Two-Fisted Serial Adventure.
by grendelkhan | created - 23 Nov 2014 | updated - 28 Nov 2014 | PublicFor an entire movie generation (several, actually), movie serials dazzled the audience weekly, with stunts, thrills, mystery, and plenty of action and cliffhangers. Some are classics, some are head scratchers. I'll also throw in some films (and a bit of tv) that took their cues from the cliffhangers. Will our hero survive? Come back next week to this same cinema.
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1. Arsène Lupin contra Sherlock Holmes (1910)
92 min | Drama, Mystery
Director: Viggo Larsen | Stars: Paul Otto, Viggo Larsen
Votes: 10
German serial, based on the story by Maurice Leblanc, which pits his anti-hero Lupin against Sherlock Holmes. The original story is quite fun; but, it got Leblanc in trouble with Conan Doyle's lawyers.
2. Fantômas: In the Shadow of the Guillotine (1913)
Not Rated | 54 min | Crime, Drama
Inspector Juve is tasked to investigate and capture an infamous criminal Fantomas.
Director: Louis Feuillade | Stars: René Navarre, Edmund Breon, Georges Melchior, Renée Carl
Votes: 2,483
French serial about the pulp villain, Fantomas, a super criminal who is hunted by inspector Juve and the journalist Fandor. This is more mystery and suspense than cliffhanger. Fantomas would influence many of the great supervillains (though Moriarty was there first).
3. The Perils of Pauline (1914)
Passed | 199 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Pauline, a young maiden, must protect herself from the treacherous "guardian" of her inheritance, who repeatedly plots to murder her and take the money for himself.
Directors: Louis J. Gasnier, Donald MacKenzie | Stars: Pearl White, Crane Wilbur, Paul Panzer, Edward José
Votes: 1,086
The grandmother of the cliffhangers, with our heroine falling into a new trap and escaping the following week. It set the template that most serials followed. This is where most of the heroine tied to buzzsaws and railroad tracks came from.
4. Les vampires (1915)
Not Rated | 421 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
An intrepid reporter and his loyal friend battle a bizarre secret society of criminals known as The Vampires.
Director: Louis Feuillade | Stars: Musidora, Édouard Mathé, Marcel Lévesque, Jean Aymé
Votes: 5,427
Another French mystery thriller, revolving around Irma Vep, leader of a group of criminals. It has nothing to do with monsters, despite the title. French actress Musidora was a sensation in her daring (for the time) leotard.
5. Judex (1916)
Not Rated | 300 min | Adventure, Crime
A twelve-part serial following the adventures of the masked vigilante Judex as he fights against criminals led by the corrupt banker Favrauxom.
Director: Louis Feuillade | Stars: René Cresté, Musidora, René Poyen, Édouard Mathé
Votes: 1,126
French serial, about a cloaked avenger, who targets the people who ruined his family. It's less of a cliffhanger than an episodic mystery, which was a bit more common in the earlier serials, which were aimed at adult audiences. The character of Judex predates the Shadow and other pulp heroes by a couple of decades.
6. The Spiders - Episode 1: The Golden Sea (1919)
Not Rated | 130 min | Adventure, Western
Kay Hoog finds a message that indicates that some Incas are still alive, but the secret organisation "Die Spinnen" wants the Incas' gold....
Director: Fritz Lang | Stars: Carl de Vogt, Lil Dagover, Ressel Orla, Georg John
Votes: 1,440
Fritz lang directed two parts of this serial and planned two more, before money ran out. An adventurer goes in search of lost Incan treasure, while a criminal gang tries to stop him and take it for themselves.
7. Fantomas (1920)
Adventure
Fantomas, a master criminal, offers to give up his life of crime if the authorities promise not to prosecute him for his past crimes. He is enraged when they refuse his ultimatum, and ... See full summary »
Director: Edward Sedgwick | Stars: Edward Roseman, Edna Murphy, Johnnie Walker, Lionel Adams
Votes: 31
American version of Fantomas, which departs quite a bit from the French original. The title was changed in France, to separate it from the classic series (there were several french Fantomas serials).
8. The Son of Tarzan (1920)
248 min | Action, Adventure
Tarzan's son, Jack, escapes captivity and retreats into the jungle with an ape, where he finds love in unexpected places.
Directors: Arthur J. Flaven, Harry Revier | Stars: Kamuela C. Searle, P. Dempsey Tabler, Nita Martan, Karla Schramm
Votes: 135
Movie serial featuring Jack Clayton, aka Korak, the son of Tarzan (his real one, not Boy). The plot revolves around Korak wanting to borrow the keys to the vine, for a date. Or not.
9. Adventures of Tarzan (1921)
Passed | 73 min | Action, Adventure
When Jane is abducted by Arab slave traders, Tarzan comes to her rescue, only to see her kidnapped again by Queen La of Opar. To save Jane, Tarzan must battle both the queen's minions and William Clayton, who seeks Tarzan's family title.
Directors: Robert F. Hill, Scott Sidney | Stars: Elmo Lincoln, Louise Lorraine, Scott Pembroke, Frank Whitson
Votes: 170
Elmo Lincoln stars in the first Tarzan serial (there was a Korak serial), which uses plot ideas from the Return of Tarzan and Tarzan & the Jewels of Opar. Tarzan rescues Jane from slavers and then has to rescue her again from the Queen of Opar. Jane really does get in a lot of trouble.
10. Dr. Mabuse, the Gambler (1922)
Not Rated | 242 min | Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Arch-criminal Dr. Mabuse sets out to make a fortune and run Berlin. Detective Wenk sets out to stop him.
Director: Fritz Lang | Stars: Rudolf Klein-Rogge, Aud Egede-Nissen, Gertrude Welcker, Alfred Abel
Votes: 9,172
Fritz Lang's original Mabuse epic, set during the Weimar era. Mabuse secretly controls crime through various agents and cut-outs. The serial is a classic of German cinema and shows both the talents of Lang and the power of the character of Dr. Mabuse. The villain would reappear in Lang's The Testament of Dr. Mabuse; and, in the 1960s, The Thousand Eyes of Dr. Mabuse. There would then follow an entire series of Mabuse remakes and new films, from producer Arther Brauner. Gert Frobe appeared in several, as Inspektor Lohman, a character that appeared in both Lang's M and testament. Frobe played him in a remake of Testament, as well as The Return of Dr Mabuse. He plays a different character in 1000 Eyes. Got all of that?
11. Tarzan the Mighty (1928)
300 min | Action, Adventure
Mary and Bobby Trevor are castaways befriended by Tarzan. When Lord arrives, looking for the family heir, Black John tries to fill that role and marry Mary in England. Tarzan shows up and marries her instead.
Directors: Jack Nelson, Ray Taylor | Stars: Frank Merrill, Al Ferguson, Natalie Kingston, Bobby Nelson
Votes: 56
Gymnast Frank Merrill stars as Tarzan, and pioneered the one armed swinging technique used in subsequent films. It was filmed as 12 chapters and then later expanded to 15, due to its success.
12. Tarzan the Tiger (1929)
Passed | 266 min | Action, Adventure
After Tarzan's estate is destroyed by Arabs Jane is sold into slavery by a man posing as a friendly scientist.
Director: Henry MacRae | Stars: Frank Merrill, Natalie Kingston, Al Ferguson, Lillian Worth
Votes: 147
Sequel to Tarzan the Mighty, where Tarzan must obtain the treasure of Opar to save his estate in England. features the first Tarzan yell, though there is no spoken dialogue. This was a transition from the silents to talkies, with only recorded music and sound effects.
13. The Lone Defender (1930)
Passed | 217 min | Family, Western
A prospector is murdered by The Cactus Kid and his gang, who hope to find the murdered man's goldmine. The miner's dog, Rin-Tin-Tin, recognizes the killers, who thereafter seek to use the ... See full summary »
Director: Richard Thorpe | Stars: Rin Tin Tin, Walter Miller, June Marlowe, Josef Swickard
Votes: 106
Mascot serial, which was the first talkie with Rin-Tin-Tin. A prospector is murdered by a gang looking for his mine. Now, they hunt for his dog, who also knows the location. However, I don't think they'll get him to answer too many questions.
