Movie Serials of the '30s, Part 3 Quiz

Answer: The New Adventures of Tarzan

"The New Adventures of Tarzan" closely follows the book showing how he was jungle born and raised, educated in England, and then became Lord Greystoke. Brix did most of his own stunts resulting in many injuries. Tropical fever and heat exhaustion didn't help.

Answer: The Phantom Empire

"The Phantom Empire" is a sci-fi singing cowboy western cliffhanger and it inspired two feature length films - "Men With Steel Faces" and "Radio Ranch", both in 1940. Now you know where the idea for the sci-fi serial "Flash Gordon" came from. "Smiley" Burnett, who came out West with Gene, appears in this film as well as in 30 others with him.

Answer: The Miracle Rider

Tom Mix, star of the silent screen, was paid $10,000/week to star in his last film "The Miracle Rider", which at 306 minutes was the longest sound serial made. Much of the stock footage used came from two other serials, "The Last of the Mohicans" and "Fighting with Kit Carson". Will the outlaws scare the Ravenhead Indians off their land in order to mine X-94? Not on your life with Tom handling them.

Answer: The Fighting Marines

"The Fighting Marines" was later reworked with added special effects for the 1938 serial "The Fighting Devil Dogs". Lots of action starting in South America then back to the States, over to an island and returning to the mainland. The love interest, Ann Rutherford, was in 13 Andy Hardy films as Polly Benedict. "Doc" aka Milburn Stone from the "Gunsmoke" TV show is a rapscallion on the mainland.

Answer: Queen of the Jungle

"Queen of the Jungle" delivers the usual lions, natives, animal people and, of course, a beloved witch doctor - NOT. Dickie Jones, who was the voice of Henry Aldrich on radio, sidekick to the Range Rider on TV and who starred in his own TV series "Buffalo Bill Jr.", played David as a child. This is the only serial produced by Screen Attractions.

Answer: The Lost City

Some copies of "The Lost City" warn of racial content and it was later released as two feature films; one had only the first four chapters and the other the full serial condensed. A later version in 1940 was titled "City of Lost Men". The hero is played by William "Stage" Boyd, who off-screen was involved with bootlegging.

But another William Boyd of "Hopalong Cassidy" fame found his picture in the newspaper story.

Answer: Rustlers of Red Dog

"Rustlers of Red Dog" finds Olympic champion Jim Thorpe playing Chief Scarface. Chief Thundercloud, full-blooded Cherokee who graduated from the University of Arizona and was a stuntman in other films, is billed as 'Chief Thundercloud'. Head of the cavalry, J. P. McGowan, whose Hollywood career spanned from 1910 to 1951, has a supporting role.

Answer: The Call of the Savage

"The Call of the Savage" has Jan helping a princess return to the lost city of Mu with scientists chasing Jan to steal his bracelet containing half of the cure for infantile paralysis. The 1956 feature "Savage Fury" takes stock footage from the serial and presto, a new film.

Answer: The Roaring West

The plot of "The Roaring West" involves a secret map of a gold mine. Jones' big-mouthed sidekick, Jinglebob, hears of the map, steals it, copies it, and returns it without anyone the wiser. Next comes the land rush where Buck finds out that the villains have a copy. But, lo and behold, it's really a phony map sent by Jinglebob's brother in a mail-order catalog.

Answer: Tailspin Tommy in the Great Air Mystery

If you saw "Tailspin Tommy" then you can easily slide into "Tailspin Tommy in the Great Air Mystery". The first chapter is a semi-reprise of the first film. Water, time bombs, crashes, and natives all are obstacles that our heroes must overcome.