Federal Agents vs. Underworld, Inc
Encyclopedia
Federal Agents vs. Underworld, Inc. (1949
) is a 12-episode black-and-white
film serial
produced by Republic Pictures
during July 1948 and released in January 1949, an original screenplay
written collaboratively by Royal K. Cole, Basil Dickey
, William Lively and Sol Shor
as a crime story with elements of "the mysterious Orient
" incorporated in the plot.
was $155,807 (a $313, or 0.2%, under spend). It was the cheapest Republic serial of 1949.
It was filmed between 6 July and 27 July 1948 under the working title
Crime Fighters vs. Underworld, Inc. The serial's production number was 1701.
, Republic's in-house effect team.
Source:
) is a 12-episode black-and-white
film serial
produced by Republic Pictures
during July 1948 and released in January 1949, an original screenplay
written collaboratively by Royal K. Cole, Basil Dickey
, William Lively and Sol Shor
as a crime story with elements of "the mysterious Orient
" incorporated in the plot.
was $155,807 (a $313, or 0.2%, under spend). It was the cheapest Republic serial of 1949.
It was filmed between 6 July and 27 July 1948 under the working title
Crime Fighters vs. Underworld, Inc. The serial's production number was 1701.
, Republic's in-house effect team.
Source:
) is a 12-episode black-and-white
film serial
produced by Republic Pictures
during July 1948 and released in January 1949, an original screenplay
written collaboratively by Royal K. Cole, Basil Dickey
, William Lively and Sol Shor
as a crime story with elements of "the mysterious Orient
" incorporated in the plot.
was $155,807 (a $313, or 0.2%, under spend). It was the cheapest Republic serial of 1949.
It was filmed between 6 July and 27 July 1948 under the working title
Crime Fighters vs. Underworld, Inc. The serial's production number was 1701.
, Republic's in-house effect team.
Source:
1949 in film
The year 1949 in film involved some significant events.-Top grossing films :- Awards :Academy Awards:*Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff, starring Bud Abbott and Lou Costello...
) is a 12-episode black-and-white
Black-and-white
Black-and-white, often abbreviated B/W or B&W, is a term referring to a number of monochrome forms in visual arts.Black-and-white as a description is also something of a misnomer, for in addition to black and white, most of these media included varying shades of gray...
film serial
Serial (film)
Serials, more specifically known as Movie serials, Film serials or Chapter plays, were short subjects originally shown in theaters in conjunction with a feature film. They were related to pulp magazine serialized fiction...
produced by Republic Pictures
Republic Pictures
Republic Pictures was an independent film production-distribution corporation with studio facilities, operating from 1934 through 1959, and was best known for specializing in westerns, movie serials and B films emphasizing mystery and action....
during July 1948 and released in January 1949, an original screenplay
Screenplay
A screenplay or script is a written work that is made especially for a film or television program. Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing. In them, the movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated...
written collaboratively by Royal K. Cole, Basil Dickey
Basil Dickey
Basil Dickey was an American screenwriter. He wrote for 147 films between 1916 and 1990. He was born in Illinois and died in Long Beach, California...
, William Lively and Sol Shor
Sol Shor
Sol Shor was a film and television screenwriter credited mostly with B-westerns and movie serials.Shor was born in the Bronx and graduated from the City College of New York...
as a crime story with elements of "the mysterious Orient
Orient
The Orient means "the East." It is a traditional designation for anything that belongs to the Eastern world or the Far East, in relation to Europe. In English it is a metonym that means various parts of Asia.- Derivation :...
" incorporated in the plot.
