Most of their names are forgotten now to history, buried under the stereotype of the "damsel in distress tied to the railroad track," invented by male filmmakers to make fun of or demean their work. More often than not, it was these heroines who performed their own stunts and rescued an emperiled hero from apparently certain death.
On this site and in the new Daughters of Daring video series you will learn all about these amazing women who were icons of independence and equality in the early years of the cinema.
The Serial Squadron is working on presenting a multi-part video series, with accompanying book, which will tell the stories of Pearl White, Helen Holmes and many others who were box office gold c. 1912-1922.
We have lots of unique footage to show, and have already restored Pearl White's THE HOUSE OF HATE and THE PERILS OF PAULINE, THE MASKED RIDER which includes 4 different "action" women from age 11 to a pistol-packin' grandma -- have acquired all the chapters of THE RED ACE, featuring Marie Walcamp, existing, and have also restored BEATRICE FAIRFAX, PATRIA, THE JUNGLE PRINCESS and even have some "missing" chapters of THE LIGHTNING RAIDER now to include in this series.
What these ladies did was amazing, including their own stunts during a time when women could not even vote in this country.
We're looking to include any actresses who have portrayed strong female characters or action heroines in the past and anyone who is interested in the subject, celebrity or academic scholar, to add commentary or reactions to some of the footage to be shown. From the earliest Wonder Women to heroines of TV action series and women who have done stunts and fights in newer movies If you know any, or ARE one. Contact Eric Stedman directly if you would like to be involved or know someone who might be, or would like to discuss tax-deductible sponsorship or funding through the new Non-Profit with which the Squadron is affiliated. If you're on that list of names below, a movie stunt woman, or interested in the history of or issues involved with these women's stories we'd love to hear from you!
This is the biggest project the Squadron has ever been involved in, but we think it'll be worthwhile. A lot of the newly acquired chapters we have, unseen for 100 years, are amazing.
Stay tuned for more information about this exciting project.
VIEW SERIES EPISODE DESCRIPTIONS
WITH ACCOMPANYING SUPPLEMENTAL EPISODES AND FULL SERIALS
Click links to view videos
SERIES EPISODES
Click on Colored Links to View Videos
1: THE HEIRESS EMPERILED
WHAT HAPPENED TO MARY
VENTURES OF MARGUERITE
THE PERILS OF PAULINE
BOUND AND GAGGED
THE HOUSE OF HATE
THE NEGLECTED WIFE
2 PERILS OF THE RAIL
THE HAZARDS OF HELEN
THE GIRL AND THE GAME
THE RAILROAD RAIDERS
A DAUGHTER OF DARING
THE LOST EXPRESS
THE FAST EXPRESS
3 WOMEN OF MYSTERY
MYSTERY OF THE DOUBLE CROSS
THE PURPLE MASK
THE MYSTERIES OF MYRA
A WOMAN IN GREY
THE TREY O’HEARTS
THE GODDESS
THE MYSTERY MIND
4 CRIME FIGHTERS
THE VOICE ON THE WIRE
THE RED CIRCLE
THE EXPLOITS OF ELAINE
DAUGHTER OF DON Q
HAUNTED VALLEY
BEATRICE FAIRFAX
UNDER THE CRESCENT
TRAIL OF THE OCTOPUS
BATMAN
THE LIGHTNING RAIDER
THE HOPE DIAMOND MYSTERY
THE EVIL EYE
6 SUPER-VILLAINS
THE HOUSE OF HATE
THE PHANTOM FOE
THE HIDDEN HAND
THE IRON CLAW
THE SCREAMING SHADOW
THE PURPLE MASK
THE MYSTERY SHIP
7 JUNGLE ACTION HEROINES
ADVENTURES OF KATHLYN
LUCILLE LOVE, GIRL OF MYSTERY
ADVENTURES OF TARZAN
JUNGLE GODDESS
JUNGLE PRINCESS
THE TIGER WOMAN
SHEENA, QUEEN OF THE JUNGLE
PERILS OF NYOKA
PLUNDER
THE SECRET KINGDOM
8 WESTERN HEROINES
THE BLUE FOX
QUEEN OF THE NORTHWOODS
THE SANTA FE TRAIL
HANDS UP
THE AMERICAN GIRL
ZORRO’S BLACK WHIP
THE MASKED RIDER Shootout on the Dam
THE RED ACE
LIBERTY
THE TIGER’S TRAIL
FIGHTING TRAIL
LAST OF THE MOHICANS
EL COYOTE
9 SOLDIERS AND SUPERHEROINES
PEARL OF THE ARMY
DAUGHTER OF THE USA
THE BLACK SECRET
PATRIA
THE EAGLE’S EYE
WOLVES OF KULTUR
ON GUARD
BATGIRL
WONDER WOMAN
ISIS
BIONIC WOMAN
XENA
THE DAUGHTERS OF DARING
The First Female Action Heroes of the Cinema: 1912 and Beyond
9-EPISODE VIDEO SERIES
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS
DREW CALDWELL, President, VANISHING SHADOWS Non-Profit
HOLLY ZUELLE, Video Producer/Actor
PRODUCED AND DIRECTED BY
ERIC STEDMAN, Restoration Director, The Serial Squadron
The CHAPTERS Channel
CONSULTANTS
KATHRYN FULLER-SEELEY, University of Texas at Austin
MICHELLE TOLINI FILLAMORE Ph.D,
Historian/Curator/Museum Consultant — Fashion Design & Film
DIANA REISMAN, Director, the Wharton Studio Museum, Ithaca, New York
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
JOHN ELLIS, Producer, STEVE CANYON TV Series Restoration
TRANSFERS
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
UCLA FILM ARCHIVE
USC HUGH M. HEFNER FILM ARCHIVE
BRITISH FILM INSTITUTE
CINEMATHEQUE FRANCAISE
Channel Producer HOLLY ZUELLE
Directed by Eric Stedman / (445) 252-4583 / ericstedman@aol.com
Click for Video
DONATION AND PARTICIPATION LINKS
To donate to the project which will require (expensive) transfers from 35mm films from the Library of Congress and other film archives, CLICK THIS LINK.
Information on how you, if you are a Daughter of Daring yourself, and have played a super-heroine or female action hero recently or in the past, or are a stunt woman, and would like to contribute commentary about one of the scenes in this project, or maybe even narrate an episode, we'd love to hear from you also. You can do so at the SAME LINK without making a monetary contribution. Or contact producer Eric Stedman at ericstedman@aol.com.
DONATION/PARTICIPATION LINK URL
https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/Z5YUKQ49W692S
NOTE TO POTENTIAL CONTRIBUTORS
To confirm that your contribution is tax-deductible, we will provide a written acknowledgment that meets IRS requirements for contributions of $250 or more.
This letter serves as proof for the donor to claim the deduction on their tax return.
The Acknowledgment will be sent as soon as possible and by January 31 of the following year to allow donors time to prepare their tax returns.
The written acknowledgment will contain the following IRS-required elements:
- Name of the organization (and its EIN)
- Donor’s name
- Amount of the contribution (cash or value of in-kind gift)
- Description (but not value) of any in-kind contribution
- Statement that no goods or services were provided (if applicable)
- Description and good-faith estimate of value of any goods/services provided (if applicable)
- Statement that any goods/services provided were intangible religious benefits (if applicable)
- Statement that the organization is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization