This serial was chapmans big break into a career in movies and television. The serial was directed by william witney with kane richmond and marguerite chapman as the leads. Terrific action and amazing miniature effects by the lydecker brothers. For the purposes of the serials labyrinthine plotline, alan is given a twin. Lee library auditorium at brigham young university. Kane richmond performance may be the all time best in a serial. Spy smasher is an intelligent scientist and inventor, a master detective and a skilled handtohand combatant. Eve, admiral corby, alan armstrong, spy smasher are all from the comicbook. Spy smasher is a 12episode 1942 republic movie serial based on the fawcett comics. I havent seen this one recently but i believe it is a 4 star serial. Oct 30, 2018 promoting the serial squadron release of the 1942 wartime spy serial spy smasher, based on the adventures of the whiz comicsfawcett hero.
No videos, backdrops or posters have been added to spy smasher. Edited version of the 1942 republic serial spy smasher, cut down to one hour. I have some of the largest collections of film noir pictures, and related tv shows, allowed on youtube. Jack armstrong, aka spy smasher kane richmond, battles a nazi villain known as the mask hans schumm, who heads a gang of saboteurs determined to spread destruction across america. Spy smasher is a costumed american acting independently of the united states while it remains out of world war ii. A bat plane and raygun look to be well ahead of their time. Working for republic studios, he appeared in the lead roles in the shadow series and films such as huddle 1932, thunderbolt 1935, knute rockne all american 1940, spy smasher. Kane richmond was also in a charlie chan episode and played the cop in brenda starr reporter. Kane richmond stars as alan armstrong, aka the spy smasher, in whats considered by many to be the greatest movie serial ever made. I have some of the largest collections of film noir pictures, and related tv. As spy smasher, alan fought such villains as the mask, dark angel, americasmasher, red death and tigress i. Also, look for the special stunt reel, a compilation of all the best fight scenes from the serial, as performed by stunt great davey sharpe, all edited.
Spy smasher hey kids comics wiki fandom powered by wikia. Costumed superhero spy smasher kane richmond fights for the allies in france. Escape the winter doldrums at a good oldfashioned saturday matinee, with a thrilling serial episode and a classic feature film all on glorious 16mm. The second is a female antiterrorism government agent often featured as an antagonist of the vigilante team birds of prey. Added link to second copy of the adventures of captain marvel. Similar to batman and the blue beetle, spy smasher real name alan armstrong is a master detective, equipped with a number of gadgets and a specialized vehicle.
So, the idea of taking one of the series and condensing it into a fulllength film. The feature films are a secret, but follow monthly themes. The quality of the film is unusually good for a film of this vintage. Promoting the serial squadron release of the 1942 wartime spy serial spy smasher, based on the adventures of the whiz comicsfawcett hero. Jul 31, 2019 spy smasher is a 12episode 1942 republic movie serial based on the fawcett comics character spy smasher which is now a part of dc comics. Spy smasher 1942, considered the best serial ever made, is presented complete in 12 weekly episodes. The title of the film was changed to spy smasher returns. Serial heaviesrick vallin, spy smasher, don winslow of. Spy smasher was part of the super team known as the squadron of justice. Overview of spy smasher, 1942, directed by william witney, with kane richmond, marguerite chapman, sam flint, at turner classic movies. Complete 12 chapter serial kane richmond stars as alan armstrong, aka the spy smasher, in whats considered by many to be the greatest movie serial ever made. Sabotage in the training camps starring spy smasher and herman, art by charles sultan. The second is a female antiterrorism government agent. The serial squadron cliffhanger movie serial archive.
Spy smasher was one of 26 republic serials rereleased as a century 66 film on television in 1966. Spy smasher was filmed between december 22, 1941 and january 29, 1942. Spy smasher escapes and fights the red death aboard his plane. The serial was chapmans big break into a career in film and television. Spy smasher escapes from the plane at the last minute, which eventually crashes into the ocean, killing all on board. Spy smasher s gyrosub was changed to the memorable bat plane, a vshaped flying wing. German agent the mask is out to sabotage the american war effort and spy smasher must return to the states to foil his schemes. Spy smasher is introduced uncovering a nazi counterfeiting plot and escaping certain death via firing squad.
