Kane Richmond
Encyclopedia
Kane Richmond was an American film actor of the 1930s and 1940s, mostly appearing in cliffhanger
s and serials
. He is best known today for his portrayal of the character Lamont Cranston in The Shadow
films in addition to his leading role in the successful serials Spy Smasher
and Brick Bradford
.
Richmond was born Fred Bowditch in Minneapolis, Minnesota
, and moved to Hollywood in the late 1920s to pursue a career in acting. He received his first film roles in 1929, appearing in Song of Love
, followed by Their Own Desire
, both of which were uncredited. In 1930 he had two more uncredited roles, then landed the lead role in the boxing
serial The Leather Pushers, an eleven film series that ran into 1931. From the remainder of 1931 through 1939 Richmond appeared in fifty films, many of which were cliffhangers, serials, and B-movies. He was married in 1934 to actress Marion Burns
. The marriage lasted until his death. They had 2 children.
In The Devil Tiger (1934), Director Clyde E. Elliott
allowed his star, Richmond, to fight a 25 foot python. Richmond hated doubles and had insisted on playing the scene himself. The actor succeeded in holding the snake's snapping mouth away from his face while struggling to free himself from the triple coils around his body. At the height of the struggle, the heroine, Marion Burns, runs in and saves the hero from the python. Miss Burns had to fight the snake too, in order to get at Richmond's pistol, with which she was supposed to shoot the python. She played her own scene, as well.
In the serial Spy Smasher
for Republic Studios Richmond played not only the title character, but his twin brother (a character not present in the comic book).
Richmond appeared in several Charlie Chan
films, and in 1940 landed a main supporting role in Knute Rockne All American, which starred Pat O'Brien
, Gale Page, and Ronald Reagan
. From 1940 through 1946 he appeared in thirty films, including his best known roles today, three films in The Shadow
series, starring opposite Barbara Read
. Following these films, his movie career declined considerably, with only three film roles in 1947 and 1948. During the 1950s and 1960s he appeared on several television series' up until 1966 when he retired. Richmond was residing in Corona Del Mar, California, at the time of his death at the age of 66.
Cliffhanger
A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending is a plot device in fiction which features a main character in a precarious or difficult dilemma, or confronted with a shocking revelation at the end of an episode of serialized fiction...
s and serials
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...
. He is best known today for his portrayal of the character Lamont Cranston in The Shadow
The Shadow
The Shadow is a collection of serialized dramas, originally in pulp magazines, then on 1930s radio and then in a wide variety of media, that follow the exploits of the title character, a crime-fighting vigilante in the pulps, which carried over to the airwaves as a "wealthy, young man about town"...
films in addition to his leading role in the successful serials Spy Smasher
Spy Smasher (serial)
Spy Smasher is a Republic movie serial based on the Fawcett Comics character Spy Smasher, which is now the property of DC Comics. It was the 25th of the 66 serials produced by Republic. The serial was directed by William Witney with Kane Richmond and Marguerite Chapman as the leads.This serial...
and Brick Bradford
Brick Bradford (serial)
Brick Bradford was the 35th serial released by Columbia Pictures. It was based on the comic strip Brick Bradford, which was created by Clarence Gray and William Ritt.-Plot:...
.
Richmond was born Fred Bowditch in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
, and moved to Hollywood in the late 1920s to pursue a career in acting. He received his first film roles in 1929, appearing in Song of Love
Song of Love (film)
Song of Love is a biopic starring Katharine Hepburn, Paul Henreid, Robert Walker, and Leo G. Carroll, directed by Clarence Brown and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer....
, followed by Their Own Desire
Their Own Desire
Their Own Desire is a 1929 American romantic drama film starring Norma Shearer, Belle Bennett, Lewis Stone, Robert Montgomery, and Helene Millard. The movie was adapted by James Forbes and Frances Marion from the novel by Sarita Fuller, and was directed by E. Mason Hopper...
, both of which were uncredited. In 1930 he had two more uncredited roles, then landed the lead role in the boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
serial The Leather Pushers, an eleven film series that ran into 1931. From the remainder of 1931 through 1939 Richmond appeared in fifty films, many of which were cliffhangers, serials, and B-movies. He was married in 1934 to actress Marion Burns
Marion Burns
Marion Burns was an American film actress of the 1930s. She is best known for having starred opposite John Wayne in the 1935 film The Dawn Rider and opposite him again that same year in Paradise Canyon....
. The marriage lasted until his death. They had 2 children.
In The Devil Tiger (1934), Director Clyde E. Elliott
Clyde E. Elliott
-Filmography:* Jacare * Booloo * The Devil Tiger * Bring 'Em Back Alive * Western Ways * A Winter's Tale * The City * Le voyageur * A Bit Old Fashioned * My Barefoot Boy...
allowed his star, Richmond, to fight a 25 foot python. Richmond hated doubles and had insisted on playing the scene himself. The actor succeeded in holding the snake's snapping mouth away from his face while struggling to free himself from the triple coils around his body. At the height of the struggle, the heroine, Marion Burns, runs in and saves the hero from the python. Miss Burns had to fight the snake too, in order to get at Richmond's pistol, with which she was supposed to shoot the python. She played her own scene, as well.
In the serial Spy Smasher
Spy Smasher
Spy Smasher is the name of two fictional characters appearing in comics published by DC Comics. The first is a superhero that was formerly owned and published by Fawcett Comics...
for Republic Studios Richmond played not only the title character, but his twin brother (a character not present in the comic book).
Richmond appeared in several Charlie Chan
Charlie Chan
Charlie Chan is a fictional Chinese-American detective created by Earl Derr Biggers in 1919. Loosely based on Honolulu detective Chang Apana, Biggers conceived of the benevolent and heroic Chan as an alternative to Yellow Peril stereotypes, such as villains like Fu Manchu...
films, and in 1940 landed a main supporting role in Knute Rockne All American, which starred Pat O'Brien
Pat O'Brien (actor)
Pat O’Brien was an American film actor with more than one hundred screen credits.-Early life:O’Brien was born William Joseph Patrick O’Brien to an Irish-American Catholic family in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He served as an altar boy at Gesu Church while growing up near 13th and Clybourn streets...
, Gale Page, and Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
. From 1940 through 1946 he appeared in thirty films, including his best known roles today, three films in The Shadow
The Shadow
The Shadow is a collection of serialized dramas, originally in pulp magazines, then on 1930s radio and then in a wide variety of media, that follow the exploits of the title character, a crime-fighting vigilante in the pulps, which carried over to the airwaves as a "wealthy, young man about town"...
series, starring opposite Barbara Read
Barbara Read
Barbara Read, also known as Barbara Reed, was a Canadian film actress of the 1930s and 1940s, who appeared in twenty one films during her career....
. Following these films, his movie career declined considerably, with only three film roles in 1947 and 1948. During the 1950s and 1960s he appeared on several television series' up until 1966 when he retired. Richmond was residing in Corona Del Mar, California, at the time of his death at the age of 66.