MOVIE SERIES AND SERIALS

The story of film from its beginnings to the end of the studio system.

Sherlock Holmes and the Weenie from Outer Space
B Movie Series and Serials

During the classic era of Hollywood audiences really got their money's worth from a typical movie program : it would likely include a short film, cartoon, a serial episode, a newsreel possibly even a second feature as well as the main feature of the evening. From the 30s double features became very common which threatened the future of the comedy short. To fill up these programs the major studios had to make some films on the cheap through block booking they could force theatre owners to take their entire output. Every studio tried to make low budget films even MGM but their efforts were often as expensive as the Universal As. MGM certainly made series films in The Thin Man, Andy Hardy and Dr Kildare but in comparison to the films of say Monogram they were quite glossy.

The "lower" half of a double feature or a "supporting" short on a movie program sometimes defied its status and proved to be quite important even to the biggest studios. In the early days of sound the Our Gang comedy shorts were the only talkies MGM had in release for many months, exhibitors booked them for the same price as a feature because they were desperate for sound films.

Series films were usually quite exotic and exciting, there were a few domestic series its true but those most fondly remembered today like the Tarzan films, the detectives and the many western series usually kept audiences on the edge of their seats. Conventions tempered the originality of many of the crime series where scripts were often interchangeable. When Warner Oland, the best actor to play Charlie Chan suddennly died during the production of a film in the series it was converted into a Mr Moto film.

Below are some of the major B movie series films though a few like Tarzan and Sherlock Holmes began as quite lavish A productions at major studios :

Tarzan

Tarzan of the Apes (1918) (Elmo Lincoln) – based on the first part of the novel Tarzan of the Apes
The Romance of Tarzan (1918) (Elmo Lincoln) – based on the second part of the novel Tarzan of the Apes
The Revenge of Tarzan (1920) (Gene Pollar) – based on the first part of the novel The Return of Tarzan
The Son of Tarzan (1920) (P. Demsey Tabler) – serial based on the novel The Son of Tarzan
The Adventures of Tarzan (1921) (Elmo Lincoln) – based on the second part of the novel The Return of Tarzan
Tarzan and the Golden Lion (1927) (James Pierce) – based on the novel Tarzan and the Golden Lion
Tarzan the Mighty (1928) (Frank Merrill) – an original story; the working title was Jungle Tales of Tarzan but it is not based on the Burroughs novel of that name
Tarzan the Tiger (1929) (Frank Merrill) – based on the novel Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar; filmed as a silent but partially dubbed to become the first Tarzan sound film

With Johnny Weissmuller

Tarzan the Ape Man (1932)
Tarzan and His Mate (1934)
Tarzan Escapes (1936)
Tarzan Finds a Son! (1939)
Tarzan's Secret Treasure (1941)
Tarzan's New York Adventure (1942)
Tarzan Triumphs (1943)
Tarzan’s Desert Mystery (1943)
Tarzan and the Amazons (1945)
Tarzan and the Leopard Woman (1946)
Tarzan and the Huntress (1947)
Tarzan and the Mermaids (1948)

With Lex Barker

Tarzan's Magic Fountain (1949)
Tarzan and the Slave Girl (1950)
Tarzan's Peril (1951)
Tarzan's Savage Fury (1952)
Tarzan and the She-Devil (1953)

With Gordon Scott

Tarzan's Hidden Jungle (1955)
Tarzan and the Lost Safari (1957)
Tarzan and the Trappers (1958)
Tarzan's Fight for Life (1958)
Tarzan's Greatest Adventure (1959)
Tarzan the Magnificent (1960) – not based on the Burroughs novel of that title

Sherlock Holmes : Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce Films

The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939)
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1939)
Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror (1942)
Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon (1943)
Sherlock Holmes in Washington (1943)
Sherlock Holmes Faces Death (1943)
The Spider Woman (1944)
The Scarlet Claw (1944)
The Pearl of Death (1944)
Sherlock Holmes and the House of Fear (1945)
The Woman in Green (1945)
Pursuit to Algiers (1945)
Terror by Night (1946)
Dressed to Kill (1946)

