Gray has commented that her role as Colonel Deering was an inspiration for many women who watched the program, particularly with regard to careers in the military. She also commented that she was aware of the highly sexualised one piece uniform she wore and its effect on the show's male audience. She was once described by Clive James
as Wonder Woman
with brains.
Revisions to the program in its second season changed Wilma from the central role of a Colonel directing Earth's space defense, to more of a co-pilot role on the spaceship Searcher. This change was never entirely explained, but along with Buck and Twiki, hers was the only character viewed central enough to migrate to the revamped show.
Actress Juanin Clay
was at one point tapped to portray Colonel Deering in the television series; however, she lost this role when Erin Gray decided to reprise her role from the original TV movie.
In the role playing game Wilma is a native of the Chicagorg Arcology on Earth, and is described as an 8th level Terran warrior and a freedom fighter. Both her parents were killed by RAM, the evil organization that runs the corrupt Earth government in the game. Her biography indicates she was imprisoned for attacking RAM installations, and escaped later becoming a privateer. After several months, Wilma returned to Earth to officially join NEO, the rebel organization, and resumed her effort to free her home world from RAM.
This version of Wilma is a tall woman with strawberry blonde hair and an explosive temper, and once again is both a foil and love interest for Buck Rogers.
by Martin Caidin
. This version of Deering is said to be a top pilot in the Space Corps, and continues the tradition of falling in love with the time-displaced test pilot, Buck Rogers.
Buck Rogers
Anthony Rogers is a fictional character that first appeared in Armageddon 2419 A.D. by Philip Francis Nowlan in the August 1928 issue of the pulp magazine Amazing Stories. A sequel, The Airlords of Han, was published in the March 1929 issue....
which have spanned many media over the years.
Through all the versions of Buck Rogers, Wilma Deering has maintained some clear characteristics. She is a sometimes romantic interest for Buck, always a loyal defender of Earth, and an attractive and smart woman. She is generally depicted as having a spunky attitude and a penchant for getting herself into trouble. As with other science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
heroines from the pulp sf genre and others, she has sometimes been depicted as a damsel in distress
Damsel in distress
The subject of the damsel in distress, or persecuted maiden, is a classic theme in world literature, art, and film. She is usually a beautiful young woman placed in a dire predicament by a villain or monster and who requires a hero to achieve her rescue. She has become a stock character of fiction,...
but mostly as an assertive adventurer in her own right. In this way, her character resembles that of Dale Arden
Dale Arden
Dale Arden is a fictional character, the fellow-adventurer and love interest of Flash Gordon and a prototypic heroine for later female characters, including Princess Leia Organa and Padme Amidala in Star Wars. Flash, Dale and Dr...
of the Flash Gordon
Flash Gordon
Flash Gordon is the hero of a science fiction adventure comic strip originally drawn by Alex Raymond. First published January 7, 1934, the strip was inspired by and created to compete with the already established Buck Rogers adventure strip. Also inspired by these series were comics such as Dash...
comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
s and movie serials, and also the character of Lois Lane
Lois Lane
Lois Lane is a fictional character, the primary love interest of Superman in the comic books of DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, she first appeared in Action Comics #1 ....
from Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
.
Pulp origins
Wilma Deering appears in the very first Buck Rogers story, Armageddon 2419 A.D.Armageddon 2419 A.D.
Armageddon 2419 A.D. is Philip Francis Nowlan's novella which first appeared in the August 1928 issue of the pulp magazine Amazing Stories. A sequel called The Airlords of Han was published in the March 1929 issue of Amazing Stories. Both stories are now in the public domain in the US according to...
, and the basic elements are present. She is depicted as adventurous, heroic and beautiful, and of course a romantic interest for the hero.
Comic strip
Wilma features in the Buck Rogers comic strip from its inception, as she the first person of Earth to meet Buck when he awakens in the 25th century. Depicted from the start as a love interest, Wilma is initially almost a stock character heroine just as Dr. Huer is a stock "brainy scientist". Her character does develop over time, however, into the more familiar spunky adventurer.1939 serial
The character of Wilma Deering was featured in the 1939 Buck Rogers movie serial which starred Buster CrabbeBuster Crabbe
Clarence Linden "Buster" Crabbe was an American athlete and actor, who starred in a number of popular serials in the 1930s and 1940s.-Birth:...
. The role of Wilma was portrayed by Constance Moore
Constance Moore
Constance Moore was a singer and actress. Her most noted work was in wartime musicals such as Show Business and Atlantic City and the classic 1939 movie serial Buck Rogers, in which she played Wilma Deering, the only female character in the serial.-Life and career:Moore was born in Sioux...
