Mandrake the Magician (1939 movie serial): Difference between revisions

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'''''Mandrake the Magician''''' is a classic Columbia Pictures cliffhanger serial from 1939, starring Warren Hull in the title role. The serial is based on [[Lee Falk]]'s comic strip "[[Mandrake the Magician]]".  
'''''Mandrake the Magician''''' is a classic Columbia Pictures cliffhanger serial from 1939, starring [[Warren Hull]] in the title role. The serial is based on [[Lee Falk]]'s comic strip "[[Mandrake the Magician]]".  


==Plot==
==Plot==
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The Wasp will stop at nothing to steal the scientists invention. His evil machinations to obtain the device include blowing up a radio station, a power plant, and a dam. Fortunately, his dastardly deeds cause only minimal damage because of the timely intervention of the quick-witted Mandrake, who has vowed to stop The Wasp.
The Wasp will stop at nothing to steal the scientists invention. His evil machinations to obtain the device include blowing up a radio station, a power plant, and a dam. Fortunately, his dastardly deeds cause only minimal damage because of the timely intervention of the quick-witted Mandrake, who has vowed to stop The Wasp.


===Cast & Crew===
==Writing credits (screenplay)==
<div style="float:left; width:50%;">
*'''Joseph F. Poland'''
'''Writing credits (screenplay)'''
*'''Basil Dickey'''  
*Joseph F. Poland
*'''Ned Dandy'''
*Basil Dickey
*Ned Dandy
'''Directors'''
*Sam Nelson and
*Norman Deming
'''Producer'''
*Jack Fier
'''Editor'''
*Dick Fantl
'''Music'''
*Lee Zahler
'''Photography'''
*Benjamin Kline


==Directors==
</div><div style="float:right; width:50%;">
*'''Sam Nelson''' and
'''Cast'''
*'''Norman Deming'''


==Cast==
*Warren Hull as Mandrake
*'''Warren Hull''' as '''Mandrake'''
*Al Kikume as Lothar
*'''Al Kikume''' as '''Lothar'''
*Doris Weston as Betty Houston
*'''Doris Weston''' as '''Betty Houston'''
*Rex Downing as Tommy Houston
*'''Rex Downing''' as '''Tommy Houston'''
*Edward Earle as Dr. Andre Bennett
*'''Edward Earle''' as '''Dr. Andre Bennett'''
*Forbes Murray as Professor Houston
*'''Forbes Murray''' as '''Professor Houston'''
*Kenneth MacDonald as James Webster
*'''Kenneth MacDonald''' as '''James Webster'''
*Don Beddoe as Frank Raymond
*'''Don Beddoe''' as '''Frank Raymond'''
*Dick Curtis as Dorgan, Thug (Chs. 6, 7, 8)
*'''Dick Curtis''' as '''Dorgan''' - Thug (Chs. 6-8)
*John Tyrrell as Dirk, lead thug
*'''John Tyrrell''' as '''Dirk''', lead thug
*Stanley Brown as Green, thug (Chs. 1, 2, 4)
*'''Stanley Brown''' as '''Green, thug [Chs. 1, 2, 4] 
*Beatrice Curtis as Rest Home Nurse (Chs. 3,10)
*'''Beatrice Curtis''' as '''Rest Home Nurse [Chs. 3,10]
*Robert Sterling as Henchman
*'''Robert Sterling''' as '''Henchman'''
*Sam Ash as George Regan, hypnotist (Chs. 3, 4, 5)
*'''Sam Ash''' as '''George Regan''', hypnotist [Chs. 3-5]
*Lester Dorr as Gray, gas station thug [Chs. 8, 9]  
*'''Lester Dorr''' as '''Gray''', gas station thug [Chs. 8-9]  
*Ernie Adams as Henchman Brown (Chs. 2, 3)
*'''Ernie Adams''' as '''Henchman Brown''' [Chs. 2-3]
*Eddie Fetherston as Rest Home, Henchman (Chs. 10, 11)
*'''Eddie Fetherston''' as '''Rest''' Home Henchman [Chs. 10-11]
*Eddie Foster as Ed Blowdart, Henchman (Chs. 1, 2, 3)
*'''Eddie Foster''' as '''Ed Blowdart''' Henchman [Chs. 1-3]


</div><br clear="all">


==Chapter titles==
==Chapter titles==
Line 60: Line 70:
Like most serials, the film had a relatively low budget.
Like most serials, the film had a relatively low budget.