Spy smasher, lobbycard, sam flint, marguerite chapman in chapter 1. Spy smasher story starring vikranz and hans bokmann, art by charles sultan. A new transfer created by dino everett of the usc hefner. Serial squadron hopes to release the dvd this fall, and depending on. Spy smasher retires at the end of the war, becoming the private investigator known as crime smasher. William witneys spy smasher, like his later perils of nyoka, is perhaps one of the best serials of all time because of its stunning cliffhangers and unique innovations to the serial form kane richmond stars in spy smasher in chapter three, iron coffin, witney cues us to expect the unexpected. Spy smasher movie spy smasher released on april 04, 1942. Get premium, high resolution news photos at getty images. Spy smasher 1942 a freelance american agent sets out to smash a german spy ring headed by the sinister mask. The complete history of comicbook movies, chapter 2. Spy smasher, lobbycard, sam flint, marguerite chapman in. Spy smasher returns is actually a condensedversion not a sequel. The byu motion picture archive film series will also begin the new year with the addition of the 12chapter serial spy smasher, with episodes shown at each of the five film presentations between january and may.
Considered by most one of the best serials ever made. On the multimedia front, in the 1960s postbatman of course spy smasher was edited down to a single 100minute movie and sold to tv as spy smasher returns. Spy smashers gyrosub was changed to the memorable bat plane, a vshaped flying wing. Spy smasher 1942 fantastic movie musings and ramblings. Jan 17, 2011 errol flynn stars in the epic adventure film the sea hawk friday, jan. Spy smasher is a 12episode 1942 republic movie serial based on the fawcett comics character spy smasher. In the postcrisis continuity, it is known that he joined once more, using his costume and his gyrosub to get the scorpion, helping billys and marys father, c. The dvd made in 2005 of the 1942 film is very well done.
Apr 10, 2019 no, spy smasher, like the character itself, has to rely on its wits and grit to keep the thrills coming. As in the comics, spy smashers alter ego is playboy alan armstrong, here played by kane richmond. A terrible weapon is the prize for which spy smasher strives against the sinister foreigners who seek to steal its secret. Spysmasher returns takes the classic 1942 movie and recuts it for tv in 1966. The original 1942 chapter play was based on the comic book character created in 1940 by c.
Spy smasher serial wikimili, the best wikipedia reader. Twelve episodes were created, each one running approximately eighteen minutes in length, the first of which was released on april 4th of 1942. Here come the indians starring spy smasher and war hatchet, art by charles sultan. Mar 28, 2003 the mask was spy smasher s first archenemy in the early issues of whiz comics, where ss was second banana to captain marvel. See more ideas about vintage movies, old movie posters and movie posters. Serial heaviesrick vallin, spy smasher, don winslow. A freelance american agent sets out to smash a german spy ring headed by the sinister mask. Spy smasher serial hey kids comics wiki fandom powered. Essentially all of the 12 chapters contain fight scenes which are very well performed. Spy smasher is a 12episode 1942 republic movie serial based on the fawcett comics character spy smasher which is now a part of dc comics. Americas greatest comics vol 1 2 dc database fandom. Film je nastao nedugo nakon ulaska sad u drugi svjetski rat i imao je snaznu propagandnu notu. A war reporter uses his supposed death and a covenient twin brother to go underground and fight nazi counterfeiters trying to wreck the economy.
Released over 12 chapters, movie goers saw the theatrical debut of spy smasher on april 4th, 1942. Spy smasher returns kane richmond feature version of. In addition to the 214minute lead feature, this dvd contains extras including an illustrated history of spy smasher in the comic books, from fawcetts whiz comics to ac comics men of mystery. The result is the rediscovery of the clever work of director william witney based on the fawcett comics series. This is not the endall greatest digital video version of spy smasher which. It was the 25th of the 66 serials produced by republic. Spy smasher returns tv movie 1966 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Poster is for chapter 5, descending doom and is dominated by great full body image of spy smasher running to stop masked nazi criminal the mask as female lead marguerite chapman.