14. The Galloping Ghost (1931)
Passed | 226 min | Drama
A gambling ring run out of the Mogul Taxi company is intent on fixing college football games. Football star Harold "Red" Grange is a target for the gamblers, whose thugs try to eliminate ... See full summary »
Director: B. Reeves Eason | Stars: Harold 'Red' Grange, Dorothy Gulliver, Walter Miller, Francis X. Bushman Jr.
Votes: 168
Football star Red Grange (and fellow Illini) stars as himself, as he hunts down the leaders of a gambling ring that led to a member of his team throwing the game.
15. The Lightning Warrior (1931)
Passed | 250 min | Drama, Family, Western
A Rin-Tin-Tin serial presented in 12 episodes. The mysterious Wolf Man is terrorizing settlers in a western town. With the help of Rinty, young Jimmy Carter unmasks the Wolf Man and foils his evil plot.
Directors: Benjamin H. Kline, Armand Schaefer | Stars: Rin Tin Tin, Frankie Darro, Hayden Stevenson, George Brent
Votes: 111
Rin-Tin-Tin is back, along with Frankie Darro, who plays a young man whose father and brother have been killed by the Wolfman, a masked man who is leading an Indian uprising.
16. The Shadow of the Eagle (1932)
Passed | 218 min | Mystery
The Eagle uses sky writing to make threats against a corporation. Nathan Gregory owns a traveling fairground and is thought to be the Eagle. Craig McCoy is a pilot who goes looking for the Eagle when Gregory turns up missing.
Directors: Ford Beebe, B. Reeves Eason | Stars: John Wayne, Dorothy Gulliver, Edward Hearn, Richard Tucker
Votes: 455
John Wayne stars as a carnival pilot who battles a mysterious pilot, known as The Eagle, who is trying to destroy the carnival. This was The Duke's debut in serials.
17. The Last of the Mohicans (1932)
Passed | 231 min | Drama, War, Western
Natty Bumppo, known as Hawk-Eye, is a frontiersman in the American wilderness. Together with his Indian friends Chingachgook and Uncas, he fights battles against nefarious white soldiers as well as the vicious Indian Magua and his cohorts.
Directors: Ford Beebe, B. Reeves Eason | Stars: Harry Carey, Hobart Bosworth, Frank Coghlan Jr., Edwina Booth
Votes: 173
Harry Carey (not the Cubs announcer) stars, along with future Billy Batson, in this adaptation of Cooper's novel. Coughlin makes an especially caucasian Uncas. Holy Cow!
18. The Hurricane Express (1932)
Passed | 227 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
When his father is killed in a train wreck, Larry Baker vows to unmask a mysterious criminal called "The Wrecker," who has targeted the L&M Railroad for deadly" accidents."
Directors: J.P. McGowan, Armand Schaefer | Stars: John Wayne, Shirley Grey, Conway Tearle, Tully Marshall
Votes: 684
John Wayne plays another pilot, who is attempting to stop The Wrecker, who is causing train accidents.
19. Tarzan the Fearless (1933)
Passed | 86 min | Adventure, Family
Mary Brooks' father, who has been studying ancient tribes, falls into the hands of the people of Zar, god of the Emerald Fingers. Tarzan helps Mary locate her father, rescues everyone from the High Priest of Zar and takes Mary to his cave.
Director: Robert F. Hill | Stars: Buster Crabbe, Julie Bishop, Edward Woods, Philo McCullough
Votes: 825
Buster Crabbe stars as Tarzan, in this independently produced serial. It was made at the same time as Weismuller, but was delayed in release. It is not particularly great, due to a great deal of cost-cutting. Some chapters were released separately as a feature and saw wider viewing. Tarzan tries to help a woman find her father, who has been captured by natives. Notable mainly for Crabbe as the Lord of the Apes, adding the character to his resume of Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers.
20. The Whispering Shadow (1933)
Passed | 225 min | Action, Crime, Family
A mysterious criminal known as The Whispering Shadow commits crimes by means of a gang he controls by television and radio rays. Jack Norton, whose brother was murdered by The Whispering ... See full summary »
Directors: Colbert Clark, Albert Herman | Stars: Bela Lugosi, Viva Tattersall, Malcolm McGregor, Henry B. Walthall
Votes: 242
Bela Lugosi stars in this serial, about a villain who kills via radio control. Lugosi got $10 grand for it, higher than even Dracula. It's filled with all kinds of red herrings.
21. The Three Musketeers (1933)
Passed | 210 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Tom Wayne rescues Clancy, Renard and Schmidt in the Arabian desert and they join him in going after El Shaitan, a bad guy who is never seen as he tries to wipe out the Foreign Legion.
Directors: Colbert Clark, Armand Schaefer | Stars: Jack Mulhall, Raymond Hatton, Francis X. Bushman Jr., John Wayne
Votes: 500
John Wayne and Lon Chaney Jr star in this serial, loosely based on the Dumas novel. Duke is an American pilot who rescues three Legionnaires from Arab attackers. He finds himself framed for his brother's murder and vows to find the real killer, with the help of his friends.
22. The Lost Jungle (I) (1934)
Approved | 243 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Animal trainer Clyde Beatty heads a rescue party in search of his girl, Ruth, and her father who get lost looking for an uncharted island. His dirigible crashes into the jungles of the ... See full summary »
Directors: David Howard, Armand Schaefer | Stars: Clyde Beatty, Syd Saylor, Cecilia Parker, Edward LeSaint
Votes: 265
Clyde Beatty stars in this Mascot serial, with the animal trapper in a jungle adventure, on a jungle island. Cue Guns 'N' Roses...
23. The Return of Chandu (1934)
Approved | 208 min | Adventure, Family, Fantasy
The cult of Ubasti, headquartered on the isle of Lemuria, believes that Princess Nadji of Egypt is a reincarnation of their long-dead goddess, Ossana, and intend to sacrifice her so that Ossana may be resurrected.
Director: Ray Taylor | Stars: Bela Lugosi, Maria Alba, Clara Kimball Young, Lucien Prival
Votes: 435
Bela Lugosi stars in this serial, based on the radio series Chandu the Magician. Lugosi plays the hero, a powerful magician, who is trying to perfect his love from being sacrificed by Black Magicians to revive their dead priestess. To bad they didn't do a sequel, where they introduce his brother, Fondu.
24. Tailspin Tommy (1934)
Approved | 248 min | Action, Drama, Crime
A young mechanic gets a job with a small airline, which he helps win a mail contract. A rival airline plots to destroy it in order to get the contracts for itself.
Director: Lew Landers | Stars: Maurice Murphy, Noah Beery Jr., Patricia Farr, Walter Miller
Votes: 71
Based on the aviation comic strip feature. Lots of aviation thrills, via stock footage, models, and actual stunt flying. Otherwise, it's a bit on the duller side. There was a sequel, where he pulls out of the tailspin, so they call him Steady-on-course Tommy. It gets kind of dull after that. Well, there is a sequel, anyway...
25. The Lost City (I) (1935)
Approved | 80 min | Action, Adventure, Romance
An evil scientist plots to take over the world from his base in Africa, where he has invented a machine that can cause earthquakes.
Director: Harry Revier | Stars: William 'Stage' Boyd, Kane Richmond, Claudia Dell, Josef Swickard
Votes: 319
Early "hidden city" serial, with an evil scientist who plans to conquer the world. He's going to need to hire more staff.
26. The New Adventures of Tarzan (I) (1935)
Passed | 257 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
Tarzan goes to Guatemala to find his lost friend, D'Arnot. On the way he helps Major Matling search Mayan ruins for hidden jewels and an idol containing the formula for a powerful explosive.
