The Serial Squadron Cinema Cliffhanger Archive

CRIME CLIFFHANGERS

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Gang Busters
✦✦✦✦ (Universal, 13 Chapters)
Kent Taylor, Ralph Morgan
D: Ray Taylor, Noel Smith

Dr. Mortis, a disgraced scientist, creates the League of Murdered Men by having criminals pronounced dead and then reviving them in his subterranean lair to do his bidding. Detectives Bannister and Logan take the case, and reporter Vicky Logan tries to get the story.
This is the best-quality existing version of this serial anywhere.

View Online Video:
Chapter 1: The League of Murdered Men

Transfer Quality: A sharp transfer from the original film, in glorious black and white.
DVD Contents: All 12 chapters digitally restored, bios, illustrated menus
Special Features: Original theatrical trailer, cast bios.

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(Entire serial on 1 disk, full quality)

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Beatrice Fairfax
✦✦✦ (Wharton, 15 Episodes)
Grace Darling, Harry Fox
D: Ted & Leo Wharton

The original advice-to-the-lovelorn reporter and her comical and clever friend Jimmy Barton investigate unusual situations brought to their attention by letters written to the Evening Standard newspaper. Filmed in Ithaca, New York
Influenced by: The Active Life of Dolly of the Dailies serial
Influenced: Perils of Our Girl Reporters, possibly Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen in Superman stories

View Online Video: Episode 2: The Adventure of the Jealous Wife

SECOND EDITION December 2018

DVD Contents: 2-DVD Set; Includes all new updated titles, all 14 restored and newly scored episodes, reconstructed Episode 1, the previously missing original ending of "Billy's Romance," an introductory documentary, and a cast "curtain call" (about 7 hours of content) See the Wharton Serials Collection DVD page for the complete episode listing.
Special Features: Mini-documentary about the real-life Beatrice Fairfax and her column as well as the fictional character’s history, cast "Curtain Call" (photo slideshow)

Order Dual-Layer DVD
(Entire serial on 1 disk, full quality)




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Holt of the Secret Service
✦✦✦ (15 Chapters)
Jack Holt, Evelyn Brent D: James W. Horne

Jailbreak at the state prison! Use caution -- these men are desperate!
Gangsters try to outrace hawk-faced mob smasher and secret service man Jack Holt on the highway (Step on it! The police are on our tail!) and the tough talk and action never stops from there. Tris Coffin and gang are operating a counterfeiting scheme from their cliffside hideout, down the rapids and past a roaring waterfall. Holt and his boss Malloy (Zorro's Fighting Legion's C. Montague Shaw) decide to try to pass Holt off as wanted felon Nick Farrell to infiltrate the gang. Equally tough-talking (Want me to weep in a bucket?) Miss Drew poses as his wife (not moll -- wife, and don't you forget it. Want to see the certificate?) and fights beside Jack to defeat the gangsters' schemes.
Influenced: Fearless Fosdick character in Dick Tracy comic strip

View Online Video: Chapter 1

Transfer Quality: Digitally mastered from an excellent quality original TV print with superior contrast and grey tones,
DVD Contents:
15 chapters, featuring illustrated menus with chapter indexes, and scene markers within chapters. In glorious black and white, with restored sound.
Special Features: Audio commentary tracks on the entire serial including interesting facts by 4 slightly inebriated but knowledgable serial fans who watched and recorded the commentary one day in a single marathon session.

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The Wolf Dog
✦✦✦ (Mascot, 12 Chapters)
Frankie Darro, George Lewis, Rin Tin Tin
D: Colbert Clark/Howard

Young Frank Courtney, who discovers he is heir to a shipping line, escapes an abusive stepfather in Alaska and heads for California only to find himself marked for death by the crooked president of the company he has inherited. Frank is defended by Bob Whitlock, a ship's radio operator, and Pal, a German Shepherd raised by wolves.

View Online Video: Chapter 1: The Fugitive

Transfer Quality: All-new digital transfer from an extremely rare 16mm original print which exhibits occasional minor defects but the picture and audio quality in general is excellent.
DVD Contents: 2-DVD set, black and white, complete serial
Released February 18, 2015

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Stacks Image 1133
Radio Patrol
✦✦✦ (12 Chapters)
Grant Withers, Frank Lackteen
D: Ford Beebe, Cliff Smith

Kindly John P. Adams develops a formula for flexible, bulletproof steel and is murdered by someone who wishes to obtain the formula. At least three groups, as it turns out, are scrambling to grab the secret, including a mysterious inhabitant of the city's Egyptian quarter called Tahata who uses his powers of hypnotism to control the minds of underlings. Pat O'Hara, the radio patrolman is assigned to the case, and is assisted by Pinky Adams, the inventor's young son.

Transfer Quality: Digital transfer from excellent quality original 16mm print with one chapter in lesser quality than others; audio restored
DVD Contents: 2-DVD set, complete serial

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The Shadow of Fu Manchu

Featuring Hanley Stafford as Nayland Smith
and
Gale Gordon as Dr. Petrie
84 Episodes of 7 Serials; 17 Hours of content
The "original" 40 episodes ALL restored for enhanced clarity and fidelity


Includes:
21 Episodes of
THE INSIDIOUS DR. FU MANCHU
6 Episodes of THE HAND OF FU MANCHU
12 Episodes of THE RETURN OF FU MANCHU
8 Episodes of THE DAUGHTER OF FU MANCHU
15 Episodes of THE MASK OF FU MANCHU
8 Episodes of DRUMS OF FU MANCHU
14 Episodes of BRIDE OF FU MANCHU

Note: Not all of this series has survived. We present here all known episodes in the best possible quality. Not every episode is hiss or crackle-free, but unlike previously circulating versions of these shows, almost every word can be understood. It's a good series, with a Dr. Fu that sounds a good deal like Henry Brandon, true to its source material and often very suspenseful.

This Audio DVD is included in the
Sherlock Holmes/Shadow of Fu Manchu

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Stacks Image 994
The Iron Claw
✦✦✦ (15 Chapters)
Charles Quigley, Charles King
D: James W. Horne

Reporter Bob Lane and photographer Jack "Flash" Strong investigate mysterious doings at the Anton Benson mansion after the murder of Anton's brother and discover that a gangster called Silk and his hoodlums would like the treasure that Anton is desperately trying to move to safer territory. Equally active in mischief is the Iron Claw himself, who thrives on sliding panels and elaborate lethal devices.
Influenced by: Silent serial The Iron Claw featuring Pearl White and Sheldon Lewis
Influenced: The Perils of Penelope Pitstop villain "The Hooded Claw"


In Production