Jungle Menace
Encyclopedia
Jungle Menace is the first serial
released by Columbia Pictures.
Based on the success of Republic Pictures
's 1936 serial Darkest Africa
, starring real-life animal trainer Clyde Beatty
, Columbia made this exotic jungle serial starring real-life animal collector Frank "Bring 'Em Back Alive" Buck
. Set in the fictional land of Seemang in Asia
, Buck plays the role of Frank Hardy, a soldier of fortune who intervenes in and investigates attempts to run a rubber plantation owner and his daughter off their land.
In his autobiography, director Harry L. Fraser
described filming the scene in Jungle Menace during which a boa constrictor attacks the heroine Dorothy (Charlotte Henry
). The villain has tied Dorothy hand and foot and she thrashes wildly, terrified when she suddenly sees the huge snake:
"The snake was in no hurry. Slowly he slithered across the girl's body, while she screamed and struggled. He turned, looking for a spot to slip under her to make his first wrap. I motioned to the reptile crew to get ready, and a split-second later gave them the signal to move in. But now, the maddened snake fought them and did its best to coil around one of the men. Before that happened, however, I had cut, and we had a good cliff-hanger with our terror-stricken heroine to close the episode."
Each of the fifteen chapters was 20 minutes long and contained plenty of action: "One man defying a thousand deaths in a green hell of creeping horror! The fearless Frank Buck in his most hair-raising role! Merciless killers...a beautiful hostage...a cargo of wild animals run loose when the typhoon strikes! Terrifying adventures torn out of the heart of cruelest Asia!"
The critics enjoyed the show:
"Kids will love Jungle Menace for its harem-scarum adventure and for the presence of Frank Buck, with his Wild Animals Associates, Inc. Frank Buck plays the hero, Frank Hardy, when gangdom invades the rubber business and river pirates grab off plantation cargo. Plenty of old-time names are in the cast: Reginald Denny is a plantation foreman, Esther Ralston an owner, Charlotte Henry and William Bakewell play young lovers; also featured are Clarence Muse, Willie Fung, Leroy Mason, Richard Tucker, and Duncan Renaldo." .
In 1946 material from this serial was re-edited into the 70-minute feature film Jungle Terror.
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...
released by Columbia Pictures.
Based on the success of 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....
's 1936 serial Darkest Africa
Darkest Africa
Darkest Africa is a Republic movie serial. This was the first serial produced by Republic Pictures and was a loose sequel to a Mascot Pictures serial called The Lost Jungle, also starring Clyde Beatty. Mascot, and other companies, had been taken over in 1935 by Consolidated Film Laboratories and...
, starring real-life animal trainer Clyde Beatty
Clyde Beatty
Clyde Beatty joined the circus as a cage cleaner as a teen and became famous as a lion tamer and animal trainer. He also became a circus impresario who owned his own show that later merged with the Cole Bros. Circus to form the Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros...
, Columbia made this exotic jungle serial starring real-life animal collector Frank "Bring 'Em Back Alive" Buck
Frank Buck (animal collector)
Frank Howard Buck was a hunter and "collector of wild animals," as well as a movie actor, director, writer and producer...
. Set in the fictional land of Seemang in Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, Buck plays the role of Frank Hardy, a soldier of fortune who intervenes in and investigates attempts to run a rubber plantation owner and his daughter off their land.
In his autobiography, director Harry L. Fraser
Harry L. Fraser
Harry L. Fraser was an American film director. He directed over 80 films between 1925 and 1951, including the 1934 John Wayne film Randy Rides Alone and the Frank Buck cliffhanger serial Jungle Menace . He had a small acting role in the John Wayne film Neath the Arizona Skies...
described filming the scene in Jungle Menace during which a boa constrictor attacks the heroine Dorothy (Charlotte Henry
Charlotte Henry
Charlotte Henry was an American actress who is best remembered for her roles in Alice in Wonderland and Babes in Toyland . She also starred in the Frank Buck serial Jungle Menace.-Early years:...
). The villain has tied Dorothy hand and foot and she thrashes wildly, terrified when she suddenly sees the huge snake:
"The snake was in no hurry. Slowly he slithered across the girl's body, while she screamed and struggled. He turned, looking for a spot to slip under her to make his first wrap. I motioned to the reptile crew to get ready, and a split-second later gave them the signal to move in. But now, the maddened snake fought them and did its best to coil around one of the men. Before that happened, however, I had cut, and we had a good cliff-hanger with our terror-stricken heroine to close the episode."
Each of the fifteen chapters was 20 minutes long and contained plenty of action: "One man defying a thousand deaths in a green hell of creeping horror! The fearless Frank Buck in his most hair-raising role! Merciless killers...a beautiful hostage...a cargo of wild animals run loose when the typhoon strikes! Terrifying adventures torn out of the heart of cruelest Asia!"
The critics enjoyed the show:
"Kids will love Jungle Menace for its harem-scarum adventure and for the presence of Frank Buck, with his Wild Animals Associates, Inc. Frank Buck plays the hero, Frank Hardy, when gangdom invades the rubber business and river pirates grab off plantation cargo. Plenty of old-time names are in the cast: Reginald Denny is a plantation foreman, Esther Ralston an owner, Charlotte Henry and William Bakewell play young lovers; also featured are Clarence Muse, Willie Fung, Leroy Mason, Richard Tucker, and Duncan Renaldo." .
In 1946 material from this serial was re-edited into the 70-minute feature film Jungle Terror.
Cast
- Frank BuckFrank Buck (animal collector)Frank Howard Buck was a hunter and "collector of wild animals," as well as a movie actor, director, writer and producer...
as Frank Hardy - Reginald DennyReginald Denny (actor)Reginald Denny was an English stage, film, and television actor. He was once an amateur boxing champion of Great Britain.-Acting career:...
as Ralph Marshall - LeRoy MasonLeRoy MasonLeRoy Mason was an American film actor. He died on the set of California Firebrand after suffering a heart attack.-Selected filmography:The following were with John Wayne:* Maker of Men...
as Murphy - Richard TuckerRichard Tucker (actor)Richard Tucker was an American actor. He appeared in 266 films between 1911 and 1940.He was born in Brooklyn, New York. He was the first official member of the Screen Actors Guild and a founding member of SAG's Board of Directors...
as Robert Banning - Duncan RenaldoDuncan RenaldoRenault Renaldo Duncan , better known as Duncan Renaldo, was an American actor who portrayed The Cisco Kid in films and on the 1950-1956 American TV series, The Cisco Kid.-Early years:...
as Roget - William BakewellWilliam BakewellWilliam Bakewell , also known as Billy Bakewell, was an American actor, who achieved his greatest fame as one of the premiere juvenile performers of the late 1920s and early 1930s.-Life and career:...
as Tom Banning - Charlotte HenryCharlotte HenryCharlotte Henry was an American actress who is best remembered for her roles in Alice in Wonderland and Babes in Toyland . She also starred in the Frank Buck serial Jungle Menace.-Early years:...
as Dorothy Elliott - Matthew Betz as Det. Lt. Starrett
- Sasha SiemelSasha SiemelAlexander “Sasha” Siemel[Aleksandrs Ziemelis] was an adventurer, hunter, guide, actor, writer, photographer, and lecturer. He spoke seven languages. He had more adventures in one year of his life than most men have in an entire lifetime...
as 'Tiger' Van Dorn - George RosenerGeorge RosenerGeorge Michael Rosener wrote and acted in the Frank Buck serial Jungle Menace. -Career:...
as The Professor - John DavidsonJohn Davidson (actor)John Davidson was an American film actor. He appeared in 148 films between 1915 and 1963.He was born in New York, New York and died in Los Angeles, California.-Selected filmography:...
as Dr. Coleman - Robert Warwick as DCI Angus MacLeod
Chapter titles
- River Pirates
- Deadly Enemies
- Flames of Hate
- One-way Ride
- Man of Mystery
- Shanghaied
- Tiger Eyes
- The Frame-up
- The Cave of Mystery
- Flirting with Death
- Ship of Doom
- Mystery Island
- The Typhoon
- Murder at Sea
- Give 'em RopeSource: