Some enjoyable film serials
Here's some that I have watched and liked. Many others I've yet to see. Several of these characters would resurface in later years. All listed in the 1932 to 1955 area. Some of these were edited for feature film release also.
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- DirectorFrederick StephaniRay TaylorStarsBuster CrabbeJean RogersCharles MiddletonFlash 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.
- DirectorFord BeebeSaul A. GoodkindStarsBuster CrabbeConstance MooreJackie MoranA 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.
- DirectorFord BeebeRobert F. HillFrederick StephaniStarsBuster CrabbeJean RogersCharles MiddletonWhen 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.
- DirectorFord BeebeRay TaylorStarsBuster CrabbeCarol HughesCharles MiddletonA ravaging plague has struck the Earth threatening no less than global extinction. This alien disease is believed to be the evil spawn of Ming, the merciless Emperor of Planet Mongo. The world's only hope now rests with Flash Gordon.
- DirectorJ.P. McGowanArmand SchaeferStarsJohn WayneShirley GreyConway TearleWhen 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."John Wayne early work.
- DirectorFord BeebeRay TaylorStarsGordon JonesWade BotelerKeye LukeA newspaper publisher and his Korean servant fight crime as vigilantes who pose as a notorious masked gangster and his aide.
- DirectorFord BeebeJohn RawlinsStarsWarren HullWade BotelerAnne NagelA wealthy publisher uses a disguise and calls himself the Green Hornet to fight crime in his city.
- DirectorJames W. HorneStarsVictor JoryIris MeredithJames CravenThe 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.
- DirectorLambert HillyerStarsLewis WilsonDouglas CroftJ. Carrol NaishThe 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.
- DirectorSpencer Gordon BennetStarsRobert LoweryJohnny DuncanJane AdamsSecond serial featuring the comic book character Batman. In it, Batman, together with his sidekick Robin, face off against the Wizard, a hooded villain with an electronic device that remotely controls vehicles.
- DirectorJames W. HorneStarsVictor JoryVeda Ann BorgRoger MooreThe 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.
- DirectorJohn EnglishWilliam WitneyStarsJohn CarrollNoah BeeryRichard AlexanderThe 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. Manuel Vega, aged co-owner, calls in the aid of his nephew James, great-grandson of the original Zorro. Alas, James seems more adept at golf than derring-do; but after he arrives, Zorro rides again! Can one black-clad man on horseback defeat a gang supplied with airplanes and machine guns?
- DirectorJohn EnglishWilliam WitneyStarsReed HadleySheila DarcyWilliam CorsonThe masked hero leads a fighting force to fight a villian who plots the conquest of The Republic of Mexico.
- DirectorSpencer Gordon BennetWallace GrissellStarsGeorge J. LewisLinda StirlingLucien LittlefieldHammond, 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. Meredith's sister Barbara, expert with a bullwhip and pistol, dons a black costume and mask and becomes "The Black Whip", dealing a blow to Hammond and his gang each time they perform some heinous act in their efforts to keep the town, and their power over it, unchanged. Aided by government agent Vic Gordon, Barbara confronts Hammond in a final showdown just as the town votes on whether or not to accept statehood.
- DirectorSpencer Gordon BennetFred C. BrannonStarsGeorge TurnerPeggy StewartRoy BarcroftYoung cavalry officer Jeff Stewart returns to his home in the west after the Civil War to find that a ring of crooked politicians has taken over the county, bleeding the citizens with 50% of value on the main trail, and protecting the rustlers that raid the cattle ranches. With the permission of the state governor and the assistance of Kate Wells, the postmistress, Jeff plans to open another trail to beat the toll. He also decides to resurrect an ancestor of his who, in a similar situation, took the law in his own hands-----Zorro. With the aid of Pancho, Zorro manages to thwart the conspirators and exposes the guilty culprits.
- DirectorB. Reeves EasonStarsTom TylerJeanne BatesErnie AdamsThe 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.one of the better ones
- DirectorElmer CliftonJohn EnglishStarsDick PurcellLorna GrayLionel AtwillSuperhero 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.not that similar to todays version.
- DirectorSpencer Gordon BennetWallace GrissellStarsAllan LaneLinda StirlingDuncan RenaldoGreedy 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.
- DirectorFred C. BrannonStarsGeorge D. WallaceAline TowneRoy BarcroftStrategic targets on Earth are being destroyed by an unknown weapon. Government security head Henderson suspects it's an "atomic ray" originating from the moon.
- DirectorAlan JamesRay TaylorStarsRalph ByrdKay HughesSmiley BurnetteA master criminal called The Spider puts the famous detective's brother under a hypnotic spell and turns him against Dick.
- DirectorJohn EnglishWilliam WitneyStarsRalph ByrdLynne RobertsCharles MiddletonDick Tracy battles spies and saboteurs in his efforts to bring to justice the Stark gang, a criminal family led by the vicious Pa Stark.
- DirectorJohn EnglishWilliam WitneyStarsRalph ByrdIrving PichelTed PearsonA 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.
- DirectorJohn EnglishWilliam WitneyStarsRalph ByrdMichael OwenJan WileyDick Tracy goes up against a villain known as The Ghost, who can turn himself invisible.
- DirectorNorman DemingSam NelsonStarsWarren HullDoris WestonAl KikumeMandrake 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".
- DirectorFord BeebeSaul A. GoodkindStarsBela LugosiRobert KentDorothy ArnoldA military intelligence officer and a pretty reporter try to find a scientist whose inventions can destroy the world.
- DirectorRay TaylorStarsBela LugosiMaria AlbaClara Kimball YoungThe 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.starring Bela Lugosi.
- DirectorJohn EnglishWilliam WitneyStarsSilver ChiefChief ThundercloudLynne RobertsHeroic's of Lone Ranger & Tonto, matter!
