The Crimson Ghost (1946)

A criminal mastermind known as The Crimson Ghost is out to steal a device called the Cyclotrode, which can short-circuit all electrical current on the planet.

Directors:

Fred C. Brannon, William Witney

Writers:

Albert DeMond (original screenplay), Basil Dickey (original screenplay),

Stars:

Charles Quigley, Linda Stirling, Clayton Moore

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Charles Quigley	...	Duncan Richards
Linda Stirling	...	Diana Farnsworth
Clayton Moore	...	Louis Ashe
I. Stanford Jolley	...	Dr. Blackton [Ch. 11]
Kenne Duncan	...	Dr. Chambers [Chs. 1-2, 8]
Forrest Taylor	...	Prof. Van Wyck
Emmett Vogan	...	Anderson [Chs. 1-4]
Sam Flint	...	Maxwell
Joseph Forte	...	Prof. Parker
Stanley Price	...	Count Fator [Chs. 11-12]
Wheaton Chambers	...	Wilson [Ch. 1]
Tom Steele	...	Henchman Stricker [Chs. 4, 7, 9]
Dale Van Sickel	...	Henchman Harte [Chs. 6-7]
Rex Lease	...	Bain
Fred Graham	...	Snyder [Chs. 1-2] / Zane [Ch. 8]

Storyline

The Crimson Ghost---attired in black hood and cloak, skull mask and surgical gloves---skulks to an abandoned mansion and informs his henchmen, Louis Ashe (Clayton Moore) and Bain (Rex Lease),of his plans to seize the Cyclotrode, a device invented by Dr. Chambers (Kenne Duncan), that is designed to detect-and-repeal atomic bomb attacks. The Crimson Ghost intends to use the Cyclotrode as an offensive weapon for sabotage and extortion via its ability to stop any electrically-controlled mechanism.

---

Plot Keywords:

atomic bomb | criminal | skull mask | ruse | double murder | 

---

Taglines:

FOR THE FIRST TIME!...An amazing answer to the atomic bomb explodes in a blaze of serial super-action! (original print ad)

---

Genres:

Action | Adventure | Crime | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

---

Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 October 1946 (USA)

Also Known As:

Cyclotrode X

Filming Locations:

Iverson Ranch - 1 Iverson Lane, Chatsworth, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$137,912 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Republic Pictures (I)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

167 min 167 min (12 episodes) 93 min (colorized)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Bud Geary wore the robes of the Crimson Ghost, but the voice that came out of the stationary skeletal mouth was that of I. Stanford Jolley, who was billed fourth in the cast. Another actor dubbed Jolley's character's response on the radio. Finally, a fourth actor played the Crimson Ghost's alter ego.

---

Goofs

An important plot point is Duncan's trailing the crooks to their underground hideout using a concealed TV camera in a getaway car. But Duncan has already been to the hideout in a previous chapter when the kidnapped inventor is accidentally killed while saving Duncan from a death ray. This renders the rigged escape and trailing bit meaningless.

---

Quotes

The Crimson Ghost: We've been tricked by cleverness!

---

Connections

Featured in Special Effects: Anything Can Happen (1996)

User Reviews

The Best Looking Mask of all the Republic Serial Villains

Beginning, I believe, with their far-better serial, THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN MARVEL, Republic Studios had a knack for disguising their criminal masterminds and leaving them masked until the last chapter (Republic probably got the idea from Fritz Lang's THE LAST TESTAMENT OF DR. MABUSE). Because it worked so well with CAPTAIN MARVEL, the studo would reuse it again and again (ie, DICK TRACY vs. CRIME INC., among others) and it got old fast.

However, with this one, the criminal mastermind has got the best looking mask of the bunch. He looks like a traditional, and fearsome, grim reaper incarnate and all he seems to lack is his scythe. Even this villain's name, "the Crimson Ghost," sounds like an alternate appellation that the grim reaper would call himself.

I personally dislike the action scenes the Ghost partakes in, because it almost belittles his mystical presence. He should sit majestically in a high chair, speaking orders, like Bond's Blofeld or all the other big league bad guys. He should let his minions do all the dirty work of fighting the heroes. When he puts up his dukes, smashes chairs, or even points a forty-five, he reduces his august presence and appearance. A mastermind should never belittle himself by acting like a henchman.