Directors: Edward A. Kull, Wilbur McGaugh | Stars: Bruce Bennett, Ula Holt, Ashton Dearholt, Frank Baker
Votes: 424
Herman Brix stars as Tarzan in this serial, which was released during the Weismuller series. MGM's contract had only caled for two films, so Burroughs sold the rights to do this, based on a story he wrote for it, Tarzan and The Green Goddess. Tarzan's friend D'Arnot is being held in Guatemal, by natives, while various groups seek to find the idol The Green Goddess. The depiction of Tarzan was very faithful, based on Burroughs involvement. It didn't do well in the US but was a huge hit around the world. It is believed that MGM used its clout to manipulate the media reviews of the serial. The last several chapters were edited with new footage to create the movie Tarzan and the Green Goddess.
27. The Phantom Empire (1935)
Approved | 245 min | Drama, Family, Romance
When the ancient continent of Mu sank beneath the ocean, some of its inhabitant survived in caverns beneath the sea. Cowboy singer Gene Autry stumbles upon the civilization, now buried ... See full summary »
Directors: Otto Brower, B. Reeves Eason | Stars: Gene Autry, Frankie Darro, Betsy King Ross, Dorothy Christy
Votes: 539
Gene Autry stars in this sci-fi/western hybrid, where he stumbles across an underground civilization. There's some great design work in Murania and the serial is very lively and a lot of fun, though the subplot about having to broadcast daily or lose his sponsers tends to pull you out of the fun, though it is one of the plot engines. The fighting stunts aren't up to later standards; but they are pretty good. The comedy tends to work better than most. The bucket wearing Junior Thunder Riders are a bit goofy, though.
28. Darkest Africa (1936)
Approved | 73 min | Adventure, Romance
A 15-episode serial in which Beatty goes to darkest Africa to rescue the Goddess of Joba, who is being held by the high priest.
Directors: B. Reeves Eason, Joseph Kane | Stars: Clyde Beatty, Manuel King, Elaine Shepard, Lucien Prival
Votes: 139
Clyde Beatty stars as the hero of this hidden jungle civilization serial, from Republic. The sets are great, which is part of what makes it memorable. Clyde gets to abuse some animals along the way.
29. Robinson Crusoe of Clipper Island (1936)
Approved | 256 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
A 14-episode serial in which Mala, a Polynesian in the employ of U.S. Intelligence investigates sabotage on Clipper Island. A gang of spies causes the eruption of a volcano, for which our ... See full summary »
Directors: Ray Taylor, Mack V. Wright | Stars: Mala, Rex, Buck the Dog, Mamo Clark
Votes: 120
An intelligence agent seeks to foil saboteurs on a remote island. These guys even cause a volcano to erupt! This was the first Repuplic serial to include a recap chapter (which became fairly standard) which rand down the plot up to that point (like a clip show). This was to aid viewers who missed the earlier chapters. They usually turned up at the halfway point.
30. Flash Gordon (1936)
Passed | 245 min | Action, Adventure, Family
Flash Gordon, Dale Arden and Dr. Alexis Zarkov visit the planet Mongo to thwart the evil schemes of Emperor Ming the Merciless, who has set his planet on a collision course with Earth.
Directors: Frederick Stephani, Ray Taylor | Stars: Buster Crabbe, Jean Rogers, Charles Middleton, Priscilla Lawson
Votes: 2,658
Gene Autry beat him to the punch, but Flash Gordon showed them how it's done. No singing here, just two-fisted thrills and rockets that reverse course constantly. Olympian Buster Crabbe (with bleached hair) plays our hero, while Charles Middleton is the evil (and stilted) Ming the Merciless. The serial follows the first year of the comic strip very faithfully. Buster is better than Sam Jones but the Princess Aura is no Ornella Muti. Jean Rogers is particularly sexy here, as a blond Dale.
31. The Vigilantes Are Coming (1936)
Approved | 229 min | Western
A masked hero called "The Eagle" leads California ranchers in a struggle against Russian Cossacks who are plotting to take over California and turn it into a Russian colony.
Directors: Ray Taylor, Mack V. Wright | Stars: Robert Livingston, Kay Hughes, Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams, Raymond Hatton
Votes: 102
Russian Cossacks invade California, after the discovery of gold. The hero, Don Loring, disguises himself as The Eagle, to gain revenge for the murder of his father and brother; and, leads a band of vigilantes to defeat the invaders. Sounds like a Red Peril story, in the pre-war era.
32. Undersea Kingdom (1936)
Approved | 226 min | Adventure, Family, Sci-Fi
Crash Corrigan, a recent graduate of Annapolis, and Diana, a go-getting reporter, join Professor Norton for a search for the source of a string of earthquakes, Atlantis. They ride Prof. ... See full summary »
Directors: B. Reeves Eason, Joseph Kane | Stars: Ray Corrigan, Lois Wilde, Monte Blue, William Farnum
Votes: 634
Republic missed out on Flash Gordon; but, offered up their own sci-fi hero, with Ray "Crash" Corrigan. Corrigan is a young Naval officer, football hero, and all around tough guy, who takes part in a submarine expedition which finds a hidden kingdom. there, he runs up against a lot of guys in bed sheets and funky robots that look like walking water coolers. Corrigan spends the bulk of the film running around in trunks and a helmet, providing plenty of beefcake, for those interested in that sort of thing. It's not as imaginative as Flash, but the action is livelier.
33. Ace Drummond (1936)
Approved | 255 min | Action, Adventure, Family
This 13 chapter serial is based on the comic strip character Ace Drummond created by Eddie Rickenbacker. Ace is a 'G-Man of the sky' working out of Washington D.C. He is sent to Mongolia to... See full summary »
Directors: Ford Beebe, Clifford Smith | Stars: John 'Dusty' King, Jean Rogers, Noah Beery Jr., Guy Bates Post
Votes: 422
Adaptation of the aviation comic strip, where an Asian villain, the Dragon, wants to stop an air charter service in Mongolia, to keep the secret of a mountain stash of jade for himself. The opening recaps were done in comic strip format.
34. Dick Tracy (1937)
Approved | 70 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
A master criminal called The Spider puts the famous detective's brother under a hypnotic spell and turns him against Dick.
Directors: Alan James, Ray Taylor | Stars: Ralph Byrd, Kay Hughes, Smiley Burnette, Lee Van Atta
Votes: 652
Republic brings the comic strip detective to life, in the form of Ralph Byrd, and sets him against a masked villain. Along the way, we get an airship, a flying wing, and tons of stunts. there's actually a pretty good mystery at the heart of things, which adds to the fun. There is a boat stunt that was later homaged in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, though Republic resued the footage in Fighting Devil Dogs.
35. Zorro Rides Again (1937)
Approved | 212 min | Family, Western
The California-Yucatan Railroad, being built for the good of Mexico, is under siege by a gang of terrorists hoping to force its sale; no one can prove their connection to profiteer Marsden.... See full summary »
Directors: John English, William Witney | Stars: John Carroll, Noah Beery, Richard Alexander, Reed Howes
Votes: 337
Republic's first Zorro serial features a modern Zorro (great grandson of the original) who is aiding his father fight off crooks who are trying to take over his railroad. This Zorro uses two six-shooters and a whip, rather than a sword. It features stunts from Yakima Canutt, who would factor into the later Zorro's Fighting Legion.
36. The Painted Stallion (1937)
Approved | 212 min | Western
The period is the 1820's and the first wagon train leaves Independence heading west to Santa Fe. In order to maintain his power, the ruthless Official at Santa Fe must not let them arrive ... See full summary »
Directors: Alan James, Ray Taylor, William Witney | Stars: Ray Corrigan, Hoot Gibson, LeRoy Mason, Duncan Renaldo
Votes: 196
Republic western, about a wagon train that is repeatedly attacked to keep the an American official from arriving to negotiate a trade agreement (Phantom Menace may have swiped from here). Crash Corrigan stars as the hero. The serial was one of several that was later rebroadcast as a tv show, in the early days of the medium.