When spy smasher diverolls from a high staircase, its because the stuntman diverolled from a. Spy smasher 1942 is a republic movie serial based on the fawcett comics character spy smasher, which is now the property of dc comics. Errol flynn stars in the epic adventure film the sea hawk friday, jan. Kane richmond, marguerite chapman, sam flint, hans schumm, tristram coffin.
The reason the serial villain wears the handkerchief is because the comicbook villain did. Predstavlja adaptaciju istoimenog stripa u izdanju fawcett comics a kojeg je kasnije preuzela mnogo poznatija kuca dc comics. Added links to lone chapters of batman and zorros black whip. Spy smasher s aircraft from the comic, the gyrosub, was changed for. The spy smasher battles a nazi villain known as the mask, who heads a gang of saboteurs determined to spread destruction across america.
Alan armstrong, aka spy smasher, battles a nazi villain known as the mask, who heads a gang of saboteurs determined to spread destruction across america. The bluray and dvd include the complete 12episode serial, rerelease trailer. By 1942 alan altered his costume to an all green one with a red diamond chest emblem. Spy smasher returns is a 100minute abridgement of republics 12chapter serial spy smasher. The bluray and dvd include the complete 12episode serial, rerelease trailer and.
Razbijac spijuna je americki crnobijeli film u nastavcima u reziji williama witneya, premijerno prikazan 1944. Born fred bowditch in minneapolis, minnesota, he moved to hollywood in the 1920s and made his film debut in song of love 1929. The opening music in this serial is from beethovens fifth symphony. The character of spy smasher, complete with cape, goggles and cowl, came out of whiz comics and while republic made a few alterations to the original character these were not on a large or annoying scale as were the signs of tinkering that went on with the studios other adapted characters such as the lone ranger or captain america. Alan armstrong, aka spy smasher, battles a nazi villain known as the mask, who. Spy smasher is the name of two fictional characters appearing in comics published by dc comics. Ralph bingham producer of a spy smasher film only appearance. Many years later, he showed up in an episode of justice league unlimited, voiced by nathan fillion unfortunately, the new shazam. You can use the picture, zoom, or aspect button on your tv remote to watch the serial in either widescreen or normal 4. Apr 10, 2012 alan armstrong, aka spy smasher, battles a nazi villain known as the mask, who heads a gang of saboteurs determined to spread destruction across america. Spy smasher is the name of two fictional characters appearing in comics published by fawcett and dc comics. The serial was directed by william witney with kane richmond and. The serial squadron is a multimedia archive the home on the web of the original male and female cinema action heroes, and our goal is to preserve and restore and make available for viewing or study the jungle, mystery, western and scifi cliffhangers that inspired star wars and the hollywood superhero blockbusters of today.
In subsequent chapters, spy smasher keeps battling with the masks nazi henchmen, and shows a complete disregard for his or anyone. The first is a superhero that was formerly owned and published by fawcett comics. With kane richmond, marguerite chapman, sam flint, hans schumm. Edited version of the 1942 republic serial spy smasher, cut down to one hour and sold for tv release in 1966 in a syndication package with other truncated republic serials. This is a list of complete movie serials here at ia. Spy smasher s official release date is april 4, 1942, although this is actually the date the sixth chapter was made available to film exchanges. The origin, such as it went, was that alan was asked by his fiance s father, admiral corby, to battle spies and saboteurs in prewar america. In subsequent chapters, spy smasher keeps battling with the masks nazi henchmen, and shows a complete disregard for his or anyone elses personal safety. Spy smasher played by kane richmond leaps from the pages of fawcett publications whiz comics into a thrillaminute liveaction adventure. Director william witney, master of the action film, also throws in television, mysterious bat planes, ray guns, secret submarines, great chase scenes and breathtaking cliffhanger endings into this 100. After discovering information about nazi activities in occupied france he is captured and executed.
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