The Invisible Monster (1950)

Director:

Fred C. Brannon

Writer:

Ronald Davidson (written by)

Release Date:

10 May 1950 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Crime | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

SUSPENSE CHARGED SERIAL THRILLS!...As The Monster Ruler Wreaks His Mad Vengeance Upon All Who Dare To Defy Him! (original poster)

Plot:

Evil villain plots to take over the world using an army of invisible soldiers. |

Plot Keywords:

Plot | Barn | Safe | Mountain | Telephone

Cast

Richard Webb	...	Lane Carson
Aline Towne	...	Carol Richards
Lane Bradford	...	Burton
Stanley Price	...	The Phantom Ruler
John Crawford	...	Harris
George Meeker	...	Harry Long
Keith Richards	...	Doctor [Ch.12]
Dale Van Sickel	...	Otto Wagner / 'Frank Martin' [Chs. 1, 10]
Tom Steele	...	Bill 'Mack' Haines, thug [Chs.5,10]
Marshall Reed	...	MacDuff, Roadblock Cop [Chs.1, 7-9]
Forrest Burns	...	Joe, Watchman [Ch.5]
Eddie Parker	...	Stoner, Barn Henchman[Ch.9] (as Ed Parker)
Frank O'Connor	...	Chemical Truck Cop [Ch.5]
Charles Regan	...	Art (as Chas Regan)
Charles Sullivan	...	Grogarty, Squad Car Cop [Chs.7-8]
Howard M. Mitchell	...	Second Garage Watchman [Ch.7] (as Howard Mitchell)
Bud Wolfe	...	Harding, Henchman [Ch.8]
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Douglas Evans	...	James Hunter [Chs. 1, 3, 7, 12] (uncredited)
Harold Goodwin	...	Kirk, Body-Shop Henchman [Ch.11] (uncredited)
Roy Gordon	...	Mr. Moore [Chs.8-9] (uncredited)
John Hamilton	...	Henry Miller [Chs. 1, 8, 12] (uncredited)
Edward Keane	...	Warren Madison (uncredited)
Bert LeBaron	...	Crooked Watchman [Ch.2] (uncredited)
Carey Loftin	...	Dirk - Dynamite Thug [Ch.6] (uncredited)
George Magrill	...	Sam, Thug-Truck Driver [Chs.4-5] (uncredited)
Tom Monroe	...	Gates, Cop in Cave [Ch.7] (uncredited)
David Sharpe	...	3rd Garage Watchman [Chs. 3-4] / 2nd Armored Car Guard [Ch. 11] (uncredited)
Mark Strong	...	Bank Watchman [Ch.1] (uncredited)
Duke Taylor	...	Second Roadblock Cop [Ch.1] (uncredited)
Guy Teague	...	Al, Decoy & Dumptruck Thug [Chs. 5, 7] (uncredited)
Ken Terrell	...	Kern, Henchman [Chs. 8-9] (uncredited)
George Volk	...	Second Armored Car Guard [Ch.11] (uncredited)

Directed by
Fred C. Brannon

Writing credits
Ronald Davidson		(written by)

Produced by
Franklin Adreon	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Stanley Wilson

Cinematography by
Ellis W. Carter		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Cliff Bell Sr.		(as Cliff Bell)
Sam Starr

Art Direction by
Fred A. Ritter

Set Decoration by
John McCarthy Jr.
James Redd

Makeup Department
Bob Mark	....	makeup supervisor
Peggy Gray	....	hair styles supervisor (uncredited)

Production Management
Roy Wade	....	unit manager
Lewis T. Rosso	....	production manager (uncredited)

Sound Department
Earl Crain Sr.	....	sound

Special Effects by
Howard Lydecker	....	special effects
Theodore Lydecker	....	special effects

Stunts
Bert LeBaron	....	stunts (uncredited)
Carey Loftin	....	stunts (uncredited)
George Magrill	....	stunts (uncredited)
Eddie Parker	....	stunts (uncredited)
David Sharpe	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tom Steele	....	stunt double: Richard Webb (uncredited)
Duke Taylor	....	stunts (uncredited)
Guy Teague	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ken Terrell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dale Van Sickel	....	stunt double: George Meeker & Roy Gordon (uncredited)
Bud Wolfe	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Bud Thackery	....	process photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Adele Palmer	....	wardrobe supervisor (uncredited)

Music Department
Robert Armbruster	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
R. Dale Butts	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Joseph Dubin	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Mort Glickman	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Jerry Roberts	....	musical director (uncredited)
Walter Scharf	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Nathan Scott	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Roy Webb	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Other crew
Earl Johnson	....	dog trainer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Republic Pictures (I)

Distributors

• Republic Pictures (I) (1950) (USA) (theatrical)
• British Empire Films Canada (1950) (Canada) (theatrical)
• British Lion Film Corporation (1950) (UK) (theatrical)
• British Empire Films Australia (1950) (Australia) (theatrical)
• British Empire Films (N.Z.) (1950) (New Zealand) (theatrical)
• Republic Pictures Home Video (1991) (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

167 min (12 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Approved

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Republic Pictures (I)

Trivia:

Chapter Titles: 1. Slaves of the Phantom 2. The Acid Clue 3. The Death Car 4. Hightway Holocaust 5. Bridge to Eternity 6. Ordeal by Fire 7. Murder Train 8. Window of Peril 9. Trail to Destruction 10.High Voltage Danger 11.Death's Highway 12.The Phantom Meets Justice

Goofs:

Factual errors: Although 'Charles Regan' is listed in screen and press cast, he did not appear in this film.

Movie Connections:

Edited into Slaves of the Invisible Monster (1966) (TV)

Okay Republic actioner.

If you haven't seen many serials, this would be a good start. If you're a serial veteran, you'll recognize almost all of the cliffhanger endings, which have been lifted from other Republic serials. Richard Webb, later TV's Captain Midnight, delivers a stiff performance and a lot of punches: at least one set per chapter is demolished in a slugfest. John Hamilton, TV's Perry White in Superman, has a small part in the first and final chapter. For plot, there's even less logic than usual: bad guy wants to take over world with an army of invisible soldiers, but can barely manage to keep himself invisible. Overall, below average.