The Phantom Rider (1936)

Director:

Ray Taylor

Writers:

Basil Dickey (story) and
Ella O'Neill (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

6 July 1936 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Mystery | Romance | Western

Tagline:

AMERICA'S CHOICE! Voted by the theatre owners of America as the greatest Western star!

Plot:

A 15-episode serial in which Buck Grant, the Phantom Rider, helps rancher, Mary Grayson, fight off a band of outlaws out to seize her property |

Plot Keywords:

Serial | Band | Rancher | Outlaw | Blaze

Cast

Buck Jones	...	Buck Grant
Marla Shelton	...	Mary Grayson
Diana Gibson	...	Helen Moore
Harry Woods	...	Harvey Delaney
Frank LaRue	...	Judge Holmes
George Cooper	...	Spooky
Eddie Gribbon	...	Sherrif Mark
Matt McHugh	...	Agent Shorty [chap 1]
Helen Shipman	...	Lizzie
Hal Taliaferro	...	Henchman Lew (as Wally Wales)
Joey Ray	...	Steve Scott
Lafe McKee	...	Jeff Grayson [chap 2]
Jim Mason	...	Henchman Dirk (as James Mason)
Charles King	...	Henchman Keeler
Clem Bevans	...	Mr. Hudson [chap 11-13]
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Hank Bell	...	Stage Driver [Chs. 1, 8] (uncredited)
Orrin Burke	...	RR Official Blake [Ch. 8] (uncredited)
'Hi Pockets' Busse	...	Accordion Player (uncredited)
Cactus Mack and His Saddle Tramps Band	...	Musicians (uncredited)
Bob Card	...	Stage Guard [Ch. 1] (uncredited)
Jimmy Carroll	...	Mandolin / Banjo Player (uncredited)
Iron Eyes Cody	...	Indian (uncredited)
Jim Corey	...	Henchman Gabe (uncredited)
Frank Ellis	...	Henchman (uncredited)
Bob Fite	...	Guitar Player (uncredited)
Olin Francis	...	Stage Passenger [Ch. 1] (uncredited)
Charles K. French	...	Homesteader [Ch. 1] (uncredited)
Allen Holbrook	...	Henchman Mort [Chs. 3-4] (uncredited)
Fred Humes	...	Barfly [Ch. 6] (uncredited)
Priscilla Lawson	...	Dance-Hall Girl (uncredited)
Charles Le Moyne	...	Henchman Roscoe (uncredited)
Bert Lindley	...	Gives Stampede Alert [Ch. 2] (uncredited)
Tom London	...	Henchman Tex [Chs. 13, 14] (uncredited)
Cliff Lyons	...	Cowhand (uncredited)
Cactus Mack	...	Singing Cowhand (uncredited)
Margaret Mann	...	Homesteader's Wife (uncredited)
Scoop Martin	...	Rancher (uncredited)
Eva McKenzie	...	Homesteader [Ch. 1] (uncredited)
Art Mix	...	Henchman (uncredited)
George Morrell	...	Barfly (uncredited)
George Ovey	...	Barfly (uncredited)
George Plues	...	Deputy Craig (uncredited)
Bob Reeves	...	Cowhand [Ch. 2] (uncredited)
Paul Regas	...	Red Eagle [Chs. 9-11] (uncredited)
Bill 'Shorty' Scott	...	Fiddle Player (uncredited)
Lee Shumway	...	Henchman Blackie (uncredited)
Silver	...	Buck's Horse (uncredited)
Drew Stanfield	...	Henchman (uncredited)
Jim Thorpe	...	Indian [Chs. 11, 13] (uncredited)
Blackjack Ward	...	Wagon Driver [Ch. 1] (uncredited)
Fred Warren	...	Saloon Piano Player (uncredited)
Wally West	...	Deputy Eddie (uncredited)
Cecil Weston	...	Mrs. Hudson [Chs. 11, 13] (uncredited)
Slim Whitaker	...	Murdered Henchman [Ch. 1] (uncredited)
Jay Wilsey	...	Deputy Tom [Chs. 6, 8] (uncredited)

Directed by
Ray Taylor

Writing credits
Basil Dickey		(story and screenplay) and
Ella O'Neill		(story and screenplay) and
George H. Plympton		(story and screenplay) and
Henry MacRae		(story and screenplay) uncredited

Produced by
Henry MacRae	....	producer

Cinematography by
John Hickson
Allen Q. Thompson

Film Editing by
Saul A. Goodkind		(as Saul Goodkind)
Louis Sackin
Alvin Todd
Edward Todd

Art Direction by
Ralph M. DeLacy		(as Ralph DeLacey)

Stunts
Cliff Lyons	....	stunts (uncredited)
George Plues	....	stunts (uncredited)
Wally West	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jay Wilsey	....	stunts (uncredited)

Music Department
Guy Bevier	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Karl Hajos	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
W. Franke Harling	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Bernhard Kaun	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Arthur Kay	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
David Klatzkin	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
David Klatzkin	....	musical director (uncredited)
Sam Perry	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Heinz Roemheld	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Oliver Wallace	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1936) (USA) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures (1936) (UK) (theatrical)
• Serials Incorporated (1951) (USA) (theatrical) (reissue)
• Hygo Television Films (1956) (USA) (TV) (as Serials Inc.)
• Western Trails Video (????) (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

USA:258 min (15 chapters)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Victor High Fidelity Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved | USA:Passed (National Board of Review)

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Chapter Titles: - 1. Dynamite! - 2. The Maddened Herd - 3. The Brink of Disaster - 4. The Phantom Rides - 5. Trapped by Outlaws - 6. Shot Down - 7. Stark Terror - 8. The Night Attack - 9. The Indian Raid - 10. Human Targets - 11. The Shaft of Doom - 12. Flaming Gold - 13. Crashing Timbers - 14. The Last Chance - 15. The Outlaw's Vengeance

Soundtrack:

Going Home

The Phantom Rider RIDES!

And rides and rides and rides...in fact, that's all he seems to do through all the episodes. Maybe back in 1936 on a weekly basis,seeing him on his white horse riding around could have been exciting but to modern day eyes,it's just filling in time between the plot. Which isn't much,the heroine,played by a feisty Marla Shelton,is been plagued by attacks on her ranch,the villain wants it for his own reasons, of course. Undercover agent,Buck Jones also poses as the Phantom Rider is out to run him to ground.

The usual western plot and often makes an entertaining horse opera but this is just dull. Little action and what there is,mostly the aforementioned riding around. The evil baddie who is never seen full face till the very end is pretty obvious from the start as there is really only one suspect! Kinda narrows it down...

This is said to be one of Buck Jones best serials, I'd hate to see the worst ones! Could be watching it over many nights to try to get the feel of a weekly serial makes it seem repetitive but I think it was just bland anyway. Even the ending fails to inspire as our hero has to be rescued by the sheriff of all people! No self respecting vigilante hero wants help from the authorities for goodness sakes!

And while Buck Jones pines after the heroine, it's up to his sidekick,the oddly named Spooky to do all the actual undercover detective work. Buck Jones was a good horseman but even his riding skills can't make this mess any better.

Better to give this a miss and re-watch some Hopalong Cassidy or Lone Ranger.