The Vigilantes Are Coming
Encyclopedia
The Vigilantes Are Coming is a 1936 American Republic
film serial. It was the third of the sixty six serials made by Republic Pictures (and the third released in 1936).
This serial was filmed between 28 May and 17 June 1936 under the working title
of The Vigilantes. It was released two months later, on 22 August 1936, under the final title. In the early 1950s the serial was re-edited into six 26½ minute episodes for television
.
in Mexican
California
in 1844, Russian
Cossacks led by Count Ivan Raspinoff, in collusion with General Jason Burr, attempt to invade California
and turn it into a Russian Colony
with Burr as its dictator
. In doing so they round up slaves to work the mines and General Burr has Don Loring's brother and father
murdered to acquire their ore-rich land.
When Don returns, having been away at the time with Salvation, Whipsaw and Captain John Fremont, he assumes the masked identity of The Eagle to stop them and get his revenge
.
He is aided by a group of vigilante
s assembled from the Californian ranch
ers, fighting both General Burr's henchmen and Raspinoff's Cossacks, while awaiting the arrival of Captain Fremont's American
troops before the colony becomes official.
Supporting cast
's silent film." Harmon and Glut expand on that to say it was based on Zorro
and The Lone Ranger Rides Again
in addition to Valentino's The Eagle. However, no mention is made of this being a derivative work in William Witney
's autobiography.
The serial was budgeted at $82,616 although the final negative cost
was $87,655 (a $5,039, or 6.1%, overspend). Despite being overbudget, this was the cheapest Republic serial of 1936 as well as the second cheapest of them all. It was filmed between 28 May and 17 June 1936 under the working title
The Vigilantes. The serial's production number was 418.
This was William Witney's
first time working on a serial, although not as director (that would be The Painted Stallion
in 1937). In The Vigilantes Are Coming he worked as a second unit director and as an extra
(a Cossack). It was the only serial Republic produced in this year, 1936 (the first year of serial production for Republic), where the lead character did not share the name of the lead actor (although "Crash" Corrigan in the previous Republic serial, Undersea Kingdom
, had his stage name
created specifically for that serial).
Source:
film serial. It was the third of the sixty six serials made by Republic Pictures (and the third released in 1936).
This serial was filmed between 28 May and 17 June 1936 under the working title
of The Vigilantes. It was released two months later, on 22 August 1936, under the final title. In the early 1950s the serial was re-edited into six 26½ minute episodes for television
.
in Mexican
California
in 1844, Russian
Cossacks led by Count Ivan Raspinoff, in collusion with General Jason Burr, attempt to invade California
and turn it into a Russian Colony
with Burr as its dictator
. In doing so they round up slaves to work the mines and General Burr has Don Loring's brother and father
murdered to acquire their ore-rich land.
When Don returns, having been away at the time with Salvation, Whipsaw and Captain John Fremont, he assumes the masked identity of The Eagle to stop them and get his revenge
.
He is aided by a group of vigilante
s assembled from the Californian ranch
ers, fighting both General Burr's henchmen and Raspinoff's Cossacks, while awaiting the arrival of Captain Fremont's American
troops before the colony becomes official.
Supporting cast
's silent film." Harmon and Glut expand on that to say it was based on Zorro
and The Lone Ranger Rides Again
in addition to Valentino's The Eagle. However, no mention is made of this being a derivative work in William Witney
's autobiography.
The serial was budgeted at $82,616 although the final negative cost
was $87,655 (a $5,039, or 6.1%, overspend). Despite being overbudget, this was the cheapest Republic serial of 1936 as well as the second cheapest of them all. It was filmed between 28 May and 17 June 1936 under the working title
The Vigilantes. The serial's production number was 418.
This was William Witney's
first time working on a serial, although not as director (that would be The Painted Stallion
in 1937). In The Vigilantes Are Coming he worked as a second unit director and as an extra
(a Cossack). It was the only serial Republic produced in this year, 1936 (the first year of serial production for Republic), where the lead character did not share the name of the lead actor (although "Crash" Corrigan in the previous Republic serial, Undersea Kingdom
, had his stage name
created specifically for that serial).
Source:
film serial. It was the third of the sixty six serials made by Republic Pictures (and the third released in 1936).
This serial was filmed between 28 May and 17 June 1936 under the working title
of The Vigilantes. It was released two months later, on 22 August 1936, under the final title. In the early 1950s the serial was re-edited into six 26½ minute episodes for television
.
in Mexican
California
in 1844, Russian
Cossacks led by Count Ivan Raspinoff, in collusion with General Jason Burr, attempt to invade California
and turn it into a Russian Colony
with Burr as its dictator
. In doing so they round up slaves to work the mines and General Burr has Don Loring's brother and father
murdered to acquire their ore-rich land.
When Don returns, having been away at the time with Salvation, Whipsaw and Captain John Fremont, he assumes the masked identity of The Eagle to stop them and get his revenge
.
He is aided by a group of vigilante
s assembled from the Californian ranch
ers, fighting both General Burr's henchmen and Raspinoff's Cossacks, while awaiting the arrival of Captain Fremont's American
troops before the colony becomes official.
Supporting cast
's silent film." Harmon and Glut expand on that to say it was based on Zorro
and The Lone Ranger Rides Again
in addition to Valentino's The Eagle. However, no mention is made of this being a derivative work in William Witney
's autobiography.
The serial was budgeted at $82,616 although the final negative cost
was $87,655 (a $5,039, or 6.1%, overspend). Despite being overbudget, this was the cheapest Republic serial of 1936 as well as the second cheapest of them all. It was filmed between 28 May and 17 June 1936 under the working title
The Vigilantes. The serial's production number was 418.
This was William Witney's
first time working on a serial, although not as director (that would be The Painted Stallion
in 1937). In The Vigilantes Are Coming he worked as a second unit director and as an extra
(a Cossack). It was the only serial Republic produced in this year, 1936 (the first year of serial production for Republic), where the lead character did not share the name of the lead actor (although "Crash" Corrigan in the previous Republic serial, Undersea Kingdom
, had his stage name
created specifically for that serial).
Source:
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....
film serial. It was the third of the sixty six serials made by Republic Pictures (and the third released in 1936).
This serial was filmed between 28 May and 17 June 1936 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:...
of The Vigilantes. It was released two months later, on 22 August 1936, under the final title. In the early 1950s the serial was re-edited into six 26½ minute episodes for television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
.
Plot
Following the discovery of goldGold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
in Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in 1844, Russian
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
Cossacks led by Count Ivan Raspinoff, in collusion with General Jason Burr, attempt to invade California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and turn it into a Russian Colony
Colony
In politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
with Burr as its dictator
Dictator
A dictator is a ruler who assumes sole and absolute power but without hereditary ascension such as an absolute monarch. When other states call the head of state of a particular state a dictator, that state is called a dictatorship...
. In doing so they round up slaves to work the mines and General Burr has Don Loring's brother and father
Father
A father, Pop, Dad, or Papa, is defined as a male parent of any type of offspring. The adjective "paternal" refers to father, parallel to "maternal" for mother...
murdered to acquire their ore-rich land.
When Don returns, having been away at the time with Salvation, Whipsaw and Captain John Fremont, he assumes the masked identity of The Eagle to stop them and get his revenge
Revenge
Revenge is a harmful action against a person or group in response to a grievance, be it real or perceived. It is also called payback, retribution, retaliation or vengeance; it may be characterized, justly or unjustly, as a form of justice.-Function in society:Some societies believe that the...
.
He is aided by a group of vigilante
Vigilante
A vigilante is a private individual who legally or illegally punishes an alleged lawbreaker, or participates in a group which metes out extralegal punishment to an alleged lawbreaker....
s assembled from the Californian ranch
Ranch
A ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. The word most often applies to livestock-raising operations in the western United States and Canada, though...
ers, fighting both General Burr's henchmen and Raspinoff's Cossacks, while awaiting the arrival of Captain Fremont's American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
troops before the colony becomes official.
Cast
- Robert LivingstonRobert Livingston (actor)Robert Livingston was an American film actor. He appeared in 135 films between 1921 and 1975.Often billed as "Bob Livingston," he was the original "Stony Brooke" in the "Three Mesquiteers" Western B-movie series, a role later played by John Wayne for eight films...
as Don Loring, the mild mannered church organist and the masked vigilante The Eagle - Kay HughesKay HughesKaty Hughes was an American actress with a brief career in the 1930s and 40s appearing mainly in westerns and serials.-Life:Katy was born Catherine Hughes Irlam, Lancashire, England in 1993 but grew up in Cadishead....
as Doris Colton, John Colton's daughter - Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams as "Salvation", leader of the vigilanteVigilanteA vigilante is a private individual who legally or illegally punishes an alleged lawbreaker, or participates in a group which metes out extralegal punishment to an alleged lawbreaker....
s - Raymond HattonRaymond HattonRaymond William Hatton was an American movie actor who appeared in almost five hundred movies, including a stint of being paired in 1920s comedies with Wallace Beery....
as "Whipsaw", another Californian vigilanteVigilanteA vigilante is a private individual who legally or illegally punishes an alleged lawbreaker, or participates in a group which metes out extralegal punishment to an alleged lawbreaker.... - Fred KohlerFred KohlerFred Kohler was an American actor known for his "heavy" style of character.-Career:Fred Kohler was born in Kansas City, Missouri. As a teen, he began to pursue a career in vaudeville, but worked other jobs to support himself. He lost part of his right hand in a mining accident during this time...
as General Jason Burr, conspirator with Count Raspinoff aiming to become supreme dictatorDictatorA dictator is a ruler who assumes sole and absolute power but without hereditary ascension such as an absolute monarch. When other states call the head of state of a particular state a dictator, that state is called a dictatorship...
of Russian California - Robert Warwick as Count Ivan Raspinoff, emissary of the Russian Tsar aiming to conquer Mexican California and claim its goldGoldGold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
- William FarnumWilliam FarnumWilliam Farnum was a major movie actor. One of three brothers, Farnum grew up in a family of actors. He made his acting debut at the age of ten in Richmond, Virginia in a production of Julius Caesar, with Edwin Booth playing the title character...
as Father Jose, the local priest
Supporting cast
- Bob KortmanBob KortmanBob Kortman was an American film actor mostly associated with westerns, though he also appeared in a number of Laurel and Hardy comedies...
as Boris Petroff, a CossackCossackCossacks are a group of predominantly East Slavic people who originally were members of democratic, semi-military communities in what is today Ukraine and Southern Russia inhabiting sparsely populated areas and islands in the lower Dnieper and Don basins and who played an important role in the... - John Merton as Rance Talbot, one of General Burr's henchmanHenchmanHenchman referred originally to one who attended on a horse for his employer, that is, a horse groom. Hence, like constable and marshal, also originally stable staff, henchman became the title of a subordinate official in a royal court or noble household...
- Lloyd Ingraham as John Colton, Mining engineer held by General Burr
- William DesmondWilliam Desmond (actor)William Desmond was an Irish-born American actor. He appeared in 205 films between 1915 and 1948. He was nicknamed "The King of the Silent Serials."...
as "Anderson", RanchRanchA ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. The word most often applies to livestock-raising operations in the western United States and Canada, though...
er/VigilanteVigilanteA vigilante is a private individual who legally or illegally punishes an alleged lawbreaker, or participates in a group which metes out extralegal punishment to an alleged lawbreaker.... - Yakima CanuttYakima CanuttYakima Canutt , also known as Yak Canutt, was an American rodeo rider, actor, stuntman and action director.-Biography:...
as "Barsam", one of General Burr's henchmanHenchmanHenchman referred originally to one who attended on a horse for his employer, that is, a horse groom. Hence, like constable and marshal, also originally stable staff, henchman became the title of a subordinate official in a royal court or noble household... - Tracy Layne as Clem Peters, RanchRanchA ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. The word most often applies to livestock-raising operations in the western United States and Canada, though...
er/VigilanteVigilanteA vigilante is a private individual who legally or illegally punishes an alleged lawbreaker, or participates in a group which metes out extralegal punishment to an alleged lawbreaker.... - Bud Pope as "Ivan", a CossackCossackCossacks are a group of predominantly East Slavic people who originally were members of democratic, semi-military communities in what is today Ukraine and Southern Russia inhabiting sparsely populated areas and islands in the lower Dnieper and Don basins and who played an important role in the...
- Steve ClementeSteve ClementeSteve Clemente was a Mexican actor known for his many villainous roles. He began acting in his teens, signing up for his first movie, The Secret Man, in 1917. His later, numerous roles were usually bit parts...
as "Pedro", one of General Burr's henchmanHenchmanHenchman referred originally to one who attended on a horse for his employer, that is, a horse groom. Hence, like constable and marshal, also originally stable staff, henchman became the title of a subordinate official in a royal court or noble household... - Bud OsborneBud OsborneBud Osborne was an American film actor. He appeared in over 600 films and television programs between 1912 and 1963.Osborne was born in Knox County, Texas, and died in Hollywood, California from a heart attack...
as "Harris", one of General Burr's henchmanHenchmanHenchman referred originally to one who attended on a horse for his employer, that is, a horse groom. Hence, like constable and marshal, also originally stable staff, henchman became the title of a subordinate official in a royal court or noble household... - Ray "Crash" Corrigan as Captain John Charles Fremont, US Army Captain
Production
Stedman states that The Vigilantes Are Coming "was a reworking of The Eagle, Rudolph ValentinoRudolph Valentino
Rudolph Valentino was an Italian actor, and early pop icon. A sex symbol of the 1920s, Valentino was known as the "Latin Lover". He starred in several well-known silent films including The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, The Sheik, Blood and Sand, The Eagle and Son of the Sheik...
's silent film." Harmon and Glut expand on that to say it was based on Zorro
Zorro
Zorro is a fictional character created in 1919 by New York-based pulp writer Johnston McCulley. The character has been featured in numerous books, films, television series, and other media....
and The Lone Ranger Rides Again
The Lone Ranger Rides Again
The Lone Ranger Rides Again is a 1939 American Republic serial. It was a sequel to Republic's earlier 1937 serial The Lone Ranger, which had been highly successful, and the thirteenth of the sixty-six serials produced by Republic....
in addition to Valentino's The Eagle. However, no mention is made of this being a derivative work in 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,...
's autobiography.
The serial was budgeted at $82,616 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 $87,655 (a $5,039, or 6.1%, overspend). Despite being overbudget, this was the cheapest Republic serial of 1936 as well as the second cheapest of them all. It was filmed between 28 May and 17 June 1936 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:...
The Vigilantes. The serial's production number was 418.
This was William Witney's
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,...
first time working on a serial, although not as director (that would be The Painted Stallion
The Painted Stallion
The Painted Stallion is a 1937 Republic Movie serial. It was the sixth Republic serial of the sixty-six made by that company. Western serials such as this made up a third of the serials from Republic, a studio that was also heavily involved in making B-Western feature films at the time.This...
in 1937). In The Vigilantes Are Coming he worked as a second unit director and as an extra
Extra (actor)
A background actor or extra is a performer in a film, television show, stage, musical, opera or ballet production, who appears in a nonspeaking, nonsinging or nondancing capacity, usually in the background...
(a Cossack). It was the only serial Republic produced in this year, 1936 (the first year of serial production for Republic), where the lead character did not share the name of the lead actor (although "Crash" Corrigan in the previous Republic serial, Undersea Kingdom
Undersea 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...
, had his stage name
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
created specifically for that serial).
Stunts
- Yakima CanuttYakima CanuttYakima Canutt , also known as Yak Canutt, was an American rodeo rider, actor, stuntman and action director.-Biography:...
as Don Loring (doubling Robert Livingston) - Tommy Coats
- Ken CooperKen CooperKen Cooper is a Canadian politician who was the Conservative Party candidate for St. Boniface riding in the 2004 and 2006 federal electionsCooper has a degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Manitoba, and a Master's Degree in business administration from the Ivey School of Business at...
- Sam Garrett, roping double
- Ted Mapes
- Wally WestWally WestThe Flash is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. He is the first Kid Flash and the third Flash....
Theatrical
The Vigilantes Are Comings official release date is 22 August 1936, although this is actually the date the sixth chapter was made available to film exchanges.Television
In the early 1950s, The Vigilantes Are Coming was one of fourteen Republic serials edited into a television series. It was broadcast in six 26½-minute episodes.Chapter titles
- The Eagle Strikes (31 min 24s)
- Birth of the Vigilantes (20 min 51s)
- Condemned by Cossacks (18 min 45s)
- Unholy Gold (16 min 50s)
- Treachery Unmasked (19 min 4s)
- A Tyrant's Trickery (17 min 54s)
- Wings of Doom (17 min 23s)
- A Treaty with Treason (17 min 18s)
- Arrow's Flight (17 min 59s)
- Prison of Flame (18 min 26s)
- A Race With Death (15 min 37s)
- Fremont Takes Charge (17 min 45s)
Source:
Cliffhangers
- The Eagle is shot and falls from a church bell towerBell towerA bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
. - The Eagle is locked inside the Powder MagazineMagazine (artillery)Magazine is the name for an item or place within which ammunition is stored. It is taken from the Arabic word "makahazin" meaning "warehouse".-Ammunition storage areas:...
when it explodes. - The Eagle is caught by a firing squad meant for Salvation.
- The Eagle is caught under a hydraulic ore crusher.
- The Eagle falls over a cliffCliffIn geography and geology, a cliff is a significant vertical, or near vertical, rock exposure. Cliffs are formed as erosion landforms due to the processes of erosion and weathering that produce them. Cliffs are common on coasts, in mountainous areas, escarpments and along rivers. Cliffs are usually...
under a hail of bullets. - The Eagle is knocked unconscious on a cart carrying powder when it explodes.
- The Eagle trips and falls beneath the bladesSabreThe sabre or saber is a kind of backsword that usually has a curved, single-edged blade and a rather large hand guard, covering the knuckles of the hand as well as the thumb and forefinger...
of four Cossacks. - A stagecoachStagecoachA stagecoach is a type of covered wagon for passengers and goods, strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, usually four-in-hand. Widely used before the introduction of railway transport, it made regular trips between stages or stations, which were places of rest provided for stagecoach travelers...
carrying The Eagle and Count Raspinoff goes over a cliffCliffIn geography and geology, a cliff is a significant vertical, or near vertical, rock exposure. Cliffs are formed as erosion landforms due to the processes of erosion and weathering that produce them. Cliffs are common on coasts, in mountainous areas, escarpments and along rivers. Cliffs are usually...
. - The Eagle is shot off his horse and falls under the hooves of his pursuers.
- The Eagle is locked in a burning building.
- The Eagle is caught in several explosions and the resultant landslideLandslideA landslide or landslip is a geological phenomenon which includes a wide range of ground movement, such as rockfalls, deep failure of slopes and shallow debris flows, which can occur in offshore, coastal and onshore environments...
.
External links
The Vigilantes Are Coming is a 1936 American RepublicRepublic 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....
film serial. It was the third of the sixty six serials made by Republic Pictures (and the third released in 1936).
This serial was filmed between 28 May and 17 June 1936 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:...
of The Vigilantes. It was released two months later, on 22 August 1936, under the final title. In the early 1950s the serial was re-edited into six 26½ minute episodes for television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
.
Plot
Following the discovery of goldGold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
in Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in 1844, Russian
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
Cossacks led by Count Ivan Raspinoff, in collusion with General Jason Burr, attempt to invade California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and turn it into a Russian Colony
Colony
In politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
with Burr as its dictator
Dictator
A dictator is a ruler who assumes sole and absolute power but without hereditary ascension such as an absolute monarch. When other states call the head of state of a particular state a dictator, that state is called a dictatorship...
. In doing so they round up slaves to work the mines and General Burr has Don Loring's brother and father
Father
A father, Pop, Dad, or Papa, is defined as a male parent of any type of offspring. The adjective "paternal" refers to father, parallel to "maternal" for mother...
murdered to acquire their ore-rich land.
When Don returns, having been away at the time with Salvation, Whipsaw and Captain John Fremont, he assumes the masked identity of The Eagle to stop them and get his revenge
Revenge
Revenge is a harmful action against a person or group in response to a grievance, be it real or perceived. It is also called payback, retribution, retaliation or vengeance; it may be characterized, justly or unjustly, as a form of justice.-Function in society:Some societies believe that the...
.
He is aided by a group of vigilante
Vigilante
A vigilante is a private individual who legally or illegally punishes an alleged lawbreaker, or participates in a group which metes out extralegal punishment to an alleged lawbreaker....
s assembled from the Californian ranch
Ranch
A ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. The word most often applies to livestock-raising operations in the western United States and Canada, though...
ers, fighting both General Burr's henchmen and Raspinoff's Cossacks, while awaiting the arrival of Captain Fremont's American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
troops before the colony becomes official.
Cast
- Robert LivingstonRobert Livingston (actor)Robert Livingston was an American film actor. He appeared in 135 films between 1921 and 1975.Often billed as "Bob Livingston," he was the original "Stony Brooke" in the "Three Mesquiteers" Western B-movie series, a role later played by John Wayne for eight films...
as Don Loring, the mild mannered church organist and the masked vigilante The Eagle - Kay HughesKay HughesKaty Hughes was an American actress with a brief career in the 1930s and 40s appearing mainly in westerns and serials.-Life:Katy was born Catherine Hughes Irlam, Lancashire, England in 1993 but grew up in Cadishead....
as Doris Colton, John Colton's daughter - Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams as "Salvation", leader of the vigilanteVigilanteA vigilante is a private individual who legally or illegally punishes an alleged lawbreaker, or participates in a group which metes out extralegal punishment to an alleged lawbreaker....
s - Raymond HattonRaymond HattonRaymond William Hatton was an American movie actor who appeared in almost five hundred movies, including a stint of being paired in 1920s comedies with Wallace Beery....
as "Whipsaw", another Californian vigilanteVigilanteA vigilante is a private individual who legally or illegally punishes an alleged lawbreaker, or participates in a group which metes out extralegal punishment to an alleged lawbreaker.... - Fred KohlerFred KohlerFred Kohler was an American actor known for his "heavy" style of character.-Career:Fred Kohler was born in Kansas City, Missouri. As a teen, he began to pursue a career in vaudeville, but worked other jobs to support himself. He lost part of his right hand in a mining accident during this time...
