Mystery Men (and Women)
These are movies and tv shows featuring superheroes, masked mystery men/women, or costumed adventurers (and some supercriminals). I'm mostly sticking to costumed and superheroes, but reserve the right to throw in heroic figures like Tarzan and James Bond, who transcend the normal man. I've also throw in a few villains and some legendary heroes who greatly influenced masked heroes. I'm mostly skipping the direct to video films, as I have only seen a few.
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- DirectorEdwin S. PorterStarsWilliam V. RanousThe Proposal: The gentleman burglar walking with his lady love. They admire the grandeur and beauty of nature. He proposes and she accepts. She does not suspect his occupation. Turning Over a New Leaf: The thieves' den. The gang drinking and playing cards. The gentleman burglar arrives. Announces his coming wedding. Apprises them of his decision to quit his life of crime. He bids them good-bye and departs. Engaged to Another: Reception hall of the girl's home. A rival lover sues for her hand. She informs him of her engagement to another. He leaves her in sadness. Two Years Later: The gentleman burglar returns with his bride to her father's house. The joyous greeting. The happy family together playing with the baby on the lawn. All return to the house except the husband. A former pal appears. The latter demands money under the threat of exposure. The gentleman burglar in a quandary. Attempts to steal some money from his father-in-law's desk. Is discovered and turned out of the house. He returns to his former haunts, where a quarrel ensues. The light extinguished. Two pistol shots. The gentleman burglar smokes a cigar while his pal lies dead at his feet. The alarm and his arrest. A Lapse of Five Years: The gentleman burglar in prison stripes working in the quarry with other prisoners. During the return march to the prison at evening, he evades the keeper's watchful eye and escapes. Climbs the prison wall and reaches the water. Secures a boat and gets away without discovery. He returns to the old den. Tells of his escape. Changes his clothes and starts out again with his life of crime. Married Again: The former lover has since married the burglar's wife. She believes her first husband dead. Fond memories of him still cling to her as she views his picture. Her husband arrives with the daughter now quite grown. All retire for the night. The gentleman burglar enters the house through a window. His child discovers him. They do not recognize each other. They talk. He realizes who she is. Discovered by his former rival. The shock kills the gentleman burglar. The truth is kept from the wife and she never knows that the man she loved was nothing more than a common thief.First cinematic appearanceof Arsene Lupin, the gentleman thief. Lupin is a supercriminal and starred in a series of popular short stories, where he is an anti-hero, often pitted against nastier criminals, much like Britain's Raffles. He even faces off against Sherlock Holmes, sort of, until warned off by Conan Doyle's lawyers. There would be multiple Lupin films, a tv series, and it also insppired the manga Lupin III.
- DirectorLouis FeuilladeStarsRené NavarreEdmund BreonGeorges MelchiorInspector Juve is tasked to investigate and capture an infamous criminal Fantomas.Silent serial, featuring the French supercriminal. Fantomas was a sensation at the turn of the century, inspiring an American serial, a series of films in the 60s, and most of the supercriminals that followed, as much as Moriarty and Fu Manchu.
- DirectorLouis FeuilladeStarsMusidoraÉdouard MathéMarcel LévesqueAn intrepid reporter and his loyal friend battle a bizarre secret society of criminals known as The Vampires.French silent serial, about a gang of supercriminals, led by the enigmatic Irma Vep. She appears in a leotard "bat" costume, which would influence many hero and villain costumes to come.
- DirectorLouis FeuilladeStarsRené CrestéMusidoraRené PoyenA twelve-part serial following the adventures of the masked vigilante Judex as he fights against criminals led by the corrupt banker Favrauxom.Brilliant silent French serial about a cloaked avenger, operating from a secret lair. Judex predates The Shadow and other cloaked pulp heroes, and the serial was later remade as a film, in the 60s. The plot is relatively the same.
- DirectorGeorge IrvingStarsJohn BarrymoreChristine MayoH. Cooper CliffeGentleman burglar Raffles tries to get his hand on a priceless pearl.Raffles was a little slower getting to the screen than his French counterpart, Lupin. he was also a gentleman thief, who is usually at odds with worse criminals, along with his aid, Bunny. The pair are a sort of criminal Holmes and Watso. Raffles was usually played by a suave actor, including John Barrymore, Ronald Coleman, David Niven, and Anthony Valentine (in a tv series).
- DirectorScott SidneyStarsElmo LincolnEnid MarkeyTrue BoardmanReared by a childless ape, the orphaned heir of the Greystokes becomes one of the apes. Then Dr Porter organises a rescue expedition, and his beautiful daughter Jane catches his attention. Has Tarzan of the Apes found the perfect mate?The first Tarzan film, featuring Elmo Lincoln. To me, Tarzan, as written, personifies a superhero, though within his jungle world. His abilities are greater than any Olympic athlete. I will not list every Tarzan film, but will try to highlight some of the notable ones.
- DirectorFred NibloStarsDouglas FairbanksMarguerite De La MotteNoah BeeryA seemingly idiotic fop is really the courageous vigilante Zorro, who seeks to protect the oppressed.Douglas Fairbanks stars as the masked hero of Old California. The film did a lot to lighten the tone of Johnston McCulley's creation, which was a bit darker. As with Tarzan, I will list notable Zorro films, but not all.
- DirectorFritz LangStarsRudolf Klein-RoggeAud Egede-NissenGertrude WelckerArch-criminal Dr. Mabuse sets out to make a fortune and run Berlin. Detective Wenk sets out to stop him.Introduction of the German supercriminal, from Fritz Lang. Norbert Jacques created the character in his novel, but Lang and Thea von Harbour made him something more. Another template of the super criminal. Lang would return to Mabuse in The Testament of Dr. Mabuse; and, in the 60s, The 1,000 Eyes of Dr. Mabuse. There was also a series of German films in the 60s, following Lang, but never at the same level.
- DirectorHenri DesfontainesStarsRené NavarreElmire VautierLucien DalsaceA phantom appears in the Louvre museum in the middle of the night in search of something in the dark corridors.Early serial with Renee Navare, as a phantom who haunts the Louvre (wonder where that idea came from). In reality, it is a master thief who is stealing art treasures. Belphegor would later star in a French tv series.
- DirectorGeorge FitzmauriceHarry d'Abbadie d'ArrastStarsRonald ColmanKay FrancisDavid TorrenceA distinguished English gentleman has a secret life--he is the notorious jewel thief the press has dubbed "The Amateur Cracksman". When he meets a woman and falls in love he decides to "retire" from that life, but an old friend comes to him with a predicament that entails him committing one last job.Ronald Coleman stars as the debonair thief, this time.
- DirectorTod BrowningKarl FreundStarsBela LugosiHelen ChandlerDavid MannersTransylvanian vampire Count Dracula bends a naive real estate agent to his will, then takes up residence at a London estate where he sleeps in his coffin by day and searches for potential victims by night.Bela Lugosi stars in this classic horror film. Dracula is another influence on the potrayal of supervillains, especially supernatural ones. He is oneof the early bad boys, giving the villain a romantic air. Of later Dracula films, the Hammer ones are the best.
- DirectorJames WhaleStarsColin CliveMae ClarkeBoris KarloffDr Henry Frankenstein is obsessed with assembling a living being from parts of several exhumed corpses.The seminal adaptation of Marry Shelly's novel. Boris Karloff plays the sympathetic monster. Frankenstein would influence many a monster in the comics, particularly the Hulk (which also threw in Jeckyll and Hyde), not to mention notions of mad scientists.
- DirectorW.S. Van DykeStarsJohnny WeissmullerNeil HamiltonC. Aubrey SmithA trader and his daughter set off in search of the fabled graveyard of the elephants in deepest Africa, only to encounter a wild man raised by apes.Johnny Weismuller begins a long streak of Tarzan films, with Maureen O'Sullivan as Jane. These, along with the Hal Foster and Burne Hogarth comic strips, did more to make Tarzan a household name than even the books.
- DirectorCharles BrabinCharles VidorStarsBoris KarloffLewis StoneKaren MorleyEnglishmen race to find the tomb of Genghis Khan before the sinister Fu Manchu does.Boris Karloff stars as the evil doctor, a proto-super criminal and embodiement of the "yellow peril." There was a serial, The Drums of Fu Manchu, then a series of films, starring Christopher Lee. the first film, The Face of Fu Manchu, is by far the best.
- DirectorRobert F. HillStarsBuster CrabbeJulie BishopEdward WoodsMary Brooks' father, who has been studying ancient tribes, falls into the hands of the people of Zar, god of the Emerald Fingers. Tarzan helps Mary locate her father, rescues everyone from the High Priest of Zar and takes Mary to his cave.Serial version of Tarzan, featuring Buster Crabbe, who completes the truimvirate of the greatest adventure strip heroes. Herman Brix would also play Tarzan in this era.
- DirectorHarold YoungStarsLeslie HowardMerle OberonRaymond MasseyA noblewoman discovers her husband is The Scarlet Pimpernel, a vigilante who rescues aristocrats from the blade of the guillotine.The Baroness Orczy hero is brought to life in this version from the 30s. The Pimpernal uses various disguises to save aristocrats from the guillotine, along with his league of assistants. Raymond Massey is excellent as the villain, Chauvelin. The Scarlet Pimpernal inspired the dual identity and the masquerade as a less than heroic figure, used by Supmeran and Batman, in their civilian guises.
- 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.This one is also debatable, but Flash excels at everything, so he's here. This first serial had a feature film budget and it shows, though the spaceships had to turn around a lot. Some of the performances and costumes are a bit dodgy, but the serial is loads of fun and follows the first couple of years of the comic strip relatively faithfully. Two sequels would follow; but, I'll just lump the series together. These serials would inspire a certain Californian to create his own space opera adventure and even the opening title crawl.
- DirectorWells RootStarsRobert LivingstonHeather AngelSig RumanThe Commandant is making life rough for the colonials in Spanish California. While trying to help, Zorro is charged with the murder of the new Governor, but in the end he triumphs over the evil Commandant.Early Zorro "talkie," though not in the same league as The Mark of Zorro.
- 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.Not strictly a superhero, but the comic strip inspired so many elements of later comic heroes, like Batman's Rogues Gallery. The serial would also inspire stunts in the Indiana Jones series, and some footage was reused in Fighting Devil Dogs.
- DirectorLynn ShoresStarsRod La RocqueAgnes AndersonJames BlakeleyLamont Cranston assumes his secret identity as "The Shadow", to break up an attempted robbery at an attorney's office. When the police search the scene, Cranston must assume the identity of the attorney.One of two short films with the Shadow, but it isn't in the same league as the pulp hero or the radio version.
- DirectorMichael CurtizWilliam KeighleyStarsErrol FlynnOlivia de HavillandBasil RathboneWhen Prince John and the Norman Lords begin oppressing the Saxon masses in King Richard's absence in 1190s England, a Saxon lord fights back as the outlaw leader of a resistance movement.Errol Flynn stars as the legendary outlaw, in what is still the finest version. I include Robin Hood because he is the inspiration for many of the elements of the superhero, especially ones like Green Arrow and Hawkeye.
- DirectorJohn EnglishWilliam WitneyStarsSilver ChiefChief ThundercloudLynne RobertsHeroic's of Lone Ranger & Tonto, matter!Republic serial that adapted the masked radio hero. Unfortunately, they changed a lot of it, to the point that the original negatives were destroyed and only foreign prints survive.
