Phantom Empire Serial - 1935 - 12 Episodes - Gene Autry
This week’s Saturday Matinee here at iMovieCinema is The Phantom Empire, a 1935 serial featuring singing cowboy Gene Autry in his first starring role. The serial uniquely incorporates several genres — western, sci-fi, and musical.
The action in The Phantom Empire takes place at Gene Autry’s Radio Ranch, which just happens to be sitting atop the ancient civilization of Murania. Tensions arise when a group of crooks want to get their hands on the Muranians’ supply of radium, and it falls upon Gene Autry to get things sorted out.
Also in the cast are Frankie Darro, Western trick rider Betsy King Ross, Smiley Burnette, Dorothy Christy, Wheeler Oakman, Charles K. French, Warner Richmond, J. Frank Glendon, Peter Potter, Edward Peil Sr., and Jack Carlyle.
The Phantom Empire was produced by Nat Levine, and directed by Otto Brower and B. Reeves Eason.
Burn ‘Em Barnes Serial 1934
Here’s a special classic movie treat - all 12 chapters of the 1934 serial, Burn ‘Em Up Barnes.
This serial stars Jack Mulhall as race car driver Burn ‘Em Up Barnes; Lola Lane as Marjorie Temple, a bus company owner (and the serial’s damsel in distress); Frankie Darro as Barnes’ sidekick Bobby Riley; and Jason Robards (as John Drummond) and Francis McDonald (as Ray Ridpath), the villains of the piece.
Burn ‘Em Up Barnes was produced by Nat Levine, distributed by Mascot Pictures, and directed by Colbert Clark and Armand Schaefer.
Frankie Darro in Irish Luck
We note St. Patrick’s Day today with a 1939 movie, Irish Luck. Frankie Darro portrays Buzzy O’Brien, a hotel bellhop. When a guest is murdered, Buzzy O’Brien helps figure out the identity of the murderer.
Also in the cast are Dick Purcell, Lillian Elliott, Dennis Moore, James Flavin, Sheila Darcy, Mantan Moreland, Ralph Peters, Tristram Coffin, Pat Gleason, Gene O’Donnell, and Donald Kerr.
The movie was directed by Howard Bretherton, and produced by Scott R. Dunlap.
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