as General Jason Burr, conspirator with Count Raspinoff aiming to become supreme dictatorDictatorA dictator is a ruler who assumes sole and absolute power but without hereditary ascension such as an absolute monarch. When other states call the head of state of a particular state a dictator, that state is called a dictatorship...
of Russian California - Robert Warwick as Count Ivan Raspinoff, emissary of the Russian Tsar aiming to conquer Mexican California and claim its goldGoldGold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
- William FarnumWilliam FarnumWilliam Farnum was a major movie actor. One of three brothers, Farnum grew up in a family of actors. He made his acting debut at the age of ten in Richmond, Virginia in a production of Julius Caesar, with Edwin Booth playing the title character...
as Father Jose, the local priest
Supporting cast
- Bob KortmanBob KortmanBob Kortman was an American film actor mostly associated with westerns, though he also appeared in a number of Laurel and Hardy comedies...
as Boris Petroff, a CossackCossackCossacks are a group of predominantly East Slavic people who originally were members of democratic, semi-military communities in what is today Ukraine and Southern Russia inhabiting sparsely populated areas and islands in the lower Dnieper and Don basins and who played an important role in the... - John Merton as Rance Talbot, one of General Burr's henchmanHenchmanHenchman referred originally to one who attended on a horse for his employer, that is, a horse groom. Hence, like constable and marshal, also originally stable staff, henchman became the title of a subordinate official in a royal court or noble household...
- Lloyd Ingraham as John Colton, Mining engineer held by General Burr
- William DesmondWilliam Desmond (actor)William Desmond was an Irish-born American actor. He appeared in 205 films between 1915 and 1948. He was nicknamed "The King of the Silent Serials."...
as "Anderson", RanchRanchA ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. The word most often applies to livestock-raising operations in the western United States and Canada, though...
er/VigilanteVigilanteA vigilante is a private individual who legally or illegally punishes an alleged lawbreaker, or participates in a group which metes out extralegal punishment to an alleged lawbreaker.... - Yakima CanuttYakima CanuttYakima Canutt , also known as Yak Canutt, was an American rodeo rider, actor, stuntman and action director.-Biography:...
as "Barsam", one of General Burr's henchmanHenchmanHenchman referred originally to one who attended on a horse for his employer, that is, a horse groom. Hence, like constable and marshal, also originally stable staff, henchman became the title of a subordinate official in a royal court or noble household... - Tracy Layne as Clem Peters, RanchRanchA ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. The word most often applies to livestock-raising operations in the western United States and Canada, though...
er/VigilanteVigilanteA vigilante is a private individual who legally or illegally punishes an alleged lawbreaker, or participates in a group which metes out extralegal punishment to an alleged lawbreaker.... - Bud Pope as "Ivan", a CossackCossackCossacks are a group of predominantly East Slavic people who originally were members of democratic, semi-military communities in what is today Ukraine and Southern Russia inhabiting sparsely populated areas and islands in the lower Dnieper and Don basins and who played an important role in the...
- Steve ClementeSteve ClementeSteve Clemente was a Mexican actor known for his many villainous roles. He began acting in his teens, signing up for his first movie, The Secret Man, in 1917. His later, numerous roles were usually bit parts...
as "Pedro", one of General Burr's henchmanHenchmanHenchman referred originally to one who attended on a horse for his employer, that is, a horse groom. Hence, like constable and marshal, also originally stable staff, henchman became the title of a subordinate official in a royal court or noble household... - Bud OsborneBud OsborneBud Osborne was an American film actor. He appeared in over 600 films and television programs between 1912 and 1963.Osborne was born in Knox County, Texas, and died in Hollywood, California from a heart attack...
as "Harris", one of General Burr's henchmanHenchmanHenchman referred originally to one who attended on a horse for his employer, that is, a horse groom. Hence, like constable and marshal, also originally stable staff, henchman became the title of a subordinate official in a royal court or noble household... - Ray "Crash" Corrigan as Captain John Charles Fremont, US Army Captain
Production
Stedman states that The Vigilantes Are Coming "was a reworking of The Eagle, Rudolph ValentinoRudolph Valentino
Rudolph Valentino was an Italian actor, and early pop icon. A sex symbol of the 1920s, Valentino was known as the "Latin Lover". He starred in several well-known silent films including The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, The Sheik, Blood and Sand, The Eagle and Son of the Sheik...
's silent film." Harmon and Glut expand on that to say it was based on Zorro
Zorro
Zorro is a fictional character created in 1919 by New York-based pulp writer Johnston McCulley. The character has been featured in numerous books, films, television series, and other media....
and The Lone Ranger Rides Again
The Lone Ranger Rides Again
The Lone Ranger Rides Again is a 1939 American Republic serial. It was a sequel to Republic's earlier 1937 serial The Lone Ranger, which had been highly successful, and the thirteenth of the sixty-six serials produced by Republic....
in addition to Valentino's The Eagle. However, no mention is made of this being a derivative work in 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,...
's autobiography.
The serial was budgeted at $82,616 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 $87,655 (a $5,039, or 6.1%, overspend). Despite being overbudget, this was the cheapest Republic serial of 1936 as well as the second cheapest of them all. It was filmed between 28 May and 17 June 1936 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:...
The Vigilantes. The serial's production number was 418.
This was William Witney's
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,...
first time working on a serial, although not as director (that would be The Painted Stallion
The Painted Stallion
The Painted Stallion is a 1937 Republic Movie serial. It was the sixth Republic serial of the sixty-six made by that company. Western serials such as this made up a third of the serials from Republic, a studio that was also heavily involved in making B-Western feature films at the time.This...
in 1937). In The Vigilantes Are Coming he worked as a second unit director and as an extra
Extra (actor)
A background actor or extra is a performer in a film, television show, stage, musical, opera or ballet production, who appears in a nonspeaking, nonsinging or nondancing capacity, usually in the background...
(a Cossack). It was the only serial Republic produced in this year, 1936 (the first year of serial production for Republic), where the lead character did not share the name of the lead actor (although "Crash" Corrigan in the previous Republic serial, Undersea Kingdom
Undersea 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...
, had his stage name
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
created specifically for that serial).
Stunts
- Yakima CanuttYakima CanuttYakima Canutt , also known as Yak Canutt, was an American rodeo rider, actor, stuntman and action director.-Biography:...
as Don Loring (doubling Robert Livingston) - Tommy Coats
- Ken CooperKen CooperKen Cooper is a Canadian politician who was the Conservative Party candidate for St. Boniface riding in the 2004 and 2006 federal electionsCooper has a degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Manitoba, and a Master's Degree in business administration from the Ivey School of Business at...
- Sam Garrett, roping double
- Ted Mapes
- Wally WestWally WestThe Flash is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. He is the first Kid Flash and the third Flash....
Theatrical
The Vigilantes Are Comings official release date is 22 August 1936, although this is actually the date the sixth chapter was made available to film exchanges.Television
In the early 1950s, The Vigilantes Are Coming was one of fourteen Republic serials edited into a television series. It was broadcast in six 26½-minute episodes.Chapter titles
- The Eagle Strikes (31 min 24s)
- Birth of the Vigilantes (20 min 51s)
- Condemned by Cossacks (18 min 45s)
- Unholy Gold (16 min 50s)
- Treachery Unmasked (19 min 4s)
- A Tyrant's Trickery (17 min 54s)
- Wings of Doom (17 min 23s)
- A Treaty with Treason (17 min 18s)
- Arrow's Flight (17 min 59s)
- Prison of Flame (18 min 26s)
- A Race With Death (15 min 37s)
- Fremont Takes Charge (17 min 45s)
Source:
Cliffhangers
- The Eagle is shot and falls from a church bell towerBell towerA bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
. - The Eagle is locked inside the Powder MagazineMagazine (artillery)Magazine is the name for an item or place within which ammunition is stored. It is taken from the Arabic word "makahazin" meaning "warehouse".-Ammunition storage areas:...
when it explodes. - The Eagle is caught by a firing squad meant for Salvation.
- The Eagle is caught under a hydraulic ore crusher.
- The Eagle falls over a cliffCliffIn geography and geology, a cliff is a significant vertical, or near vertical, rock exposure. Cliffs are formed as erosion landforms due to the processes of erosion and weathering that produce them. Cliffs are common on coasts, in mountainous areas, escarpments and along rivers. Cliffs are usually...
under a hail of bullets. - The Eagle is knocked unconscious on a cart carrying powder when it explodes.
- The Eagle trips and falls beneath the bladesSabreThe sabre or saber is a kind of backsword that usually has a curved, single-edged blade and a rather large hand guard, covering the knuckles of the hand as well as the thumb and forefinger...
of four Cossacks. - A stagecoachStagecoachA stagecoach is a type of covered wagon for passengers and goods, strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, usually four-in-hand. Widely used before the introduction of railway transport, it made regular trips between stages or stations, which were places of rest provided for stagecoach travelers...
carrying The Eagle and Count Raspinoff goes over a cliffCliffIn geography and geology, a cliff is a significant vertical, or near vertical, rock exposure. Cliffs are formed as erosion landforms due to the processes of erosion and weathering that produce them. Cliffs are common on coasts, in mountainous areas, escarpments and along rivers. Cliffs are usually...
. - The Eagle is shot off his horse and falls under the hooves of his pursuers.
- The Eagle is locked in a burning building.
- The Eagle is caught in several explosions and the resultant landslideLandslideA landslide or landslip is a geological phenomenon which includes a wide range of ground movement, such as rockfalls, deep failure of slopes and shallow debris flows, which can occur in offshore, coastal and onshore environments...
.
External links
The Vigilantes Are Coming is a 1936 American RepublicRepublic 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....
film serial. It was the third of the sixty six serials made by Republic Pictures (and the third released in 1936).
This serial was filmed between 28 May and 17 June 1936 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:...
of The Vigilantes. It was released two months later, on 22 August 1936, under the final title. In the early 1950s the serial was re-edited into six 26½ minute episodes for television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
.
Plot
Following the discovery of goldGold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
in Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in 1844, Russian
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
Cossacks led by Count Ivan Raspinoff, in collusion with General Jason Burr, attempt to invade California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and turn it into a Russian Colony
Colony
In politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
with Burr as its dictator
Dictator
A dictator is a ruler who assumes sole and absolute power but without hereditary ascension such as an absolute monarch. When other states call the head of state of a particular state a dictator, that state is called a dictatorship...
. In doing so they round up slaves to work the mines and General Burr has Don Loring's brother and father
Father
A father, Pop, Dad, or Papa, is defined as a male parent of any type of offspring. The adjective "paternal" refers to father, parallel to "maternal" for mother...
murdered to acquire their ore-rich land.
When Don returns, having been away at the time with Salvation, Whipsaw and Captain John Fremont, he assumes the masked identity of The Eagle to stop them and get his revenge
Revenge
Revenge is a harmful action against a person or group in response to a grievance, be it real or perceived. It is also called payback, retribution, retaliation or vengeance; it may be characterized, justly or unjustly, as a form of justice.-Function in society:Some societies believe that the...
.
