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.