THE NEW NON-PROFIT
LOST CINEMA RESTORATION PROJECT
lostcinema.org / vanishingshadows.org / daughtersofdaring.org
MISSION STATEMENT
Our goal is to discover, recover, restore and preserve rare and previously “lost” media (feature films, cliffhanger serials, pre-code horror, theatrical dramas, historical books, radio programs and additional items unseen for decades. Our fund raising will be put toward preserving these rare materials and making them accessible to the public and institutions, on physical media, in live presentations, and on a free streaming channel.
This non-profit is a new 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to recovering, restoring and preserving rare films from around the world and making them available to the public in high-quality archival editions on physical media and online streaming.
As a nonprofit, we prioritize under-appreciated films that would otherwise be unlikely to receive high-quality archival restorations. Some of our favorite types of films are long-thought-lost silent cinema, the pioneering works of Black filmmakers from the 1920s and 30s, pre-code horror, westerns, and cliffhanger serials, the unseen treasures of global genre film—and far beyond!
Additional information on our first restoration projects will be posted shortly here, and on affiliate sites The Serial Squadron, Vanishing Shadows, Daughters of Daring and Cliffhanger Channel sites. Until then, if you want to support our mission of film preservation, you are welcome to make a fully tax-deductible donation at a link when it appears below. Your generous donations will contribute to a vibrant and eclectic physical media culture and ensure that rare films will not only be preserved for posterity but can truly find their audience once more--on cinema screens and in your living room.
RESTORATION TEAM / OFFICERS
vanishingshadows.org / lostcinema.org / daughtersofdaring.org
President/ Company Manager / Film Archivist
DREW CALDWELL
Drew is a lifelong film and memorabilia collector who has generously provided source material for a variety of film restorations, many of which have been preserved and released by the Serial Squadron Cliffhanger Library.
Vice President / Cody Labs Restoration Director
ERIC STEDMAN (The Serial Squadron & Vanishing Shadows sites) Comfortable with working on creative projects in any medium, Eric, director of the Serial Squadron Cliffhanger Library for 23 years, has brought many long-thought “lost” serials and features back to life from film originals and made them viewable again, including The Lone Ranger (1938) and Seven Footprints to Satan (1929), as well as the recent restorations of The Galloping Ghost, The Wolf Dog, Mystery Mountain and Holt of the Secret Service, as shown on TCM. He has years of experience in theatre, music and art, wrote the first musical version of Beauty and the Beast, published books and photonovels based on lost silent serials including The Mysteries of Myra, and staged the first production of the 1930 Frankenstein script which was the basis of the 1931 Karloff film. He also provides musical accompaniment for some silent restoration projects in person and on video.
Associate Producer / Corresponding Secretary / Cody Labs Advisor
JOHN R. ELLIS
Filmmaker and special effects director John Ellis, with many years experience in all aspects of genre films, rediscovered and restored the complete Steve Canyon television series (here) and has advised on restorations produced by the Serial Squadron Cliffhanger Library. John is excited to bring his expertise to the new non-profit Lost Cinema restoration collective.
Video Archivist / Shipping Manager
RICHARD DAVENPORT
Richard is a Texas-based cinema archivist with a particular interest in the cliffhanger serial form. He is always seeking out more rare content and will ensure the preservation of all restoration projects produced by the new non-profit film restoration collective.
Online Video Advisor / Channel Queen
HOLLY ZUELLE, Owner: Classic Cinema Vault Channel
Holly is an actress, writer and the administrator of a video streaming service. She can be seen as a performer in new films and produced “Justice for Jeannette,” a true crime documentary recently for the Disney/Hulu series Crimes of the Paranormal.
Content Provider / Wise Sage
“MOVIE MIKE” OLSHAN
Mike is a New York-based journalist, editor and photographer. He was formerly editor of the film/TV production journal Millimeter and of Videoplay Magazine and has curated numerous film festivals on a variety of topics related to global film history. He says “My purpose as a screening host has been to preserve and promote the experience of genuine cinema, which is fundamentally different from watching a film at home on TV. It is a ceremonial experience, where we gather as a community in a darkened room to share a bigger-than-life dream. That huge image provides a quality of grand spectacle, like the theater that Aristotle describes in his Poetics, that speaks directly to the heart!”
MOVIE SERIALS
APPROVED FOR FUTURE FUNDING AND RESTORATION BY CODY LABS
THE EVIL EYE
Pledges are currently being taken for a Blu-Ray version of this "lost" serial featuring Benny Leonard. It's been voted that the Non-Profit will help fund it as well.
1920s serial featuring boxer Benny Leonard vs. the fiendish and hideous “Money Spider,” played by a British Lon Chaney-style makeup master. Will cost $2000-5000 for transfer.
THE RETURN OF CHANDU
Serial Restoration by Eric Stedman with Commentary PDF by author Leonard J. Kohl -- just completed
Never before on video!
