THE MOST UNFORGETTABLE/ICONIC/OUTRAGEOUS VILLANS IN MOVIE SERIALS
The old motion picture chapter serials, or "cliffhangers", of the 1930's and '40's may seem slow and dated today, but whether they cam from Republic, Universal or Columbia they could provide not only heroes/heroines to cheer but also incre3dible costumed villains to hiss! This is a list (in no apparent order) of the serials I consider to contain the most unforgettable bad guys of the cliffhanger chapterplays.
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- DirectorFrederick StephaniRay TaylorStarsBuster CrabbeJean RogersCharles MiddletonFlash Gordon, Dale Arden and Dr. Alexis Zarkov visit the planet Mongo to thwart the evil schemes of Emperor Ming the Merciless, who has set his planet on a collision course with Earth.Charles Middleton's "Ming the Merciless"" has to top the list for sheer evil and presence in all three Flash Gordon serials!
- DirectorFred C. BrannonWilliam WitneyStarsCharles QuigleyLinda StirlingClayton MooreA criminal mastermind known as the Crimson Ghost is out to steal a device called the Cyclotrode, which can short-circuit every electrical current on the planet.Another example of the "which one of the group is the costumed villain", "The Crimson Ghost"'s skull mask is unforgettable.
- DirectorJohn EnglishWilliam WitneyStarsReed HadleySheila DarcyWilliam CorsonThe masked hero leads a fighting force to fight a villian who plots the conquest of The Republic of Mexico.In his suit of golden armor, "Don del Oro" and his dreams of conquest are a pleasure to watch (his dubbed voice is supposedly that of Billy Bletcher, the original voice of the radio Lone Ranger).
- DirectorJames W. HorneStarsVictor JoryVeda Ann BorgRoger MooreThe Shadow battles a villain known as The Black Tiger, who has the power to make himself invisible and is trying to take over the world with his death ray."The Black Tiger" is the one with the power of invisibility here (The Shadow in the serial was based on the original pulp fiction version, not the mind-clouding radio version), but his snarling voice "full of sound and fury" makes up for his being unseen.
- DirectorSpencer Gordon BennetYakima CanuttWallace GrissellStarsRichard BaileyLinda StirlingRoy BarcroftThe creator of a scientific device is kidnapped, and his daughter enlists the help of a private detective whose investigations lead them to a remote Pacific isle where they confront the evil and shocking descendants of a long-dead pirate.The villain in this one uses a machine to periodically transform himself into the physical form of "Captain Mephisto" (played by perennial serial villain Roy Barcroft).
- DirectorJohn EnglishWilliam WitneyStarsRalph ByrdMichael OwenJan WileyDick Tracy goes up against a villain known as The Ghost, who can turn himself invisible.The leather-head-masked "Ghost" in this serial is considered by some film historians to be one of the finest masked serial villains.
- DirectorJohn EnglishWilliam WitneyStarsLee PowellBruce BennettEleanor StewartThe US marine corps must battle a would-be world conqueror who uses electricity as a weapon."The Lightning"'s Flying Wing was certainly one of the most impressive modes of transportation.
- DirectorFord BeebeSaul A. GoodkindStarsBela LugosiRobert KentDorothy ArnoldA military intelligence officer and a pretty reporter try to find a scientist whose inventions can destroy the world.Bela Lugosi's "Dr. Alex Zorka", the villain of this serial, at least had a more plausible reason to want to destroy the world ... revenge for the death of his wife.
- DirectorJohn EnglishWilliam WitneyStarsHenry BrandonWilliam RoyleRobert KellardThe nefarious Dr. Fu Manchu searches for the keys to the tomb of Genghis Khan, in order to fulfill a prophecy that will enable him to conquer the world. His nemesis, Dr. Nayland Smith, and his associates fight to keep the evil doctor from getting his hands on the keys.Henry Brandon played the Oriental mastermind "Dr. Fu Manchu".
- DirectorSpencer Gordon BennetFred C. BrannonStarsDennis MooreLinda StirlingRoy BarcroftA Martian spacecraft crash-lands near the observatory of Cyrus Layton, designer of Earth's first spaceship. The survivor, forerunner of an invasion, can assume the form of any earthman. Calling himself the "purple monster," the humanoid invader sets about gaining control of Layton's rocket project. Opposing him is former Secret Service man Craig Foster who, episode by episode, tries to thwart the monster's attempts to acquire rocket components. Will Craig ever suspect that his closest associate is really the monster?Roy Barcroft played "The Purple Monster" in one of the best of the sci-fi serials.
- DirectorFred C. BrannonStarsTristram CoffinMae ClarkeDon HaggertyJeff King in his experimental rocket suit battles the evil Dr. Vulcan.While Tristram Coffin (who usually played villains in serials) played the hero, the mysterious "Dr. Vulcan" (who's only seen as a shadow against a wall) actually managed to destroy New York City.
- DirectorJohn EnglishWilliam WitneyStarsTom TylerFrank Coghlan Jr.William 'Billy' BenedictTo protect a magic talisman from being used for evil, a teenage boy named Billy Batson is given the power to become an adult superhero, Captain Marvel, with a single magic word: "Shazam!""The Scorpion" is considered one of he most colorful of the movie serial masked villains.