He is aided by a group of vigilante
Vigilante
A vigilante is a private individual who legally or illegally punishes an alleged lawbreaker, or participates in a group which metes out extralegal punishment to an alleged lawbreaker....
s assembled from the Californian ranch
Ranch
A ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. The word most often applies to livestock-raising operations in the western United States and Canada, though...
ers, fighting both General Burr's henchmen and Raspinoff's Cossacks, while awaiting the arrival of Captain Fremont's American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
troops before the colony becomes official.
Cast
- Robert LivingstonRobert Livingston (actor)Robert Livingston was an American film actor. He appeared in 135 films between 1921 and 1975.Often billed as "Bob Livingston," he was the original "Stony Brooke" in the "Three Mesquiteers" Western B-movie series, a role later played by John Wayne for eight films...
as Don Loring, the mild mannered church organist and the masked vigilante The Eagle - Kay HughesKay HughesKaty Hughes was an American actress with a brief career in the 1930s and 40s appearing mainly in westerns and serials.-Life:Katy was born Catherine Hughes Irlam, Lancashire, England in 1993 but grew up in Cadishead....
as Doris Colton, John Colton's daughter - Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams as "Salvation", leader of the vigilanteVigilanteA vigilante is a private individual who legally or illegally punishes an alleged lawbreaker, or participates in a group which metes out extralegal punishment to an alleged lawbreaker....
s - Raymond HattonRaymond HattonRaymond William Hatton was an American movie actor who appeared in almost five hundred movies, including a stint of being paired in 1920s comedies with Wallace Beery....
as "Whipsaw", another Californian vigilanteVigilanteA vigilante is a private individual who legally or illegally punishes an alleged lawbreaker, or participates in a group which metes out extralegal punishment to an alleged lawbreaker.... - Fred KohlerFred KohlerFred Kohler was an American actor known for his "heavy" style of character.-Career:Fred Kohler was born in Kansas City, Missouri. As a teen, he began to pursue a career in vaudeville, but worked other jobs to support himself. He lost part of his right hand in a mining accident during this time...
as General Jason Burr, conspirator with Count Raspinoff aiming to become supreme dictatorDictatorA dictator is a ruler who assumes sole and absolute power but without hereditary ascension such as an absolute monarch. When other states call the head of state of a particular state a dictator, that state is called a dictatorship...
of Russian California - Robert Warwick as Count Ivan Raspinoff, emissary of the Russian Tsar aiming to conquer Mexican California and claim its goldGoldGold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
- William FarnumWilliam FarnumWilliam Farnum was a major movie actor. One of three brothers, Farnum grew up in a family of actors. He made his acting debut at the age of ten in Richmond, Virginia in a production of Julius Caesar, with Edwin Booth playing the title character...
as Father Jose, the local priest
Supporting cast
- Bob KortmanBob KortmanBob Kortman was an American film actor mostly associated with westerns, though he also appeared in a number of Laurel and Hardy comedies...
as Boris Petroff, a CossackCossackCossacks are a group of predominantly East Slavic people who originally were members of democratic, semi-military communities in what is today Ukraine and Southern Russia inhabiting sparsely populated areas and islands in the lower Dnieper and Don basins and who played an important role in the... - John Merton as Rance Talbot, one of General Burr's henchmanHenchmanHenchman referred originally to one who attended on a horse for his employer, that is, a horse groom. Hence, like constable and marshal, also originally stable staff, henchman became the title of a subordinate official in a royal court or noble household...
- Lloyd Ingraham as John Colton, Mining engineer held by General Burr
- William DesmondWilliam Desmond (actor)William Desmond was an Irish-born American actor. He appeared in 205 films between 1915 and 1948. He was nicknamed "The King of the Silent Serials."...
as "Anderson", RanchRanchA ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. The word most often applies to livestock-raising operations in the western United States and Canada, though...
er/VigilanteVigilanteA vigilante is a private individual who legally or illegally punishes an alleged lawbreaker, or participates in a group which metes out extralegal punishment to an alleged lawbreaker.... - Yakima CanuttYakima CanuttYakima Canutt , also known as Yak Canutt, was an American rodeo rider, actor, stuntman and action director.-Biography:...
as "Barsam", one of General Burr's henchmanHenchmanHenchman referred originally to one who attended on a horse for his employer, that is, a horse groom. Hence, like constable and marshal, also originally stable staff, henchman became the title of a subordinate official in a royal court or noble household... - Tracy Layne as Clem Peters, RanchRanchA ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. The word most often applies to livestock-raising operations in the western United States and Canada, though...
er/VigilanteVigilanteA vigilante is a private individual who legally or illegally punishes an alleged lawbreaker, or participates in a group which metes out extralegal punishment to an alleged lawbreaker.... - Bud Pope as "Ivan", a CossackCossackCossacks are a group of predominantly East Slavic people who originally were members of democratic, semi-military communities in what is today Ukraine and Southern Russia inhabiting sparsely populated areas and islands in the lower Dnieper and Don basins and who played an important role in the...
- Steve ClementeSteve ClementeSteve Clemente was a Mexican actor known for his many villainous roles. He began acting in his teens, signing up for his first movie, The Secret Man, in 1917. His later, numerous roles were usually bit parts...
as "Pedro", one of General Burr's henchmanHenchmanHenchman referred originally to one who attended on a horse for his employer, that is, a horse groom. Hence, like constable and marshal, also originally stable staff, henchman became the title of a subordinate official in a royal court or noble household... - Bud OsborneBud OsborneBud Osborne was an American film actor. He appeared in over 600 films and television programs between 1912 and 1963.Osborne was born in Knox County, Texas, and died in Hollywood, California from a heart attack...
as "Harris", one of General Burr's henchmanHenchmanHenchman referred originally to one who attended on a horse for his employer, that is, a horse groom. Hence, like constable and marshal, also originally stable staff, henchman became the title of a subordinate official in a royal court or noble household... - Ray "Crash" Corrigan as Captain John Charles Fremont, US Army Captain
Production
Stedman states that The Vigilantes Are Coming "was a reworking of The Eagle, Rudolph ValentinoRudolph Valentino
Rudolph Valentino was an Italian actor, and early pop icon. A sex symbol of the 1920s, Valentino was known as the "Latin Lover". He starred in several well-known silent films including The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, The Sheik, Blood and Sand, The Eagle and Son of the Sheik...
