The Fighting Marines
Encyclopedia
The Fighting Marines is a Mascot movie serial
. This was the last serial ever produced by Mascot. The studio was bought out and merged with others to become Republic Pictures
. This new company went on to become the most famous of the serial producing studios, starting with Darkest Africa
in 1936
Future Republic
Producer
Franklin Adreon
first became involved with serials with this production. The former regular Marine then a Marine Corps Reserve officer was a technical consultant and played the small role of Captain Holmes in the later chapters.
starts building a landing strip
on Halfway Island in the Pacific Ocean
, they interfere with the secret hideout of the masked mystery villain
, The Tiger Shark, who begins to sabotage their efforts. Sergeant
Schiller is abducted by the villain after developing a gyrocompass that could pinpoint his location. Corporal
Lawrence and Sergeant
McGowan attempt to rescue him and stop the Tiger Shark for good.
Source:
Serial (film)
Serials, more specifically known as Movie serials, Film serials or Chapter plays, were short subjects originally shown in theaters in conjunction with a feature film. They were related to pulp magazine serialized fiction...
. This was the last serial ever produced by Mascot. The studio was bought out and merged with others to become Republic Pictures
Republic Pictures
Republic Pictures was an independent film production-distribution corporation with studio facilities, operating from 1934 through 1959, and was best known for specializing in westerns, movie serials and B films emphasizing mystery and action....
. This new company went on to become the most famous of the serial producing studios, starting with Darkest Africa
Darkest Africa
Darkest Africa is a Republic movie serial. This was the first serial produced by Republic Pictures and was a loose sequel to a Mascot Pictures serial called The Lost Jungle, also starring Clyde Beatty. Mascot, and other companies, had been taken over in 1935 by Consolidated Film Laboratories and...
in 1936
1936 in film
The year 1936 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*May 29 - Fritz Lang's first Hollywood film Fury, starring Spencer Tracy and Bruce Cabot, is released.*November 6 - first Porky Pig animated cartoon...
Future Republic
Republic Pictures
Republic Pictures was an independent film production-distribution corporation with studio facilities, operating from 1934 through 1959, and was best known for specializing in westerns, movie serials and B films emphasizing mystery and action....
Producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
Franklin Adreon
Franklin Adreon
Franklin "Pete" Adreon was an American film and television director, producer, screenwriter, and actor.-Early life and career:...
first became involved with serials with this production. The former regular Marine then a Marine Corps Reserve officer was a technical consultant and played the small role of Captain Holmes in the later chapters.
Plot
When the United States Marine CorpsUnited States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
starts building a landing strip
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
on Halfway Island in the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
, they interfere with the secret hideout of the masked mystery villain
Masked Mystery Villain
A Masked Mystery Villain is a stock character in genre fiction. The Masked Mystery Villain was frequently used in the adventure stories of Pulp magazines and Movie Serials in the early twentieth century. They can also appear in Crime fiction to add to the atmosphere of suspense and suspicion...
, The Tiger Shark, who begins to sabotage their efforts. Sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
Schiller is abducted by the villain after developing a gyrocompass that could pinpoint his location. Corporal
Corporal
Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to NATO Rank Code OR-4....
Lawrence and Sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
McGowan attempt to rescue him and stop the Tiger Shark for good.
Cast
- Grant WithersGrant WithersGrant Withers was an American film actor. With early beginnings in the silent era, Withers moved into talkies establishing himself with a list of headlined features as a young and handsome male lead...
as CorporalCorporalCorporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to NATO Rank Code OR-4....
Larry Lawrence, US MarineUnited States Marine CorpsThe United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States... - Adrian Morris as SergeantSergeantSergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
Mack McGowan, US MarineUnited States Marine CorpsThe United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States... - Ann RutherfordAnn RutherfordAnn Rutherford is a Canadian-American actress in film, radio, and television. She has had a long career starring and co-starring in films, playing Polly Benedict on the big screen of the 1930s and 1940s in the Andy Hardy series, and on The Bob Newhart Show as Newhart's character's...
as Frances Schiller - Robert Warwick as ColonelColonel (United States)In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
W. R. Bennett, US MarineUnited States Marine CorpsThe United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States... - George J. LewisGeorge J. LewisGeorge J. Lewis was a Mexican-born actor who appeared in many films and eventually TV series from the 1920s through the 1960s, usually specializing in westerns...
as SergeantSergeantSergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
William Schiller, US MarineUnited States Marine CorpsThe United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
abducted by the Tiger Shark - Patrick H. O'Malley, Jr. as Captain Grayson
- Victor PotelVictor PotelVictor Potel was an American film character actor who began in the silent era and appeared in over 430 films in his 38 year career.-Career:...
as Fake Native Chief, one of the Tiger Shark's henchmen - Jason Robards Sr. as Kota
- Warner RichmondWarner RichmondWarner Richmond was an American actor. He appeared in 141 films between 1912 and 1946.He was born in Racine, Wisconsin and died in Los Angeles, California.-Selected filmography:* Brown of Harvard...
as Metcalf, one of the Tiger Shark's henchmen - Robert FrazerRobert FrazerrightRobert W. Frazer born Robert William Browne on 29 June 1891 in Worcester, Massachusetts, US, was an American actor who appeared in some 224 shorts and films from the 1910s until his death on 17 August 1944 in Los Angeles, California, US, due to leukemia...
as H. R. Douglas - J. Frank GlendonJ. Frank GlendonJ. Frank Glendon was an American film actor. He appeared in 79 films between 1915 and 1936.He was born in Choteau, Montana, and died in Hollywood, California...
as M. J. Buchanan - Donald ReedDonald ReedDonald Reed was a film actor, and later, Beverly Hills video consultant. He appeared in 47 films between 1925 and 1940...
as Pedro, one of the Tiger Shark's henchmen - Max WagnerMax WagnerMax Wagner was a Mexican-born American film actor who specialized in playing small parts such as thugs, gangsters, sailors, henchmen, bodyguards, cab drivers and moving men, appearing in over 300 films in his career, most without receiving screen credit...
as Gibson, one of the Tiger Shark's henchmen - Richard AlexanderRichard Alexander (actor)Richard Alexander was an American character actor. Born in Dallas, Texas, Alexander appeared in numerous film serials such as Flash Gordon and Zorro Rides Again, as well as a leading role in All Quiet on the Western Front. He is buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park.-References:...
as Ivan, one of the Tiger Shark's henchmen - Tom LondonTom LondonTom London was an American actor who, according to "The Guinness Book of Movie Records," is credited with appearing in the most movies in the history of Hollywood...
as Miller, one of the Tiger Shark's henchmen
Stunts
- Yakima CanuttYakima CanuttYakima Canutt , also known as Yak Canutt, was an American rodeo rider, actor, stuntman and action director.-Biography:...
- George DeNormand doubling Grant Withers
- Eddie ParkerEddie ParkerEddie Parker was a stuntman and actor who appeared in many classic films, mostly westerns and horror films...
doubling Adrian Morris
Special effects
- Photographic effects by Bud ThackeryBud ThackeryEllis J. "Bud" Thackery was an American cinematographer who took part in two episodes of The Virginian and many episodes of the Ironside TV series on NBC. He was nominated for an Oscar along with Howard Lydecker, William Bradford and Herbert Norsch in 1941 for Best Effects, Special Effects in the...
- Model effects by the Lydecker brothersLydecker brothers-Partial filmography:*Darkest Africa *Women in War - Oscar nominated*Adventures of Captain Marvel *Flying Tigers - Oscar nominated*Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe...
Chapter titles
- Human Targets
- Isle of Missing Men
- The Savage Hoard
- The Mark of the Tiger Shark
- The Gauntlet of Grief
- Robber's Roost
- Jungle Terrors
- Siege of Halfway Island
- Death from the Sky
- Wheels of Destruction
- Behind the Mask
- Two Against the Horde
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