, in what would come to be her first highly recognized film role. In the serial, Buck Rogers and Buddy Wade awaken in the 25th century to find out that the world has been taken over by the outlaw army of Killer Kane
Killer Kane
Killer Kane is a fictional character in the 1939 Buck Rogers serial film produced by Universal Studios. Kane is a gangster who became the supreme dictator of Earth with the help of his criminal army. Although the events of the serial transpire in the year 2440, Kane has apparently ruled the world...
. Along with Wilma Deering, who is a Lieutenant in this incarnation, Buck and Buddy join in the fight to overthrow Kane with the help of Prince Tallen of Saturn and his forces. In this serial, Wilma is essentially the faithful sidekick, and her relationship with Dr. Huer is akin to that of a daughter.
1979 movie and series
Colonel Wilma Deering was portrayed by actress/model Erin GrayErin Gray
Erin Gray is an American actress, perhaps best known for her roles as Kate Summers in the situation comedy Silver Spoons and as Colonel Wilma Deering in the science fiction television series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century....
in the made for TV movie and subsequent NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
television series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (TV series)
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century is an American science fiction adventure television series produced by Universal Studios. The series ran for two seasons between 1979–1981, and the feature-length pilot episode for the series was released as a theatrical film several months before the series aired....
. Initially, Wilma was depicted as a cold, emotionless soldier and pilot, with little interest in Captain Rogers. However, along with some of the changes made to the storyline to accommodate a weekly series, Wilma Deering's character became warmer and more playful. Often, it was Wilma who came to the rescue of Buck, as opposed to the other way round. Erin Gray has commented that her role as Colonel Deering was an inspiration for many women who watched the program, particularly with regard to careers in the military. She also commented that she was aware of the highly sexualised one piece uniform she wore and its effect on the show's male audience. She was once described by Clive James
Clive James
Clive James, AM is an Australian author, critic, broadcaster, poet and memoirist, best known for his autobiographical series Unreliable Memoirs, for his chat shows and documentaries on British television and for his prolific journalism...
as Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....
with brains.
Revisions to the program in its second season changed Wilma from the central role of a Colonel directing Earth's space defense, to more of a co-pilot role on the spaceship Searcher. This change was never entirely explained, but along with Buck and Twiki, hers was the only character viewed central enough to migrate to the revamped show.
Actress Juanin Clay
Juanin Clay
Juanin Clay was an American actress who appeared in the 1983 drama-thriller film WarGames. She was one of the contenders for the role of Wilma Deering in the Buck Rogers in the 25th Century TV series, but lost the role when Erin Gray returned to reprise her role from the theatrical release...
was at one point tapped to portray Colonel Deering in the television series; however, she lost this role when Erin Gray decided to reprise her role from the original TV movie.
Buck Rogers XXV roleplaying game
The character of Wilma Deering in the Buck Rogers roleplaying game is a more dystopic figure, in keeping with the themes of the game.In the role playing game Wilma is a native of the Chicagorg Arcology on Earth, and is described as an 8th level Terran warrior and a freedom fighter. Both her parents were killed by RAM, the evil organization that runs the corrupt Earth government in the game. Her biography indicates she was imprisoned for attacking RAM installations, and escaped later becoming a privateer. After several months, Wilma returned to Earth to officially join NEO, the rebel organization, and resumed her effort to free her home world from RAM.
This version of Wilma is a tall woman with strawberry blonde hair and an explosive temper, and once again is both a foil and love interest for Buck Rogers.
Buck Rogers: A Life in the Future
Another incarnation of Wilma Deering appears in the 1995 novel Buck Rogers: A Life in the FutureBuck Rogers: A Life in the Future
Buck Rogers: A Life in the Future is the title of a science fiction novel by Martin Caidin published in 1995.The novel is a reimagining of Buck Rogers, a pulp fiction character created in the 1920s by Philip Francis Nowlan and later popularized in a long-running comic strip and in films and...
by Martin Caidin
Martin Caidin
Martin Caidin was an American author and an authority on aeronautics and aviation.Caidin wrote more than 50 books, including Samurai!, Black Thursday, Thunderbolt!, Fork-Tailed Devil: The P-38, Zero!, The Ragged, Rugged Warriors, A Torch to the Enemy and many other works of military history...
. This version of Deering is said to be a top pilot in the Space Corps, and continues the tradition of falling in love with the time-displaced test pilot, Buck Rogers.
External links
- Interview with Erin Gray on the podcast The Future and YouThe Future And YouThe Future and You is a podcast hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb and teamed with Jim Baen's Universe Magazine...
(anecdotes about how she broke into Hollywood and how she feels about being remembered as Wilma Deering)