- DirectorJames W. HorneRay TaylorStarsWarren HullIris MeredithRichard FiskeA crime fighter known as The Spider battles a villain called The Octopus, who is out to sabotage America and install his own government.Movie serial, based on the pulp hero. Norvell Paige, one of the pulp writers, contributed to the strip. The character isn't nearly as wild as in the pulps, but he has a unique mask and cape, with white webbing on it, influencing the later Spider-Man. A second serial would follow.
- DirectorJohn EnglishWilliam WitneyStarsLee PowellBruce BennettEleanor StewartThe US marine corps must battle a would-be world conqueror who uses electricity as a weapon.Not so much a superhero film as a supervillain one. The Lightning is one of the most memorable villains in all serials, and would go on to inspire Darth Vader. He also flew around in a wicked flying wing (via stock footage from Dick Tracy). Some of the cliffhangers were also recycled footage.
- DirectorBen HolmesStarsLouis HaywardKay SuttonSig RumanSimon Templar, the Saint, is brought to New York. His search for the identity of "the Big Fellow" takes him through many dangerous situations.Leslie Charteris' criminal/adventurer Simon Templar comes to life, with Louis Hayward in the role. There would be a series of films, with George Sanders taking over the role.
- 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.I debated whether to include sci-fi adventure heroes, but Buck was close enough to count, in my book. Buster Crabbe plays this take on Rip Van Winkle, awakening in the 25th Century, where he fights would-be despots and other nogoodniks. It's pretty entertaining, to boot.
- 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".Movie serial based on the comic strip hero. Mandrake mesmerized his opponents, though it seemed almost like real magic in the early strips. The hero was created by Lee Falk, who also thought up The Phantom.
- DirectorAlfred L. WerkerStarsBasil RathboneNigel BruceIda LupinoThe master sleuth hunts his archenemy, Professor Moriarty, who is planning the crime of the century.Following the Hound of the Baskervilles came this film, both with Basil Rathbone, the definitive Holmes. Great intrigue and mystery. Holmes is the superdetective and Moriarty would be the template for all supercriminals.
- 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.First Zorro serial from Republic, which features legendary stuntman Yakima Canutt as the masked hero. Canutt recreates the stagecoach stunt from John Ford's Stagecoach, which would be repeated in The Legend of the Lone Ranger and Raiders of the Lost Ark. Republic did several more Zorro serials, but each was less like the original character.
- DirectorSam WoodWilliam WylerStarsDavid NivenOlivia de HavillandMay WhittyMan about town and First Class cricketer A.J. Raffles keeps himself solvent with daring robberies. Meeting Gwen from his schooldays and falling in love all over again, he spends the weekend with her parents, Lord and Lady Melrose. A necklace presents an irresistible temptation, but also in attendance is Scotland Yard's finest, finally on the trail.It's David Niven's turn in the tuxedo, continuing the tradition from John barrymore and Ronald Coleman.
- DirectorJohn FarrowStarsGeorge SandersWendy BarrieJonathan HaleSimon Templar, the Saint, travels to San Francisco to solve crime mysteries within the police department.George Sanders takes over the role of Simon Templar and continues for several films, before becoming another detective, The Falcon. Saunders oozes charm as Templar and was always good in these kinds of things.
- DirectorRouben MamoulianStarsTyrone PowerLinda DarnellBasil RathboneA young Spanish aristocrat must masquerade as a fop in order to maintain his secret identity of Zorro as he restores justice to early California.Tyrone Power stars in the best rendition of The Fox. Power excels as both foppish Diego and the hero Zorro, while Basil Rathbone is perfect as the sneering villain. This has one of the better duels at the climax. It was later remade as a tv movie, in 1975, starring Frank Langella.
- 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.The first of 2 Universal serials, featuring the radio hero. The Hornet is a masked crimefighter who passes himself off as a criminal, aided by his manserveant Kato. Kato was Japanese, originally, but was made Filippino during the war and Korean here, played by Keye Luke (blind Master Po on Kung Fu). It's a bit unique in that each chapter focused on the pair defeating a different group of criminals, who are part of a bigger syndicate, providing the connection across chapters.
- 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.Movie serial based on the pulp hero, created by Walter Gibson, under the house name Maxwell Grant. The Shadow debuted as the host of the Street & Smith mystery radio program, then gained his own pulp series, radio show, and this serial. he would go on to appear in a series of short films and a tv pilot, before returning as Alec Baldwin.
- DirectorJohn EnglishWilliam WitneyStarsEduardo CiannelliRobert WilcoxWilliam NewellA mad scientist plots the domination of America and only the masked hero, The Copperhead, can stop him.Intended as a Superman serial, National (DC) passed on the idea. The hero was retooled into the Copperhead, a man in a chainmail hood. The villain got top billing, though.
- 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.Serial based on the Edgar Wallace novel. This archer works in secret, via secret passages within a mansion. He does predate the Green Arrow, though Robin Hood inspired both.
- DirectorFord BeebeJohn RawlinsStarsWarren HullWade BotelerAnne NagelA wealthy publisher uses a disguise and calls himself the Green Hornet to fight crime in his city.Kato is the same; but, we have a new Hornet. As before, each chapter is essentially a new adventure, breaking from serial tradition.
- DirectorDave FleischerSteve MuffatiStarsBud CollyerJoan AlexanderJackson BeckThe Man of Steel fights a mad scientist who is destroying Metropolis with an energy cannon.The Fleischer cartoons are wonders to behold, visually, and the stories are mostly good (if occassionally racist). This Superman couldn't yet juggle planets and had to earn his victories. These are great little stories.