==Behind the scenes==
Storyboard drawings in watercolor by Glenn Cravath.
<gallery>
Image:mtm-1939-sb-wc-01.jpg
Image:mtm-1939-sb-wc-02.jpg
Image:mtm-1939-sb-wc-03.jpg
</gallery>
Preliminary movie poster banner in watercolor by Glenn Cravath.
<gallery>
Image:mtm-1939-sb-wc-04..jpg
</gallery>
==Promotional material==
<gallery>
Image:1939-serial-ad-material-01.jpg
Image:1939-serial-ad-material-01B.jpg
1939-serial-ad-material-02.jpg
1939-serial-ad-material-03.jpg
1939-serial-ad-material-04.jpg
1939-serial-ad-material-05.jpg
1939-serial-ad-material-06.jpg
1939-serial-ad-material-07.jpg
1939-serial-ad-material-08.jpg
1939-serial-ad-material-09.jpg
1939-serial-ad-material-10.jpg
1939-serial-ad-material-11.jpg
</gallery>
==Various Views==
<gallery>
Image:1939-serial-playbill-01.jpg|''Movie playbill''
Image:1939-serial-playbill-02.png|''Movie playbill''
Image:1939-serial-ad-local-theatre.png|''Ad in "The Carolina Times", 1940 02 17, for the "Regal Theatre" (334 East Pettigrew Street, Durham, North Carolina)''
Image:Trading-card-SSP-01 .jpg|''Trading card "Saturday Serials Presents" / card #22(1988)''
Image:Trading-card-SSP-02.jpg|''Trading card "Saturday Serials Presents" / back card #22 (1988)''
Image:Trading-card-SSP-03.jpg|''Trading cards list / Mandrake: cards # 22 to 24''
Image:Unusual Facts-Warren Hull.jpg|''"Unusual Facts Revealed" - "by Movie Spotlight" panel syndicated by "Columbia Feature Service" (art by Erwin Hess) / The Roanoke Rapids Herald - June 8, 1939 edition''
Image:Serial publicity.png|''Newspaper Ad''.
</gallery>
== Lee Falk personal appreciation ==
  I was in the army. But I saw them, and they were embarrassing. "The Phantom" wasn't bad, "Mandrake the Magician" was terrible. The whole thing looked like itwas shot in a phone booth.


==DVD==
==DVD==
Line 68: Line 121:


==External links==
==External links==
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgMtaQkXmd8&ab_channel=AtomicAgePictures] YouTube, full serial (3 hours 35)
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txoR_ErTzaA] YouTube, colorized version (2 hours 56).
*[https://archive.org/details/mandrake-the-magician-serial] Archive.org, colorized version - 12 episodes. 


{{Non-Comics}}
{{Non-Comics}}
[[Category:Adaptations|Mandrake the Magician (1939 movie serial)]]
[[Category:Adaptations|1939 Movie Serial]]

Latest revision as of 08:41, 8 November 2024

1939-serial.png
Country: Mini usa.gif USA / English


Mandrake the Magician is a classic Columbia Pictures cliffhanger serial from 1939, starring Warren Hull in the title role. The serial is based on Lee Falk's comic strip "Mandrake the Magician".

Plot

Mandrake and Lothar help Professor Houston (and his lovely daughter Betty) protect his radium energy machine from the head of an underworld gang, a sinister criminal genius known as "The Wasp".

The Wasp will stop at nothing to steal the scientists invention. His evil machinations to obtain the device include blowing up a radio station, a power plant, and a dam. Fortunately, his dastardly deeds cause only minimal damage because of the timely intervention of the quick-witted Mandrake, who has vowed to stop The Wasp.