Charlie Chan

The House Without a Key (1926) lost
The Chinese Parrot (1927) lost
Behind That Curtain (1929)

With Warner Oland

The Black Camel (1931)
Charlie Chan Carries On (1931) - this film is widely considered lost. However, the film was also filmed in Spanish with a Spanish-speaking cast under the title Eran Trece (There Were Thirteen).
Charlie Chan's Chance (1932) lost
Charlie Chan's Greatest Case (1933) lost
Charlie Chan's Courage (1934) lost
Charlie Chan in London (1934)
Charlie Chan in Paris (1935)
Charlie Chan in Egypt (1935)
Charlie Chan in Shanghai (1935)
Charlie Chan's Secret (1936)
Charlie Chan at the Circus (1936)
Charlie Chan at the Race Track (1936)
Charlie Chan at the Opera (1936)
Charlie Chan at the Olympics (1937)
Charlie Chan on Broadway (1937)
Charlie Chan at Monte Carlo (1938)

With Sidney Toler

Charlie Chan in Honolulu (1938)
Charlie Chan in Reno (1939)
Charlie Chan at Treasure Island (1939)
City in Darkness (1939)
Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise (1940)
Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum (1940)
Charlie Chan in Panama (1940)
Murder Over New York (1940)
Dead Men Tell (1941)
Charlie Chan in Rio (1941)
Castle in the Desert (1942)
Charlie Chan in the Secret Service (1944)
The Chinese Cat (1944)
Meeting at Midnight (1944, AKA: Black Magic)
The Shanghai Cobra (1945)
The Red Dragon (1945)
The Scarlet Clue (1945)
The Jade Mask (1945)
Shadows Over Chinatown (1946)
Dangerous Money (1946)
Dark Alibi (1946)
The Trap (1946, AKA: Murder at Malibu Beach)

With Roland Winters

The Chinese Ring (1947)
Docks of New Orleans (1948)
Shanghai Chest (1948)
The Golden Eye (1948)
The Feathered Serpent (1948)
The Sky Dragon (1949)

Mr. Moto Films

Think Fast, Mr. Moto (1937)
Thank You, Mr. Moto (1937)
Mr. Moto's Gamble (1938)
Mr. Moto Takes a Chance (1938)
Mysterious Mr. Moto (1938)
Mr. Moto's Last Warning (1939)
Danger Island (1939)
Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation (1939)
The Return of Mr. Moto (1965)

Bulldog Drummond

Bulldog Drummond (1923)
Bulldog Drummond's Third Round (1925)

Talkies

Bulldog Drummond (1929)
Temple Tower (1930)
The Return of Bulldog Drummond (1934)
Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back (1934)

Bulldog Jack (1935)
Bulldog Drummond's Revenge (1937)
Bulldog Drummond at Bay (1937)
Bulldog Drummond Comes Back (1937)
Bulldog Drummond Escapes (1937)
Bulldog Drummond in Africa (1938)
Bulldog Drummond's Peril (1938)
Bulldog Drummond's Secret Police (1939)
Arrest Bulldog Drummond (1939)
Bulldog Drummond's Bride (1939)
Bulldog Sees It Through (1940)
Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back (1947)
Bulldog Drummond at Bay (1947)
The Challenge (1948)
13 Lead Soldiers (1948)
Calling Bulldog Drummond (1951)
Deadlier Than the Male (1966)
Some Girls Do (1969)

Dick Tracy

Dick Tracy (1937, serial, 15 episodes, starring Ralph Byrd)
Dick Tracy (1937, feature version of the above serial, starring Ralph Byrd)
Dick Tracy Returns (1938 serial, 15 episodes starring Ralph Byrd)
Dick Tracy's G-Men (1939, serial, 15 episodes, starring Ralph Byrd)
Dick Tracy vs. Crime Inc.(1941, serial, 15 episodes, starring Ralph Byrd)
Dick Tracy (1945, film starring Morgan Conway)
Dick Tracy vs. Cueball (1946, film starring Morgan Conway)
Dick Tracy's Dilemma (1947, film starring Ralph Byrd)
Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome (1947, film starring Ralph Byrd)

The Falcon

Starring George Sanders (Gay Lawrence)

The Gay Falcon (1941)
A Date With The Falcon (1941)
The Falcon Takes Over (1942)
The Falcon's Brother (1942)

Starring Tom Conway (Tom Lawrence)

The Falcon's Brother (1942)
The Falcon Strikes Back (1943)
The Falcon in Danger (1943)
The Falcon and the Co-eds (1943)
The Falcon Out West (1944)
The Falcon in Mexico (1944)
The Falcon in Hollywood (1944)
The Falcon in San Francisco (1945)
The Falcon's Alibi (1946)
The Falcon's Adventure (1946)

Starring John Calvert (Michael Waring)

Devil's Cargo (1948)
Appointment with Murder (1948)
Search for Danger (1949)

Hopalong Cassidy (producers/studio,releasing co.)

Harry Sherman / Paramount Pictures

Hop-A-Long Cassidy (1935) (reissued as "Hopalong Cassidy Enters")
The Eagle's Brood (1935)
Bar 20 Rides Again (1935)
Call of the Prairie (1936)
Three On The Trail (1936)
Heart Of The West (1936)
Hopalong Cassidy Returns (1936)
Trail Dust (1936)
Borderland (1937)
Hills Of Old Wyoming (1937)
North Of The Rio Grande (1937)
Rustlers' Valley (1937)
Hopalong Cassidy Rides Again (1937)
Texas Trail (1937)
Partners Of The Plains (1938)
Cassidy Of The Bar 20 (1938)
Heart of Arizona (1938)
Bar 20 Justice (1938)
Pride of the West (1938)
In Old Mexico (1938)
The Frontiersmen (1938) (sometimes mistakenly listed as "The Frontiersman")
Sunset Trail (1939)
Silver On The Sage (1939)
The Renegade Trail (1939)
Range War (1939)
Law Of The Pampas (1939)
Santa Fe Marshal (1940)
The Showdown (1940)
Hidden Gold (1940)
Stagecoach War (1940)
Three Men From Texas (1940)
The Doomed Caravan (1941)
In Old Colorado (1941)
Border Vigilantes (1941)
Pirates On Horseback (1941)
Wide Open Town (1941)
Stick to Your Guns (1941)
Secrets of the Wasteland (1941)
Twilight on the Trail (1941)
Outlaws Of The Desert (1941)
Riders Of The Timberline (1941)

Harry Sherman / United Artists

Leather Burners (1942)
Hoppy Serves a Writ (1942)
Undercover Man (1942)
Border Patrol (1943)
Lost Canyon (1943)
Colt Comrades (1943)
Bar 20 (1943)
False Colors (1943)
Riders Of The Deadline (1943)
Texas Masquerade (1944)
Lumberjack (1944)
Mystery Man (1944)
Forty Thieves (1944)

William Boyd / United Artists

The Devil's Playground (1946)
Fool's Gold (1947)
Unexpected Guest (1947)
Dangerous Venture (1947)
Hoppy's Holiday (1947)
The Marauders (1947)
Silent Conflict (1948)
The Dead Don't Dream (1948)
Sinister Journey (1948)
Borrowed Trouble (1948)
False Paradise (1948)
Strange Gamble (1948)

While the big studios often made series films the serial with a few exceptions was pretty much the domain of the Poverty Row studios such as Republic and Monogram.

The movie serial came about because of the early studios reluctance to invest in feature films. It allowed them to make a longer film but exhibit it over an extended period, a 12 episode serial gave you 12 shows with the same cast and similar settings.

The early days of the serial were dominated by heroines like Pearl White and Ruth Roland. Serials were mainly drawn from four genres : jungle adventures into the unknown, mad criminals in the big city, mad criminals out west (the Zorro serials and many others) and science fiction serials.

Science fiction was a genre pretty much ignored by the major studios till the 1950s but serials introduced science fiction weenies into many serials.

What was a weenie ? Ronald Davidson, a producer of serials for Republic explained :"The most important element of a serial plot is the weenie, that is the object of all the mayhem. The weenie can be a map, a document, a mine, an oriental scarab with mystical powers, an invention, or a Nazi plot to gain control of Middle Africa. To justify the number of people done to death during the course of the action, the weenie must have fabulous importance attached to it."

The most famous sci-fi serials were of course the three Flash Gordon ones from Universal starring Buster Crabbe (1936-1940). Here is a short audio tribute to those matinee faves :

To Be Continued Next Week

The movie serial was eventually killed off by TV in the 50s.

US Movie serials

Silent Era

What Happened to Mary? (1912)
The Adventures of Kathlyn (1913)
The Perils of Pauline (1914)
The Hazards of Helen (1914-1917)
The Exploits of Elaine (1914)
The Red Circle (1916)
The Fatal Ring (1917)
The Master Mystery (1919)
Tih Minh (1919)
The Lost City (1920)
The Phantom Foe (1920)
The Son of Tarzan (1920)
Adventures of Tarzan (1921)
The Yellow Arm (1921)
The Sky Ranger (1921)
The Timber Queen (1922)
Tarzan the Mighty (1928)
Tarzan the Tiger (1929)

Sound Era

The Ace of Scotland Yard (1929)
The Lone Defender (1930) - Mascot Pictures
The Phantom of the West (1931) - Mascot Pictures
King of the Wild (1931) - Mascot Pictures
The Vanishing Legion (1931) - Mascot Pictures
The Galloping Ghost (1931) - Mascot Pictures
The Lightning Warrior (1931) - Mascot Pictures
The Galloping Ghost (1931)
The Phantom of the Air (1932)
The Shadow of the Eagle (1932) - Mascot Pictures
The Last of the Mohicans (1932) - Mascot Pictures
The Hurricane Express (1932) - Mascot Pictures
The Devil Horse (1932) - Mascot Pictures
Tarzan The Fearless (1933)
The Three Musketeers (1933) - Mascot Pictures
Fighting with Kit Carson (1933) - Mascot Pictures
The Wolf Dog (1933) - Mascot Pictures
The Mystery Squadron (1933) - Mascot Pictures
The Red Rider (1934)
Tailspin Tommy (1934)
The Lost Jungle (1934) - Mascot Pictures
Burn 'Em Up Barnes (1934) - Mascot Pictures
Mystery Mountain (1934) - Mascot Pictures
The Lost City of the Ligurians (1935)
The Miracle Rider (1935)
The New Adventures of Tarzan (1935)
The Phantom Empire (1935)
Ace Drummond (1936) - Universal Pictures
The Phantom Rider (1936) - Universal Pictures
The Black Coin (1936)
The Clutching Hand (1936)
Darkest Africa (1936) - Republic Pictures
Flash Gordon (1936) - Universal Pictures
The Undersea Kingdom (1936) - Republic Pictures
Robinson Crusoe of Clipper Island (1936) - Republic Pictures
Blake of Scotland Yard (1937)
Jungle Menace (1937)
The Mysterious Pilot (1937)
Dick Tracy (1937) - Republic Pictures
The Painted Stallion(1937) - Republic Pictures
S.O.S. Coast Guard(1937) - Republic Pictures
Zorro Rides Again(1937) - Republic Pictures
Secret Agent X-9 (1937) - Universal Pictures
Tim Tyler's Luck (1937)
Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars (1938)
The Secret of Treasure Island (1938)
The Great Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok (1938)
The Spider's Web (1938)
The Lone Ranger (1938) - Republic Pictures
The Fighting Devil Dogs (1938) - Republic Pictures
Dick Tracy Returns (1938) - Republic Pictures
Hawk of the Wilderness (1938)
Flying G-Men (1939)
Mandrake the Magician (1939)
Overland With Kit Carson (1939)
The Lone Ranger Rides Again (1939) - Republic Pictures
Daredevils of the Red Circle (1939) - Republic Pictures
Dick Tracy's G-Men (1939) - Republic Pictures
The Phantom Creeps (1939) - Universal Pictures
Zorro's Fighting Legion (1939) - Republic Pictures
Drums of Fu Manchu (1940) - Republic Pictures
Adventures of Red Ryder (1940) - Republic Pictures
King of the Royal Mounted (1940) - Republic Pictures
Mysterious Doctor Satan (1940) - Republic Pictures
Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940)
The Shadow (1940)
Terry and the Pirates (1940)
Deadwood Dick (1940)
The Green Archer (1940)
The Adventures of Captain Marvel (1941) - Republic Pictures
Jungle Girl (1941) - Republic Pictures
King of the Texas Rangers (1941) - Republic Pictures

Dick Tracy vs Crime Inc (1941) - Republic Pictures
White Eagle (1941)
The Spider Returns (1941)
The Iron Claw (1941)
Holt of the Secret Service (1941)
Captain Midnight (1942)
Perils of the Royal Mounted (1942)
The Secret Code (1942)
Valley of Vanishing Men (1942)
Spy Smasher (1942) - Republic Pictures
Perils of Nyoka (1942) - Republic Pictures
King of the Mounties (1942) - Republic Pictures
G-Men vs The Black Dragon (1943) - Republic Pictures
Daredevils of the West (1943) - Republic Pictures
Secret Service in Darkest Africa (1943) - Republic Pictures
The Masked Marvel (1943) - Republic Pictures
The Adventures of Smilin' Jack (1943)
The Batman (1943)
The Phantom (1943)
The Tiger Woman (1944) - Republic Pictures
Captain America (1944) - Republic Pictures
Haunted Harbor (1944) - Republic Pictures
Zorro's Black Whip (1944) - Republic Pictures
The Desert Hawk (1944)
Black Arrow (1944)
Brenda Starr, Reporter (1945)
The Monster and The Ape (1945)
Jungle Raiders (1945)
Who's Guilty? (1945)
Manhunt on Mystery Island (1945) - Republic Pictures
Federal Operator 99 (1945) - Republic Pictures
The Purple Monster Strikes (1945) - Republic Pictures
Jungle Queen (1945)
The Phantom Rider (1946) - Republic Pictures
King of the Forest Rangers (1946) - Republic Pictures
Daughter of Don Q (1946) - Republic Pictures
The Mysterious Mr. M (1946)
Hop Harrigan (1946)
Chick Carter, Detective (1946)
Son of the Guardsman (1946)
Son of Zorro (1947) - Republic Pictures
Jesse James Rides Again (1947) - Republic Pictures
The Black Widow (1947) - Republic Pictures
Jack Armstrong (1947)
The Sea Hound (1947)
Brick Bradford (1947)
G-Men Never Forget (1948) - Republic Pictures
Dangers of the Canadian Mounted (1948) - Republic Pictures
Adventures of Frank and Jesse James (1948)-Republic Pictures
Superman (1948) - Columbia Pictures
Congo Bill (1948)
Federal Agents vs. Underworld, Inc (1949) - Republic Pictures
Ghost of Zorro (1949) - Republic Pictures
King of the Rocket Men (1949) - Republic Pictures
Batman and Robin (1949)
Bruce Gentry (1949)
Adventures of Sir Galahad (1949)
The James Brothers of Missouri (1950) - Republic Pictures
Radar Patrol vs Spy King (1950) - Republic Pictures
The Invisible Monster (1950) - Republic Pictures
Desperadoes of the West (1950) - Republic Pictures
Atom Man vs. Superman (1950) - Columbia Pictures
Flying Disc Man from Mars (1951) - Republic Pictures
Don Daredevil Rides Again (1951) - Republic Pictures
Government Agents vs Phantom Legion (1951) - Republic Pictures
Radar Men from the Moon (1952) - Republic Pictures
Zombies of the Stratosphere (1952) - Republic Pictures
Jungle Drums of Africa (1953) - Republic Pictures
Canadian Mounties vs Atomic Invaders (1953) - Republic Pictures
Trader Tom of the China Seas (1954) - Republic Pictures
Man with the Steel Whip (1954) - Republic Pictures
Panther Girl of the Kongo (1955) - Republic Pictures
King of the Carnival (1955) - Republic Pictures
Blazing the Overland Trail (1956) - Columbia Pictures

Relive the golden era of the movie serial at the Matinee Screen of the Virtual Cinema.

Don't forget our sister site the Golden Age of Hollywood Messageboard

The Golden Age of Hollywood Banners by Ktrek.

Written content of the Golden Age of Hollywood Website (except where indicated) copyright Derek McLellan, 2007.