The Lone Defender
Encyclopedia
The Lone Defender is a 1930 American Mascot movie serial
starring Rin Tin Tin
. This was Mascot's first all sound serial (the second to have any sound at all, after the partial sound in The King of the Kongo
). This was Rin Tin Tin's first serial at Mascot, after being dropped by Warner Bros.
when they decided animal pictures would not work with "Talkies". He also starred in the later serial The Lightning Warrior
, which would be his last appearance. Mascot made a third serial, The Adventures of Rex and Rinty
, but that Rin Tin Tin was not the same dog.
The plot revolves around Rin Tin Tin as "Rinty" and a secret gold mine fought over by the criminal "The Cactus Kid" and the legitimate owners. Material from this serial was edited into a feature film version and released under the same name in 1934
.
Juan Valdez is murdered by The Cactus Kid and his gang in an attempt to discover the location of his gold mine. Valdez's dog Rinty witnesses the murder and can also lead the gang to the mine, making him the villain
's target throughout the serial. In addition Rinty must help Valdez's daughter Dolores legitimately find and claim the mine while being blamed for the wolf attacking local livestock.
The mysterious figure of Ramon is constantly on hand, overhearing pieces of the villain's conversations. He appears to be another bandit but his actions seem to contradict that.
It is revealed during the course of the serial that Ramon is in fact Marco Roberto, an agent of the Justice Department
.
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...
starring Rin Tin Tin
Rin Tin Tin
Rin Tin Tin was the name given to a dog adopted from a WWI battlefield that went on to star in twenty-three Hollywood films. The name was subsequently given to several related German Shepherd dogs featured in fictional stories on film, radio and television.-Origins:The first of the line Rin Tin...
. This was Mascot's first all sound serial (the second to have any sound at all, after the partial sound in The King of the Kongo
The King of the Kongo
The King of the Kongo is a 1929 Mascot film serial. It was the first serial to have sound, although only partial sound rather than the later "All-Talking" productions with complete sound. The soundtrack is now considered to be lost, although recently 7 original sound discs, 5 of them cracked,...
). This was Rin Tin Tin's first serial at Mascot, after being dropped by Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
when they decided animal pictures would not work with "Talkies". He also starred in the later serial The Lightning Warrior
The Lightning Warrior
The Lightning Warrior is a 1931 American Mascot movie serial starring Rin Tin Tin in his last role. It is regarded as one of the better Mascot serials.-Plot:...
, which would be his last appearance. Mascot made a third serial, The Adventures of Rex and Rinty
The Adventures of Rex and Rinty
The Adventures of Rex and Rinty is a Mascot film serial starring the Rex and canine actor Rin Tin Tin, Jr..-Cast:* Rex as Rex, The King of Wild Horses* Rin Tin Tin, Jr...
, but that Rin Tin Tin was not the same dog.
The plot revolves around Rin Tin Tin as "Rinty" and a secret gold mine fought over by the criminal "The Cactus Kid" and the legitimate owners. Material from this serial was edited into a feature film version and released under the same name in 1934
1934 in film
-Events:*January 26 - Samuel Goldwyn purchases the film rights to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz from the L. Frank Baum estate for $40,000.*February 19 - Bob Hope marries Dolores Reade...
.
Plot
ProspectorProspecting
Prospecting is the physical search for minerals, fossils, precious metals or mineral specimens, and is also known as fossicking.Prospecting is a small-scale form of mineral exploration which is an organised, large scale effort undertaken by mineral resource companies to find commercially viable ore...
Juan Valdez is murdered by The Cactus Kid and his gang in an attempt to discover the location of his gold mine. Valdez's dog Rinty witnesses the murder and can also lead the gang to the mine, making him the villain
Villain
A villain is an "evil" character in a story, whether a historical narrative or, especially, a work of fiction. The villain usually is the antagonist, the character who tends to have a negative effect on other characters...
