John Paterson McGowan was a pioneering Hollywood actor and director and occasionally a screenwriter and producer. McGowan remains the only Australian to have been made a life member of the Screen Directors Guild.
Captain America is a 1944 Republic black-and-white 15-chapter serial film loosely based on the Timely Comics character Captain America. It was the last Republic serial made about a superhero. It also has the distinction of being the most expensive serial that Republic ever made. It stands as the first theatrical release connected to a Marvel character; the next theatrical release featuring a Marvel hero would not occur for more than 40 years. It was the last live-action rendition of a Marvel character in any medium until Spider-Man appeared in the Spidey Super Stories segment of the children's television series The Electric Company in 1974.
The Fighting Marines is a 1935 movie serial. It was the last serial produced by Mascot Pictures before 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.
The Red Rider is a 1934 American Western film serial from Universal Pictures and starring Buck Jones. It has 15 chapters based on the short story "The Redhead from Sun Dog" by W. C. Tuttle, and is a remake of Buck Jones' earlier 1931 film The Range Feud.
The Broken Coin is a 1915 American adventure-mystery film serial directed by Francis Ford. This serial is presumed to be lost.
The Gray Ghost is a 1917 American crime-drama film serial directed by Stuart Paton. It is presumed to be lost.
The Lure of the Circus is a 1918 American adventure film serial directed by J. P. McGowan for Universal.
The Red Glove is a 1919 American film serial directed by J. P. McGowan for Universal. The film is considered to be lost.
King of the Circus is a 1920 American action film serial directed by J. P. McGowan. The film is considered to be lost.
The Vanishing Dagger is a 1920 American adventure film serial directed by Edward A. Kull, J. P. McGowan, and Eddie Polo. It is presumed to be a lost film. Portions of this serial were filmed in England. The film had the working title The Thirteenth Hour.
The Secret Four is a 1921 American action film serial directed by Albert Russell and Perry N. Vekroff. The film is now considered lost.
The White Horseman is a 1921 American silent Western film serial directed by Albert Russell. The serial consisted of eighteen episodes and is now considered lost although some print clippings are known to have survived.
Winners of the West is a 1921 American silent Western film serial directed by Edward Laemmle. This serial is considered to be a lost film.
Perils of the Yukon is a 1922 American Northern silent film serial directed by Jay Marchant, J. P. McGowan and Perry N. Vekroff. This serial was presumed to be lost, but a copy is preserved by the Belgian Cinematek in Brussels.
Whispering Smith Rides is a 1927 American silent Western film serial directed by Ray Taylor. The screenplay was written by Arthur Henry Gooden, based on a novel by Frank H. Spearman. The film is considered to be lost, but a trailer is held for this serial at the Library of Congress.
Plunder is a 1923 American drama film serial directed by George B. Seitz. During the production of this serial, on August 10, 1922, John Stevenson, a stuntman for Pearl White, was killed doing a stunt from a moving bus to an elevated platform. The film survives in the UCLA Film and Television Archive and a trailer is preserved at the Library of Congress.
Elmo the Mighty is a 1919 American silent Western film serial directed by Henry MacRae and J. P. McGowan. The film is now considered to be lost.
Elmo the Fearless is a 1920 American silent action adventure film serial directed by J. P. McGowan and starring Elmo Lincoln and Louise Lorraine. The film is now considered to be lost.
Excess Baggage is a lost 1928 American synchronized sound comedy film directed by James Cruze and distributed by MGM. While the film has no audible dialog, it was released with a synchronized musical score with sound effects using both the sound-on-disc and sound-on-film process. The film was based on the 1927 play of the same name by John McGowan. The film starred William Haines, Josephine Dunn and Kathleen Clifford.
The Lost Express is a 1926 American silent mystery film directed by J.P. McGowan and starring Helen Holmes, Jack Mower, and Henry A. Barrows.
