''Gang Busters'' is a 1942 Universal movie serial based on the radio series ''

Gang Busters ''Gang Busters'' is an American dramatic radio program heralded as "the only national program that brings you authentic police case histories." It premiered on January 15, 1936 and was broadcast for more 21 years through November 27, 1957. H ...

''.

Plot

The city is terrorized by a crime wave masterminded by the elusive, soft-spoken Professor Mortis (

Ralph Morgan Raphael Kuhner Wuppermann (July 6, 1883 – June 11, 1956), known professionally as Ralph Morgan, was a Hollywood stage and film character actor, and union activist. He was a brother of actor Frank Morgan as well as the father of actress ...

) from his base in a forgotten cavern beneath the rails of the city's subway line. He declares over the radio that The League of Murdered Men will exact revenge upon the city unless all the city officials, especially the mayor and Chief of Police, are turned out of office. Mortis's gang members were officially pronounced dead in prison after having supposedly committed suicide (in reality taking a drug that suspended animation) but later revived by medical genius Mortis, who recruited them to do his bidding. Police detective Bill Bannister ( Kent Taylor), in charge of investigating the crime wave, is visited by his brother, a reformed criminal who will inform on Mortis. Mortis's men kill Bannister's brother before he talks, and Bannister vows to get Mortis. Together with his partner Tim Nolan ( Robert Armstrong) and police chief Martin O'Brien (

Joseph Crehan Joseph A. Creaghan (July 15, 1883 – April 15, 1966) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 300 films between 1916 and 1965, and notably played Ulysses S. Grant nine times between 1939 and 1958, most memorably in ''Union Paci ...

), Bannister uses the latest police methods to track down Mortis. Following the story are newspaper reporter Vicki Logan ( Irene Hervey) and her photographer Happy Haskins ( Richard Davies).

Cast

Starring: * Kent Taylor as Det. Lt. Bill Bannister * Irene Hervey as Vicki Logan, reporter *

as Professor Mortis * Robert Armstrong as Det. Tim Nolan Featuring: * Richard Davies as Happy Haskins, news photographer *

as Police Chief Martin O'Brien * George Watts as Mayor Hansen *

Ralf Harolde Ralf Harolde (born Ralph Harold Wigger, May 17, 1899 – November 11, 1974) was an American character actor who often played gangsters. Between 1920 and 1963, he appeared in 99 films, including ''Smart Money (1931 film), Smart Money'' with ...

as Chief Henchman Halliger *

William Haade William Haade (March 2, 1903 – November 15, 1966) was an American film actor.McClure, Arthur F. (1972). Heroes, Heavies and Sagebrush; A Pictorial History of the "B" Western Players'. New York: A. S. Barnes and Company. p. 173. . He a ...

as Henchman Mike Taboni * John Gallaudet as Henchman Wilkerson *

George J. Lewis George J. Lewis (December 10, 1903December 8, 1995) was a Mexican-born actor who appeared in many films and eventually TV series from the 1920s through the 1960s, usually specializing in westerns. He is probably best known for playing Don Aleja ...

as Henchman Mason * Victor Zimmerman as Henchman Bernard * Johnnie Berkes as Newsboy–Henchman Grubb * Edward Emerson as "Frenchy" Ludoc With: * Pat O'Malley as the Police Scientist * Beatrice Roberts as the Chief's Secretary * Riley Hill as Jim Bannister (Ch. 1) *

Grace Cunard Grace Cunard (born Harriet Mildred Jeffries; April 8, 1893 – January 19, 1967) was an American actress, screenwriter and film director. During the silent era, she starred in over 100 films, wrote or co-wrote at least 44 of those productions ...

landlady A landlord is the owner of property such as a house, apartment, condominium, land, or real estate that is rented or leased to an individual or business, known as a tenant (also called a ''lessee'' or ''renter''). The term landlord appli ...

(Ch. 1) * Eddie Dean as Blair, ballistics expert (Chs. 1, 6) * Eddie Foster as Henchman Jerry Rogan (Chs. 3–4) *

Stanley Price Stanley Price (December 31, 1892July 13, 1955) was an American film supporting actor who appeared in over 200 films between 1922 and 1956. He was a charter member of the Screen Actors Guild. Career Price was an actor whose artistic career s ...

as Henchman Corky Watts (Chs. 4–5) *

Ethan Laidlaw Ethan Allen Laidlaw (November 25, 1899 – May 25, 1963) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 350 films and made more than 500 appearances on television, mainly uncredited in Westerns, from 1923 to 1962. Laidlaw was born in Bu ...

as Ludoc's bartender (Chs. 5, 7–8) * Mickey Simpson as Bruiser, Ludoc's bouncer (Ch. 7) *

Karl Hackett Carl Ellsworth Germain (September 5, 1893 – October 24, 1948), known professionally as Karl Hackett, was an American actor. He served in the U.S. army during World War I. He was married to Ruby Burnette Moore. On October 24, 1948, Hackett ...

as Henry, crooked watchman (Chs. 7–8) * Phil Warren as Henchman McKay (Chs. 8–9) *

Jack Mulhall John Joseph Francis Mulhall (October 7, 1887 – June 1, 1979) was an American film actor beginning in the silent film era who successfully transitioned to sound films, appearing in over 430 films in a career spanning 50 years. Early years Mu ...

as Chemist Richards (Chs. 9, 11) * Jerry Jerome as Henchman Soupy Collins (Chs. 10–11) * Paul McVey as Attorney J.B. "Harry" Malloy (Ch. 12) * Dick Hogan as announcer during opening titles

Production

''Gang Busters'' is one of Universal's most elaborate serials, with many chase and thrill scenes expertly staged in outdoor locations. The directors were Ray Taylor, veteran director responsible for many hit serials, and Noel M. Smith, former silent-screen director who specialized in fast action (Smith directed many of

Larry Semon Lawrence Semon (February 9, 1889 – October 8, 1928) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter during the silent film era. In his day, Semon was considered a major movie comedian, but he is now remembered mainly for working ...

's stunt-filled comedies of the 1920s). Some of the footage in ''Gang Busters'' was so good that Universal often reused it in its later cliffhangers. Universal had been making adventure serials since the 1910s, and achieved major success with its ''

Flash Gordon Flash Gordon is the protagonist of a space adventure comic strip created and originally drawn by Alex Raymond. First published January 7, 1934, the strip was inspired by, and created to compete with, the already established ''Buck Rogers'' ...

'' serials of the late 1930s. By the early 1940s, serials were usually shown to juvenile audiences at weekend matinees. Universal intended ''Gang Busters'' for adult audiences and possible weeknight showings, and staged the action as a straight crime drama. The studio introduced a new "Streamlined Serials" format to distinguish it from its previous chapter plays. Instead of beginning each chapter with a printed synopsis of the storyline, the new format had the action in each chapter starting immediately. The story characters were shown discussing the latest developments and recapping the story themselves. As a publicity gimmick, Universal hired its "serial queen" of the 1910s, former action star

, to work in ''Gang Busters''. She appears only in the first chapter, as the landlady of a boarding house, but she received prominent billing in the promotional posters and advertising.

Critical reception

''Gang Busters'' was very successful in its original release, and was re-released in 1949 by Film Classics, Inc. Authors Jim Harmon and Donald F. Glut described ''Gang Busters'' as a "well made and interesting serial.", and William C. Cline considered the serial one of Universal's best and that Professor Mortis is one of the best characters ever created for a serial.

Chapter titles

# The League of Murdered Men # The Death Plunge # Murder Blockade # Hangman's Noose # Man Undercover # Under Crumbling Walls # The Water Trap # Murder by Proxy # Gang Bait # Mob Vengeance # Wanted at Headquarters # The Long Chance # Law and Order _Source:

References

External links

* {{Ray Taylor (director) 1942 films 1942 crime drama films American black-and-white films 1940s English-language films Universal Pictures film serials Films based on radio series Films directed by Ray Taylor Films directed by Noel M. Smith American crime drama films Films with screenplays by George H. Plympton 1940s American films English-language crime drama films