- DirectorJohn EnglishWilliam WitneyStarsTom TylerFrank Coghlan Jr.William 'Billy' BenedictTo protect a magic talisman from being used for evil, a teenage boy named Billy Batson is given the power to become an adult superhero, Captain Marvel, with a single magic word: "Shazam!"The Big Red Cheese is brought to life by Republic and Tom Tyler. This one is played straight and it is tremendously entertaining. Cap even throws a thug off the roof and shrugs off being hit by a conveninetly placed engine block. The villain is a standard masked serial villain, rather than Sivanna or Black Adam. If you only ever watch one movie serial, make it this one.
- DirectorWilliam WitneyStarsKane RichmondMarguerite ChapmanSam FlintAlan Armstrong, aka Spy Smasher, battles a Nazi villain known as The Mask, who heads a gang of saboteurs determined to spread destruction across America.The second Fawcett hero to reach the silver screen. Spy Smasher is a masked hero/aviator trying to stop The Mask, a Nazi agent. Spy Smasher's gyrosub doesn't appear, but there is a flying wing, which would inspire the similar fight in Raiders of the Lost Ark. This another of the really great serials, making Fawcett the most successful comic publisher, when it came to cinematic success: 100% (2 for 2).
- DirectorRichard ThorpeStarsJohnny WeissmullerMaureen O'SullivanJohnny SheffieldTarzan and Jane go to New York to rescue Boy after he is kidnapped into a circus.Tarzan comes to New York is this nice departure for the series, transplanting the jungle hero into an urban environment. Definitely one of the superior Weismuller films.
- DirectorJames W. HorneStarsDave O'BrienDorothy ShortJames CravenSecret Service Major Steel (Joseph W. Girard), is one of the few men in America aware of the fact that Captain Albright (Dave O'Brien) is also Captain Midnight, daring masked aviator dedicated to fighting gangsters and enemies of America. When murderous bombing attacks are made on West Coast munitions plants, Steel sends for Albright and asks him to track down the mysterious Ivan Shark (James Craven), the foreign agent mastermind behind the attacks. Shark has learned about an ingenious range finder, invented by John Edwards (Bryant Washburn) and makes plans to obtain a model of the invention. Edwards instructs his daughter, Joyce (Dorothy Short), to bring the model to Albright for safekeeping in his mountain laboratory. Shark takes Edwards prisoner by Albright assures Joyce that her father will be saved and an end put to Shark's reign of terror. Dressing as Captain Midnight and enlisting the aid of his friends, Chuck (Sam Edwards) and Ichabod Mudd (Guy Wilkerson), Captain Midnight delivers on his promises fourteen chapters later.Movie serial, based on the popular radio and comic book hero. Our intrepid captain is one of several aviator heroes, and one of the most popular. The serial is fairly average, devoid of any really memorable stunts. There was a tv series, which was standard fare for the period.
- 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.The Caped Crusaders come to the cinema in this serial from Columbia. Lewis Wilson was a bit on the pudgy side, and the Batmobile is just a regular sedan, but there is a Batcave, though they keep their costumes in a filing cabinet. The question is whether it is under C for "costume" or U for "unifrom;" or T for "tights?"
- DirectorSpencer Gordon BennetStarsWilliam ForrestLouise CurrieJohnny ArthurA mysterious detective called The Masked Marvel battles Japanese saboteurs intent on blowing up America.Original hero from Republic. The Marvel is a masked crusader who is fighting a gang of saboteurs, with the hook that he is one of 6 men. The body is played by Tom Steele, who also appears as a thug, in one chapter. He ends up chasing himself, up a flight of stairs.
- 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.The Ghost Who Walks was brought to life by Columbia and Tom Tyler. Again, Tyler is physically perfect for the role and there is a pretty darn good script. Stock footage gives it more scope than many serials. The wolf Devil is replaced by a german shepherd.
- 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.The sole cinematic outing for Timely Comics (the future Marvel). This Captain America isn't a supersoldier, but a masked crusading district attorney. The script wasn't originally intended to be for Cap; rather, there is some belief it was written for Fawcett's Mr. Scarlett, who was a masked, crusading district attorney. It's not a bad serial, but it isn't Cap. He also only has red and white stripes on his abdomen, not on his back.
- DirectorFord BeebeStarsCharles KorvinElla RainesJ. Carrol NaishA rich but naive young woman is in possession of some priceless jewels. She doesn't realize it, but a gang of jewel thieves does.US production, directed by Ford Bebe, from Universal. Lupin had already appeared in several French films, including one in 1937, which was a big hit.
- DirectorPhil RosenWilliam BeaudineStarsKane RichmondBarbara ReadTom DuganSuper-sleuth Lamont Cranston, (aka "The Shadow") investigates the theft of jewels from a grave.Kane Richmond takles over as the hero, but it still isn't more than a pale imitation. Richmond stared in two more Shadow films.
- DirectorSpencer Gordon BennetThomas CarrStarsKirk AlynNoel NeillTommy BondSuperman comes to Earth as a child and grows up to be his home's first superhero with his first major challenge being to oppose The Spider Lady.Kirk Alyn stars as the Man of Steel, but a cartoon does all of the aerial work. A decent serial, with Carol Forman as the villainess, a nice twist on the usual antagonist.
- 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.Robert Lowery takes over as the Dark Knight Detective, though he doesn't fair much better than Lewis Wilson. The villain isn't much, either.
- CreatorGeorge W. TrendleGeorge W. GeorgeStarsJay SilverheelsClayton MooreJohn HartThe adventures of the masked hero and his Native American partner.The Lone Ranger gets a proper adaptation, featuring Clayton Moore, for the episodes that count. Moore had previously played heavies at Republic, and is joined by Jay Silverheels as Tonto. This is what most people think of when they hear the name The Lone Ranger, thanks to years in syndication.
- DirectorFred C. BrannonStarsTristram CoffinMae ClarkeDon HaggertyJeff King in his experimental rocket suit battles the evil Dr. Vulcan.The first of three films featuring the rocket-powered hero and by far the best. A hidden villain, known as Vulcan, is killing off personnel at a research company and the Rocket Man must stop him. The serial was later adapted as a painted comic book at Innovation, by Christopher Moeller, in anticipation of the Rocketeer film.