Plot
Nila, an Abistahnian criminal, and Spade Gordon, an American gangster, conspire to form a super-mob dubbed Underworld, Incorporated, funded by the treasure of Kurigal I of Abistahn, instructions for the location of which are contained in hieroglyphics written on two golden statues in the shape of hands, found in Kurigal's tomb. When the professor in charge of the tomb's dig disappears under mysterious circumstances while translating the writing on one of the hands back at his American office, a team of special government agents led by David Worth and his aide Steve Evans, assisted by the professor's aide Laura Keith, set out to find the professor and the now-missing hands.Cast
- Kirk AlynKirk Alyn-External links:...
as Inspector David Worth - Rosemary LaPlancheRosemary LaPlancheRosemary E. LaPlanche was Miss America in 1941.LaPlanche, from Los Angeles, California, was Miss California in both 1940 and 1941. A new rule after her victory disallowed contestants from competing at the national level more than once. She also had an active career as a movie actress.LaPlanche...
as Laura Keith - Roy BarcroftRoy BarcroftRoy Barcroft was an American character actor famous for playing villains in B-Westerns and other genres. Noted film critic Leonard Maltin acclaimed Barcroft as "Republic Pictures' number one bad guy".-Early life:...
as Spade Gordon - Carol Forman as Nila
- James Dale as Agent Steve Evans
- Bruce Edwards as Prof Paul Williams
- James Craven as Prof James Clayton
- Tristram Coffin as Frank Chambers
Production
Federal Agents vs. Underworld, Inc. was budgeted at $156,120 although the final negative costNegative cost
Negative cost is the cost of actually producing and shooting a film. It does not include such costs as distribution and promotion.Low-budget movies, for example The Blair Witch Project, can have promotional expenses that are much larger than the negative cost.The term comes from the costs up to the...
was $155,807 (a $313, or 0.2%, under spend). It was the cheapest Republic serial of 1949.
It was filmed between 6 July and 27 July 1948 under the working title
Working title
A working title, sometimes called a production title, is the temporary name of a product or project used during its development, usually used in filmmaking, television production, novel, video game, or music album.-Purpose:...
Crime Fighters vs. Underworld, Inc. The serial's production number was 1701.
Stunts
- Tom SteeleTom Steele (stuntman)Tom Steele was a stunt man and actor, best remembered for appearing in serials, especially those produced by Republic Pictures, in both capacities.-Early life:...
as Inspector David Worth/Spade Gordon/Frank Chambers (doubling Kirk Alyn, Roy Barcroft & Tristram Coffin) - Dale Van SickelDale Van SickelDale Harris Van Sickel was an American college football, basketball and baseball player during the 1920s, who later became a Hollywood motion picture actor and stunt performer for over forty years...
as Inspector David Worth/Prof Paul Williams (doubling Kirk Alyn & Bruce Edwards) - John Daheim as Agent Steve Evans (doubling James Dale)
Special Effects
The special effects in this serial were created by the Howard & Theodore LydeckerLydecker brothers
-Partial filmography:*Darkest Africa *Women in War - Oscar nominated*Adventures of Captain Marvel *Flying Tigers - Oscar nominated*Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe...
, Republic's in-house effect team.
Theatrical
Federal Agents vs. Underworld, Inc.s official release date is 29 January 1949, although this is actually the date the sixth chapter was made available to film exchanges.Television
Federal Agents vs. Underworld, Inc. was one of twenty-six Republic serials re-released as a film on television in 1966. The title of the film was changed to Golden Hands of Kurigal. This version was cut down to 100-minutes in length.Chapter titles
- The Golden Hands (20min)
- The Floating Coffin/Criminals' Lair (13min 20s)
- Death in Disguise (13min 20s)
- Fatal Evidence (13min 20s)
- The Trapped Conspirator (13min 20s)
- Wheels of Disaster (13min 20s)
- The Hidden Key (13min 20s)
- The Enemy's Mouthpiece (13min 20s)
- The Stolen Hand (13min 20s)
- Unmasked (13min 20s)- a re-cap chapter
- Tombs of the Ancients (13min 20s)
- The Curse of Kurigal (13min 20s)
Source:
External links
Federal Agents vs. Underworld, Inc. (19491949 in film
The year 1949 in film involved some significant events.-Top grossing films :- Awards :Academy Awards:*Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff, starring Bud Abbott and Lou Costello...
