The Green Archer (1940 serial)
Encyclopedia
The Green Archer is the 12th serial
released by Columbia Pictures
. It was based on Edgar Wallace
's 1923
novel The Green Archer, which had previously been adapted into the silent serial of the same name
in 1925
by Pathé Exchange
.
also contributed to the script, which often emphasizes tongue-in-cheek comedy. Under Horne's direction, the heroes and villains exaggerate the melodrama — James Craven is enjoyably florid as the villain, and his henchmen also play for laughs, with comedian Fred Kelsey
cast as a very dumb detective.
The serial was released in the US on October 1, 1940
, and in Latin America in March 1941
under the title El Arquero Verde (in English with Spanish subtitles). The Green Archer was one of 1940's best remembered serials.
This serial is an example of a fifteen-episode production that could have been rented for a twelve-episode run, as three episodes use an entirely self-contained subplot concerning the theft of a synthetic radium formula.
released by Columbia Pictures
. It was based on Edgar Wallace
's 1923
novel The Green Archer, which had previously been adapted into the silent serial of the same name
in 1925
by Pathé Exchange
.
also contributed to the script, which often emphasizes tongue-in-cheek comedy. Under Horne's direction, the heroes and villains exaggerate the melodrama — James Craven is enjoyably florid as the villain, and his henchmen also play for laughs, with comedian Fred Kelsey
cast as a very dumb detective.
The serial was released in the US on October 1, 1940
, and in Latin America in March 1941
under the title El Arquero Verde (in English with Spanish subtitles). The Green Archer was one of 1940's best remembered serials.
This serial is an example of a fifteen-episode production that could have been rented for a twelve-episode run, as three episodes use an entirely self-contained subplot concerning the theft of a synthetic radium formula.
released by Columbia Pictures
. It was based on Edgar Wallace
's 1923
novel The Green Archer, which had previously been adapted into the silent serial of the same name
in 1925
by Pathé Exchange
.
also contributed to the script, which often emphasizes tongue-in-cheek comedy. Under Horne's direction, the heroes and villains exaggerate the melodrama — James Craven is enjoyably florid as the villain, and his henchmen also play for laughs, with comedian Fred Kelsey
cast as a very dumb detective.
The serial was released in the US on October 1, 1940
, and in Latin America in March 1941
under the title El Arquero Verde (in English with Spanish subtitles). The Green Archer was one of 1940's best remembered serials.
This serial is an example of a fifteen-episode production that could have been rented for a twelve-episode run, as three episodes use an entirely self-contained subplot concerning the theft of a synthetic radium formula.
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
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
. It was based on Edgar Wallace
Edgar Wallace
Richard Horatio Edgar Wallace was an English crime writer, journalist, novelist, screenwriter, and playwright, who wrote 175 novels, 24 plays, and numerous articles in newspapers and journals....
's 1923
1923 in literature
The year 1923 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*Fictional detective Lord Peter Wimsey makes his first appearance in print....
novel The Green Archer, which had previously been adapted into the silent serial of the same name
The Green Archer (1925 serial)
The Green Archer is a 1925 mystery film serial directed by Spencer Gordon Bennet.-Cast:* Allene Ray - Valerie Howett* Walter Miller - Jim Featherstone* Burr McIntosh - Abel Bellamy* Frank Lackteen - Julius Savini* Dorothy King - Gay Savini...
in 1925
1925 in film
-Events:*November 5: The Big Parade holds its Grand Premier*December 30: premier of Ben-Hur the most expensive silent film ever made costing 4-6 million dollars -Top grossing films :...
by Pathé Exchange
Pathé
Pathé or Pathé Frères is the name of various French businesses founded and originally run by the Pathé Brothers of France.-History:...
.
Production
The script was written by Morgan B. Cox, John Cutting, and Jesse A. Duffy. Director James W. HorneJames W. Horne
James Wesley Horne was an early American actor, screenwriter and film director. He began his career as an actor under director Sidney Olcott at Kalem Studios in 1913 and directed his first film for the company two years later....
also contributed to the script, which often emphasizes tongue-in-cheek comedy. Under Horne's direction, the heroes and villains exaggerate the melodrama — James Craven is enjoyably florid as the villain, and his henchmen also play for laughs, with comedian Fred Kelsey
Fred Kelsey
Frederick Alvin "Fred" Kelsey was an American actor, film director, and screenwriter. He appeared in 404 films between 1911 and 1958, often playing policemen or detectives . He also directed 37 films between 1914 and 1920...
cast as a very dumb detective.
The serial was released in the US on October 1, 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....
, and in Latin America in March 1941
1941 in film
The year 1941 in film involved some significant events.-Events:Citizen Kane, consistently rated as one of the greatest films of all time, was released in 1941.-Top grossing films :-Academy Awards:...
under the title El Arquero Verde (in English with Spanish subtitles). The Green Archer was one of 1940's best remembered serials.
Plot
The struggle over the Bellamy estate ends with Michael Bellamy accused of murder and killed on the way to prison, while his brother, Abel Bellamy, takes control of the estate for his own nefarious plans. Bellamy is using Garr Castle as a base for his jewelry-theft ring, and he kidnaps his brother's wife to keep things quiet. Insurance investigator Spike Holland enters the case, and Bellamy continually dispatches his resident gang to do away with him. Detective Thompson, representing the law, is seldom of any help. Meanwhile, the estate's fabled "Green Archer", a masked, leotard-clad marksman, steals silently through Garr Castle and the estate grounds, confounding the enemy forces.This serial is an example of a fifteen-episode production that could have been rented for a twelve-episode run, as three episodes use an entirely self-contained subplot concerning the theft of a synthetic radium formula.
Chapter titles
- Prison Bars Beckon
- The Face at the Window
- The Devil's Dictograph
- Vanishing Jewels
- The Fatal Spark
- The Necklace of Treachery
- The Secret Passage
- Garr Castle is Robbed
- Mirror of Treachery
- The Dagger that Failed
- The Flaming Arrow
- The Devil Dogs
- The Deceiving Microphone
- End of Hope
- The Green Archer Exposed
Cast
- Victor JoryVictor JoryVictor Jory was a Canadian actor.-Biography:Born in Dawson City, Yukon, Jory was the boxing and wrestling champion of the Coast Guard during his military service, and he kept his burly physique. He toured with theater troupes and appeared on Broadway, before making his Hollywood debut in 1930...
as Spike Holland, investigator - Iris MeredithIris MeredithIris Meredith was a B-movie actress of the 1930s and 1940s film era. She starred mostly in heroine roles, in westerns....
as Valerie Howett, Elaine Bellamy's sister - James Craven as Abel Bellamy, villainVillainA villain is an "evil" character in a story, whether a historical narrative or, especially, a work of fiction. The villain usually is the antagonist, the character who tends to have a negative effect on other characters...
running a gang of jewel thieves in Garr Castle - Robert FiskeRobert Fiske (actor)Robert Fiske was an American film actor during the 1930s and 1940s.Born in Griggsville, Missouri he appeared in 66 films, primarily B-movies and westerns. He died in Sunland, California of congestive heart failure at the age of 54 and was buried at Forest Lawn Glendale, Glendale,...
as Savini, one of Abel Bellamy's henchmen - Dorothy FayDorothy FayDorothy Fay was an American actress.-Early life and career:She was born Dorothy Fay Southworth in Prescott, Arizona, the daughter of Harry T. Southworth and Harriet Fay Fox. Her father was a medical doctor...
as Elaine Bellamy, Michael Bellamy's wife, kidnapped and held in Garr Castle - Forrest Taylor as Parker Howett, Elaine Bellamy's father
- Jack IngramJack Ingram (actor)Jack Ingram was an American film actor. He appeared in over 300 films between 1935 and 1966, according to the Internet Movie Data Base.He was born in Illinois, and died in Canoga Park, California of a heart attack...
as Brad, one of Abel Bellamy's henchmen posing as the Green Archer - Joseph W. GirardJoseph W. GirardJoseph W. Girard was an American film actor. He appeared in over 280 films between 1911 and 1944.He was born in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and died in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles.-Selected filmography:...
as Inspector Ross - Fred KelseyFred KelseyFrederick Alvin "Fred" Kelsey was an American actor, film director, and screenwriter. He appeared in 404 films between 1911 and 1958, often playing policemen or detectives . He also directed 37 films between 1914 and 1920...
as Captain Thompson - Kit Guard as Dinky Stone, Abel Bellamy's radio henchman
- Kenne DuncanKenne DuncanKenne Duncan , born Kenneth Duncan MacLachlan, was a well-known B-movie character actor. Hyped professionally as "The Meanest Man in the Movies," the vast majority of his over 250 appearances on camera were Westerns, but he also did occasional forays into horror, crime drama, and science fiction...
as Michael Bellamy, Abel's falsely accused brother killed on the way to prison
See also
External links
The Green Archer is the 12th serialSerial (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
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
. It was based on Edgar Wallace
Edgar Wallace
Richard Horatio Edgar Wallace was an English crime writer, journalist, novelist, screenwriter, and playwright, who wrote 175 novels, 24 plays, and numerous articles in newspapers and journals....
's 1923
1923 in literature
The year 1923 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*Fictional detective Lord Peter Wimsey makes his first appearance in print....
novel The Green Archer, which had previously been adapted into the silent serial of the same name
The Green Archer (1925 serial)
The Green Archer is a 1925 mystery film serial directed by Spencer Gordon Bennet.-Cast:* Allene Ray - Valerie Howett* Walter Miller - Jim Featherstone* Burr McIntosh - Abel Bellamy* Frank Lackteen - Julius Savini* Dorothy King - Gay Savini...
in 1925
1925 in film
-Events:*November 5: The Big Parade holds its Grand Premier*December 30: premier of Ben-Hur the most expensive silent film ever made costing 4-6 million dollars -Top grossing films :...
by Pathé Exchange
Pathé
Pathé or Pathé Frères is the name of various French businesses founded and originally run by the Pathé Brothers of France.-History:...
.
Production
The script was written by Morgan B. Cox, John Cutting, and Jesse A. Duffy. Director James W. HorneJames W. Horne
James Wesley Horne was an early American actor, screenwriter and film director. He began his career as an actor under director Sidney Olcott at Kalem Studios in 1913 and directed his first film for the company two years later....
also contributed to the script, which often emphasizes tongue-in-cheek comedy. Under Horne's direction, the heroes and villains exaggerate the melodrama — James Craven is enjoyably florid as the villain, and his henchmen also play for laughs, with comedian Fred Kelsey
Fred Kelsey
Frederick Alvin "Fred" Kelsey was an American actor, film director, and screenwriter. He appeared in 404 films between 1911 and 1958, often playing policemen or detectives . He also directed 37 films between 1914 and 1920...
cast as a very dumb detective.
The serial was released in the US on October 1, 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....
, and in Latin America in March 1941
1941 in film
The year 1941 in film involved some significant events.-Events:Citizen Kane, consistently rated as one of the greatest films of all time, was released in 1941.-Top grossing films :-Academy Awards:...
under the title El Arquero Verde (in English with Spanish subtitles). The Green Archer was one of 1940's best remembered serials.
Plot
The struggle over the Bellamy estate ends with Michael Bellamy accused of murder and killed on the way to prison, while his brother, Abel Bellamy, takes control of the estate for his own nefarious plans. Bellamy is using Garr Castle as a base for his jewelry-theft ring, and he kidnaps his brother's wife to keep things quiet. Insurance investigator Spike Holland enters the case, and Bellamy continually dispatches his resident gang to do away with him. Detective Thompson, representing the law, is seldom of any help. Meanwhile, the estate's fabled "Green Archer", a masked, leotard-clad marksman, steals silently through Garr Castle and the estate grounds, confounding the enemy forces.This serial is an example of a fifteen-episode production that could have been rented for a twelve-episode run, as three episodes use an entirely self-contained subplot concerning the theft of a synthetic radium formula.
Chapter titles
- Prison Bars Beckon
- The Face at the Window
- The Devil's Dictograph
- Vanishing Jewels
- The Fatal Spark
- The Necklace of Treachery
- The Secret Passage
- Garr Castle is Robbed
- Mirror of Treachery
- The Dagger that Failed
- The Flaming Arrow
- The Devil Dogs
- The Deceiving Microphone
- End of Hope
- The Green Archer Exposed
Cast
- Victor JoryVictor JoryVictor Jory was a Canadian actor.-Biography:Born in Dawson City, Yukon, Jory was the boxing and wrestling champion of the Coast Guard during his military service, and he kept his burly physique. He toured with theater troupes and appeared on Broadway, before making his Hollywood debut in 1930...
as Spike Holland, investigator - Iris MeredithIris MeredithIris Meredith was a B-movie actress of the 1930s and 1940s film era. She starred mostly in heroine roles, in westerns....
as Valerie Howett, Elaine Bellamy's sister - James Craven as Abel Bellamy, villainVillainA villain is an "evil" character in a story, whether a historical narrative or, especially, a work of fiction. The villain usually is the antagonist, the character who tends to have a negative effect on other characters...
running a gang of jewel thieves in Garr Castle - Robert FiskeRobert Fiske (actor)Robert Fiske was an American film actor during the 1930s and 1940s.Born in Griggsville, Missouri he appeared in 66 films, primarily B-movies and westerns. He died in Sunland, California of congestive heart failure at the age of 54 and was buried at Forest Lawn Glendale, Glendale,...
as Savini, one of Abel Bellamy's henchmen - Dorothy FayDorothy FayDorothy Fay was an American actress.-Early life and career:She was born Dorothy Fay Southworth in Prescott, Arizona, the daughter of Harry T. Southworth and Harriet Fay Fox. Her father was a medical doctor...
as Elaine Bellamy, Michael Bellamy's wife, kidnapped and held in Garr Castle - Forrest Taylor as Parker Howett, Elaine Bellamy's father
- Jack IngramJack Ingram (actor)Jack Ingram was an American film actor. He appeared in over 300 films between 1935 and 1966, according to the Internet Movie Data Base.He was born in Illinois, and died in Canoga Park, California of a heart attack...
as Brad, one of Abel Bellamy's henchmen posing as the Green Archer - Joseph W. GirardJoseph W. GirardJoseph W. Girard was an American film actor. He appeared in over 280 films between 1911 and 1944.He was born in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and died in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles.-Selected filmography:...
as Inspector Ross - Fred KelseyFred KelseyFrederick Alvin "Fred" Kelsey was an American actor, film director, and screenwriter. He appeared in 404 films between 1911 and 1958, often playing policemen or detectives . He also directed 37 films between 1914 and 1920...
as Captain Thompson - Kit Guard as Dinky Stone, Abel Bellamy's radio henchman
- Kenne DuncanKenne DuncanKenne Duncan , born Kenneth Duncan MacLachlan, was a well-known B-movie character actor. Hyped professionally as "The Meanest Man in the Movies," the vast majority of his over 250 appearances on camera were Westerns, but he also did occasional forays into horror, crime drama, and science fiction...
as Michael Bellamy, Abel's falsely accused brother killed on the way to prison
See also
External links
The Green Archer is the 12th serialSerial (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
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
. It was based on Edgar Wallace
Edgar Wallace
Richard Horatio Edgar Wallace was an English crime writer, journalist, novelist, screenwriter, and playwright, who wrote 175 novels, 24 plays, and numerous articles in newspapers and journals....
's 1923
1923 in literature
The year 1923 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*Fictional detective Lord Peter Wimsey makes his first appearance in print....
novel The Green Archer, which had previously been adapted into the silent serial of the same name
The Green Archer (1925 serial)
The Green Archer is a 1925 mystery film serial directed by Spencer Gordon Bennet.-Cast:* Allene Ray - Valerie Howett* Walter Miller - Jim Featherstone* Burr McIntosh - Abel Bellamy* Frank Lackteen - Julius Savini* Dorothy King - Gay Savini...
in 1925
1925 in film
-Events:*November 5: The Big Parade holds its Grand Premier*December 30: premier of Ben-Hur the most expensive silent film ever made costing 4-6 million dollars -Top grossing films :...
by Pathé Exchange
Pathé
Pathé or Pathé Frères is the name of various French businesses founded and originally run by the Pathé Brothers of France.-History:...
.
Production
The script was written by Morgan B. Cox, John Cutting, and Jesse A. Duffy. Director James W. HorneJames W. Horne
James Wesley Horne was an early American actor, screenwriter and film director. He began his career as an actor under director Sidney Olcott at Kalem Studios in 1913 and directed his first film for the company two years later....
also contributed to the script, which often emphasizes tongue-in-cheek comedy. Under Horne's direction, the heroes and villains exaggerate the melodrama — James Craven is enjoyably florid as the villain, and his henchmen also play for laughs, with comedian Fred Kelsey
Fred Kelsey
Frederick Alvin "Fred" Kelsey was an American actor, film director, and screenwriter. He appeared in 404 films between 1911 and 1958, often playing policemen or detectives . He also directed 37 films between 1914 and 1920...
cast as a very dumb detective.
The serial was released in the US on October 1, 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....
, and in Latin America in March 1941
1941 in film
The year 1941 in film involved some significant events.-Events:Citizen Kane, consistently rated as one of the greatest films of all time, was released in 1941.-Top grossing films :-Academy Awards:...
under the title El Arquero Verde (in English with Spanish subtitles). The Green Archer was one of 1940's best remembered serials.
Plot
The struggle over the Bellamy estate ends with Michael Bellamy accused of murder and killed on the way to prison, while his brother, Abel Bellamy, takes control of the estate for his own nefarious plans. Bellamy is using Garr Castle as a base for his jewelry-theft ring, and he kidnaps his brother's wife to keep things quiet. Insurance investigator Spike Holland enters the case, and Bellamy continually dispatches his resident gang to do away with him. Detective Thompson, representing the law, is seldom of any help. Meanwhile, the estate's fabled "Green Archer", a masked, leotard-clad marksman, steals silently through Garr Castle and the estate grounds, confounding the enemy forces.This serial is an example of a fifteen-episode production that could have been rented for a twelve-episode run, as three episodes use an entirely self-contained subplot concerning the theft of a synthetic radium formula.
Chapter titles
- Prison Bars Beckon
- The Face at the Window
- The Devil's Dictograph
- Vanishing Jewels
- The Fatal Spark
- The Necklace of Treachery
- The Secret Passage
- Garr Castle is Robbed
- Mirror of Treachery
- The Dagger that Failed
- The Flaming Arrow
- The Devil Dogs
- The Deceiving Microphone
- End of Hope
- The Green Archer Exposed
Cast
- Victor JoryVictor JoryVictor Jory was a Canadian actor.-Biography:Born in Dawson City, Yukon, Jory was the boxing and wrestling champion of the Coast Guard during his military service, and he kept his burly physique. He toured with theater troupes and appeared on Broadway, before making his Hollywood debut in 1930...
as Spike Holland, investigator - Iris MeredithIris MeredithIris Meredith was a B-movie actress of the 1930s and 1940s film era. She starred mostly in heroine roles, in westerns....
as Valerie Howett, Elaine Bellamy's sister - James Craven as Abel Bellamy, villainVillainA villain is an "evil" character in a story, whether a historical narrative or, especially, a work of fiction. The villain usually is the antagonist, the character who tends to have a negative effect on other characters...
running a gang of jewel thieves in Garr Castle - Robert FiskeRobert Fiske (actor)Robert Fiske was an American film actor during the 1930s and 1940s.Born in Griggsville, Missouri he appeared in 66 films, primarily B-movies and westerns. He died in Sunland, California of congestive heart failure at the age of 54 and was buried at Forest Lawn Glendale, Glendale,...
as Savini, one of Abel Bellamy's henchmen - Dorothy FayDorothy FayDorothy Fay was an American actress.-Early life and career:She was born Dorothy Fay Southworth in Prescott, Arizona, the daughter of Harry T. Southworth and Harriet Fay Fox. Her father was a medical doctor...
as Elaine Bellamy, Michael Bellamy's wife, kidnapped and held in Garr Castle - Forrest Taylor as Parker Howett, Elaine Bellamy's father
- Jack IngramJack Ingram (actor)Jack Ingram was an American film actor. He appeared in over 300 films between 1935 and 1966, according to the Internet Movie Data Base.He was born in Illinois, and died in Canoga Park, California of a heart attack...
as Brad, one of Abel Bellamy's henchmen posing as the Green Archer - Joseph W. GirardJoseph W. GirardJoseph W. Girard was an American film actor. He appeared in over 280 films between 1911 and 1944.He was born in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and died in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles.-Selected filmography:...
as Inspector Ross - Fred KelseyFred KelseyFrederick Alvin "Fred" Kelsey was an American actor, film director, and screenwriter. He appeared in 404 films between 1911 and 1958, often playing policemen or detectives . He also directed 37 films between 1914 and 1920...
as Captain Thompson - Kit Guard as Dinky Stone, Abel Bellamy's radio henchman
- Kenne DuncanKenne DuncanKenne Duncan , born Kenneth Duncan MacLachlan, was a well-known B-movie character actor. Hyped professionally as "The Meanest Man in the Movies," the vast majority of his over 250 appearances on camera were Westerns, but he also did occasional forays into horror, crime drama, and science fiction...
as Michael Bellamy, Abel's falsely accused brother killed on the way to prison