- DirectorJohn EnglishWilliam WitneyStarsTom TylerFrank Coghlan Jr.William 'Billy' BenedictTo 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!"
- DirectorWallace FoxStarsJoan WoodburyKane RichmondErnie AdamsChapter 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 wounded Joe Heller (Wheeler Oakman),a gangster suspected of stealing a quarter-million dollar payroll. The dying Heller tells Brenda that someone took his satchel of stolen money and he gives her a coded message. Kruger (Jack Ingram), the gangster who shot Heller, escapes to his gang's hideout with the bag but discovers it is filled with paper rather than money. The gang, knowing Heller gave Brenda a coded message makes many attempts on her life to get her to reveal where Heller hid the payroll money. But thanks to Chuck and Police Lieutenant Larry Farrel (Kane Richmond), she evades them for thirteen weeks/chapters, until Pesky (William 'Billy' Benedict), a Daily Flash office boy manages to decode the Heller message.
- DirectorFred C. BrannonStarsWalter ReedLois CollierGregory GayeA hero single-handedly sets himself against Martians trying to assume control of Earth.
- DirectorFranklin AdreonStarsPhyllis CoatesMyron HealeyArthur SpaceJean Evans of an international wildlife foundation has made herself at home in Africa as the elephant-riding, vine-swinging, miniskirted 'Panther Girl.' On safari to film animals, Jean encounters something really wild; a giant crayfish monster (created by greedy scientist Morgan who, with his henchmen, hopes to scare everyone out of the district, then secretly mine diamonds). Jungle perils aplenty stand between Jean (an active, competent heroine) and her hunter friend Larry and their goal of tracing the 'claw monster' to its source.
- DirectorSpencer Gordon BennetStarsRichard CraneMarshall ReedKaren RandleUnion prisoners use a balloon to escape a Southern prison camp near the end of the Civil War and end up marooned on a mysterious volcanic island with very unusual inhabitants.
- DirectorEdward A. KullWilbur McGaughStarsBruce BennettUla HoltAshton DearholtTarzan 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.
- DirectorRobert F. HillStarsBuster CrabbeJulie BishopEdward WoodsMary 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.
- DirectorB. Reeves EasonJoseph KaneStarsRay CorriganLois WildeMonte BlueCrash 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. Norton's rocket submarine searching the sea and little Billy Norton, the professor's son stows away, of course. When they find Atlantis they are caught in a war between peaceful Atlanteans, note their white capes, and war-monging Atlanteans, note their black capes. After many harrowing moments for Crash, Diana, Prof. Norton and Billy, they barely get away with their lives when they escape a tower of Atlantis raised to the surface for the sole purpose of dominating or destroying the Earth (Which one depends on the compliance of the upper world dwellers.)
- DirectorJohn EnglishWilliam WitneyStarsFrances GiffordTom NealTrevor BardetteDr. 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.
- DirectorFred C. BrannonStarsClayton MoorePamela BlakeRoy BarcroftIt is 1865 and the telegraph is heading west. George Crane, wanting to keep law and order out of his territory, is out to stop the construction. The engineer on the job is Ken Mason and he is the grandson of Don Diego Vega (also known as Zorro). As Crane sends his men or Native Americans to stop the work, Mason repeatedly puts on the Zorro costume and rides to the rescue in this twelve-chapter serial.
- DirectorFord BeebeClifford SmithStarsGrant WithersBetty Jane RhodesRaymond HattonTwo 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.
- DirectorLewis D. CollinsRay TaylorStarsTom BrownRose HobartEdgar BarrierJust 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.
- DirectorFord BeebeClifford SmithStarsJohn 'Dusty' KingJean RogersNoah Beery Jr.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 find out why a mysterious villain known only as 'The Dragon' is trying to prevent the newly formed International Airways from setting up an airport there. Ace meets Peggy Trainor (Jean Rogers) who is searching for her archaeologist father who has disappeared. Together they search for answers to the puzzles.
- DirectorWilliam WitneyStarsKay AldridgeClayton MooreWilliam 'Billy' BenedictIt's intrepid Nyoka and her friends versus Vultura, Queen of the Desert, on a quest for the Golden Tablets of Hippocrates.
- DirectorJames W. HorneStarsJack HoltEvelyn BrentC. Montague ShawA 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.
- DirectorLewis D. CollinsRay TaylorStarsEdward NorrisEddie QuillanDouglass DumbrilleDuring World War II, the German high command sends agents into an African jungle to stir up the local Tongghili tribes against the British.
- DirectorJames W. HorneStarsWilliam TracyJeff YorkJoyce BryantDr. 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 Normandie Drake (Joyce Bryant). Fang (Dick Curtis), a jungle pirate and warlord, plots to kill The Dragon Lady (Sheila Darcy), Queen of the Temple of Mara, and seize the treasures of her ancestors. Both Fang and The Dragon Lady have sworn death to any foreign intruders.
- DirectorLewis D. CollinsRay TaylorStarsMilburn StoneMarjorie WeaverEdgar KennedyAn adventurer goes after Nazi spies who have a new death ray called the Paratron.
- DirectorJames W. HorneRay TaylorStarsWarren HullIris MeredithRichard FiskeA crime fighter known as The Spider battles a villain called The Octopus, who is out to sabotage America and install his own government.
- DirectorJohn EnglishWilliam WitneyStarsHenry BrandonWilliam RoyleRobert KellardThe 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 his associates fight to keep the evil doctor from getting his hands on the keys.
- DirectorFred C. BrannonStarsKirk AlynRosemary La PlancheRoy BarcroftThe female leader of an international crime ring steals a valuable artifact that can give her the power to control men's minds. Federal agents are dispatched to get it back and stop her evil plans.