37. SOS Coast Guard (1937)
Approved | 224 min | Adventure, Horror, Romance
A mad scientist tries to sell his formula for a dist integrating gas to foreign powers.
Directors: Alan James, William Witney | Stars: Ralph Byrd, Bela Lugosi, Maxine Doyle, Richard Alexander
Votes: 272
Bela Lugosi stars as Boroff, a scientist who has discovered a disintegrator gas which he is selling to the highest bidder. While smuggling it out, he ends up crashed on rocks and rescued by a Coast Guard cutter. He murders the captain when he recognizes him. His brother, our hero goes looking for revenge. Boroff needs to find the rare elements to create the gas, which drives much of the plot.
38. Jungle Jim (1937)
Approved | 232 min | Adventure
Two safaris enter the African jungle intent on finding a white girl who is the heiress to a fortune. One tries to help her and the other one wants to kill her.
Directors: Ford Beebe, Clifford Smith | Stars: Grant Withers, Betty Jane Rhodes, Raymond Hatton, Evelyn Brent
Votes: 122
Adaptation of the Alex Raymond strip. Not quite as good as the later Weismuller films and tv series.
39. Secret Agent X-9 (1937)
Approved | 294 min | Adventure
A secret agent goes after the gang that stole the crown jewels of a European monarchy.
Directors: Ford Beebe, Clifford Smith | Stars: Scott Kolk, Jean Rogers, David Oliver, Monte Blue
Votes: 113
Another Alex Raymond (and Dashiell Hammet) comic strip adaptation. A jewel thief steals the Belgravian crown jewels and X-9 must track them down and recover the loot.
40. Radio Patrol (1937)
Passed | 242 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
A young radio cop and a beautiful girl try to stop an international criminal gang from getting their hands on the formula for a new bulletproof steel.
Directors: Ford Beebe, Clifford Smith | Stars: Grant Withers, Adrian Morris, Kay Hughes, Mickey Rentschler
Votes: 63
Another comic strip adaptation from Universal.
41. Tim Tyler's Luck (1937)
Approved | 212 min | Mystery
Kind-hearted boy with sturdy character visits Africa to search for his missing father and finds adventures against hard-core criminals and wild animals.
Directors: Ford Beebe, Wyndham Gittens | Stars: Frankie Thomas, Frances Robinson, Jack Mulhall, Al Shean
Votes: 275
Probably the best of Universal's jungle serials, based on the comic strip. Young Tim stows away on his father's ship, on a voyage to Africa. he meets a girl who is looking for the criminal who framed her brother.
42. Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars (1938)
Approved | 299 min | Action, Adventure, Family
When a deadly Nitron ray strikes Earth, Flash Gordon and his friends travel to Mars to battle Ming the Merciless and his new ally Queen Azura.
Directors: Ford Beebe, Robert F. Hill, Frederick Stephani | Stars: Buster Crabbe, Jean Rogers, Charles Middleton, Frank Shannon
Votes: 1,052
Flash is back and this time he is fighting Azura, on Mars. The sets aren't as lavish as the first film; but, the action and story are even better. There are several elements that ended up in Star Wars.
43. Dick Tracy Returns (1938)
Approved | 260 min | Drama
Dick Tracy battles spies and saboteurs in his efforts to bring to justice the Stark gang, a criminal family led by the vicious Pa Stark.
Directors: John English, William Witney | Stars: Ralph Byrd, Lynne Roberts, Charles Middleton, Jerry Tucker
Votes: 440
Ralph Byrd returns as Dick Tracy, who is trying to stop the Stark Gang (relatives of Iron Man, no doubt). Charles Middleton (Ming the Merciless, in Flash Gordon) is Pa Stark, the head of the crime family. Like its predecessor, it excels in both action and mystery. Ironically, due to the wording of the contract, Chester Gould only got paid for one Dick Tracy film, since it called for a series or serial.
44. Red Barry (1938)
Passed | 256 min | Drama
A famous detective sets out to discover who stole $2 million in bonds.
Directors: Ford Beebe, Alan James | Stars: Buster Crabbe, Frances Robinson, Edna Sedgewick, Cyril Delevanti
Votes: 113
Another Universal comic strip adaptation, featuring Buster Crabbe as a private detective.
45. The Lone Ranger (1938)
Approved | 264 min | Western
Heroic's of Lone Ranger & Tonto, matter!
Directors: John English, William Witney | Stars: Silver Chief, Chief Thundercloud, Lynne Roberts, Stanley Andrews
Votes: 246
The radio western hero arrives on screen and proceeds to let Silver piddle all over the character. It was bad enough (according to his owners, anyway) that prints were destroyed. A sequel was produced which was much better.
46. The Fighting Devil Dogs (1938)
Approved | 204 min | Adventure
The US marine corps must battle a would-be world conqueror who uses electricity as a weapon.
Directors: John English, William Witney | Stars: Lee Powell, Bruce Bennett, Eleanor Stewart, Montagu Love
Votes: 125
Republic gives us one of the greatest villains of the movie serials, The Lightning, who would influence the look of Darth Vader. The Lightning seeks to conquer the world, using his aerial torpedoes, launched from his flying wing (taken from Dick Tracy). He is opposed by a pair of Marines, including former Tarzan Herman Brix. Great fun, with a repeat of the Dick Tracy boat stunt (redone in Indiana Jones).
47. The Spider's Web (1938)
Passed | 300 min | Action, Crime, Drama
A crime fighter known as The Spider battles a villain called The Octopus, who is out to sabotage America and install his own government.
Directors: James W. Horne, Ray Taylor | Stars: Warren Hull, Iris Meredith, Richard Fiske, Kenne Duncan
Votes: 167
The Shadow's biggest rival (apart from Doc Savage) comes to the screen, though in a very toned down portrayal. The pulp Spider was a gonzo maniac killer, who slaughtered gangs of crooks. This one is a more conventional masked serial hero. The look of the mask would greatly inspire the future Spider-Man, as did the name.
48. Daredevils of the Red Circle (1939)
Approved | 211 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
Using a diabolical disguise, Harry Crowel embarks on a vengeful career of destruction...opposed by three heroic daredevils.
Directors: John English, William Witney | Stars: Charles Quigley, Bruce Bennett, David Sharpe, Carole Landis
Votes: 252
One of the really great Republic serials, for the stunt scenes. The heroes are three acrobats who perform as part of a pier-side carnival, which has been targeted by a criminal, as an act of revenge. Dave Sharp gets to use his gymnastic skills to really ratchet up the stunts. Famous for the cliffhanger of a flood of water chasing one of the heroes through the LA tunnel, which has been redone by everyone.
49. Dick Tracy's G-Men (1939)
Passed | 302 min | Mystery
A mad doctor named Zanoff uses a drug to bring himself back from the dead after his execution in prison. Dick Tracy sets out to capture Zanoff before he can put his criminal gang back together again.
Directors: John English, William Witney | Stars: Ralph Byrd, Irving Pichel, Ted Pearson, Jennifer Jones
Votes: 363
Tracy captures enemy agent Zarnoff, who is sentenced to the gas chamber. he survives and continues in his mission, while Tracy and his men try to track him down. Like the previous two films, tons of great action and mystery.
50. Zorro's Fighting Legion (1939)
Passed | 114 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
The masked hero leads a fighting force to fight a villian who plots the conquest of The Republic of Mexico.
Directors: John English, William Witney | Stars: Reed Hadley, Sheila Darcy, William Corson, Leander De Cordova
Votes: 464
Legendary stuntman Yakima Canutt stars (under the mask) as Zorro, in the only serial version which still uses the sword, rather than turning him into a western hero. This serial has more thrills and stunts than just about any, including Canutt redoing his stunt from Stagecoach.
51. Buck Rogers (1939)
Approved | 237 min | Adventure, Family, Sci-Fi
A 20th Century pilot named Buck Rogers and his young friend Buddy Wade awake from 500 years in suspended animation to find that the world has been taken over by the outlaw army of Killer Kane.