's target throughout the serial. In addition Rinty must help Valdez's daughter Dolores legitimately find and claim the mine while being blamed for the wolf attacking local livestock.
The mysterious figure of Ramon is constantly on hand, overhearing pieces of the villain's conversations. He appears to be another bandit but his actions seem to contradict that.
It is revealed during the course of the serial that Ramon is in fact Marco Roberto, an agent of the Justice Department
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
.
Cast
- Rin Tin TinRin Tin TinRin Tin Tin was the name given to a dog adopted from a WWI battlefield that went on to star in twenty-three Hollywood films. The name was subsequently given to several related German Shepherd dogs featured in fictional stories on film, radio and television.-Origins:The first of the line Rin Tin...
as "Rinty", Juan Valdez's dog - Walter MillerWalter Miller (actor)Walter Miller was an American actor of the silent era. He appeared in 248 films between 1911 and 1940.He was born in Dayton, Ohio, and died in Hollywood, California, from a heart attack, aged 48...
as Marco Roberto, Justice Department AgentUnited States Department of JusticeThe United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
posing as the "Mysterious Figure", Ramon - June MarloweJune MarloweJune Marlowe , was an American actress, who appeared in six Our Gang short subjects as the lovely schoolteacher Miss Crabtree.-Career:...
as Dolores Valdez, Juan Valdez's daughterDaughterA daughter is a female offspring; a girl, woman, or female animal in relation to her parents. The male equivalent is a son. Analogously the name is used on several areas to show relations between groups or elements.-Etymology:... - Josef SwickardJosef SwickardJosef Swickard was a German-born veteran stage and screen character actor, who had toured with stock companies in Europe, South Africa, and South America.-Career:...
as Juan Valdez, ProspectorProspectingProspecting is the physical search for minerals, fossils, precious metals or mineral specimens, and is also known as fossicking.Prospecting is a small-scale form of mineral exploration which is an organised, large scale effort undertaken by mineral resource companies to find commercially viable ore...
who owns a secret gold mine - Buzz Barton as Buzz, Ramon's sidekickSidekickA sidekick is a close companion who is generally regarded as subordinate to the one he accompanies. Some well-known fictional sidekicks are Don Quixote's Sancho Panza, Sherlock Holmes' Doctor Watson, The Lone Ranger's Tonto, The Green Hornet's Kato and Batman's Robin.-Origins:The origin of the...
- Lee ShumwayLee ShumwayLee Shumway , was an American actor. He appeared in 417 films between 1909 and 1953.He was born in Salt Lake City, Utah and died in Los Angeles, California.-Selected filmography:* Flame of Barbary Coast...
as Amos Harkey, the villainVillainA villain is an "evil" character in a story, whether a historical narrative or, especially, a work of fiction. The villain usually is the antagonist, the character who tends to have a negative effect on other characters...
ous cantina owner - Julia Bejarano as Maria, the Dueña
- Lafe McKee as Sheriff Billings
- Arthur MorrisonArthur MorrisonArthur George Morrison was an English author and journalist known for his realistic novels about London's East End and for his detective stories....
as Limpy - Frank LanningFrank LanningFrank Lanning was an American actor of the silent era. He appeared in 84 films between 1910 and 1934.He was born in Marion, Iowa and died in Los Angeles, California.-Selected filmography:...
as Burke, Prospector and Juan Valdez's partner - Bob KortmanBob KortmanBob Kortman was an American film actor mostly associated with westerns, though he also appeared in a number of Laurel and Hardy comedies...
as Jenkins, one of the Cactus Kid's Henchmen - Victor Metzetti as Red, one of the Cactus Kid's Henchmen
- Otto Metzetti as Red's Partner
Chapter titles
- Mystery of the Desert
- The Fugitive
- Jaws of Peril
- Trapped
- Circle of Death
- Surrounded by the Law
- The Ghost Speaks
- Brink of Destruction
- The Avalanche
- Fury of the Desert
- Cornered
- Vindicated
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