The Green Hornet (serial)
Encyclopedia
The Green Hornet is a Universal
movie serial
based on The Green Hornet radio series by George W. Trendle
and Fran Striker
.
released a feature length movie version, re-edited from the last six chapters, under the same title.
In 2011, VCI Entertainment released its own version, The Green Hornet: Movie Edition. It includes the beginning, end, and selected other chapters of the serial. The DVD was released on January, 11, 2011.
was created based on the popularity of a re-release of Columbia's Batman
serial. The success of both led to the production of a Green Hornet series
, which was played as a straight action mystery series, "in the tradition of its former presentations", rather than the camp Batman series. It lasted one season.
Universal Pictures
-1920:* White Youth* The Flaming Disc* Am I Dreaming?* The Dragon's Net* The Adorable Savage* Putting It Over* The Line Runners-1921:* The Fire Eater* A Battle of Wits* Dream Girl* The Millionaire...
movie serial
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...
based on The Green Hornet radio series by George W. Trendle
George W. Trendle
George Washington Trendle was a Detroit lawyer and businessman, best known as the producer of the Lone Ranger radio and television programs along with The Green Hornet. He is entombed in Detroit's Woodlawn Cemetery.-Movie theaters:...
and Fran Striker
Fran Striker
Fran Striker was an American writer for radio and comics, best known for creating The Lone Ranger, The Green Hornet, and Sgt...
.
Synopsis
The Green Hornet, secretly newspaper publisher Britt Reid, and his Korean valet Kato stop and expose several seemingly separate crimes. This leads them into continued conflict with the Leader, the criminal mastermind behind the Syndicate and the individual crimes.Cast
- Gordon Jones as Britt Reid otherwise known as The Green HornetThe Green HornetThe Green Hornet is an American radio and television masked vigilante created by George W. Trendle and Fran Striker, with input from radio director James Jewell, in 1936. Since his radio debut in the 1930s, the Green Hornet has appeared in numerous serialized dramas in a wide variety of media...
- Al HodgeAl HodgeFor "Big" Al Hodge, the Cornish rock musician, see Al Hodge Albert E. Hodge was an American actor best known for playing space adventurer Captain Video on the DuMont Television Network from December 15, 1950 to April 1, 1955...
as the (uncredited) voice of the Green Hornet. Hodge played the Hornet on the original radio series. - Wade BotelerWade BotelerWade Boteler was an American film actor. He appeared in over 430 films between 1919 and 1943.He was born in Santa Ana, California, and died in Hollywood, California from a heart attack.-Selected filmography:...
as Michael Axford, Reid's bodyguard - Anne NagelAnne NagelAnne Nagel was an American actress. She played in adventures, mysteries, and comedies for twenty-five years. She also appeared in television series in the 1950s.-Career:...
as Lenore "Casey" Case, Reid's secretary - Keye LukeKeye LukeKeye Luke was a Chinese-born American actor. He was the first Chinese-American contract player signed with RKO, Universal and, later, MGM and is generally acknowledged as the leading Asian-American actor of this era of American cinema.-Background:...
as Kato, who is KoreanKorean peopleThe Korean people are an ethnic group originating in the Korean peninsula and Manchuria. Koreans are one of the most ethnically and linguistically homogeneous groups in the world.-Names:...
in this serial rather than the original JapaneseJapanese peopleThe are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
nationality of the character due to anti-Japanese sentiment rising at the time. This was two years prior to the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl HarborPearl HarborPearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
and the USA's entry into the war (all thirteen episodes are copyrighted 1939). The radio version dropped the nationality from the introductory sequence, included passing references to him being FilipinoFilipino peopleThe Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
in dialogue, and only years later added that to the standard intro. - Phillip Trent as Jasper Jenks, a reporter
- Cy KendallCy KendallCy Kendall was an American film actor. He appeared in over 140 films between 1935 and 1950.Kendall's heavy-set, square-jawed appearance and deep voice were perfect for wiseguy roles such as policemen and police chiefs, wardens, military officers, bartenders, reporters, and mobsters.He was born...
as Curtis Monroe, The Leader's chief henchmanHenchmanHenchman referred originally to one who attended on a horse for his employer, that is, a horse groom. Hence, like constable and marshal, also originally stable staff, henchman became the title of a subordinate official in a royal court or noble household... - Stanley AndrewsStanley AndrewsStanley Andrews was an American actor perhaps best known as the voice of Daddy Warbucks on the radio program Little Orphan Annie and later as "The Old Ranger", the host of Death Valley Days.-Early life:...
as Police CommissionerPolice commissionerCommissioner is a senior rank used in many police forces and may be rendered Police Commissioner or Commissioner of Police. In some organizations, the commissioner is a political appointee, and may or may not actually be a professional police officer. In these circumstances, there is often a... - Selmer Jackson as District AttorneyDistrict attorneyIn many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
- Joseph CrehanJoseph CrehanJoseph Crehan was an American film actor. He appeared in over 300 films between 1916 and 1965.He was born in Baltimore, Maryland and died in Hollywood, California from a stroke.-Selected filmography:...
as Judge Stanton
Alternative versions
In 1990, GoodTimes Home VideoGoodTimes Entertainment
GoodTimes Entertainment, Ltd. was a home video company that originated in 1984 under the name of GoodTimes Home Video. Though it produced its own titles, the company was well-known due to its distribution of media from third parties and classics...
released a feature length movie version, re-edited from the last six chapters, under the same title.
In 2011, VCI Entertainment released its own version, The Green Hornet: Movie Edition. It includes the beginning, end, and selected other chapters of the serial. The DVD was released on January, 11, 2011.
Influence
The 1960s Batman television seriesBatman (TV series)
Batman is an American television series, based on the DC comic book character of the same name. It stars Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin — two crime-fighting heroes who defend Gotham City. It aired on the American Broadcasting Company network for three seasons from January 12, 1966 to...
was created based on the popularity of a re-release of Columbia's Batman
Batman (serial)
Batman is a 15-chapter serial, released in 1943 by Columbia Pictures. The serial starred Lewis Wilson as Batman and Douglas Croft as Robin. J. Carrol Naish played the villain, an original character named Dr. Daka. Rounding out the cast were Shirley Patterson as Linda Page , and William Austin as...
serial. The success of both led to the production of a Green Hornet series
The Green Hornet (TV series)
The Green Hornet is a television show on the ABC US television network. It aired for the 1966–1967 TV season, and starred Van Williams as the Green Hornet/Britt Reid and Bruce Lee as Kato.- Episodes:...
, which was played as a straight action mystery series, "in the tradition of its former presentations", rather than the camp Batman series. It lasted one season.
Chapter titles
Source:- The Tunnel of Terror
- The Thundering Terror
- Flying Coffins
- Pillar of Flame
- The Time Bomb
- Highways of Peril
- Bridge of Disaster
- Dead or alive
- The Hornet Trapped
- Bullets and Ballots
- Disaster Rides the Rails
- Panic in the Zoo
- Doom of the Underworld