Directors: Ford Beebe, Saul A. Goodkind | Stars: Buster Crabbe, Constance Moore, Jackie Moran, Jack Mulhall
Votes: 997
Buster Crabbe also got to play the comic strip hero that inspired all other sci-fi heroes. Buck and Buddy Wade find themselves in an airship crash and are saved by a gas that puts them into suspended animation. they awake in the 25th Century, where they aid the society in fighting against the evil Killer Kane. George Lucas drew inspiration from here, too, and used a clip at the opening of THX 1138.
52. Mandrake, the Magician (1939)
Approved | 215 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
Mandrake and his assistant Lothar are working the cruise lines and make the acquaintance of Professor Houston who has developed a radium energy machine, which is much coveted by a masked Crime Lord known as "The Wasp".
Directors: Norman Deming, Sam Nelson | Stars: Warren Hull, Doris Weston, Al Kikume, Rex Downing
Votes: 214
The comic strip hero comes to the screen, along with helper Lothar. The pair must defend a professor who has developed a radium energy machine.
53. The Lone Ranger Rides Again (1939)
Approved | 263 min | Western
Homesteaders are moving into the valley settled many years ago by rancher Craig Dolan. He wants to keep them out by legal means but his nephew Bart brings in outlaws to drive them out. The ... See full summary »
Directors: John English, William Witney | Stars: Robert Livingston, Chief Thundercloud, Silver Chief, Duncan Renaldo
Votes: 139
Like the title says, the Lone Ranger was back and the story was a great improvement.
54. The Phantom Creeps (1939)
Approved | 265 min | Action, Family, Horror
A military intelligence officer and a pretty reporter try to find a scientist whose inventions can destroy the world.
Directors: Ford Beebe, Saul A. Goodkind | Stars: Bela Lugosi, Robert Kent, Dorothy Arnold, Edwin Stanley
Votes: 1,118
Legendary serial, starring Bela Lugosi as a scientist who has invented a variety of weapons that are coveted by government agents and foreign spies. It's a favorite of Rob Zombie, who has used the robot designs in his stage show. MST3K savaged the first 3 chapters.
55. The Green Hornet (1940)
Approved | 258 min | Adventure, Crime, Family
A newspaper publisher and his Korean servant fight crime as vigilantes who pose as a notorious masked gangster and his aide.
Directors: Ford Beebe, Ray Taylor | Stars: Gordon Jones, Wade Boteler, Keye Luke, Anne Nagel
Votes: 713
The Green Hornet follows his great-uncle to the screen in this serial. The serial was a bit different in that each chapter the Green Hornet and Kato take down a different criminal, rather than the same villain escaping over and over. By the end, the duo have defeated the entire organization and the 'big boss." Kung Fu's Keye Luke (Master Po) portrays Kato, who designs all of the gadgets for the hero, as well as kicks serious butt.
56. The Green Hornet Strikes Again! (1940)
Approved | 293 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
A wealthy publisher uses a disguise and calls himself the Green Hornet to fight crime in his city.
Directors: Ford Beebe, John Rawlins | Stars: Warren Hull, Wade Boteler, Anne Nagel, Keye Luke
Votes: 426
The Green Hornet is back (with a new actor) taking on a new criminal syndicate. Like the first serial, each chapter features a battle with a different criminal, who is a cog in a bigger machine. Kato gets a livelier personality here, too.
57. The Shadow (1940)
Passed | 285 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
The Shadow battles a villain known as The Black Tiger, who has the power to make himself invisible and is trying to take over the world with his death ray.
Director: James W. Horne | Stars: Victor Jory, Veda Ann Borg, Roger Moore, Robert Fiske
Votes: 376
Walter Gibson's pulp and radio hero hit the screens (there were also short films) in this serial, which doesn't quite have the atmosphere of the radio show or the "blood and thunder" of the pulps; but, it's a pretty darn good serial. The Shadow uses his fists more than his automatics.
58. The Green Archer (I) (1940)
Passed | 285 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
The struggle over the Bellamy estate ends with Michael Bellamy accused of murder and killed on the way to prison, while his brother Abel Bellamy takes control of the estate for his own nefarious plans.
Director: James W. Horne | Stars: Victor Jory, Iris Meredith, James Craven, Robert Fiske
Votes: 197
Mystery serial, based on a novel by Edgar Wallace. the plot revolves around a manor house, with a mysterious archer stalking secret passageways. It looks like a hero serial; but the focus is more on the mystery. it did, along with Robin Hood, inspire Green Arrow.
59. Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940)
Approved | 195 min | Action, Adventure, Family
Flash Gordon, Dale Arden and Dr. Zarkov return to the planet Mongo for an antidote to the Purple Death, which wreaking destruction on Earth. However, Ming the Merciless has other plans for them.
Directors: Ford Beebe, Ray Taylor | Stars: Buster Crabbe, Carol Hughes, Charles Middleton, Anne Gwynne
Votes: 1,498
Third and final Flash Gordon serial, which finds Flash, Dale and Zarkov aiding Queen Fria of Frigia, against the machinations of Ming. This one really influenced Lucas, with the wintery setting (Empire) and the opening title narration crawls (all of the films).
60. Terry and the Pirates (1940)
Passed | 300 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Dr. Herbert Lee (John Paul Jones), an archaeologist seeking to decipher ancient Mara inscriptions, is aided by his son, Terry (William Tracy), and Terry's pal, Pat Ryan (Jeff York), and ... See full summary »
Director: James W. Horne | Stars: William Tracy, Jeff York, Joyce Bryant, Allen Jung
Votes: 167
Milton Caniff's legendary adventure strip comes to life, though a big budget film would have done more justice to the material. Terry's also a bit older here, than in the strips (although he was an adult by wartime).
61. Drums of Fu Manchu (1940)
Passed | 269 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
The nefarious Dr. Fu Manchu searches for the keys to the tomb of Genghis Khan, in order to fulfill a prophecy that will enable him to conquer the world. His nemesis, Dr. Nayland Smith, and ... See full summary »
Directors: John English, William Witney | Stars: Henry Brandon, William Royle, Robert Kellard, Gloria Franklin
Votes: 334
Republic and William Whitney adapt Sax Rohmer's evil doctor in this serial, which follows Boris Karloff's iconic portrayal in The Mask of Fu Manchu. Republic didn't have the budget or the actors, but it created an excellent mystery.
62. Adventures of Red Ryder (1940)
Approved | 205 min | Western
Chapter One MURDER ON THE SANTA FE TRAIL - Mesquite banker Calvin Drake (Harry Worth) plans to profit from the Santa Fe Railroad's acquisition of right-of-way by gaining control of the land... See full summary »
Directors: John English, William Witney | Stars: Don 'Red' Barry, Noah Beery, Tommy Cook, Maude Allen
Votes: 161
Adaptation of the comic strip, with Ralph Parker's favorite hero (after Little Orphan Annie), Red Ryder. Typical crook kills his father to gain the land, so Red goes hunting for revenge (with a 200 shot, range model air rifle, with a compass in the stock and this thing which tells time). Dan "Red" Barry stars. It would lead to a series of Red Ryder B-westerns.
63. Junior G-Men (1940)
Approved | 240 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
A gang of street kids work with the FBI in their attempt to find and rescue their leader's father, a scientist who has been kidnapped by a terrorist group.
Directors: Ford Beebe, John Rawlins | Stars: Billy Halop, Huntz Hall, Gabriel Dell, Bernard Punsly
Votes: 112
The Dead End Kids team up with FBI agents to fight saboteurs. The first of the Dead End Kids and Little Tough Guy serials.
64. King of the Royal Mounted (1940)
Approved | 211 min | Adventure, Drama, Western
Canadian Tom Merritt has discovered a substance, Compound X, that will cure infantile paralysis, which he extracts from a mine at Caribou, Canada. A country at war with Canada (unnamed ... See full summary »
Directors: John English, William Witney | Stars: Allan Lane, Robert Strange, Robert Kellard, Lita Conway
Votes: 114
The Nazis head to Canada to find Compound X, which can be used in mines against the Allies. Mountie Sgt. Dave King fights their agents, between hockey games and cooking back bacon.