- DirectorSpencer Gordon BennetStarsKirk AlynNoel NeillLyle TalbotSuperman battles Lex Luthor who is using a teleportation device and a new identity as Atom Man in his criminal plans.Second Superman serial is notable for the film debut of Lex Luthor. It's not quite as fun as the first outing.
- DirectorLee SholemStarsGeorge ReevesPhyllis CoatesJeff CoreyWhen underground beings explore the surface world from a deep oil well and inadvertently cause a panic, only Superman can prevent a tragedy.Theatrical pilot for the Superman tv series, featuring George Reeves as Superman/Clark Kent. reeves plays it mostly straight, though with a bit of a twinkle in the eye. Phyllis Coates is Lois.
- DirectorPhil KarlsonStarsJohn DerekAnthony QuinnJody LawranceDuring the European revolutionary fervor of 1848, Italian Captain Renato Dimorna tries to avenge his father's death, goes against the corrupt local military governor Larocca and prevents an Austrian military invasion.Odd little mix of Zorro and the Count of Monte Cristo, featuring John Derek as the hero and Anthony Quinn as the villain. Quinn is the only thing keeping this from being a stinker.
- DirectorSpencer Gordon BennetFred F. SearsStarsKirk AlynCarol FormanJohn CrawfordBased on a successful comic book that began in 1941, the Blackhawks were seven flyers who banded together during WW II to fight the Nazis. After the war, they continued to fight evil where ever they find it. In this movie, they are battling a group of spies and saboteurs bent on destroying democracy. The Blackhawks foil a succession of plots, with a cliff hanger ending in each episode.I'm stretching my definition a bit, but Blackhawk was a kind of supersoldier/aviator, who led a Foreign Legion of the air. This serial comes off rather bland, though it features Kirk Alyn as the hero. the just couldn't match the scope of the comics, on a serial budget. The Blackhawks eventually did become superheroes, in one of the most misguided revamps in comic history. It didn't last, thankfully.
- StarsGeorge ReevesNoel NeillJack LarsonThe Man of Steel fights crime with help from his friends at the "Daily Planet."The Superman tv series is one of the highlights of 50s television. Reeves potrays a tougher Clark kent than in the comics, while Noel Neill, from the 2nd season onward, is the epitome of the 50s Lois. The only thing that would have made it better would have been villains from the comics, rather than generic hoods. Point of trivia: in the pilot, on Krypton, we geta glimpse of a few costumes from movie serials, including Captain Marvel and Captain America, and at least one Flash Gordon outfit.
- 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.Second Rocket Man serial, with the hero now called Commando Cody. It's a bit boring at times, leading to its savage treatment by early MST3K. The name would resurface in Revenge of the Sith. It would also be used for the tv series.
- DirectorFred C. BrannonStarsJudd HoldrenAline TowneWilson WoodThe invaders come to Earth to create an H-bomb to blast Earth out of orbit so that Mars can take its place.Third Rocket Man serial, with alien invaders. It's mainly notable for one of the aliens: a very young Leonard Nimoy.
- StarsJudd HoldrenAline TowneGregory GayeDangerous climate changes are ravaging Earth and the U.S. government requests an investigation by masked super-scientist Commando Cody. He discovers that the disasters are being caused by space-alien forces from unknown planetary origins.Cody got a tv series, such as it was.
- DirectorRichard FleischerStarsKirk DouglasJames MasonPaul LukasA ship sent to investigate a wave of mysterious sinkings encounters the advanced submarine, the Nautilus, commanded by Captain Nemo.Disney's classic adaptation of Jules Verne's masterpiece. Captain Nemo is one of the proto-supervillains, the man who is saving the world from itself. He is more anti-hero than villain, influencing characters like the Submariner, Doctor Doom, and many others. Also, for all of the jokers out there, the title refers to the distance travelled by the Nautilus, not the depth.
- DirectorCharles F. HaasStarsTom HelmorePaula RaymondFrank M. ThomasLamont Cranston, a psychiatrist on retainer to the police department, is asked to assist in the Case of the Cotton Kimono murder investigation. Lamont and his girlfriend Margot Lane are not satisfied with Detective Harris' analysis and call on the two prime suspects: the victim's voice instructor and her boyfriend. When Harris, convinced that the boyfriend is guilty, frames the young man for the crime, Lamont is forced to assume his secret identity as "The Shadow", and cloaked by his power of invisibility, seeks to force the true killer to reveal himself.Pilot for a potential series starring The Shadow, but it did not succeed.
- StarsSteve HollandIrene ChamplinJoseph NashSpace hero Flash Gordon and his crew of the Galaxy Bureau of Investigation patrol space, battling space monsters, power-mad alien dictators and other threats to the stability of the universe.TV series featuring Steve Holland. It is notable for two things: one, it used footage of a post-war Berlin, showcasing the bombing damage of the war. Second, Steve Holland would act a a model for James Bama, for the covers to the Bantam reprints of Doc Savage.
- DirectorSpencer Gordon BennetStarsJohn HartRick VallinBen WeldenTrapper Nat Coleman and government agent Ted Arnold come upon a plot to take over an African nation. Its leader, Caliph Abdul el Hamid, has been exiled from his country and replaced by a look-alike usurper allied with an unnamed foreign power. The Caliph intends to return but enemy agents Boris and Greg are out to stop him. Captain Africa a masked jungle lord, appears occasionally to aid Nat and Ted.This was supposed to be a Phantom sequel but King Features nixed the idea. So, they just altered the costume, slightly, gave him a new name and sent him off. It can't hold a candle to the real thing.
