Son of Zorro | |
---|---|
Directed by | Spencer Gordon Bennet Fred C. Brannon |
Written by | Franklin Adreon Basil Dickey Jesse Duffy Sol Shor |
Produced by | Ronald Davidson |
Starring | George Turner Peggy Stewart Roy Barcroft Ed Cassidy Ernie Adams Stanley Price Edmund Cobb Ken Terrell |
Cinematography | Bud Thackery |
Distributed by | Republic Pictures |
Release dates | |
Running time | 13 chapters (180 minutes (serial) [1] 6 26½-minute episodes (TV) [1] |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $146,723 (negative cost: $156,745) [1] |
Son of Zorro is a 1947 American Western film serial from Republic Pictures. It was the 43rd of the 66 serials produced by that studio. The serial was directed by Spencer Gordon Bennet and Fred C. Brannon. George Turner starred as a descendant of the original Zorro in 1860s United States.
A man returning home after having fought in the American Civil War discovers that corrupt politicians have taken over the county and are terrorizing and shaking down the citizens. He dons the costume of his ancestor, the famous Zorro, and sets out to bring them to justice.
Son of Zorro was budgeted at $156,745 although the final negative cost was $119,343 (a $10,022, or 6.8%, overspend). It was the cheapest Republic serial of 1947. [2] It was filmed between 21 June and 20 July 1946 under the working title Zorro Strikes Again. [2] The serial's production number was 1695. [1]
This was one of only four 13-chapter serials to be released by Republic. Three of the four were released in 1947, the only original serials released in that year. The fourth serial of the year was a re-release of the 15-chapter, 1941 serial Jungle Girl . This marked the first time Republic had re-released a serial to add to their first run serial releases. [1]
The special effects were created by the Lydecker brothers.
Son of Zorro's official release date is 18 January 1947, although this is actually the date the sixth chapter was made available to film exchanges. [1] The release of Son of Zorro was followed by a re-release of Jungle Girl instead of a new serial. This was the first time Republic had re-released a serial. This was followed by the next new serial, Jesse James Rides Again . [1] The serial was re-released on 23 December 1957 between the similar re-releases of Radar Men from the Moon and Zorro's Fighting Legion . The last original Republic serial release had been King of the Carnival in 1955. [1]
In the early 1950s, Son of Zorro was one of fourteen Republic serials edited into a TV series. It was broadcast in six 26½-minute episodes. [1]
181 minutes =3h, 0m, 55s
Radar Men from the Moon is a 1952 black-and-white Republic Pictures' 12-chapter movie serial, the first Commando Cody serial starring newcomer George Wallace as Cody, Aline Towne as his sidekick Joan Gilbert, and serial veteran Roy Barcroft as the evil Retik, the Ruler of the Moon. The director was Fred C. Brannon, with a screenplay by Ronald Davidson, and special effects by the Lydecker brothers. This serial recycles the flying sequences from Republic's earlier 1949 serial King of the Rocket Men. It was later released by Republic in 1966 as the 100-minute television film Retik the Moon Menace.
Zorro's Fighting Legion is a 1939 Republic Pictures film serial consisting of twelve chapters starring Reed Hadley as Zorro and directed by William Witney and John English. The plot revolves around his alter-ego Don Diego's fight against the evil Don Del Oro.
The Tiger Woman (1944) is a 12-chapter film serial by Republic Pictures starring Allan Lane and Linda Stirling. The serial was re-released in 1951 under the title Perils of the Darkest Jungle and, in 1966, it was edited into the 100-minute Century-66 film Jungle Gold.
Jungle Girl is a 1941 15-chapter Republic Pictures serial starring Frances Gifford. It was directed by William Witney and John English based on the novel Jungle Girl (1932) by Edgar Rice Burroughs. It was the 22nd of the 66 serials produced by Republic.
Daredevils of the West is an American Western movie serial consisting of 12 chapters, released by Republic Pictures in 1943 starring Allan Lane and Kay Aldridge. The plot involves a gang of land-grabbers who try to prevent safe passage of the Foster Stage Company through frontier territory. There are similarities of style with other Republic serials released during wartime, such as King of the Mounties and The Masked Marvel.
Haunted Harbor (1944) is a Republic serial, based on the novel by Ewart Adamson.
Manhunt of Mystery Island (1945) is a Republic Movie serial. It was the thirty-sixth serial produced by Republic and the first released in 1945.
Federal Operator 99 is a 1945 Republic film serial. It was later edited down into a feature version titled F.B.I. 99 for television. The serial is about an FBI agent named Jerry Blake who battles gentleman thief Jim Belmont, who escapes custody with help of his gang and begins a wave of crimes, beginning with plotting to steal the crown jewels of the Princess Cornelia.
The Purple Monster Strikes is a 1945 Republic Movie serial. It was also released as a Century 66 television film under the title D-Day on Mars (1966).
The Phantom Rider is a 1946 American Western film serial from Republic Pictures starring Robert Kent and Peggy Stewart. It was later re-released under the new title Ghost Riders of the West.
Daughter of Don Q (1946) is a Republic Movie serial. It combines elements of the B-Western genre with contemporary crime films, especially the popular "land grab" plot in which the villain attempts to steal apparently worthless land from the heroine because he secretly knows it is worth a fortune. In this case, Dolores Quantero, is the rightful heir to extremely valuable metropolitan land which another family member, Carlos Manning, wants for himself.
Jesse James Rides Again is a 1947 American Republic Western film serial.
G-Men Never Forget is a 1948 Republic movie serial. The serial was condensed into a feature film in 1966 and re-released under the title Code 645.
Dangers of the Canadian Mounted is a 1948 Northern Republic film serial.
Adventures of Frank and Jesse James is a 1948 Republic film serial directed by Fred C. Brannon and Yakima Canutt and starring Clayton Moore, Steve Darrell, Noel Neill, George J. Lewis, John Crawford, and Sam Flint.
Ghost of Zorro is a 1949 Republic Movie serial. It uses substantial stock footage from earlier serials, including Son of Zorro and Daredevils of the West. This film was shot in Chatsworth, Los Angeles.
Desperadoes of the West (1950) is a 12-chapter Republic film serial.
Don Daredevil Rides Again (1951) is a Republic Movie serial. It makes heavy use of stock footage from Republic's previous Zorro serials. The character of Don Daredevil was created for this serial as the rights to Zorro belonged to Disney by 1951.
Jungle Drums of Africa is a 1953 12-episode American serial film shot in black-and-white. It was an original commissioned screenplay by Ronald Davidson produced by Franklin Adreon and directed by Fred C. Brannon for Republic Pictures. The story is set in Kenya, and involves the efforts of an American uranium processing company's representative and a woman medical missionary, to thwart the efforts of agents of a "foreign power", abetted by a disaffected native witchdoctor, to gain control of a large uranium deposit on lands owned by the latter's tribe. This serial features black American actors in major roles, including that of a college-educated chieftain.
Trader Tom of the China Seas is a 1954 Republic film serial directed by Franklin Adreon and starring Harry Lauter, Aline Towne, Lyle Talbot, Robert Shayne, Fred Graham, and Richard Reeves. In 1966 the serial was edited into Century 66 100-minute television film with the new title Target: Sea of China.