65. Mysterious Doctor Satan (1940)
Passed | 267 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
A mad scientist plots the domination of America and only the masked hero, The Copperhead, can stop him.
Directors: John English, William Witney | Stars: Eduardo Ciannelli, Robert Wilcox, William Newell, C. Montague Shaw
Votes: 276
An odd serial, with an interesting history. Republic pitched an idea for a Superman serial that was rejected. So, they took the script and created their own hero, Copperhead, who wears a chain mail hood. The serial has several cheats, which often ruined things for people who saw the previous cliffhanger. In an interview, William Whitney said that the head of Republic took the director of the serial to task for that and mandated against cheats for resolving cliffhangers.
66. Adventures of Captain Marvel (1941)
Passed | 216 min | Action, Adventure, Family
To protect a magic talisman from being used for evil, a teenage boy named Billy Batson is given the power to become an adult superhero, Captain Marvel, with a single magic word: "Shazam!"
Directors: John English, William Witney | Stars: Tom Tyler, Frank Coghlan Jr., William 'Billy' Benedict, Louise Currie
Votes: 1,524
The first movie serial adapted from the new medium of comic books. Republic signed, arguably, the greatest hero of the Golden Age, and they went to town. Unfortunately, they didn't bring along the wonderful villains, like Dr Sivana or Black Adam; and, instead, use a standard masked villain (The Scorpion). However, they keep things lively and Tom Tyler was perfectly cast as The Big Red Cheese. At certain points, he is doubled by Dave Sharp, who was a champion gymnast, who does several stunt landings and an awesome sequence where he does a backflip and kicks two thugs. Frank Coughlin is great as alter ego Billy Batson.
67. The Spider Returns (1941)
Approved | 300 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
The evil and masked "Gargoyle" is sabotaging all of America's industrial plants. It is up to the Spider to save the country.
Director: James W. Horne | Stars: Warren Hull, Mary Ainslee, Dave O'Brien, Joseph W. Girard
Votes: 279
The Spider is back for more fun and mayhem.
68. Holt of the Secret Service (1941)
Approved | 278 min | Drama
A murderous gang of counterfeiters has kidnapped the government's best engraver and is forcing him to print virtually undetectable phony money. The Secret Service sends its toughest agent, Jack Holt, and a female partner after the gang.
Director: James W. Horne | Stars: Jack Holt, Evelyn Brent, C. Montague Shaw, Tristram Coffin
Votes: 92
Jack Holt plays himself (or, at least his name) in this serial, where he is a G-man, tracking counterfeiters, who have kidnapped the top engraver. Holt is aided by Kay Drew, as the pair attempt to infiltrate the gang. The serial is notable as being made more for adults, making it more logical.
69. Jungle Girl (1941)
Passed | 267 min | Adventure, Family
Dr. Meredith has been driven from civilization by the criminal activities of his twin brother Bradley. With his infant daughter, he settles in the African jungle. But the Masamba tribes possess vast diamond mines coveted by crooks.
Directors: John English, William Witney | Stars: Frances Gifford, Tom Neal, Trevor Bardette, Gerald Mohr
Votes: 231
Frances Gifford stars in this Republic serial, based (in title, mostly) on a story by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Gifford is Nyoka, a white jungle goddess. Her pastoral existence is disrupted by an expedition which tries to steal the treasure of her society. The outfit was a bit skimpy for the era and Gifford looks great. There are great stunts and a pretty decent plot.
70. King of the Texas Rangers (1941)
Approved | 215 min | Drama, Western
When Captain King of the Texas Rangers is murdered by saboteurs, his son, Tom ("Slingin' Sammy Baugh"), a famous football star, leaves college and joins the Texas Rangers himself. Shortly ... See full summary »
Directors: John English, William Witney | Stars: Sammy Baugh, Neil Hamilton, Pauline Moore, Duncan Renaldo
Votes: 88
"Slingin'" Sammy Baugh (a football star turned actor) stars as a Texas Ranger who teams up with a Mexan police officer (Duncan "Cisco Kid" Renaldo) to bring Nazi saboteurs (who murdered his father) to justice. This is a modern western, which includes fights on moving trucks and an aerial attack on an airship.
71. Dick Tracy vs. Crime, Inc. (1941)
Passed | 263 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Dick Tracy goes up against a villain known as The Ghost, who can turn himself invisible.
Directors: John English, William Witney | Stars: Ralph Byrd, Michael Owen, Jan Wiley, John Davidson
Votes: 324
Last of the Republic Dick Tracy serials, with Tracy fighting The Ghost, who can turn invisible. This one uses lots of footage from the previos 3 serials.
72. Sky Raiders (1941)
Passed | 227 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Enemy spies try to steal a new fighter plane.
Directors: Ford Beebe, Ray Taylor | Stars: Donald Woods, Billy Halop, Robert Armstrong, Eduardo Ciannelli
Votes: 212
Nazi agents try to steal a new fighter from an aircraft factory. Strong attention is payed to the characters; though more the heroes than the villains. There is some stunt flying and stock footage, though the planes quickly became dated, compared to the real ones you could see in newsreels.
73. Riders of Death Valley (1941)
Passed | 283 min | Western
This star-laden western serial has our able heroes escaping various perils devised by the evil Wolfe Reade and his pack of outlaws, who wish to lay claim to a fabled lost mine.
Directors: Ford Beebe, Ray Taylor | Stars: Dick Foran, Leo Carrillo, Buck Jones, Charles Bickford
Votes: 116
Big budget Western serial, with an all-star cast. The plot revolves around the search for a lost Aztec mine. The heroes eventually find it, then try to make it pay off before it's too late, in a twist on the usual serial format (which would have one of the other plot for the hole story). Apart from the actors, it's fairly run of the mill; but, it provided stock footage for many later western serials.
74. Spy Smasher (1942)
Passed | 215 min | Action, Adventure, Family
Alan Armstrong, aka Spy Smasher, battles a Nazi villain known as The Mask, who heads a gang of saboteurs determined to spread destruction across America.
Director: William Witney | Stars: Kane Richmond, Marguerite Chapman, Sam Flint, Hans Schumm
Votes: 414
Republic adaptation of the Fawcett Comics hero. Kane Richmond stars as the hero, Alan Armstrong, who is hunting down a Nazi sabotage ring, led by The Mask. There are some really great stunts here, including a battle aboard a futuristic flying craft, which inspired a scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
75. Sea Raiders (1941)
Approved | 229 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
The Dead End Kids go after a gang known as the Sea Raiders, which is sinking Allied shipping.
Directors: Ford Beebe, John Rawlins | Stars: Billy Halop, Huntz Hall, Gabriel Dell, Bernard Punsly
Votes: 78
The Dead End Kids take on a gang of saboteurs who sink a liner on which two of the gang have stowed away. They ain't takin' that and they get the gang together to hunt down the raiders hideout. They get blown out of the air, nearly drowned, entombed and mauled by panthers, before capturing some uniforms and infiltrating the raider base.
76. Captain Midnight (1942)
Passed | 270 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Secret Service Major Steel (Joseph W. Girard), is one of the few men in America aware of the fact that Captain Albright (Dave O'Brien) is also Captain Midnight, daring masked aviator ... See full summary »
Director: James W. Horne | Stars: Dave O'Brien, Dorothy Short, James Craven, Sam Edwards
Votes: 152
The radio and comic book hero came to movie screens in this serial. The stunts are decent, though the costume is a bit odd, compared to the comics and as described in the radio show. the serial is let down a bit by the model work, which is a bit too obvious and the plot doesn't thunder along like the Republic serials.
77. Perils of Nyoka (1942)
Approved | 261 min | Drama
It's intrepid Nyoka and her friends versus Vultura, Queen of the Desert, on a quest for the Golden Tablets of Hippocrates.
