Heroes of the Flames | |
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Directed by | Robert F. Hill |
Written by | Henry MacRae George H. Plympton Basil Dickey George Morgan Ella O'Neill |
Produced by | Henry MacRae |
Cinematography | John Hickson |
Edited by | Alvin Todd |
Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
Release date |
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Running time | 12 chapters (220 minutes) |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Heroes of the Flames is a 1931 American Universal movie serial. Although once considered to be lost, it has survived and a print has been preserved by Universal as of 2016. It stars Tim McCoy (in a break from his usual cowboy roles) as a firefighter who is developing a new kind of flame retardant, but his work is constantly being disrupted by a rival named Don Mitchell (Gayne Whitman) who wants the formula for himself as well as the leading lady, played by Marion Shockley. Fittingly, seven of the 11 cliffhangers involve burning buildings with at least one principal trapped inside.
It is unusual for the manner in which chapter recaps are handled: A reporter at a local newspaper repeats a summary of the previous episode as he takes it down from a witness on the phone. It also has no music at all—the opening titles are accompanied only by sound effects (sirens, bells ringing, fire crackling, etc.). It's also the only film in which future star Bruce Cabot appeared in an uncredited bit part.
Wardell Edwin Bond was an American film character actor who appeared in more than 200 films and starred in the NBC television series Wagon Train from 1957 to 1960. Among his best-remembered roles are Bert the cop in Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life (1946) and Captain Clayton in John Ford's The Searchers (1956).
Marc Lawrence was an American character actor who specialized in underworld types. He has also been credited as F. A. Foss, Marc Laurence and Marc C. Lawrence.
Tom Tyler was an American actor known for his leading roles in low-budget Western films in the silent and sound eras, and for his portrayal of superhero Captain Marvel in the 1941 serial film The Adventures of Captain Marvel. Tyler also played Kharis in 1940's The Mummy's Hand, a popular Universal Studios monster film.
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Flaming Frontiers (1938) is a Universal movie serial starring Johnny Mack Brown. It was a remake of Heroes of the West (1932). It was re-edited into a TV series in 1966. Much of the material was reused in Lon Chaney Jr.'s 1942 serial Overland Mail.
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Marian Shockley was an American film actress of the 1930s.
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Kane Richmond was an American film actor of the 1930s and 1940s, mostly appearing in cliffhangers and serials. He is best known today for his portrayal of the character Lamont Cranston in The Shadow films in addition to his leading role in the successful serials Spy Smasher and Brick Bradford.
Robert Donald Walker was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 200 films between 1913 and 1953. He was born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and died in Los Angeles.
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The Adventurer is a 1928 American silent adventure film directed by Viktor Tourjansky and an uncredited W.S. Van Dyke with a screenplay written by Ruth Cummings and Jack Cunningham. The film stars Tim McCoy, Dorothy Sebastian, Charles Delaney, George Cowl and Michael Visaroff. The film was released on July 14, 1928, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
The Fighting Fool is a 1932 American Western film directed by Lambert Hillyer and released by Columbia Pictures starring Tim McCoy, Marceline Day, and William V. Mong.