''Daredevil Jack'' is a 1920 American silent 15-chapter action

film serial A serial film, film serial (or just serial), movie serial, or chapter play, is a motion picture form popular during the first half of the 20th century, consisting of a series of short subjects exhibited in consecutive order at one theater, gene ...

directed by W. S. Van Dyke and starring heavyweight champion

Jack Dempsey William Harrison "Jack" Dempsey (June 24, 1895 – May 31, 1983), nicknamed Kid Blackie and The Manassa Mauler, was an American professional boxer who competed from 1914 to 1927, and reigned as the world heavyweight champion from 1919 to 1926 ...

and featuring

Lon Chaney Leonidas Frank "Lon" Chaney (April 1, 1883 – August 26, 1930) was an American actor. He is regarded as one of the most versatile and powerful actors of cinema, renowned for his characterizations of tortured, often grotesque and affli ...

as a villain. The chapters were shown weekly between February and May 1920. The serial's working titles were ''Daredevil Durant'' or ''Dead or Alive''. An incomplete copy of the film is housed in the

UCLA Film and Television Archive The UCLA Film & Television Archive is a visual arts organization focused on the preservation, study, and appreciation of film and television, based at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Also a nonprofit exhibition venue, the a ...

. The supporting cast features

Edgar Kennedy Edgar Livingston Kennedy (April 26, 1890 – November 9, 1948) was an American comedic character actor who appeared in at least 500 films during the silent and sound eras. Professionally, he was known as "Slow Burn", owing to his ability to por ...

John George John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...

and

Bull Montana Lewis Montagna (born Luigi Montagna; May 16, 1887 – January 24, 1950), better known as Bull Montana, was an Italian-American professional wrestler, boxer and actor. Biography Born in Voghera, Italy, into a poor country family — and at a ti ...

. This was the first of 23 films, many of them short subjects, in which the

icon An icon () is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, in the cultures of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Catholic churches. They are not simply artworks; "an icon is a sacred image used in religious devotion". The mos ...

ic boxer Dempsey appeared, usually as the top-billed

leading man A leading actor, leading actress, or simply lead (), plays the role of the protagonist of a film, television show or play. The word ''lead'' may also refer to the largest role in the piece, and ''leading actor'' may refer to a person who typica ...

. Dempsey claimed Lon Chaney applied his makeup in the film, and said he had "a feather-like touch" compared to the other makeup men he worked with. The serial is today mostly lost, with some incomplete segments (mainly chapters 1, 2 and 4) stored at

University of California, Los Angeles The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the Californ ...

. Lon Chaney does not appear in the existing footage, which is unfortunate as this was Lon Chaney's only appearance in a serial.

Plot

Jack Derry (Jack Dempsey), football star fullback, is working his way through college while supporting his mother at the same time. His father is in prison, serving time for a crime he did not commit. In the town lives an unscrupulous man named Leonard Billings, whose stepdaughter Glory (Josie Sedgwick) possesses a bracelet which she found that bears half of the directions to an underground oil deposit. A criminal named Meeney has the other half, and sends his gang to steal her bracelet. Glory's stepfather learns of the bracelet and is plotting to steal it from her as well. When Glory is kidnapped, she is rescued by Jack Derry. Jack is shocked to learn that Glory's stepfather is responsible for his dad being falsely imprisoned. In one chapter, Jack and Glory are captured in Indian territory by a gang of bandits led by the vicious Royce Rivers (Lon Chaney). Rivers tries to rape Glory in one sequence but she escapes and even manages to free Jack as well from the bandits' clutches. Later, Jack is arrested on a trumped up criminal charge, and Royce Rivers blackmails him, telling Jack if he gives him Glory's bracelet, he'll get him out of jail. Jack later learns that Royce Rivers also has a written document in his possession that can get Jack's father out of prison. After a long series of chases and last-minute escapes, Leonard Billings learns the oil deposit is located under the farm of a man named Jim Collins. Before Billings can buy the property however, Jack buys it out from under him. In the end, Jack gets the evidence he needs to prove his father was innocent and gets him out of prison, and Leonard Billings and Royce Rivers both wind up getting arrested instead.

Cast

as Jack Derry * Josie Sedgwick as Glory Billings *

Herschel Mayall Herschel Mayall (July 12, 1863 – June 10, 1941) was an American stage and film actor of the silent era. He appeared in more than 110 films between 1912 and 1935. Biography He was born in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and died in Detroit, Mich ...

as Leonard Billings * Albert R. Cody as Edgar Billings * Ruth Langdon as Ninette (as Ruth Langston) * Edward Hearn as Cyril Dennison *

as Royce Rivers * Clyde Benson as The Butler *

Frank Lanning Frank Lanning (August 14, 1872 – June 17, 1945) was an American actor of the silent era. He appeared in 84 films between 1910 and 1934. He was born in Marion, Iowa and died in Los Angeles, California. Lanning's film debut came in ''The Men ...

as MacManus, the Indian *

Aggie Herring Agnes Herring (February 4, 1876 – October 28, 1939) was an American actress. She appeared in more than 100 films between 1915 and 1939. She was born in San Francisco and died in Santa Monica, California.