) is a 12-episode black-and-white
Black-and-white
Black-and-white, often abbreviated B/W or B&W, is a term referring to a number of monochrome forms in visual arts.Black-and-white as a description is also something of a misnomer, for in addition to black and white, most of these media included varying shades of gray...
film serial
Serial (film)
Serials, more specifically known as Movie serials, Film serials or Chapter plays, were short subjects originally shown in theaters in conjunction with a feature film. They were related to pulp magazine serialized fiction...
produced by Republic Pictures
Republic Pictures
Republic Pictures was an independent film production-distribution corporation with studio facilities, operating from 1934 through 1959, and was best known for specializing in westerns, movie serials and B films emphasizing mystery and action....
during July 1948 and released in January 1949, an original screenplay
Screenplay
A screenplay or script is a written work that is made especially for a film or television program. Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing. In them, the movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated...
written collaboratively by Royal K. Cole, Basil Dickey
Basil Dickey
Basil Dickey was an American screenwriter. He wrote for 147 films between 1916 and 1990. He was born in Illinois and died in Long Beach, California...
, William Lively and Sol Shor
Sol Shor
Sol Shor was a film and television screenwriter credited mostly with B-westerns and movie serials.Shor was born in the Bronx and graduated from the City College of New York...
as a crime story with elements of "the mysterious Orient
Orient
The Orient means "the East." It is a traditional designation for anything that belongs to the Eastern world or the Far East, in relation to Europe. In English it is a metonym that means various parts of Asia.- Derivation :...
" incorporated in the plot.
Plot
Nila, an Abistahnian criminal, and Spade Gordon, an American gangster, conspire to form a super-mob dubbed Underworld, Incorporated, funded by the treasure of Kurigal I of Abistahn, instructions for the location of which are contained in hieroglyphics written on two golden statues in the shape of hands, found in Kurigal's tomb. When the professor in charge of the tomb's dig disappears under mysterious circumstances while translating the writing on one of the hands back at his American office, a team of special government agents led by David Worth and his aide Steve Evans, assisted by the professor's aide Laura Keith, set out to find the professor and the now-missing hands.Cast
- Kirk AlynKirk Alyn-External links:...
as Inspector David Worth - Rosemary LaPlancheRosemary LaPlancheRosemary E. LaPlanche was Miss America in 1941.LaPlanche, from Los Angeles, California, was Miss California in both 1940 and 1941. A new rule after her victory disallowed contestants from competing at the national level more than once. She also had an active career as a movie actress.LaPlanche...
as Laura Keith - Roy BarcroftRoy BarcroftRoy Barcroft was an American character actor famous for playing villains in B-Westerns and other genres. Noted film critic Leonard Maltin acclaimed Barcroft as "Republic Pictures' number one bad guy".-Early life:...
as Spade Gordon - Carol Forman as Nila
- James Dale as Agent Steve Evans
- Bruce Edwards as Prof Paul Williams
- James Craven as Prof James Clayton
- Tristram Coffin as Frank Chambers
Production
Federal Agents vs. Underworld, Inc. was budgeted at $156,120 although the final negative costNegative cost
Negative cost is the cost of actually producing and shooting a film. It does not include such costs as distribution and promotion.Low-budget movies, for example The Blair Witch Project, can have promotional expenses that are much larger than the negative cost.The term comes from the costs up to the...
was $155,807 (a $313, or 0.2%, under spend). It was the cheapest Republic serial of 1949.
It was filmed between 6 July and 27 July 1948 under the working title
Working title
A working title, sometimes called a production title, is the temporary name of a product or project used during its development, usually used in filmmaking, television production, novel, video game, or music album.-Purpose:...
Crime Fighters vs. Underworld, Inc. The serial's production number was 1701.
Stunts
- Tom SteeleTom Steele (stuntman)Tom Steele was a stunt man and actor, best remembered for appearing in serials, especially those produced by Republic Pictures, in both capacities.-Early life:...
as Inspector David Worth/Spade Gordon/Frank Chambers (doubling Kirk Alyn, Roy Barcroft & Tristram Coffin) - Dale Van SickelDale Van SickelDale Harris Van Sickel was an American college football, basketball and baseball player during the 1920s, who later became a Hollywood motion picture actor and stunt performer for over forty years...
as Inspector David Worth/Prof Paul Williams (doubling Kirk Alyn & Bruce Edwards) - John Daheim as Agent Steve Evans (doubling James Dale)
Special Effects
The special effects in this serial were created by the Howard & Theodore LydeckerLydecker brothers
-Partial filmography:*Darkest Africa *Women in War - Oscar nominated*Adventures of Captain Marvel *Flying Tigers - Oscar nominated*Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe...
, Republic's in-house effect team.
Theatrical
Federal Agents vs. Underworld, Inc.s official release date is 29 January 1949, although this is actually the date the sixth chapter was made available to film exchanges.Television
Federal Agents vs. Underworld, Inc. was one of twenty-six Republic serials re-released as a film on television in 1966. The title of the film was changed to Golden Hands of Kurigal. This version was cut down to 100-minutes in length.Chapter titles
- The Golden Hands (20min)
- The Floating Coffin/Criminals' Lair (13min 20s)
- Death in Disguise (13min 20s)
- Fatal Evidence (13min 20s)
- The Trapped Conspirator (13min 20s)
- Wheels of Disaster (13min 20s)
- The Hidden Key (13min 20s)
- The Enemy's Mouthpiece (13min 20s)
- The Stolen Hand (13min 20s)
- Unmasked (13min 20s)- a re-cap chapter
- Tombs of the Ancients (13min 20s)
- The Curse of Kurigal (13min 20s)
Source:
External links
Federal Agents vs. Underworld, Inc. (19491949 in film
The year 1949 in film involved some significant events.-Top grossing films :- Awards :Academy Awards:*Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff, starring Bud Abbott and Lou Costello...
) is a 12-episode black-and-white
Black-and-white
Black-and-white, often abbreviated B/W or B&W, is a term referring to a number of monochrome forms in visual arts.Black-and-white as a description is also something of a misnomer, for in addition to black and white, most of these media included varying shades of gray...
film serial
Serial (film)
Serials, more specifically known as Movie serials, Film serials or Chapter plays, were short subjects originally shown in theaters in conjunction with a feature film. They were related to pulp magazine serialized fiction...
produced by Republic Pictures
Republic Pictures
Republic Pictures was an independent film production-distribution corporation with studio facilities, operating from 1934 through 1959, and was best known for specializing in westerns, movie serials and B films emphasizing mystery and action....
during July 1948 and released in January 1949, an original screenplay
Screenplay
A screenplay or script is a written work that is made especially for a film or television program. Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing. In them, the movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated...
written collaboratively by Royal K. Cole, Basil Dickey
Basil Dickey
Basil Dickey was an American screenwriter. He wrote for 147 films between 1916 and 1990. He was born in Illinois and died in Long Beach, California...
, William Lively and Sol Shor
Sol Shor
Sol Shor was a film and television screenwriter credited mostly with B-westerns and movie serials.Shor was born in the Bronx and graduated from the City College of New York...
as a crime story with elements of "the mysterious Orient
Orient
The Orient means "the East." It is a traditional designation for anything that belongs to the Eastern world or the Far East, in relation to Europe. In English it is a metonym that means various parts of Asia.- Derivation :...
" incorporated in the plot.