- StarsGuy WilliamsGene SheldonHenry CalvinDon Diego de la Vega opposes the corrupt tyrants of Spanish California as the masked swordsman, Zorro.Guy Williams stars as the hero, who is more crusader for justice than revolutionary, in this Disney series. This was the Zorro for the Babyboomers.
- DirectorJacques BeckerStarsRobert LamoureuxLiselotte PulverO.E. HasseArsène Lupin, the multifaceted gentleman thief, steals two masterpieces from the President of the Council. Some time later, posing as Monsieur Gilles, a winegrower who is marrying his only daughter, he asks several jewelers to come to his mansion and robs them of their gemstones. The next victims of André Laroche (Lupin's new identity) will be none other than a Maharajah and Kaiser Wilhelm II himself...One of the more successful later adaptations of Lupin.
- DirectorJames Wong HoweBen ParkerJohn SledgeStarsRichard DerrMark DanielsHelen WestcottLamont Cranston, aka The Shadow, investigates the murder of a New Orleans bandleader.A pilot for a potential Shadow tv series, which did not materialize. It was released as a film, made up of two episodes whioch had been filmed. It had a 1962 re-release under a different name.
- CreatorKôhan KawauchiStarsKôichi ÔseMike DanningJapan's first superhero TV show, in which a caped/masked avenger fights assorted evil in modern-day Tokyo.Japanese tv series, featuring a motorcycle-riding masked hero, who debuted earlier in a manga. It was hugely popular and would go on to inspire Kamen Rider.
- DirectorPietro FrancisciStarsSteve ReevesSylva KoscinaFabrizio MioniThe muscular Hercules performs his Labors, sails with the Argonauts, and romances the fair Iole.Steve Reeves debuts as Hercules, one of the original superheroes. The mythical Herc was actually a nasty little SOB, who incurs the wrath of Hera. This Herc is grade A, prime beef. It would launch multiple Hercules films, with a variety of musclemen in the role.
- DirectorTerence FisherStarsPeter CushingChristopher LeeMichael GoughWhen Jonathan Harker rouses the ire of Count Dracula for accepting a job at the vampire's castle under false pretenses, his friend Dr. Van Helsing pursues the predatory villain.Christopher Lee stars as the vampire and Peter Cushing is the vampire hunter. This version would prove highly influential and advances the Van Helsing character more than the Lugosi film. It would lead to things like Marvel Comics superb Tomb of Dracula and Blade.
- DirectorJohn GuillerminStarsGordon ScottAnthony QuayleSara ShaneFour British villains raid a settlement to obtain explosives for use in a diamond mine. In doing so they nearly destroy the settlement, so and Tarzan pursues them to their mine.Gordon Scott is Tarzan, but it's one of the criminals that makes this one special: a pre-James Bond Sean Connery.
- DirectorTerence FisherStarsPeter CushingAndré MorellChristopher LeeWhen a nobleman is threatened by a family curse on his newly inherited estate, detective Sherlock Holmes is hired to investigate.Peter Cushing stars as Holmes, while Christopher Lee is Bascombe. Excellent film.
- DirectorRobert DayStarsGordon ScottJock MahoneyBetta St. JohnA clever crook and a romantic triangle complicate Tarzan's efforts to bring a wanted criminal to justice.Gordon Scott's last Tarzan also introduces the next Tarzan, Jock Mahoney. Mahoney is a villain in this one. Great action and actual jungle locales made these superior to previous efforts.
- DirectorFederico CurielStarsWolf RuvinskisJulio AlemánArmando SilvestreNeutron, a masked wrestler/superhero, battles a gang of crooks who are plotting to steal a secret formula.Neutron was another luchador turned superhero in a film series, featuring Wolf Ruvinski as the hero, who did not exist in the ring, prior to the films.
- CreatorBob KaneStarsDal McKennonJohnny HolidayWhile best known as the creator of Batman, around 1960, Bob Kane created the animated series, Courageous Cat and Minute Mouse - as parody of Batman. This series explored the more campy aspects of the Batman TV series which followed several years later.Rather stiff cartoon series about a Batman-derived set of cat and mouse heroes. Considering that cats and mice are natural enemies, the pairing doesn't make sense. Batman co-creator (Bill Finger was responsible for quite a lot of it) Bob Kane was involved in this.
- DirectorHarold DanielsStarsRoger CreedPaulette GoddardLon Chaney Jr.The Phantom, along with canine companion Devil, investigate wicked doings at the plantation of Mrs. Harris.Pilot for a potential Phantom series, but it was not picked up. Lon Chaney Jr. appears as one of the thugs.
- CreatorSydney NewmanStarsPatrick MacneeDiana RiggHonor BlackmanA quirky spy show of the adventures of eccentrically suave British Agent John Steed and his predominantly female partners.What started out as a detective series became something more. It is nudged in that direction during the Honor Blackman era, but fully enters the superhero realm with Emma Peel. Steed and Peel are the perfect crimefighting duo, with inventive adventures and tons of fun. They would also inspire the Hellfire Club in the X-Men.
- DirectorWilliam WitneyStarsVincent PriceCharles BronsonHenry HullIn 1868, an American scientist and his team become hostages of fanatical pacifist Robur who uses his airship Albatross to destroy military targets on Earth.Vincent Price stars as Robur, Jules Verne's sciene pirate of the air. This Robur, however, is more like Nemo than his literary counterpart, as the film mixes elements from both Verne novels; Robur the Conqueror (aka Clipper of the Clouds) and Master of the World. The film is pretty good, except for a rather bland Charles Bronson as the hero, Strock.