ADVENTURES OF TARZAN
Serial Restoration from 35mm originals, Feature version. Transfers all complete, in assembly stage
CLANCY OF THE MOUNTED
featuring Tom Tyler
HAWK OF THE WILDERNESS
featuring Herman Brix
DON WINSLOW OF THE COAST GUARD
Feature version starring Don Terry
SON OF GERONIMO
featuring Clayton Moore
THE SECRET CODE
Columbia's answer to SPY SMASHER featuring Paul Kelly
THE LIGHTNING WARRIOR
featuring Frankie Darro vs. the Wolf Man
VIDEO SERIES
THE DAUGHTERS OF DARING
The First Action Heroes of the Movies!
Read more about this project
Multi-part series presenting rare and previously unseen footage from cliffhanger serials featuring their original action heroes -- all female. From Mary Fuller in WHAT HAPPENED TO MARY, to the “railroad girl” Helen Holmes, star of THE HAZARDS OF HELEN and additional serials, the “mystery women,” Mollie King, Neva Gerber, Jean Sothern, and Grace Darmond of THE HOPE DIAMOND MYSTERY, the “investigators,” Ruth Roland, Grace Darling and Ann Little, the crime-serial stars Cleo Madison and Grace Cunard, the ubiquitous Pearl White, star of THE PERILS OF PAULINE, Juanita Hansen and others who fought desperate super-villains, and world adventurers including Kathlyn Williams and Marie Walcamp, star of THE RED ACE -- surviving footage of which is presented for the first time in this series. With a celebrity narrator and others included giving reactions and reviews.
This project includes partial or complete restorations of a great deal of content never before on video.
IN CONSIDERATION FOR RESTORATION
Never before on video!
THE MYSTERY OF DR. FU MANCHU
Restoration of 1927 British serial licensed by the BFI; 2- Blu-Ray set will include the complete MYSTERY OF DR. FU MANCHU serial transferred from the original 35mm prints or negatives, plus additional features including the "lost" Fu Manchu TV pilot featuring John Carradine, the Dr. Nikola feature, and a massive amount of extra content by writer/advisor William Maynard. Awaiting final contract & green light for project permission and distribution. Will likely be co-funded by a pledge drive.
WESTERN FEATURES
New Discoveries!
OVERLAND BOUND with Leo Maloney
The first sound Western, long thought lost, from 35mm.
Trying to trick Ma (Lydia Knott) and Mary Winters (Allene Ray) into selling their rundown ranch, which will be in the path of a future railroad, Underwood (Charles K.French) hires Keno Creager (Albert Smith) to impersonate Jimmy Winters, not seen by his mother and sister for many years. Lucky Lorimer (Leo Maloney), a horsetrading drifter, and Larry Withers, a waiter (Jack Perrin) in the saloon of Boss Wheeler (William Dyer), discover the plot. Larry reveals he is Jimmy, and they both head for the Winters' ranch. They find Creager already there but Lucky, via a fake murder charge on Jimmy Winters, tricks Creager into denying he is Jimmy.
PIONEERS OF THE WEST featuring Tom Tyler
One of several other long-unseen Tyler Western features, from 35mm
BOOKS IN CONSIDERATION FOR PUBLICATION
Under consideration for funding:
THE ROCKETMAN ARCHIVE
An amazing, comprehensive collection of hundreds of stills from the Rocketman/Commando Cody serials
THE VOICE FROM THE SKY
The first sound serial from 1929 featuring Hal Taliaferro and Neva Gerber — the complete script re-creation, and HD video of the existing reels, with re-created audio.
THE COMPLETE PERILS OF PAULINE
ALL 20 episodes, narrative and photos; not just the few that are in the video or common novelization.
THE REPUBLIC SERIALS
A handy guide to the fan-favorite 66 serials from the 1930s to the 1950s
THE SQUADRON GUIDE TO MOVIE SERIALS
ALL 20 episodes, narrative and photos; not just the few that are in the video or common novelization.
CAPTAIN MARVEL IN THE COMICS AND THE MOVIES
Like the SPY SMASHER Book, all you wanted to know about the movie serial with lots of production photos, chapter summaries, all that good stuff
THE MASKED RIDER BOOK
History of the production of THE MASKED RIDER in 1919 in San Antonio, Texas. Unique and rare history and stills from private collections of cast members and cameramen! And bios of all concerned and the history of the Shamrock studio, where it was filmed.
COMIC BOOKS
ROCKETMAN RETURNS
A new story featuring the third Rocketman, his son the Rocket Ranger and Rocketgirl who are convinced that the threat from hostile Moon Men has returned.
AUDIO DRAMAS
Under consideration for funding/production:
ADVENTURES OF HARRY HOUDINI
Harry Houdini, his assistant "Ape" O'Connell, and his wife Bess, with the assistance of a mystical scholar, investigate a Lovecraftian mystery
THE MYSTERY MIND
Audio serial re-creation featuring (the real) Adrian Booth in her final serial appearance.
We now have our own FREE STREAMING CHANNEL as well: The CLASSIC CINEMA VAULT
One which has a way around use of commercials which is innovative and allows videos to run continuously without interruption. This channel will run new chapters of recently restored serials or series and new presentations of features or other projects completed by the Vanishing Shadows Film Restoration Collective.
To visit the channel and watch now, go to www.cliffhangerchannel.com. Membership is free and details about yourself you may wish to share with others as the site is interactive are optional.
The channel plays content in a loop, 24/7 every day.
The channel is currently undergoing a change of hosting services and not updating — it will be back in operation soon.