Cast & Crew

Writing credits (screenplay)

  • Joseph F. Poland
  • Basil Dickey
  • Ned Dandy

Directors

  • Sam Nelson and
  • Norman Deming

Producer

  • Jack Fier

Editor

  • Dick Fantl

Music

  • Lee Zahler

Photography

  • Benjamin Kline

Cast

  • Warren Hull as Mandrake
  • Al Kikume as Lothar
  • Doris Weston as Betty Houston
  • Rex Downing as Tommy Houston
  • Edward Earle as Dr. Andre Bennett
  • Forbes Murray as Professor Houston
  • Kenneth MacDonald as James Webster
  • Don Beddoe as Frank Raymond
  • Dick Curtis as Dorgan, Thug (Chs. 6, 7, 8)
  • John Tyrrell as Dirk, lead thug
  • Stanley Brown as Green, thug (Chs. 1, 2, 4)
  • Beatrice Curtis as Rest Home Nurse (Chs. 3,10)
  • Robert Sterling as Henchman
  • Sam Ash as George Regan, hypnotist (Chs. 3, 4, 5)
  • Lester Dorr as Gray, gas station thug [Chs. 8, 9]
  • Ernie Adams as Henchman Brown (Chs. 2, 3)
  • Eddie Fetherston as Rest Home, Henchman (Chs. 10, 11)
  • Eddie Foster as Ed Blowdart, Henchman (Chs. 1, 2, 3)


Chapter titles

  1. Shadow On The Wall
  2. Trap Of The Wasp
  3. City Of Terror
  4. The Secret Passage
  5. The Devil’s Playmate
  6. The Fatal Crash
  7. Gamble For Life
  8. Across The Deadline
  9. Terror Rides The Rails
  10. The Unseen Monster
  11. At The Stroke Of Eight
  12. The Reward Of Treachery

Production

Like most serials, the film had a relatively low budget.

Behind the scenes

Storyboard drawings in watercolor by Glenn Cravath.

  • Mtm-1939-sb-wc-01.jpg
  • Mtm-1939-sb-wc-02.jpg
  • Mtm-1939-sb-wc-03.jpg

Preliminary movie poster banner in watercolor by Glenn Cravath.

  • Mtm-1939-sb-wc-04..jpg

Promotional material

  • 1939-serial-ad-material-01.jpg
  • 1939-serial-ad-material-01B.jpg
  • 1939-serial-ad-material-02.jpg
  • 1939-serial-ad-material-03.jpg
  • 1939-serial-ad-material-04.jpg
  • 1939-serial-ad-material-05.jpg
  • 1939-serial-ad-material-06.jpg
  • 1939-serial-ad-material-07.jpg
  • 1939-serial-ad-material-08.jpg
  • 1939-serial-ad-material-09.jpg
  • 1939-serial-ad-material-10.jpg
  • 1939-serial-ad-material-11.jpg

Various Views

  • Movie playbill

  • Movie playbill

  • Ad in "The Carolina Times", 1940 02 17, for the "Regal Theatre" (334 East Pettigrew Street, Durham, North Carolina)

  • Trading card "Saturday Serials Presents" / card #22(1988)

  • Trading card "Saturday Serials Presents" / back card #22 (1988)

  • Trading cards list / Mandrake: cards # 22 to 24

  • "Unusual Facts Revealed" - "by Movie Spotlight" panel syndicated by "Columbia Feature Service" (art by Erwin Hess) / The Roanoke Rapids Herald - June 8, 1939 edition

  • Newspaper Ad.

Lee Falk personal appreciation

 I was in the army. But I saw them, and they were embarrassing. "The Phantom" wasn't bad, "Mandrake the Magician" was terrible. The whole thing looked like itwas shot in a phone booth.

DVD

The serial was released on a double-disc DVD by VCI Video in 2003.

Availability

Originally released on VHS.

External links

  • [1] YouTube, full serial (3 hours 35)
  • [2] YouTube, colorized version (2 hours 56).
  • [3] Archive.org, colorized version - 12 episodes.



Team Ups, Mandrake outside the comic strips, Varia
Team Ups

Defenders of the Earth • Kings Watch • King: Mandrake the Magician • Kings Quest

Adaptations

1939 Movie Serial • 1940 Radio Show • 1954 TV Pilot • 1967 Killing vs Mandrake • 1979 TV Movie • Unproduced and Unfinished Films • Musical: Mandrake the Magician and the Enchantress • Prose Stories • Defenders of the Earth • Comics on TV • Pop Art

Memorabilia

Memorabilia • Defenders of the Earth

Other

Easter Eggs and Cameos • Fanzines and Fan Magazines • Reference Books

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