Director: William Witney | Stars: Kay Aldridge, Clayton Moore, William 'Billy' Benedict, Lorna Gray
Votes: 179
Kaye Aldrige takes over as Nyoka, in this sequel which is even better than the first. The villains are trying to steal the Tables of Hippocretes which sets everyone into a tizzy. Clayton Moore also appears in the serial, which is filled with great stunts.
78. King of the Mounties (1942)
Approved | 196 min | Action, Adventure, Western
The chapter-crunched version of this 196 minutes, 12-episode serial from Republic finds Canada being bombed mercilessly by a mysterious-enemy plane (shaped like a boomerang) called the ... See full summary »
Director: William Witney | Stars: Allan Lane, Gilbert Emery, Russell Hicks, Peggy Drake
Votes: 55
Republic brings us the Mounties vs the Axis. The Japanese attempt to invade Canada via a fantastic fling ship, shaped like a boomerang. The hoser is opposed by Sgt Dave King, who is probably fortified by a lot of beer and back bacon, eh? Lots of fun and adventure North of the Border.
79. Gang Busters (1942)
Approved | 251 min | Drama
Detective lieutenant Bill Bannister is assigned to run down an unknown gang of terrorists who have spread a net of crime over the city.
Directors: Noel M. Smith, Ray Taylor | Stars: Kent Taylor, Irene Hervey, Ralph Morgan, Robert Armstrong
Votes: 130
One of Universal's best. A gang of dead criminals, The League of Murdered Men, terrorize the city. the criminals are led by Prof. Mortis, who developed a way to revive them from the dead. The police chief sends a pair of detectives to nab the gang. The serial is filled with outdoor chases and thrilling action and one of the more memorable lead villains.
80. Don Winslow of the Navy (1942)
Passed | 237 min | Action, Adventure, War
US naval officer Don Winslow is given command of the islands near Pearl Harbor. He discovers that there is a ring of saboteurs and enemy agents who are trying to destroy ships carrying ... See full summary »
Directors: Ford Beebe, Ray Taylor | Stars: Don Terry, Walter Sande, John Litel, Wade Boteler
Votes: 120
Universal adapts another comic strip. Don Winslow is an agent of Naval Intelligence, whose in charge of a ring of islands near Pearl Harbor. He must stop a group of saboteurs from preventing troops from being stationed there.
81. Junior G-Men of the Air (1942)
Approved | 225 min | Action, Adventure, War
A group of street kids battle a terrorist gang led by a Japanese spy.
Directors: Lewis D. Collins, Ray Taylor | Stars: Billy Halop, Gene Reynolds, Lionel Atwill, Frank Albertson
Votes: 109
The Dead End kids take on Japanese saboteurs this time, who have launched a series of attacks, in advance of an invasion.
82. G-Men vs. The Black Dragon (1943)
Passed | 243 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
American, British and Chinese secret agents battle the Japanese Black Dragon Society, a secretive ring that smuggles enemy agents into the U.S. disguised as mummies.
Directors: Spencer Gordon Bennet, William Witney | Stars: Rod Cameron, Roland Got, Constance Worth, Nino Pipitone
Votes: 157
Outstanding serial from director William Whitney, which introduces us to special agent Rex Bennet and his group of of crime fighters. This one is pure action, with plenty of fights and stunts galore. Even the heroine gets to blast people with a tommy gun!
83. Daredevils of the West (1943)
Passed | 196 min | Western
Director: John English | Stars: Allan Lane, Kay Aldridge, Eddie Acuff, William Haade
Votes: 63
Republic serial that features some of the best western serial stunts. Allan Lane and Kay Aldrige (Perils of Nyoka) try to run a stagecoach line, which is repeatedly attacked by the villains. This one exists for the stunts, more than most serials. It also features Chief Thunder Cloud and Jay Silver Heels, the two most iconic screen Tontos (Johnny Depp, ach phooey!).
84. The Adventures of Smilin' Jack (1943)
Approved | 265 min | Action, Adventure, War
Just before World War II, the Chinese and American governments mount a joint operation to prevent the Germans and Japanese from taking over the strategic island of Mandon.
Directors: Lewis D. Collins, Ray Taylor | Stars: Tom Brown, Rose Hobart, Edgar Barrier, Marjorie Lord
Votes: 368
Aviation serial, based on the popular adventure strip. Ou hero (who was visually based on Cary Grant, in the comics) is an advisor to the Chinese and wants to return to the US to enlist. however, the Chinese have learned of a secret road that runs from India to China, through the Himalayas, which could aid their fight with the Japanese. Jack and his group try to secure the secret, while the Japanese intelligence group The Black Samurai (not Jim Kelly) try to destroy it. The serial doesn't really match the comics well, unlike most Universal serials. It even created a younger character, that bore a resemblance to Tailspin Tommy. Not one of the better comic strip serials.
85. Don Winslow of the Coast Guard (1943)
Approved | 245 min | Action, Drama, War
A Coast Guard officer is assigned to protect the coastline from spies, saboteurs and enemy agents.
Directors: Lewis D. Collins, Ray Taylor | Stars: Don Terry, Walter Sande, Elyse Knox, Philip Ahn
Votes: 60
Having successfully defended Pearl harbor from a saboteur attack, Commodore Winslow finds himself assigned to the Coast Guard to do the same in California. Winslow, Lt. red Pennington and Mercedes Colby (daughter of an admiral) work to stop the Scorpion, a fascist sympathizer in the service of the Japanese. The hunt for secret bases and submarines. I suppose if the series had continued, we'd eventually get Don Winslow of the USO!
86. Secret Service in Darkest Africa (1943)
Approved | 243 min | Action, Adventure, War
An American secret agent travels to Africa to infiltrate a German spy ring.
Director: Spencer Gordon Bennet | Stars: Rod Cameron, Joan Marsh, Duncan Renaldo, Lionel Royce
Votes: 113
Sequel to G-Men vs the Black Dragon, with Rex Bennet fighting Nazis in North Africa. Another dazzling display of stunts and fights, with some of the most physical action in any serial. Much of it factors into Raiders of the Lost Ark.
87. Adventures of the Flying Cadets (1943)
Approved | 242 min | Adventure
A group of flying cadets have to clear themselves of a murder charge, while trying to stop a traitorous scientist from selling secrets to the Nazis.
Directors: Lewis D. Collins, Ray Taylor | Stars: Johnny Downs, Bobby Jordan, Ward Wood, William 'Billy' Benedict
Votes: 85
Universals last aviation serial, which features an excellent cast a good villain, but is marred by a bad ending and some less than stellar cliff hangers. The cast is the reason to watch.
88. The Masked Marvel (1943)
Passed | 197 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A mysterious detective called The Masked Marvel battles Japanese saboteurs intent on blowing up America.
Director: Spencer Gordon Bennet | Stars: William Forrest, Louise Currie, Johnny Arthur, Rod Bacon
Votes: 206
Republic delivers their own masked hero, with a twist on previos serials: the mystery revolves around the hero's identity, instead of the villain. The Masked Marvel is one of 5 investigators for an insurance company, who are trying to stop a enemy sabotage ring. There's some great stunts, and tons of action. Stuntman Tom Steele plays the hero (when masked) and later also plays one of the thugs and has a scene where he chases himself up a flight of stairs!
89. The Phantom (1943)
Passed | 299 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
The Phantom's clan has ruled the jungle tribes for centuries. He battles Dr. Bremmer who plans to build an airfield and gets greedy when Professor Davidson and his niece Diana arrive to search for the treasure of the lost city of Zoloz.
Director: B. Reeves Eason | Stars: Tom Tyler, Jeanne Bates, Ernie Adams, John Bagni
Votes: 472
The Phantom comes to life at Columbia, in the form of Tom Tyler, who was memorable as Captain Marvel. He's equally memorable here; and, he looks like he stepped off the Sunday comics page. The serial has a great story, as Kit Walker must take over from his murdered father, complete with his wolf Devil, Guran, Diana Palmer, and the Skull Cave. This one is really great and more satisfying than the 1996 movie.
90. Batman (1943)
Approved | 260 min | Action, Crime, Family
The very first serial to adapt the comic book character of the Batman. In it, the Batman is a secret U.S. government agent, attempting to defeat the schemes of Japanese agent Dr. Daka operating in Los Angeles at the height of World War II.
Director: Lambert Hillyer | Stars: Lewis Wilson, Douglas Croft, J. Carrol Naish, Shirley Patterson
Votes: 2,472
Batman was the first DC hero to make it (in live action) to the screen, taking on Dr Daka's sabotage ring. Lewis Wilson stars as a pudgy Batman, but he does a decent job, especially when he goes undercover. This one has some fun chapters, though it's a little uneven. Unfortunately, the Batmobile is a bit of a disappointment; it's just a generic sedan. They didn't even give it a cool hood ornament or some bat decals. Meanwhile, the Batcave consists mostly of a desk, a file cabinet, and a radio set. These things were low budget; but, it makes Batman look a bit low rent.
91. Captain America (1944)
Passed | 244 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Superhero Captain America battles the evil forces of the archvillain called The Scarab, who poisons his enemies and steals a secret device capable of destroying buildings by sound vibrations.
Directors: Elmer Clifton, John English | Stars: Dick Purcell, Lorna Gray, Lionel Atwill, Charles Trowbridge
Votes: 1,104
Dick Purcell stars as the only Timely Comics hero to make it to the screen. However, he's no Chris Evans, or even Reb Brown (still better than Matt Salinger, though). This Cap isn't Steve Rogers, soldier; he's district attorney Grant Gardner, who carries a gun and not a shield. The costume isn't right, either. It turns out the script wasn't created for Cap; but had been intended for another property. The most likely property was Fawcett's Mr Scarlet, who was a pistol-packing DA. However, Mr Scarlet didn't last long as a cover feature, so it looks like Republic backed out and dusted off the script after securing the rights. Timely had no say in the matter (or didn't care). The action is good, even if the hero is a bit doughy. he does get a motorcycle, though.
92. The Tiger Woman (1944)
Approved | 196 min | Adventure, Thriller
Greedy oil speculators led by Morgan are trying to force Tiger Woman and her band of warriors from their jungle home. Allen Saunders of Inter-Ocean Oil wants to develop the oil too, but fights with Tiger Woman to stop the bad guys.
Directors: Spencer Gordon Bennet, Wallace Grissell | Stars: Allan Lane, Linda Stirling, Duncan Renaldo, George J. Lewis
Votes: 154
Linda Stirling stars as the heroine, a cross between Tarzan and Nyoka. Stirling had never ridden a horse; but was quickly schooled by Duncan Renaldo. She performed many of her own stunts.
93. Haunted Harbor (1944)
Passed | 243 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
A sea captain about to be hanged for a murder he didn't commit is rescued from the gallows by two of his crewmen. They head for the island of Pulinan, where they believe the real murderer--... See full summary »
Directors: Spencer Gordon Bennet, Wallace Grissell | Stars: Kane Richmond, Kay Aldridge, Roy Barcroft, Clancy Cooper
Votes: 102
A sea captain is rescued from the gallows by two of his crewman, then head to a jungle shrouded island to find the real killer who framed him. Tons of thrills, mixing elements of different genres, including mystery, jungle adventure, and sea adventure.
94. Zorro's Black Whip (1944)
Approved | 211 min | Western
Hammond, a leading citizen who owns the town's stagecoach line, is opposed to Idaho becoming a state, and kills Randolph Meredith, owner of the town's newspaper, for endorsing it. ... See full summary »
Directors: Spencer Gordon Bennet, Wallace Grissell | Stars: George J. Lewis, Linda Stirling, Lucien Littlefield, Francis McDonald
Votes: 280
Linda Stirling stars as a female Zorro, who is never called Zorro (she's the Black Whip). She fights a group of corrupt politicians in Idaho, using her whip as a weapon. The footage from the serial would be reused in Don Daredevil Rides Again and the Man with the Steel Whip, which feature male heroes. The reason for the title was Republic attempting to cash in on the success of The Mask of Zorro; but, not having the rights to use the hero.
95. The Desert Hawk (1944)
Approved | 285 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
Evil Hassan slips back into his native land of Ahad and plots to overthrow his twin bother, Kasim, who has just been crowned the Caliph. Hassan enlists the aid of the chief Chamberlain, ... See full summary »
Director: B. Reeves Eason | Stars: Gilbert Roland, Mona Maris, Ben Welden, Kenneth MacDonald
Votes: 44
Serial set in the Middle East (though with a "western" flavor), where the caliph has been deposed and left for dead. He is saved and nursed back to health, then tries to take back his land. A bit different than the standard.
96. Manhunt of Mystery Island (1945)
Passed | 219 min | Action, Crime, Mystery
The creator of a scientific device is kidnapped, and his daughter enlists the help of a private detective whose investigations lead them to a remote Pacific isle where they confront the evil and shocking descendants of a long-dead pirate.
Directors: Spencer Gordon Bennet, Yakima Canutt, Wallace Grissell | Stars: Richard Bailey, Linda Stirling, Roy Barcroft, Kenne Duncan
Votes: 185
One of the really classic republic serials, about a crook who uses high tech to masquerade as a pirate ghost. Our meddling heroes (who lack a talking dog) try to solve the mystery and survive the attempts to kill them. Lots of great stuff the was stolen by everyone under the sun (especially Hanna-Barbera).
97. The Master Key (1945)
Passed | 226 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
Government agents battle a gang of Nazis who are trying to use the Orotron machine, which can turn seawater into gold.
Directors: Lewis D. Collins, Ray Taylor | Stars: Milburn Stone, Jan Wiley, Dennis Moore, Addison Richards
Votes: 87
Nazi agents, led by the mysterious Master Key, kidnap a professor to steal his machine which can draw gold from seawater! The serial has average stunts and cliffhangers (many taken from previous serials) ad is mainly notable for it's cast and writing. Milburn Stone (the future Doc, on Gunsmoke) stars and Lash Larue appears in his first serial role.
98. Federal Operator 99 (1945)
Passed | 169 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
Crime lord Jim Belmont escapes FBI custody and begins a reign of thievery that is thwarted at every turn by Jerry Blake, the FBI's Operator 99.
Directors: Spencer Gordon Bennet, Yakima Canutt, Richard Cherwin, Wallace Grissell | Stars: Marten Lamont, Helen Talbot, George J. Lewis, Lorna Gray
Votes: 78
An unusual serial for republic, which features G-Men vs gangsters. The villains are a bit more developed and the hero has a British accent.
99. Brenda Starr, Reporter (1945)
Approved | 243 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
Chapter 1 finds Daily Flash newspaper reporter Brenda Starr (Joan Woodbury), and her photographer, Chuck Allen (Syd Saylor), assigned to cover a fire in an old house where they discover the... See full summary »
Director: Wallace Fox | Stars: Joan Woodbury, Kane Richmond, Ernie Adams, William 'Billy' Benedict
Votes: 91
Joan Woodbury stars as the comic strip heroine. Like the strip, she needs a man to rescue her. The film is notable only for the connection to the comic, which has never been adapted well.
100. Secret Agent X-9 (1945)
Approved | 246 min | Action, Adventure
American, Chinese and Australian agents join forces to stop the Nazis from obtaining the formula for synthetic fuel.
Directors: Lewis D. Collins, Ray Taylor | Stars: Lloyd Bridges, Keye Luke, Jan Wiley, Victoria Horne
Votes: 150
X-9 returns to serials, this time battling a gangster for control of Shadow Island, which has a secret mineral that can be used to create cheap aviation fuel. It was the last comic strip serial from Universal and features Lloyd Bridges as the hero, with Keye Luke and Benson Fong (both featured in Kung Fu and in the Charlie Chan series). It also resuses footage and the score from Gung Ho.
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