- DirectorJoselito RodríguezStarsJoaquín CorderoNorma SuárezEnrique ZambranoAn undercover police officer is kidnapped by Dr. Campos who brainwashes him into becoming a member of his gang.The first of the Santo lucha films. El Santo was a popular lucha libre star who was brought to the screen in a series of movies, pitting the grappler against monsters and evil doctors galore. Santo had actually been a rudo, or villain, but he was all hero in these and would spend the rest of his career as a technico, or hero, in the ring. The success would inspire other lucha fims, with the character rechristened Samson in the US. Santo contra las mujeres vampiro is probably the best known, as Samson vs the Vampire Women, as seen on MST3K.
- DirectorTito DavisonStarsLuz María AguilarGermán RoblesFélix GonzálezBlue Demon makes his debut in movies. This rival of El Santo would go on to star in a series of films, and several teamups with Santo and Mil Mascaras. He was the better wrestler of the two.
- DirectorTerence YoungStarsSean ConneryUrsula AndressBernard LeeA resourceful British government agent seeks answers in a case involving the disappearance of a colleague and the disruption of the American space program.Sean Connery debuts as James Bond, superspy. These are far more than espionage thrillers, sharing more elements with superheroes. The villains are grandiose and bent on world conquest, with only James Bond in the way. The films would launch the spy-fi craze, leading to The Man From UNCLE, The Wild Wild West, Matt Helm, Derek Flint, and Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD. Goldfinger is generally considered to be the highpoint of the Connery run, but I prefer You Only Live Twice. I wont go into all of the films, just the personnel changes.
- StarsRoger MooreIvor DeanLeslie CrawfordSimon "The Saint" Templar, a wealthy adventurer and 20th-century Robin Hood, travels the world in his white Volvo P1800S, solving unsolvable problems and righting wrongs.Roger Moore stars in this seminal tv series, featuring Sion Templar as a pseudo-spy/troubleshooter, more than criminal/detective. The series made Moore a star and led to James Bond.
- DirectorRobert DayStarsJock MahoneyWoody StrodeTsuruko KobayashiThe spiritual leader of an oriental country is dying. The leader's evil brother is plotting to prevent the youthful heir from assuming his rightful position. Tarzan is summoned to protect him and he must face three tests of strength.Jock Mahoney takes over the role, but a bout with disentary weakened his physique. Woody Strode provides an excellent villain, and the two have an epic contest, culminating in a sword duel on a net, suspended over boiling cauldrons.
- StarsJimmy TappGerry BascombeDavid HartmanThe adventures of the heroic demigod of Greek mythology.Cartoon series featuring the slab of beef. The animation was stiffer than H-B, but it was a fairly popular series.
- StarsGeorge S. IrvingWally CoxAllen SwiftThe adventures of a rhyming canine superhero.One of my all-time favorite cartoon series. Our hero is the humble Shoeshine Boy, but when danger arises, he swallows his super vitamin and transforms into Underdog, protector of the innocent. The stories were inventive and the great Wally Cox provided the rhyming voice.
- DirectorAndré HunebelleStarsJean MaraisLouis de FunèsMylène DemongeotThe best men of France - a brave journalist and an extremely energetic commissioner - attack the trail of a mysterious criminal mastermind.First of 3 films with the supercriminal, Jean Marais playing the villain and the hero. The first one is excellent, and the other two are pretty good. It features elements inspired by the Bond series.
- DirectorNick NostroStarsDan VadisHelga LinéGiovanni Di BenedettoSpartacus And The 10 GladiatorsThere were three Ten Gladiators films, but this is the best. the group is a sort of gladiatorial Justice League, laying the smackdown on evil villains. The fights are less convincing that he WWE, but they are fun.
- StarsJuliette GrécoRené DaryChristine DelarocheA mysterious phantom appears in the Musée du Louvre in Paris at night. Neither the guards nor the police are able to arrest it. A curious young man tries to break the ice and discover what drives the creature and the background activities.French tv mini-series with the super criminal, who masquerades as a phantom inside the Louvre. It proved very influential on later French writers, leading to Jean-Marc and Randy Lofficier to create the Tales of the Shadowmen anthologies, featuring characters from French pulp literature and elsewhere, and the French Wold Newton Society.
- DirectorDon SharpStarsChristopher LeeNigel GreenJoachim FuchsbergerAfter cheating death, master criminal Dr. Fu Manchu returns with a plot to contaminate the River Thames with a powerful toxin extracted from Tibetan poppies.By far the best of the Christopher Lee Fu Manchu films. Nigel Green makes for a great Nayland Smith, while the film has plenty of intrigue and mystery. The setting is a strange mix of the 20s and the 60s, but it works pretty well. The sequels became increasingly worse, until low rent director Jess Franco was producing films so horrible that the gang at MST3K got involved. Lee knows how to play a villain, though.
- DirectorKoreyoshi AkasakaTeruo IshiiAkira MitsuwaStarsKen UtsuiSachihiro OhsawaJunko IkeuchiThe Supreme Council from the Emerald Planet sends the superhero Starman (Super Giant in Japan) to protect Earth from destruction by an evil alien race from the Sapphire Galaxy. The Sapphirians are out to destroy earth using a space station that can hurl a fiery "Death Star" and destroy the entire planet. Starman tries to destroy their ship, but a meteor storm intervenes. Starman arrives on Earth and discovers Dr. Yanamaka, one of Earth's top scientists and his two children have been abducted by human agents of the Sapphirians. Worse, a huge conspiracy is afoot. A secret headquarters underneath a graveyard is the Earth headquarters of the Sapphirian takeover efforts. Starman arrives to rescue Yanamaka and his children, but they have been taken by rocket to the large space station that controls the Death Star. After knocking out the subsurface facility, Starman streaks into space in a second attempt to rescue the abductees. On the space station, Dr. Yanamaka's daughter, Kaoru, and Asami, a loyal team member, have done a lot to throw obstructions in the way of the Sapphirians. They are on the verge of escaping when the Sapphirians gain the upper hand. Yanamaka and the kids are about to be executed when Starman arrives. As Starman keeps the Sapphirian troops engaged, Dr. Yanamaka, his son and Asami escape in the Sapphirian rocket. Starman finishes off the battle and flies Kaoru to the ship. From there, they destroy the Sapphirian space-wheel base.These are English dubs of a Japanese serial, featuring an alien superhero fighting monsters and criminals. The action is lively, even if the costumes aren't very convincing.