Plot
Nila, an Abistahnian criminal, and Spade Gordon, an American gangster, conspire to form a super-mob dubbed Underworld, Incorporated, funded by the treasure of Kurigal I of Abistahn, instructions for the location of which are contained in hieroglyphics written on two golden statues in the shape of hands, found in Kurigal's tomb. When the professor in charge of the tomb's dig disappears under mysterious circumstances while translating the writing on one of the hands back at his American office, a team of special government agents led by David Worth and his aide Steve Evans, assisted by the professor's aide Laura Keith, set out to find the professor and the now-missing hands.Cast
- Kirk AlynKirk Alyn-External links:...
as Inspector David Worth - Rosemary LaPlancheRosemary LaPlancheRosemary E. LaPlanche was Miss America in 1941.LaPlanche, from Los Angeles, California, was Miss California in both 1940 and 1941. A new rule after her victory disallowed contestants from competing at the national level more than once. She also had an active career as a movie actress.LaPlanche...
as Laura Keith - Roy BarcroftRoy BarcroftRoy Barcroft was an American character actor famous for playing villains in B-Westerns and other genres. Noted film critic Leonard Maltin acclaimed Barcroft as "Republic Pictures' number one bad guy".-Early life:...
as Spade Gordon - Carol Forman as Nila
- James Dale as Agent Steve Evans
- Bruce Edwards as Prof Paul Williams
- James Craven as Prof James Clayton
- Tristram Coffin as Frank Chambers
Production
Federal Agents vs. Underworld, Inc. was budgeted at $156,120 although the final negative costNegative cost
Negative cost is the cost of actually producing and shooting a film. It does not include such costs as distribution and promotion.Low-budget movies, for example The Blair Witch Project, can have promotional expenses that are much larger than the negative cost.The term comes from the costs up to the...
was $155,807 (a $313, or 0.2%, under spend). It was the cheapest Republic serial of 1949.
It was filmed between 6 July and 27 July 1948 under the working title
Working title
A working title, sometimes called a production title, is the temporary name of a product or project used during its development, usually used in filmmaking, television production, novel, video game, or music album.-Purpose:...
Crime Fighters vs. Underworld, Inc. The serial's production number was 1701.
Stunts
- Tom SteeleTom Steele (stuntman)Tom Steele was a stunt man and actor, best remembered for appearing in serials, especially those produced by Republic Pictures, in both capacities.-Early life:...
as Inspector David Worth/Spade Gordon/Frank Chambers (doubling Kirk Alyn, Roy Barcroft & Tristram Coffin) - Dale Van SickelDale Van SickelDale Harris Van Sickel was an American college football, basketball and baseball player during the 1920s, who later became a Hollywood motion picture actor and stunt performer for over forty years...
as Inspector David Worth/Prof Paul Williams (doubling Kirk Alyn & Bruce Edwards) - John Daheim as Agent Steve Evans (doubling James Dale)
Special Effects
The special effects in this serial were created by the Howard & Theodore LydeckerLydecker brothers
-Partial filmography:*Darkest Africa *Women in War - Oscar nominated*Adventures of Captain Marvel *Flying Tigers - Oscar nominated*Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe...
, Republic's in-house effect team.
Theatrical
Federal Agents vs. Underworld, Inc.s official release date is 29 January 1949, although this is actually the date the sixth chapter was made available to film exchanges.Television
Federal Agents vs. Underworld, Inc. was one of twenty-six Republic serials re-released as a film on television in 1966. The title of the film was changed to Golden Hands of Kurigal. This version was cut down to 100-minutes in length.Chapter titles
- The Golden Hands (20min)
- The Floating Coffin/Criminals' Lair (13min 20s)
- Death in Disguise (13min 20s)
- Fatal Evidence (13min 20s)
- The Trapped Conspirator (13min 20s)
- Wheels of Disaster (13min 20s)
- The Hidden Key (13min 20s)
- The Enemy's Mouthpiece (13min 20s)
- The Stolen Hand (13min 20s)
- Unmasked (13min 20s)- a re-cap chapter
- Tombs of the Ancients (13min 20s)
- The Curse of Kurigal (13min 20s)
Source: