Mysterious Doctor Satan
Encyclopedia
Mysterious Doctor Satan is a 1940
film serial named after its chief villain. Doctor Satan's main opponent is The Copperhead, a masked mystery man secretly Bob Wayne.
The serial charts the conflict between the two as Bob Wayne searches for justice and revenge while Doctor Satan completes his plans for world domination.
It was directed by the legendary directorial team of William Witney
and John English
. Doctor Satan is played by Edward Ciannelli
and Bob Wayne by Robert Wilcox
.
Following his guardian's death, Wayne decides to adopt his outlaw father's "Copperhead" persona, donning his father's cowl. Doctor Satan, meanwhile, requires only a remote control device invented by Professor Scott to complete his army of killer robot
s and gain all the power and riches he desires.
The Copperhead fights Doctor Satan, rescuing the Professor and others and preventing the Doctor from completing his plot.
Mysterious Doctor Satan was originally scripted to be a Superman
serial for Republic
, but the license National Comics (later DC Comics
) had provided to the Fleischer animation studio to make their Superman cartoon series was exclusive and therefore prevented other film companies from using the character at the time, even in a non-animated production. The script was subsequently reworked with a new character called the Copperhead standing in for Superman. The Copperhead's love interest, Lois, was not changed between these drafts, other than her surname. The Copperhead's secret identity, "Bob Wayne," sounded like that of another masked hero that had appeared the year before, Batman
.
Mysterious Doctor Satan was budgeted at $147,847 although the final negative cost
was $147,381 (a $466, or 0.3%, under spend). This was one of only three pre-war serials to be made under budget. 1940 was the first year in which Republic's overall spending on serial production was less than in the previous year.
It was filmed between 20 September and 29 October 1940 under the working title
Doctor Satan. The serial's production number was 1095.
According to Stedman, Republic was unconsciously "observing the transfer of the costumed crusader from prairie to pavement" in the writing of this serial. The western cowboy hero would soon be replaced in popular culture by superheroes and masked crimefighters.
(1936). The new robot would appear again in Zombies of the Stratosphere
(1952). It was parodied
in the metafiction
al The Adventures of Captain Proton "holo-novels" of Star Trek: Voyager
as "Satan's Robot."
Director William Witney
considered this one of his lesser serials. He was especially unfond of the Republic Robot and proposed a more extravagant special effect to special effects head Howard Lydecker
. However, the studio had neither enough time nor enough money to create the new robot before filming was to begin so Witney was stuck with the "hot water boiler."
The Bank Robbery by Robot scene was reused as stock footage in the later serial Zombies of the Stratosphere.
The Title of Chapter 5, "Doctor Satan's Man of Steel", refers to Doctor Satan's Robot (which is made of steel
), the actor inside the robot costume (Tom Steele
) and the original intent of making a Superman serial ("The Man of Steel" is one of Superman's
most famous epithet
s).
Mysterious Doctor Satan was also one of twenty-six Republic serials re-released as a film on television in 1966. The title of the film was changed to Doctor Satan's Robot. This version was cut down to 100-minutes in length.
The tone of the serial was set by Eduardo Ciannelli's "piercing malevolent countenance." Ciannelli's performance "in a role so susceptible to overacting and scenery chewing" maintained the "exact balance between a wild-eyed lunatic with dreams of world conquest and the brilliant, gifted man of science that Doctor Satan might have been. There was a poignancy in his portrayal that gave the uneasy feeling that this cruel genius was somehow a victim of forces that drove him to evil against his basic desire. Nothing was said or done in the screenplay to indicate it, but the feeling was there, nonetheless."
Source:
Mysterious Doctor Satan is a 1940
film serial named after its chief villain. Doctor Satan's main opponent is The Copperhead, a masked mystery man secretly Bob Wayne.
The serial charts the conflict between the two as Bob Wayne searches for justice and revenge while Doctor Satan completes his plans for world domination.
It was directed by the legendary directorial team of William Witney
and John English
. Doctor Satan is played by Edward Ciannelli
and Bob Wayne by Robert Wilcox
.
Following his guardian's death, Wayne decides to adopt his outlaw father's "Copperhead" persona, donning his father's cowl. Doctor Satan, meanwhile, requires only a remote control device invented by Professor Scott to complete his army of killer robot
s and gain all the power and riches he desires.
The Copperhead fights Doctor Satan, rescuing the Professor and others and preventing the Doctor from completing his plot.
Mysterious Doctor Satan was originally scripted to be a Superman
serial for Republic
, but the license National Comics (later DC Comics
) had provided to the Fleischer animation studio to make their Superman cartoon series was exclusive and therefore prevented other film companies from using the character at the time, even in a non-animated production. The script was subsequently reworked with a new character called the Copperhead standing in for Superman. The Copperhead's love interest, Lois, was not changed between these drafts, other than her surname. The Copperhead's secret identity, "Bob Wayne," sounded like that of another masked hero that had appeared the year before, Batman
.
Mysterious Doctor Satan was budgeted at $147,847 although the final negative cost
was $147,381 (a $466, or 0.3%, under spend). This was one of only three pre-war serials to be made under budget. 1940 was the first year in which Republic's overall spending on serial production was less than in the previous year.
It was filmed between 20 September and 29 October 1940 under the working title
Doctor Satan. The serial's production number was 1095.
According to Stedman, Republic was unconsciously "observing the transfer of the costumed crusader from prairie to pavement" in the writing of this serial. The western cowboy hero would soon be replaced in popular culture by superheroes and masked crimefighters.
(1936). The new robot would appear again in Zombies of the Stratosphere
(1952). It was parodied
in the metafiction
al The Adventures of Captain Proton "holo-novels" of Star Trek: Voyager
as "Satan's Robot."
Director William Witney
considered this one of his lesser serials. He was especially unfond of the Republic Robot and proposed a more extravagant special effect to special effects head Howard Lydecker
. However, the studio had neither enough time nor enough money to create the new robot before filming was to begin so Witney was stuck with the "hot water boiler."
The Bank Robbery by Robot scene was reused as stock footage in the later serial Zombies of the Stratosphere.
The Title of Chapter 5, "Doctor Satan's Man of Steel", refers to Doctor Satan's Robot (which is made of steel
), the actor inside the robot costume (Tom Steele
) and the original intent of making a Superman serial ("The Man of Steel" is one of Superman's
most famous epithet
s).
Mysterious Doctor Satan was also one of twenty-six Republic serials re-released as a film on television in 1966. The title of the film was changed to Doctor Satan's Robot. This version was cut down to 100-minutes in length.
The tone of the serial was set by Eduardo Ciannelli's "piercing malevolent countenance." Ciannelli's performance "in a role so susceptible to overacting and scenery chewing" maintained the "exact balance between a wild-eyed lunatic with dreams of world conquest and the brilliant, gifted man of science that Doctor Satan might have been. There was a poignancy in his portrayal that gave the uneasy feeling that this cruel genius was somehow a victim of forces that drove him to evil against his basic desire. Nothing was said or done in the screenplay to indicate it, but the feeling was there, nonetheless."
Source:
Mysterious Doctor Satan is a 1940
film serial named after its chief villain. Doctor Satan's main opponent is The Copperhead, a masked mystery man secretly Bob Wayne.
The serial charts the conflict between the two as Bob Wayne searches for justice and revenge while Doctor Satan completes his plans for world domination.
It was directed by the legendary directorial team of William Witney
and John English
. Doctor Satan is played by Edward Ciannelli
and Bob Wayne by Robert Wilcox
.
Following his guardian's death, Wayne decides to adopt his outlaw father's "Copperhead" persona, donning his father's cowl. Doctor Satan, meanwhile, requires only a remote control device invented by Professor Scott to complete his army of killer robot
s and gain all the power and riches he desires.
The Copperhead fights Doctor Satan, rescuing the Professor and others and preventing the Doctor from completing his plot.
Mysterious Doctor Satan was originally scripted to be a Superman
serial for Republic
, but the license National Comics (later DC Comics
) had provided to the Fleischer animation studio to make their Superman cartoon series was exclusive and therefore prevented other film companies from using the character at the time, even in a non-animated production. The script was subsequently reworked with a new character called the Copperhead standing in for Superman. The Copperhead's love interest, Lois, was not changed between these drafts, other than her surname. The Copperhead's secret identity, "Bob Wayne," sounded like that of another masked hero that had appeared the year before, Batman
.
Mysterious Doctor Satan was budgeted at $147,847 although the final negative cost
was $147,381 (a $466, or 0.3%, under spend). This was one of only three pre-war serials to be made under budget. 1940 was the first year in which Republic's overall spending on serial production was less than in the previous year.
It was filmed between 20 September and 29 October 1940 under the working title
Doctor Satan. The serial's production number was 1095.
According to Stedman, Republic was unconsciously "observing the transfer of the costumed crusader from prairie to pavement" in the writing of this serial. The western cowboy hero would soon be replaced in popular culture by superheroes and masked crimefighters.
(1936). The new robot would appear again in Zombies of the Stratosphere
(1952). It was parodied
in the metafiction
al The Adventures of Captain Proton "holo-novels" of Star Trek: Voyager
as "Satan's Robot."
Director William Witney
considered this one of his lesser serials. He was especially unfond of the Republic Robot and proposed a more extravagant special effect to special effects head Howard Lydecker
. However, the studio had neither enough time nor enough money to create the new robot before filming was to begin so Witney was stuck with the "hot water boiler."
The Bank Robbery by Robot scene was reused as stock footage in the later serial Zombies of the Stratosphere.
The Title of Chapter 5, "Doctor Satan's Man of Steel", refers to Doctor Satan's Robot (which is made of steel
), the actor inside the robot costume (Tom Steele
) and the original intent of making a Superman serial ("The Man of Steel" is one of Superman's
most famous epithet
s).
Mysterious Doctor Satan was also one of twenty-six Republic serials re-released as a film on television in 1966. The title of the film was changed to Doctor Satan's Robot. This version was cut down to 100-minutes in length.
The tone of the serial was set by Eduardo Ciannelli's "piercing malevolent countenance." Ciannelli's performance "in a role so susceptible to overacting and scenery chewing" maintained the "exact balance between a wild-eyed lunatic with dreams of world conquest and the brilliant, gifted man of science that Doctor Satan might have been. There was a poignancy in his portrayal that gave the uneasy feeling that this cruel genius was somehow a victim of forces that drove him to evil against his basic desire. Nothing was said or done in the screenplay to indicate it, but the feeling was there, nonetheless."
Source:
1940 in film
The year 1940 in film involved some significant events, including the premieres of the Walt Disney classics Pinocchio and Fantasia.-Events:*February 7 - Walt Disney's animated film Pinocchio is released....
film serial named after its chief villain. Doctor Satan's main opponent is The Copperhead, a masked mystery man secretly Bob Wayne.
The serial charts the conflict between the two as Bob Wayne searches for justice and revenge while Doctor Satan completes his plans for world domination.
It was directed by the legendary directorial team of William Witney
William Witney
William Nuelsen Witney was an American film and television director. He is best remembered for the movie serials he co-directed with John English for Republic Pictures such as Daredevils of the Red Circle, Zorro's Fighting Legion and Drums of Fu Manchu.He directed many Westerns during his career,...
and John English
John English (director)
John English was an American film editor and film director...
. Doctor Satan is played by Edward Ciannelli
Eduardo Ciannelli
Eduardo Ciannelli, sometimes credited as Edward Ciannelli, , was an Italian baritone and character actor with a long career in American films, mostly playing gangsters and criminals.-Early life:...
and Bob Wayne by Robert Wilcox
Robert Wilcox (actor)
Robert Wilcox , was a U.S. movie actor of the 1930s and 40s. His career began in earnest in 1936 after being discovered doing a summer-stock production of The Petrified Forest...
.
Plot
Governor Bronson, who raised Bob Wayne from childhood after the death of his parents, is killed at the hands of a world-domination-seeking mad scientist called Doctor Satan. Fearing that his death might be at hand,as it has been for everyone else who had opposed the Doctor, the Governor first confides in Bob with a secret about his past. Bob's father was really an outlaw in the Old West, who fought injustice while wearing a chainmail cowl and leaving small coiled copper snakes as his calling card.Following his guardian's death, Wayne decides to adopt his outlaw father's "Copperhead" persona, donning his father's cowl. Doctor Satan, meanwhile, requires only a remote control device invented by Professor Scott to complete his army of killer robot
Robot
A robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
s and gain all the power and riches he desires.
The Copperhead fights Doctor Satan, rescuing the Professor and others and preventing the Doctor from completing his plot.
Main cast
- Eduardo CiannelliEduardo CiannelliEduardo Ciannelli, sometimes credited as Edward Ciannelli, , was an Italian baritone and character actor with a long career in American films, mostly playing gangsters and criminals.-Early life:...
(credited as Edward Ciannelli) as Doctor Satan, a mad scientistMad scientistA mad scientist is a stock character of popular fiction, specifically science fiction. The mad scientist may be villainous or antagonistic, benign or neutral, and whether insane, eccentric, or simply bumbling, mad scientists often work with fictional technology in order to forward their schemes, if...
. Henry Brandon, who played Fu ManchuFu ManchuDr. Fu Manchu is a fictional character introduced in a series of novels by British author Sax Rohmer during the first half of the 20th century...
in the Drums of Fu ManchuDrums of Fu ManchuDrums of Fu Manchu is a 15-chapter Republic movie serial very loosely based on the novel by Sax Rohmer, starring Henry Brandon, William Royle and Robert Kellard...
, was originally intended to play the part of Doctor Satan while wearing a regular devil costume, complete with horns. At the end of the 1930s, however, this would have been stretching the audience's imagination too far so a more believable villain was written in the form of a sleek, gangster-style mad scientist played by Ciannelli. - Robert WilcoxRobert Wilcox (actor)Robert Wilcox , was a U.S. movie actor of the 1930s and 40s. His career began in earnest in 1936 after being discovered doing a summer-stock production of The Petrified Forest...
as Bob Wayne and his alter ego "The Copperhead" - William Newell as Speed Martin, a reporter
- C. Montague ShawC. Montague ShawCharles Montague Shaw was an Australian character actor, often appearing in small supporting parts in more than 150 films....
as Professor Thomas Scott, inventor of a remote control device for the military - Ella Neal as Lois Scott, reporter and Professor Scott's daughter
- Dorothy Herbert as Alice Brent, Professor Scott's secretary
Supporting Cast
- Charles TrowbridgeCharles TrowbridgeCharles Trowbridge was an American film actor. He appeared in 233 films between 1915 and 1958.He was born in Veracruz, Mexico and died in Los Angeles, California.-Selected filmography:*Tycoon...
as Governor Bronson - Jack MulhallJack MulhallJack Mulhall, born John Joseph Francis Mulhall, was a film actor since the silent film era and appeared in over 430 films....
as Police Chief Rand - Edwin StanleyEdwin StanleyEdwin Stanley , was an American film actor. He appeared in over 230 films between 1916 and 1946.He was born in Chicago, Illinois, and died in Hollywood, California.-Selected filmography:...
as Col. Bevans - Walter McGrailWalter McGrailWalter McGrail was an American film actor. He appeared in over 150 films between 1916 and 1951.He was born in Brooklyn, New York and died in San Francisco, California, at the age of 81.-Selected filmography:...
as Stoner, thug leader - Joe McGuinn as Gort, a thug
- Bud GearyBud GearyBud Geary , was an American film actor. He appeared in 258 films between years 1920 and 1946.He was born in Salt Lake City, Utah and died in Hollywood, California, aged 48.-Selected filmography:* Robin Hood...
as Hallett, a thug - Paul MarionPaul Marion (actor)Paul Marion is an American actor, notable for roles in To Have and Have Not , Mysterious Doctor Satan and Captain Midnight. He was once married to the actress Isabel Jewell. He acted on film from the late 1930s to 1955's Devil Goddess, when he left acting to become an agent....
as Corbay, a thug - Archie Twitchell as Ross, airport radio operator
- Lynton BrentLynton BrentLynton Brent was an American film actor. He appeared in over 240 films between 1930 and 1950.Brent is best known for his prolific work with Columbia Pictures in the Three Stooges short subjects such as A Ducking They Did Go and From Nurse to WorseIn addition to his film career, Brent also wrote a...
as Scarlett, a thug - Ken TerrellKen TerrellKen Terrell was an American western and action film actor and stuntman best known for playing Joe Marcella in the 1956 film The Indestructible Man. He died March 8, 1966 from arteriosclerosis-Partial filmography:...
as Corwin, a thug - Al Taylor as Joe, a thug
- Bert LeBaron as Fallon, Gas Plant thug
Production
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
serial for Republic
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....
, but the license National Comics (later DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
) had provided to the Fleischer animation studio to make their Superman cartoon series was exclusive and therefore prevented other film companies from using the character at the time, even in a non-animated production. The script was subsequently reworked with a new character called the Copperhead standing in for Superman. The Copperhead's love interest, Lois, was not changed between these drafts, other than her surname. The Copperhead's secret identity, "Bob Wayne," sounded like that of another masked hero that had appeared the year before, Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
.
Mysterious Doctor Satan was budgeted at $147,847 although the final negative cost
Negative 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 $147,381 (a $466, or 0.3%, under spend). This was one of only three pre-war serials to be made under budget. 1940 was the first year in which Republic's overall spending on serial production was less than in the previous year.
It was filmed between 20 September and 29 October 1940 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:...
Doctor Satan. The serial's production number was 1095.
According to Stedman, Republic was unconsciously "observing the transfer of the costumed crusader from prairie to pavement" in the writing of this serial. The western cowboy hero would soon be replaced in popular culture by superheroes and masked crimefighters.
Special effects
The serial introduces the updated "Republic Robot." A more primitive design had appeared in Undersea KingdomUndersea Kingdom
Undersea Kingdom is a Republic Pictures film serial released in response to Universal's Flash Gordon. It was the second of the sixty-six serials made by Republic...
(1936). The new robot would appear again in Zombies of the Stratosphere
Zombies of the Stratosphere
Zombies of the Stratosphere was intended as the second serial featuring "new hero" Commando Cody and the third 12-chapter serial featuring the rocket-powered flying suit introduced in King of the Rocket Men...
(1952). It was parodied
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
in the metafiction
Metafiction
Metafiction, also known as Romantic irony in the context of Romantic works of literature, is a type of fiction that self-consciously addresses the devices of fiction, exposing the fictional illusion...
al The Adventures of Captain Proton "holo-novels" of Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe. Set in the 24th century from the year 2371 through 2378, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet vessel USS Voyager, which becomes stranded in the Delta Quadrant 70,000 light-years from Earth while...
as "Satan's Robot."
Director William Witney
William Witney
William Nuelsen Witney was an American film and television director. He is best remembered for the movie serials he co-directed with John English for Republic Pictures such as Daredevils of the Red Circle, Zorro's Fighting Legion and Drums of Fu Manchu.He directed many Westerns during his career,...
considered this one of his lesser serials. He was especially unfond of the Republic Robot and proposed a more extravagant special effect to special effects head Howard Lydecker
Lydecker 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...
. However, the studio had neither enough time nor enough money to create the new robot before filming was to begin so Witney was stuck with the "hot water boiler."
The Bank Robbery by Robot scene was reused as stock footage in the later serial Zombies of the Stratosphere.
The Title of Chapter 5, "Doctor Satan's Man of Steel", refers to Doctor Satan's Robot (which is made of steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
), the actor inside the robot costume (Tom Steele
Tom 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:...
) and the original intent of making a Superman serial ("The Man of Steel" is one of Superman's
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
most famous epithet
Epithet
An epithet or byname is a descriptive term accompanying or occurring in place of a name and having entered common usage. It has various shades of meaning when applied to seemingly real or fictitious people, divinities, objects, and binomial nomenclature. It is also a descriptive title...
s).
Stunts
- James Fawcett doubling William Newell
- Eddie ParkerEddie ParkerEddie Parker was a stuntman and actor who appeared in many classic films, mostly westerns and horror films...
- David SharpeDave SharpeDave Sharpe was an American actor and stunt performer.He was called the "Crown Prince of Daredevils" and ranks alongside Yakima Canutt as one of Hollywood's all time greatest stuntmen...
doubling Robert Wilcox, playing The Copperhead when in costume. - Tom Steele
- Duke Taylor
- Helen Thurston doubling Dorothy Herbert
- Wally West
- Bud WolfeBud WolfeRoland 'Bud' Wolfe was an American pilot who parachuted from an RAF Spitfire plane into a peat bog on the Inishowen peninsula in County Donegal, Ireland, on November 30, 1941. The incident initiated a diplomatic row between Britain and Ireland....
Theatrical
Mysterious Doctor Satans official release date is 13 December 1940, although this is actually the date the seventh chapter was made available to film exchanges.Television
In the early 1950s, Mysterious Doctor Satan was one of fourteen Republic serials edited into a television series. It was broadcast in seven 26½-minute episodes (the other thirteen all had only six episodes).Mysterious Doctor Satan was also one of twenty-six Republic serials re-released as a film on television in 1966. The title of the film was changed to Doctor Satan's Robot. This version was cut down to 100-minutes in length.
Critical reception
Harmon and Glut describe Mysterious Doctor Satan as "one of Republic's best serials... [which] set the pace for others that followed." They go on to narrow it down to one of the five or six greatest serials Republic ever made. Many people involved in the serial are singled out for praise but the main one is Ciannelli as Doctor Satan, a character who steals the show from the relatively bland Copperhead. The directors, William Witney and John English are noted as the best in their field. Cy Feuer is praised for his music, which is both moody and exciting. Mention is also made of the "superior" lighting and "some of the best stunt work in the fights to ever appear on screen in any kind of film."The tone of the serial was set by Eduardo Ciannelli's "piercing malevolent countenance." Ciannelli's performance "in a role so susceptible to overacting and scenery chewing" maintained the "exact balance between a wild-eyed lunatic with dreams of world conquest and the brilliant, gifted man of science that Doctor Satan might have been. There was a poignancy in his portrayal that gave the uneasy feeling that this cruel genius was somehow a victim of forces that drove him to evil against his basic desire. Nothing was said or done in the screenplay to indicate it, but the feeling was there, nonetheless."
Chapter titles
- Return of the Copperhead (30 min 15s)
- Thirteen Steps (17 min 41s)
- Undersea Tomb (17 min 18s)
- The Human Bomb (16 min 42s)
- Doctor Satan's Man of Steel (16 min 54s)
- Double Cross (16 min 44s)
- The Monster Strikes (16 min 53s)
- Highway of Death (16 min 40s)
- Double Jeopardy (16 min 39s)
- Bridge of Peril (16 min 40s)
- Death Closes In (17 min 12s)
- Crack-Up (17 min 16s)
- Disguised (16 min 42s)
- The Flaming Coffin (16 min 45s)
- Doctor Satan Strikes (16 min 44s)
Source:
Cliffhangers
- Return of the Copperhead: Doctor Satan's henchman remotely blows up the experimental ship, with Lois and crew aboard, as ordered.
- Thirteen Steps: Copperhead is electrocuted in Doctor Satan's lab as he captures the Doctor and his thugs.
- Undersea Tomb: A depth charge explodes. The diving bell, containing Bob & Lois, cracks and begins to fill with water.
- The Human Bomb: Copperhead drives into a sheet of flames and his car explodes.
- Doctor Satan's Man of Steel: Copperhead is caught in the crushing grip of The Robot.
- Double Cross: Lois is bound and gagged, the door handle is rigged to electrocute the Copperhead if he attempts a rescue, and poison gas is set to be released by a timer.
- The Monster Strikes: Splashed acid burns The Robot's circuitry and sends it out of control. It topples a case of acid on itself and the stunned Copperhead.
- Highway of Death: Copperhead, fighting on the back of a truck, is knocked off the vehicle. Speed, pursuing in a car, runs him down.
- Double Jeopardy: An open can of gunpowder is knocked over when a fight breaks out in a mine. An escaping thug knocks a lit torch onto the trail which in turn sets off all the explosives.
- Bridge of Peril: During a chase across a gas works, Copperhead is knocked from a narrow beam by a block and tackle swung at him.
- Death Closes In: Doctor Satan drops the Copperhead through a trap door and activates a sliding wall in the cell beneath to crush him.
- Crack-Up: A passenger plane, controlled remotely by Doctor Satan, crashes into a mountain.
- Disguised: As the group rounds a corner, Joe the thug opens fire on them, and someone falls, shot.
- The Flaming Coffin: Copperhead hides in a box about to be delivered to Doctor Satan's new hideout. Doctor Satan suspects a poison gas booby-trap and has the still sealed box incinerated.
Solutions
- Thirteen Steps: Lois and the Copperhead jump overboard before the ship explodes.
- Undersea Tomb: Copperhead shoots out the controls and escapes by jumping through a window.
- The Human Bomb: Bob and Lois survive inside an air pocket within the diving bell.
- Doctor Satan's Man of Steel: Copperhead jumps away from the car before it explodes.
- Double Cross: Professor Scott deactivates The Robot with its control panel. The released Copperhead falls into the sea.
- The Monster Strikes: Copperhead enters through the window and rescues Lois from the cloud of poison gas.
- Highway of Death: Copperhead recovers in time and rolls aside.
- Double Jeopardy: Copperhead lies flat in the road so the car passes safely over him.
- Bridge of Peril: Copperhead dives into a shallow crevice for shelter from the explosion.
- Death Closes In: Copperhead catches the block and tackle as he falls, pulls himself to a walkway and continues the chase.
- Crack-Up: Doctor Satan leaves to escape the newly arrived District Attorney's Men. Copperhead shoots out the controls using a reflective object (possibly a cigarette case) to aim.
- Disguised: Bob's plane is the one that crashed, after he parachuted to safety.
- The Flaming Coffin: Professor Williams is the one shot by Joe, who is punched out by the Copperhead.
- Doctor Satan Strikes: Copperhead had already left the box when the delivery truck parked, substituting sacks of ore to maintain the box's weight.
External links
Mysterious Doctor Satan is a 1940
1940 in film
The year 1940 in film involved some significant events, including the premieres of the Walt Disney classics Pinocchio and Fantasia.-Events:*February 7 - Walt Disney's animated film Pinocchio is released....
film serial named after its chief villain. Doctor Satan's main opponent is The Copperhead, a masked mystery man secretly Bob Wayne.
The serial charts the conflict between the two as Bob Wayne searches for justice and revenge while Doctor Satan completes his plans for world domination.
It was directed by the legendary directorial team of William Witney
William Witney
William Nuelsen Witney was an American film and television director. He is best remembered for the movie serials he co-directed with John English for Republic Pictures such as Daredevils of the Red Circle, Zorro's Fighting Legion and Drums of Fu Manchu.He directed many Westerns during his career,...
and John English
John English (director)
John English was an American film editor and film director...
. Doctor Satan is played by Edward Ciannelli
Eduardo Ciannelli
Eduardo Ciannelli, sometimes credited as Edward Ciannelli, , was an Italian baritone and character actor with a long career in American films, mostly playing gangsters and criminals.-Early life:...
and Bob Wayne by Robert Wilcox
Robert Wilcox (actor)
Robert Wilcox , was a U.S. movie actor of the 1930s and 40s. His career began in earnest in 1936 after being discovered doing a summer-stock production of The Petrified Forest...
.
Plot
Governor Bronson, who raised Bob Wayne from childhood after the death of his parents, is killed at the hands of a world-domination-seeking mad scientist called Doctor Satan. Fearing that his death might be at hand,as it has been for everyone else who had opposed the Doctor, the Governor first confides in Bob with a secret about his past. Bob's father was really an outlaw in the Old West, who fought injustice while wearing a chainmail cowl and leaving small coiled copper snakes as his calling card.Following his guardian's death, Wayne decides to adopt his outlaw father's "Copperhead" persona, donning his father's cowl. Doctor Satan, meanwhile, requires only a remote control device invented by Professor Scott to complete his army of killer robot
Robot
A robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
s and gain all the power and riches he desires.
The Copperhead fights Doctor Satan, rescuing the Professor and others and preventing the Doctor from completing his plot.
Main cast
- Eduardo CiannelliEduardo CiannelliEduardo Ciannelli, sometimes credited as Edward Ciannelli, , was an Italian baritone and character actor with a long career in American films, mostly playing gangsters and criminals.-Early life:...
(credited as Edward Ciannelli) as Doctor Satan, a mad scientistMad scientistA mad scientist is a stock character of popular fiction, specifically science fiction. The mad scientist may be villainous or antagonistic, benign or neutral, and whether insane, eccentric, or simply bumbling, mad scientists often work with fictional technology in order to forward their schemes, if...
. Henry Brandon, who played Fu ManchuFu ManchuDr. Fu Manchu is a fictional character introduced in a series of novels by British author Sax Rohmer during the first half of the 20th century...
in the Drums of Fu ManchuDrums of Fu ManchuDrums of Fu Manchu is a 15-chapter Republic movie serial very loosely based on the novel by Sax Rohmer, starring Henry Brandon, William Royle and Robert Kellard...
, was originally intended to play the part of Doctor Satan while wearing a regular devil costume, complete with horns. At the end of the 1930s, however, this would have been stretching the audience's imagination too far so a more believable villain was written in the form of a sleek, gangster-style mad scientist played by Ciannelli. - Robert WilcoxRobert Wilcox (actor)Robert Wilcox , was a U.S. movie actor of the 1930s and 40s. His career began in earnest in 1936 after being discovered doing a summer-stock production of The Petrified Forest...
as Bob Wayne and his alter ego "The Copperhead" - William Newell as Speed Martin, a reporter
- C. Montague ShawC. Montague ShawCharles Montague Shaw was an Australian character actor, often appearing in small supporting parts in more than 150 films....
as Professor Thomas Scott, inventor of a remote control device for the military - Ella Neal as Lois Scott, reporter and Professor Scott's daughter
- Dorothy Herbert as Alice Brent, Professor Scott's secretary
Supporting Cast
- Charles TrowbridgeCharles TrowbridgeCharles Trowbridge was an American film actor. He appeared in 233 films between 1915 and 1958.He was born in Veracruz, Mexico and died in Los Angeles, California.-Selected filmography:*Tycoon...
as Governor Bronson - Jack MulhallJack MulhallJack Mulhall, born John Joseph Francis Mulhall, was a film actor since the silent film era and appeared in over 430 films....
as Police Chief Rand - Edwin StanleyEdwin StanleyEdwin Stanley , was an American film actor. He appeared in over 230 films between 1916 and 1946.He was born in Chicago, Illinois, and died in Hollywood, California.-Selected filmography:...
as Col. Bevans - Walter McGrailWalter McGrailWalter McGrail was an American film actor. He appeared in over 150 films between 1916 and 1951.He was born in Brooklyn, New York and died in San Francisco, California, at the age of 81.-Selected filmography:...
as Stoner, thug leader - Joe McGuinn as Gort, a thug
- Bud GearyBud GearyBud Geary , was an American film actor. He appeared in 258 films between years 1920 and 1946.He was born in Salt Lake City, Utah and died in Hollywood, California, aged 48.-Selected filmography:* Robin Hood...
as Hallett, a thug - Paul MarionPaul Marion (actor)Paul Marion is an American actor, notable for roles in To Have and Have Not , Mysterious Doctor Satan and Captain Midnight. He was once married to the actress Isabel Jewell. He acted on film from the late 1930s to 1955's Devil Goddess, when he left acting to become an agent....
as Corbay, a thug - Archie Twitchell as Ross, airport radio operator
- Lynton BrentLynton BrentLynton Brent was an American film actor. He appeared in over 240 films between 1930 and 1950.Brent is best known for his prolific work with Columbia Pictures in the Three Stooges short subjects such as A Ducking They Did Go and From Nurse to WorseIn addition to his film career, Brent also wrote a...
as Scarlett, a thug - Ken TerrellKen TerrellKen Terrell was an American western and action film actor and stuntman best known for playing Joe Marcella in the 1956 film The Indestructible Man. He died March 8, 1966 from arteriosclerosis-Partial filmography:...
as Corwin, a thug - Al Taylor as Joe, a thug
- Bert LeBaron as Fallon, Gas Plant thug
Production
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
serial for Republic
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....
, but the license National Comics (later DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
) had provided to the Fleischer animation studio to make their Superman cartoon series was exclusive and therefore prevented other film companies from using the character at the time, even in a non-animated production. The script was subsequently reworked with a new character called the Copperhead standing in for Superman. The Copperhead's love interest, Lois, was not changed between these drafts, other than her surname. The Copperhead's secret identity, "Bob Wayne," sounded like that of another masked hero that had appeared the year before, Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
.
Mysterious Doctor Satan was budgeted at $147,847 although the final negative cost
Negative 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 $147,381 (a $466, or 0.3%, under spend). This was one of only three pre-war serials to be made under budget. 1940 was the first year in which Republic's overall spending on serial production was less than in the previous year.
It was filmed between 20 September and 29 October 1940 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:...
Doctor Satan. The serial's production number was 1095.
According to Stedman, Republic was unconsciously "observing the transfer of the costumed crusader from prairie to pavement" in the writing of this serial. The western cowboy hero would soon be replaced in popular culture by superheroes and masked crimefighters.
Special effects
The serial introduces the updated "Republic Robot." A more primitive design had appeared in Undersea KingdomUndersea Kingdom
Undersea Kingdom is a Republic Pictures film serial released in response to Universal's Flash Gordon. It was the second of the sixty-six serials made by Republic...
(1936). The new robot would appear again in Zombies of the Stratosphere
Zombies of the Stratosphere
Zombies of the Stratosphere was intended as the second serial featuring "new hero" Commando Cody and the third 12-chapter serial featuring the rocket-powered flying suit introduced in King of the Rocket Men...
(1952). It was parodied
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
in the metafiction
Metafiction
Metafiction, also known as Romantic irony in the context of Romantic works of literature, is a type of fiction that self-consciously addresses the devices of fiction, exposing the fictional illusion...
al The Adventures of Captain Proton "holo-novels" of Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe. Set in the 24th century from the year 2371 through 2378, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet vessel USS Voyager, which becomes stranded in the Delta Quadrant 70,000 light-years from Earth while...
as "Satan's Robot."
Director William Witney
William Witney
William Nuelsen Witney was an American film and television director. He is best remembered for the movie serials he co-directed with John English for Republic Pictures such as Daredevils of the Red Circle, Zorro's Fighting Legion and Drums of Fu Manchu.He directed many Westerns during his career,...
considered this one of his lesser serials. He was especially unfond of the Republic Robot and proposed a more extravagant special effect to special effects head Howard Lydecker
Lydecker 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...
. However, the studio had neither enough time nor enough money to create the new robot before filming was to begin so Witney was stuck with the "hot water boiler."
The Bank Robbery by Robot scene was reused as stock footage in the later serial Zombies of the Stratosphere.
The Title of Chapter 5, "Doctor Satan's Man of Steel", refers to Doctor Satan's Robot (which is made of steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
), the actor inside the robot costume (Tom Steele
Tom 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:...
) and the original intent of making a Superman serial ("The Man of Steel" is one of Superman's
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
most famous epithet
Epithet
An epithet or byname is a descriptive term accompanying or occurring in place of a name and having entered common usage. It has various shades of meaning when applied to seemingly real or fictitious people, divinities, objects, and binomial nomenclature. It is also a descriptive title...
s).
Stunts
- James Fawcett doubling William Newell
- Eddie ParkerEddie ParkerEddie Parker was a stuntman and actor who appeared in many classic films, mostly westerns and horror films...
- David SharpeDave SharpeDave Sharpe was an American actor and stunt performer.He was called the "Crown Prince of Daredevils" and ranks alongside Yakima Canutt as one of Hollywood's all time greatest stuntmen...
doubling Robert Wilcox, playing The Copperhead when in costume. - Tom Steele
- Duke Taylor
- Helen Thurston doubling Dorothy Herbert
- Wally West
- Bud WolfeBud WolfeRoland 'Bud' Wolfe was an American pilot who parachuted from an RAF Spitfire plane into a peat bog on the Inishowen peninsula in County Donegal, Ireland, on November 30, 1941. The incident initiated a diplomatic row between Britain and Ireland....
Theatrical
Mysterious Doctor Satans official release date is 13 December 1940, although this is actually the date the seventh chapter was made available to film exchanges.Television
In the early 1950s, Mysterious Doctor Satan was one of fourteen Republic serials edited into a television series. It was broadcast in seven 26½-minute episodes (the other thirteen all had only six episodes).Mysterious Doctor Satan was also one of twenty-six Republic serials re-released as a film on television in 1966. The title of the film was changed to Doctor Satan's Robot. This version was cut down to 100-minutes in length.
Critical reception
Harmon and Glut describe Mysterious Doctor Satan as "one of Republic's best serials... [which] set the pace for others that followed." They go on to narrow it down to one of the five or six greatest serials Republic ever made. Many people involved in the serial are singled out for praise but the main one is Ciannelli as Doctor Satan, a character who steals the show from the relatively bland Copperhead. The directors, William Witney and John English are noted as the best in their field. Cy Feuer is praised for his music, which is both moody and exciting. Mention is also made of the "superior" lighting and "some of the best stunt work in the fights to ever appear on screen in any kind of film."The tone of the serial was set by Eduardo Ciannelli's "piercing malevolent countenance." Ciannelli's performance "in a role so susceptible to overacting and scenery chewing" maintained the "exact balance between a wild-eyed lunatic with dreams of world conquest and the brilliant, gifted man of science that Doctor Satan might have been. There was a poignancy in his portrayal that gave the uneasy feeling that this cruel genius was somehow a victim of forces that drove him to evil against his basic desire. Nothing was said or done in the screenplay to indicate it, but the feeling was there, nonetheless."
Chapter titles
- Return of the Copperhead (30 min 15s)
- Thirteen Steps (17 min 41s)
- Undersea Tomb (17 min 18s)
- The Human Bomb (16 min 42s)
- Doctor Satan's Man of Steel (16 min 54s)
- Double Cross (16 min 44s)
- The Monster Strikes (16 min 53s)
- Highway of Death (16 min 40s)
- Double Jeopardy (16 min 39s)
- Bridge of Peril (16 min 40s)
- Death Closes In (17 min 12s)
- Crack-Up (17 min 16s)
- Disguised (16 min 42s)
- The Flaming Coffin (16 min 45s)
- Doctor Satan Strikes (16 min 44s)
Source:
Cliffhangers
- Return of the Copperhead: Doctor Satan's henchman remotely blows up the experimental ship, with Lois and crew aboard, as ordered.
- Thirteen Steps: Copperhead is electrocuted in Doctor Satan's lab as he captures the Doctor and his thugs.
- Undersea Tomb: A depth charge explodes. The diving bell, containing Bob & Lois, cracks and begins to fill with water.
- The Human Bomb: Copperhead drives into a sheet of flames and his car explodes.
- Doctor Satan's Man of Steel: Copperhead is caught in the crushing grip of The Robot.
- Double Cross: Lois is bound and gagged, the door handle is rigged to electrocute the Copperhead if he attempts a rescue, and poison gas is set to be released by a timer.
- The Monster Strikes: Splashed acid burns The Robot's circuitry and sends it out of control. It topples a case of acid on itself and the stunned Copperhead.
- Highway of Death: Copperhead, fighting on the back of a truck, is knocked off the vehicle. Speed, pursuing in a car, runs him down.
- Double Jeopardy: An open can of gunpowder is knocked over when a fight breaks out in a mine. An escaping thug knocks a lit torch onto the trail which in turn sets off all the explosives.
- Bridge of Peril: During a chase across a gas works, Copperhead is knocked from a narrow beam by a block and tackle swung at him.
- Death Closes In: Doctor Satan drops the Copperhead through a trap door and activates a sliding wall in the cell beneath to crush him.
- Crack-Up: A passenger plane, controlled remotely by Doctor Satan, crashes into a mountain.
- Disguised: As the group rounds a corner, Joe the thug opens fire on them, and someone falls, shot.
- The Flaming Coffin: Copperhead hides in a box about to be delivered to Doctor Satan's new hideout. Doctor Satan suspects a poison gas booby-trap and has the still sealed box incinerated.
Solutions
- Thirteen Steps: Lois and the Copperhead jump overboard before the ship explodes.
- Undersea Tomb: Copperhead shoots out the controls and escapes by jumping through a window.
- The Human Bomb: Bob and Lois survive inside an air pocket within the diving bell.
- Doctor Satan's Man of Steel: Copperhead jumps away from the car before it explodes.
- Double Cross: Professor Scott deactivates The Robot with its control panel. The released Copperhead falls into the sea.
- The Monster Strikes: Copperhead enters through the window and rescues Lois from the cloud of poison gas.
- Highway of Death: Copperhead recovers in time and rolls aside.
- Double Jeopardy: Copperhead lies flat in the road so the car passes safely over him.
- Bridge of Peril: Copperhead dives into a shallow crevice for shelter from the explosion.
- Death Closes In: Copperhead catches the block and tackle as he falls, pulls himself to a walkway and continues the chase.
- Crack-Up: Doctor Satan leaves to escape the newly arrived District Attorney's Men. Copperhead shoots out the controls using a reflective object (possibly a cigarette case) to aim.
- Disguised: Bob's plane is the one that crashed, after he parachuted to safety.
- The Flaming Coffin: Professor Williams is the one shot by Joe, who is punched out by the Copperhead.
- Doctor Satan Strikes: Copperhead had already left the box when the delivery truck parked, substituting sacks of ore to maintain the box's weight.
External links
Mysterious Doctor Satan is a 1940
1940 in film
The year 1940 in film involved some significant events, including the premieres of the Walt Disney classics Pinocchio and Fantasia.-Events:*February 7 - Walt Disney's animated film Pinocchio is released....
film serial named after its chief villain. Doctor Satan's main opponent is The Copperhead, a masked mystery man secretly Bob Wayne.
The serial charts the conflict between the two as Bob Wayne searches for justice and revenge while Doctor Satan completes his plans for world domination.
It was directed by the legendary directorial team of William Witney
William Witney
William Nuelsen Witney was an American film and television director. He is best remembered for the movie serials he co-directed with John English for Republic Pictures such as Daredevils of the Red Circle, Zorro's Fighting Legion and Drums of Fu Manchu.He directed many Westerns during his career,...
and John English
John English (director)
John English was an American film editor and film director...
. Doctor Satan is played by Edward Ciannelli
Eduardo Ciannelli
Eduardo Ciannelli, sometimes credited as Edward Ciannelli, , was an Italian baritone and character actor with a long career in American films, mostly playing gangsters and criminals.-Early life:...
and Bob Wayne by Robert Wilcox
Robert Wilcox (actor)
Robert Wilcox , was a U.S. movie actor of the 1930s and 40s. His career began in earnest in 1936 after being discovered doing a summer-stock production of The Petrified Forest...
.
Plot
Governor Bronson, who raised Bob Wayne from childhood after the death of his parents, is killed at the hands of a world-domination-seeking mad scientist called Doctor Satan. Fearing that his death might be at hand,as it has been for everyone else who had opposed the Doctor, the Governor first confides in Bob with a secret about his past. Bob's father was really an outlaw in the Old West, who fought injustice while wearing a chainmail cowl and leaving small coiled copper snakes as his calling card.Following his guardian's death, Wayne decides to adopt his outlaw father's "Copperhead" persona, donning his father's cowl. Doctor Satan, meanwhile, requires only a remote control device invented by Professor Scott to complete his army of killer robot
Robot
A robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
s and gain all the power and riches he desires.
The Copperhead fights Doctor Satan, rescuing the Professor and others and preventing the Doctor from completing his plot.
Main cast
- Eduardo CiannelliEduardo CiannelliEduardo Ciannelli, sometimes credited as Edward Ciannelli, , was an Italian baritone and character actor with a long career in American films, mostly playing gangsters and criminals.-Early life:...
(credited as Edward Ciannelli) as Doctor Satan, a mad scientistMad scientistA mad scientist is a stock character of popular fiction, specifically science fiction. The mad scientist may be villainous or antagonistic, benign or neutral, and whether insane, eccentric, or simply bumbling, mad scientists often work with fictional technology in order to forward their schemes, if...
. Henry Brandon, who played Fu ManchuFu ManchuDr. Fu Manchu is a fictional character introduced in a series of novels by British author Sax Rohmer during the first half of the 20th century...
in the Drums of Fu ManchuDrums of Fu ManchuDrums of Fu Manchu is a 15-chapter Republic movie serial very loosely based on the novel by Sax Rohmer, starring Henry Brandon, William Royle and Robert Kellard...
, was originally intended to play the part of Doctor Satan while wearing a regular devil costume, complete with horns. At the end of the 1930s, however, this would have been stretching the audience's imagination too far so a more believable villain was written in the form of a sleek, gangster-style mad scientist played by Ciannelli. - Robert WilcoxRobert Wilcox (actor)Robert Wilcox , was a U.S. movie actor of the 1930s and 40s. His career began in earnest in 1936 after being discovered doing a summer-stock production of The Petrified Forest...
as Bob Wayne and his alter ego "The Copperhead" - William Newell as Speed Martin, a reporter
- C. Montague ShawC. Montague ShawCharles Montague Shaw was an Australian character actor, often appearing in small supporting parts in more than 150 films....
as Professor Thomas Scott, inventor of a remote control device for the military - Ella Neal as Lois Scott, reporter and Professor Scott's daughter
- Dorothy Herbert as Alice Brent, Professor Scott's secretary
Supporting Cast
- Charles TrowbridgeCharles TrowbridgeCharles Trowbridge was an American film actor. He appeared in 233 films between 1915 and 1958.He was born in Veracruz, Mexico and died in Los Angeles, California.-Selected filmography:*Tycoon...
as Governor Bronson - Jack MulhallJack MulhallJack Mulhall, born John Joseph Francis Mulhall, was a film actor since the silent film era and appeared in over 430 films....
as Police Chief Rand - Edwin StanleyEdwin StanleyEdwin Stanley , was an American film actor. He appeared in over 230 films between 1916 and 1946.He was born in Chicago, Illinois, and died in Hollywood, California.-Selected filmography:...
as Col. Bevans - Walter McGrailWalter McGrailWalter McGrail was an American film actor. He appeared in over 150 films between 1916 and 1951.He was born in Brooklyn, New York and died in San Francisco, California, at the age of 81.-Selected filmography:...
as Stoner, thug leader - Joe McGuinn as Gort, a thug
- Bud GearyBud GearyBud Geary , was an American film actor. He appeared in 258 films between years 1920 and 1946.He was born in Salt Lake City, Utah and died in Hollywood, California, aged 48.-Selected filmography:* Robin Hood...
as Hallett, a thug - Paul MarionPaul Marion (actor)Paul Marion is an American actor, notable for roles in To Have and Have Not , Mysterious Doctor Satan and Captain Midnight. He was once married to the actress Isabel Jewell. He acted on film from the late 1930s to 1955's Devil Goddess, when he left acting to become an agent....
as Corbay, a thug - Archie Twitchell as Ross, airport radio operator
- Lynton BrentLynton BrentLynton Brent was an American film actor. He appeared in over 240 films between 1930 and 1950.Brent is best known for his prolific work with Columbia Pictures in the Three Stooges short subjects such as A Ducking They Did Go and From Nurse to WorseIn addition to his film career, Brent also wrote a...
as Scarlett, a thug - Ken TerrellKen TerrellKen Terrell was an American western and action film actor and stuntman best known for playing Joe Marcella in the 1956 film The Indestructible Man. He died March 8, 1966 from arteriosclerosis-Partial filmography:...
as Corwin, a thug - Al Taylor as Joe, a thug
- Bert LeBaron as Fallon, Gas Plant thug
Production
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
serial for Republic
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....
, but the license National Comics (later DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
) had provided to the Fleischer animation studio to make their Superman cartoon series was exclusive and therefore prevented other film companies from using the character at the time, even in a non-animated production. The script was subsequently reworked with a new character called the Copperhead standing in for Superman. The Copperhead's love interest, Lois, was not changed between these drafts, other than her surname. The Copperhead's secret identity, "Bob Wayne," sounded like that of another masked hero that had appeared the year before, Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
.
Mysterious Doctor Satan was budgeted at $147,847 although the final negative cost
Negative 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 $147,381 (a $466, or 0.3%, under spend). This was one of only three pre-war serials to be made under budget. 1940 was the first year in which Republic's overall spending on serial production was less than in the previous year.
It was filmed between 20 September and 29 October 1940 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:...
Doctor Satan. The serial's production number was 1095.
According to Stedman, Republic was unconsciously "observing the transfer of the costumed crusader from prairie to pavement" in the writing of this serial. The western cowboy hero would soon be replaced in popular culture by superheroes and masked crimefighters.
Special effects
The serial introduces the updated "Republic Robot." A more primitive design had appeared in Undersea KingdomUndersea Kingdom
Undersea Kingdom is a Republic Pictures film serial released in response to Universal's Flash Gordon. It was the second of the sixty-six serials made by Republic...
(1936). The new robot would appear again in Zombies of the Stratosphere
Zombies of the Stratosphere
Zombies of the Stratosphere was intended as the second serial featuring "new hero" Commando Cody and the third 12-chapter serial featuring the rocket-powered flying suit introduced in King of the Rocket Men...
(1952). It was parodied
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
in the metafiction
Metafiction
Metafiction, also known as Romantic irony in the context of Romantic works of literature, is a type of fiction that self-consciously addresses the devices of fiction, exposing the fictional illusion...
al The Adventures of Captain Proton "holo-novels" of Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe. Set in the 24th century from the year 2371 through 2378, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet vessel USS Voyager, which becomes stranded in the Delta Quadrant 70,000 light-years from Earth while...
as "Satan's Robot."
Director William Witney
William Witney
William Nuelsen Witney was an American film and television director. He is best remembered for the movie serials he co-directed with John English for Republic Pictures such as Daredevils of the Red Circle, Zorro's Fighting Legion and Drums of Fu Manchu.He directed many Westerns during his career,...
considered this one of his lesser serials. He was especially unfond of the Republic Robot and proposed a more extravagant special effect to special effects head Howard Lydecker
Lydecker 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...
. However, the studio had neither enough time nor enough money to create the new robot before filming was to begin so Witney was stuck with the "hot water boiler."
The Bank Robbery by Robot scene was reused as stock footage in the later serial Zombies of the Stratosphere.
The Title of Chapter 5, "Doctor Satan's Man of Steel", refers to Doctor Satan's Robot (which is made of steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
), the actor inside the robot costume (Tom Steele
Tom 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:...
) and the original intent of making a Superman serial ("The Man of Steel" is one of Superman's
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
most famous epithet
Epithet
An epithet or byname is a descriptive term accompanying or occurring in place of a name and having entered common usage. It has various shades of meaning when applied to seemingly real or fictitious people, divinities, objects, and binomial nomenclature. It is also a descriptive title...
s).
Stunts
- James Fawcett doubling William Newell
- Eddie ParkerEddie ParkerEddie Parker was a stuntman and actor who appeared in many classic films, mostly westerns and horror films...
- David SharpeDave SharpeDave Sharpe was an American actor and stunt performer.He was called the "Crown Prince of Daredevils" and ranks alongside Yakima Canutt as one of Hollywood's all time greatest stuntmen...
doubling Robert Wilcox, playing The Copperhead when in costume. - Tom Steele
- Duke Taylor
- Helen Thurston doubling Dorothy Herbert
- Wally West
- Bud WolfeBud WolfeRoland 'Bud' Wolfe was an American pilot who parachuted from an RAF Spitfire plane into a peat bog on the Inishowen peninsula in County Donegal, Ireland, on November 30, 1941. The incident initiated a diplomatic row between Britain and Ireland....
Theatrical
Mysterious Doctor Satans official release date is 13 December 1940, although this is actually the date the seventh chapter was made available to film exchanges.Television
In the early 1950s, Mysterious Doctor Satan was one of fourteen Republic serials edited into a television series. It was broadcast in seven 26½-minute episodes (the other thirteen all had only six episodes).Mysterious Doctor Satan was also one of twenty-six Republic serials re-released as a film on television in 1966. The title of the film was changed to Doctor Satan's Robot. This version was cut down to 100-minutes in length.
Critical reception
Harmon and Glut describe Mysterious Doctor Satan as "one of Republic's best serials... [which] set the pace for others that followed." They go on to narrow it down to one of the five or six greatest serials Republic ever made. Many people involved in the serial are singled out for praise but the main one is Ciannelli as Doctor Satan, a character who steals the show from the relatively bland Copperhead. The directors, William Witney and John English are noted as the best in their field. Cy Feuer is praised for his music, which is both moody and exciting. Mention is also made of the "superior" lighting and "some of the best stunt work in the fights to ever appear on screen in any kind of film."The tone of the serial was set by Eduardo Ciannelli's "piercing malevolent countenance." Ciannelli's performance "in a role so susceptible to overacting and scenery chewing" maintained the "exact balance between a wild-eyed lunatic with dreams of world conquest and the brilliant, gifted man of science that Doctor Satan might have been. There was a poignancy in his portrayal that gave the uneasy feeling that this cruel genius was somehow a victim of forces that drove him to evil against his basic desire. Nothing was said or done in the screenplay to indicate it, but the feeling was there, nonetheless."
Chapter titles
- Return of the Copperhead (30 min 15s)
- Thirteen Steps (17 min 41s)
- Undersea Tomb (17 min 18s)
- The Human Bomb (16 min 42s)
- Doctor Satan's Man of Steel (16 min 54s)
- Double Cross (16 min 44s)
- The Monster Strikes (16 min 53s)
- Highway of Death (16 min 40s)
- Double Jeopardy (16 min 39s)
- Bridge of Peril (16 min 40s)
- Death Closes In (17 min 12s)
- Crack-Up (17 min 16s)
- Disguised (16 min 42s)
- The Flaming Coffin (16 min 45s)
- Doctor Satan Strikes (16 min 44s)
Source:
Cliffhangers
- Return of the Copperhead: Doctor Satan's henchman remotely blows up the experimental ship, with Lois and crew aboard, as ordered.
- Thirteen Steps: Copperhead is electrocuted in Doctor Satan's lab as he captures the Doctor and his thugs.
- Undersea Tomb: A depth charge explodes. The diving bell, containing Bob & Lois, cracks and begins to fill with water.
- The Human Bomb: Copperhead drives into a sheet of flames and his car explodes.
- Doctor Satan's Man of Steel: Copperhead is caught in the crushing grip of The Robot.
- Double Cross: Lois is bound and gagged, the door handle is rigged to electrocute the Copperhead if he attempts a rescue, and poison gas is set to be released by a timer.
- The Monster Strikes: Splashed acid burns The Robot's circuitry and sends it out of control. It topples a case of acid on itself and the stunned Copperhead.
- Highway of Death: Copperhead, fighting on the back of a truck, is knocked off the vehicle. Speed, pursuing in a car, runs him down.
- Double Jeopardy: An open can of gunpowder is knocked over when a fight breaks out in a mine. An escaping thug knocks a lit torch onto the trail which in turn sets off all the explosives.
- Bridge of Peril: During a chase across a gas works, Copperhead is knocked from a narrow beam by a block and tackle swung at him.
- Death Closes In: Doctor Satan drops the Copperhead through a trap door and activates a sliding wall in the cell beneath to crush him.
- Crack-Up: A passenger plane, controlled remotely by Doctor Satan, crashes into a mountain.
- Disguised: As the group rounds a corner, Joe the thug opens fire on them, and someone falls, shot.
- The Flaming Coffin: Copperhead hides in a box about to be delivered to Doctor Satan's new hideout. Doctor Satan suspects a poison gas booby-trap and has the still sealed box incinerated.
Solutions
- Thirteen Steps: Lois and the Copperhead jump overboard before the ship explodes.
- Undersea Tomb: Copperhead shoots out the controls and escapes by jumping through a window.
- The Human Bomb: Bob and Lois survive inside an air pocket within the diving bell.
- Doctor Satan's Man of Steel: Copperhead jumps away from the car before it explodes.
- Double Cross: Professor Scott deactivates The Robot with its control panel. The released Copperhead falls into the sea.
- The Monster Strikes: Copperhead enters through the window and rescues Lois from the cloud of poison gas.
- Highway of Death: Copperhead recovers in time and rolls aside.
- Double Jeopardy: Copperhead lies flat in the road so the car passes safely over him.
- Bridge of Peril: Copperhead dives into a shallow crevice for shelter from the explosion.
- Death Closes In: Copperhead catches the block and tackle as he falls, pulls himself to a walkway and continues the chase.
- Crack-Up: Doctor Satan leaves to escape the newly arrived District Attorney's Men. Copperhead shoots out the controls using a reflective object (possibly a cigarette case) to aim.
- Disguised: Bob's plane is the one that crashed, after he parachuted to safety.
- The Flaming Coffin: Professor Williams is the one shot by Joe, who is punched out by the Copperhead.
- Doctor Satan Strikes: Copperhead had already left the box when the delivery truck parked, substituting sacks of ore to maintain the box's weight.