- StarsBud CollyerJackson BeckJack GrimesSuperman protects Metropolis and the world from a variety of threats while working at the Daily Planet as Clark Kent.Filmation returns Superman to animation and also launches their studio. Bud Collyer, who voiced the character in the theatrical shorts and the radio seres is back. Lex Luthor is around, as well. The animation is stiff, even compared to Hanna-Barbera, but the stories are lively. Superboy would appear as a secondary segment. The success of the cartoons would lead to other DC heroes joining the Man of Steel on Saturday mornings.
- CreatorLorenzo Semple Jr.William DozierStarsAdam WestBurt WardAlan NapierThe Caped Crusader and his young ward battle evildoers in Gotham City.TV series that launched a phenomenom. The first season is great, with excellent stories and some really funny gags. The second season is mostly good, but the shine is coming off. The third season is only made tolerable by Yvonne Craig as Batgirl, but the stories are pretty weak. Despite revisionist history, this series actually boosted sales of the comics, though they took on the campy tone, after having just re-established the character in more serious stories. The camp didn't last and Batman got serious again, to the point of being grim, by the 80s.
- DirectorLeslie H. MartinsonStarsAdam WestBurt WardLee MeriwetherThe Dynamic Duo faces four supervillains who plan to hold the world for ransom with the help of a secret invention that instantly dehydrates people.In between season 1 and 2, the producers created this theatrical film. the budget allowed them to produce the Batcopter, Batboat, and Batcyle, for use in the tv series. All of the big villains team up, though Lee Merriwether becomes Catwoman (Julie Newmar was filming another movie). There is a nice little romance here, though the plot is way over the top. You can't beat the bomb scene, though. I first saw this as a kid and it was a thrilling adventure. The comedy comes through more as you get older.
- CreatorAlex TothStarsDon MessickGinny TylerGary OwensThe adventures of a space superhero who can become invisible and his sidekicks.The success of the Batman would inspire H-B to create their own masked hero. Alex Toth got the job and he hit it out of the park. The series features exciting adventures and great villains, though the best stuff was early on. It wrapped up with a multi-part epic, with Space Ghost's enemies teaming up as the Council of Doom. Space Ghost encounters other H-B heroes, like Mightor, the Herculoids and Shazzan.
- DirectorRobert DayStarsMike HenryDavid OpatoshuManuel Padilla Jr.Tarzan battles a megalomaniac millionaire named Vinero, who kidnaps a young boy whom he believes can lead him to a legendary city of gold. Vinero is accompanied by his own army, including henchman Mr. Train and gorgeous Sophia.Ex-NFLer Mike Henry takes over as Tarzan, who is portrayed as a globetrotting protector. Here, he comes to investigate a kidnapping. The success of James Bond would inspire this take on the jungle hero.
- DirectorJoseph LoseyStarsMonica VittiTerence StampDirk BogardeStylish ex-con Modesty Blaise and her partner Willie Garvin are tasked by the British Secret Service with preventing her rival Gabriel from stealing diamonds that are to be delivered to her adoptive father, a Sheikh.The James Bond phenomenom spawned this comic strip heroine, who is an ex-criminal turned freelance troubleshooter. The film, however, is a campy romp with little to do with the adventure heroine, apart from the names. It's a fine piece of 60s camp, but not a good Modesty Blaise movie.
- StarsTed CassidyHal SmithPaul FreesThree cartoons packed into one half hour. Frankenstein Jr. was a robot constructed by a boy-genius to fight crime, The Impossibles were undercover agents disguised as a rock group.Another lively H-B adventure/comedy series. Frankie was a robot, controlled by Buzz Conroy, in a take-off of Johnny Sokko. Ted Cassidy (lurch on the Addams Family) provided Frankie's oice. The Impossibles were a rock band, ala the Beatles, who also had super powers and fought crime, though these were played for laughs.
- CreatorRichard HarrisDonald CottonStarsGerald HarperJuliet HarmerJack MayIn 1902, Edwardian adventurer Adam Adamant is frozen alive in a block of ice by his archnemesis, the Face. In 1966, workmen discover him and he is revived, perfectly preserved but completely bewildered by his new environment, "swinging '60s" London, until he meets beautiful Georgina Jones, who helps him adapt. Before long, he is back to adventuring, solving crime, and fighting evil wherever it lurks.Adam Adamant was a Victorian gentleman hero, who finds himself frozen and awakened in the 60s. He continues his heroic ways, while grappling with a changed world. Unfortunately, much of this series is lost and is not available in the US.
- CreatorGeorge W. TrendleStarsBruce LeeVan WilliamsWende WagnerA newspaper publisher and his Asian valet/martial arts expert battle crime as the feared Green Hornet and Kato.Van Williams starred as the hero, but everyone tuned in to see Bruce Lee as Kato. The series was spawned by Batman, but played it straight, much aided by Lee's martial arts skills. There was a two-part crossover with Batman, on his show; but, the series only lasted one season. Every attempt at revival has hinged upon the role of Kato, rather than the Green Hornet.
- DirectorDaniel MannStarsJames CoburnLee J. CobbGila GolanWhen scientists use eco-terrorism to impose their will on the world by affecting extremes in the weather, Intelligence Chief Cramden calls in top agent Derek Flint.Derek Flint is a polymath, but with a rebellous streak. he is a sort of superspy Doc Savage, he refuses weapons, using his multifunction lighter instead. There were two Flint films and a tv pilot, but this is the best. I've singled him out as he shares more with the pulp heroes than Bond.