Item: Captain America Movie Serial
Year: 1944
Re-release: 1953
Company: Republic Pictures
15 chapters were made for this movie serial by Republic Pictures. Made in 1943, the serial made its debut on February 5, 1944. Dick Purcell starred as Grant Gardner/Captain America, a change in identity from the comic books. Lorna Gray starred as Gail Richards. Lionel Atwill played Dr. Cyrus Maldor. And John Hamilton (Perry White in the 1950s Adventures of Superman) also has a part.
Purcell passed away after filming on April 10, 1944. After playing golf, he had a heart attack in the locker room and died at the age of 35. Some think the stunts from the serial had an affect.
Lionel Atwill passed away on April 22, 1946. He had a successful film career with such stand out roles as the Inspector in SON OF FRANKENSTEIN, Moriarity in the Basil Rathbone SHERLOCK HOLMES films, or in films like CAPTAIN BLOOD, THE GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN, FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLF MAN, HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN AND HOUSE OF DRACULA. However, his career took a dive in the early 1940s after he perjuried himself in a trial where he had been accused of staging a sex orgy at his house which involved naked guests, porno films, and a rape at his 1940 Christmas party. As a result, he could only get roles for the poverty row studios like Republic. He died of lung cancer while filming the serial LOST CITY OF THE JUNGLE in 1946. He was married 4 times including to the former wife of Douglas McArthur.
Lorna Gray was born Virginia Pound. She changed her name to Lorna Gray then to Adrian Booth. She starred in the Three Stooges shorts YOU NATZY SPY! and THREE SAPPY PEOPLE along with playing Clementine in the 1943 version of O, MY DARLING CLEMENTINE. She changed her name to Adrian Booth once she went to Republic but it is still Lorna Gray on this serial. She is in her 90s and still alive today as of this writing.
Essentially, the story is District Attorney Grant Gardner secretly fights crime as Captain America. He and Gail Richards tangle with the Scarab (Lionel Atwill) over the control of such devices as the Dynamic Vibrator and the Electronic Firebolt. Cliffhangers include Cap in the collapsing building or dodging a slow-moving tractor.
There were costume changes from the comic book version. No Wings or shield. No Bucky. No Nazis. Cap does have a side pistol which he uses a lot (the first shot is always a blank warning shot). He has quick reflexes and throws a lot of punches.
Originally budgeted at $182,623, the final cost of the serial was $222,906, the most expensive serial Republic ever made. It was filmed between October 12, 1943 and November 24, 1943.
Dale Van Sickel was the stunt double for Captain America (seen above).
Above: Photo for the Spanish market.
Joe Simon claims that he first learned about the serial while in the military stationed out on Long Island. He wandered into town and saw it on a theater marquee. He claims that Martin Goodman gave the rights to Republic for free in hopes that it would bring good publicity to the comic.
In 1953, the serial was released again under the title "The Return of Captain America".
Several video collections of the serial have been released over the years but no official DVD of the set has been made other than bootleg versions.