's silent film." Harmon and Glut expand on that to say it was based on Zorro
Zorro
Zorro is a fictional character created in 1919 by New York-based pulp writer Johnston McCulley. The character has been featured in numerous books, films, television series, and other media....
and The Lone Ranger Rides Again
The Lone Ranger Rides Again
The Lone Ranger Rides Again is a 1939 American Republic serial. It was a sequel to Republic's earlier 1937 serial The Lone Ranger, which had been highly successful, and the thirteenth of the sixty-six serials produced by Republic....
in addition to Valentino's The Eagle. However, no mention is made of this being a derivative work in 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,...
's autobiography.
The serial was budgeted at $82,616 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 $87,655 (a $5,039, or 6.1%, overspend). Despite being overbudget, this was the cheapest Republic serial of 1936 as well as the second cheapest of them all. It was filmed between 28 May and 17 June 1936 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:...
The Vigilantes. The serial's production number was 418.
This was William Witney's
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,...
first time working on a serial, although not as director (that would be The Painted Stallion
The Painted Stallion
The Painted Stallion is a 1937 Republic Movie serial. It was the sixth Republic serial of the sixty-six made by that company. Western serials such as this made up a third of the serials from Republic, a studio that was also heavily involved in making B-Western feature films at the time.This...
in 1937). In The Vigilantes Are Coming he worked as a second unit director and as an extra
Extra (actor)
A background actor or extra is a performer in a film, television show, stage, musical, opera or ballet production, who appears in a nonspeaking, nonsinging or nondancing capacity, usually in the background...
(a Cossack). It was the only serial Republic produced in this year, 1936 (the first year of serial production for Republic), where the lead character did not share the name of the lead actor (although "Crash" Corrigan in the previous Republic serial, Undersea Kingdom
Undersea 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...
, had his stage name
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
created specifically for that serial).
Stunts
- Yakima CanuttYakima CanuttYakima Canutt , also known as Yak Canutt, was an American rodeo rider, actor, stuntman and action director.-Biography:...
as Don Loring (doubling Robert Livingston) - Tommy Coats
- Ken CooperKen CooperKen Cooper is a Canadian politician who was the Conservative Party candidate for St. Boniface riding in the 2004 and 2006 federal electionsCooper has a degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Manitoba, and a Master's Degree in business administration from the Ivey School of Business at...
- Sam Garrett, roping double
- Ted Mapes
- Wally WestWally WestThe Flash is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. He is the first Kid Flash and the third Flash....
Theatrical
The Vigilantes Are Comings official release date is 22 August 1936, although this is actually the date the sixth chapter was made available to film exchanges.Television
In the early 1950s, The Vigilantes Are Coming was one of fourteen Republic serials edited into a television series. It was broadcast in six 26½-minute episodes.Chapter titles
- The Eagle Strikes (31 min 24s)
- Birth of the Vigilantes (20 min 51s)
- Condemned by Cossacks (18 min 45s)
- Unholy Gold (16 min 50s)
- Treachery Unmasked (19 min 4s)
- A Tyrant's Trickery (17 min 54s)
- Wings of Doom (17 min 23s)
- A Treaty with Treason (17 min 18s)
- Arrow's Flight (17 min 59s)
- Prison of Flame (18 min 26s)
- A Race With Death (15 min 37s)
- Fremont Takes Charge (17 min 45s)
Source:
Cliffhangers
- The Eagle is shot and falls from a church bell towerBell towerA bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
. - The Eagle is locked inside the Powder MagazineMagazine (artillery)Magazine is the name for an item or place within which ammunition is stored. It is taken from the Arabic word "makahazin" meaning "warehouse".-Ammunition storage areas:...
when it explodes. - The Eagle is caught by a firing squad meant for Salvation.
- The Eagle is caught under a hydraulic ore crusher.
- The Eagle falls over a cliffCliffIn geography and geology, a cliff is a significant vertical, or near vertical, rock exposure. Cliffs are formed as erosion landforms due to the processes of erosion and weathering that produce them. Cliffs are common on coasts, in mountainous areas, escarpments and along rivers. Cliffs are usually...
under a hail of bullets. - The Eagle is knocked unconscious on a cart carrying powder when it explodes.
- The Eagle trips and falls beneath the bladesSabreThe sabre or saber is a kind of backsword that usually has a curved, single-edged blade and a rather large hand guard, covering the knuckles of the hand as well as the thumb and forefinger...
of four Cossacks. - A stagecoachStagecoachA stagecoach is a type of covered wagon for passengers and goods, strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, usually four-in-hand. Widely used before the introduction of railway transport, it made regular trips between stages or stations, which were places of rest provided for stagecoach travelers...
carrying The Eagle and Count Raspinoff goes over a cliffCliffIn geography and geology, a cliff is a significant vertical, or near vertical, rock exposure. Cliffs are formed as erosion landforms due to the processes of erosion and weathering that produce them. Cliffs are common on coasts, in mountainous areas, escarpments and along rivers. Cliffs are usually...
. - The Eagle is shot off his horse and falls under the hooves of his pursuers.
- The Eagle is locked in a burning building.
- The Eagle is caught in several explosions and the resultant landslideLandslideA landslide or landslip is a geological phenomenon which includes a wide range of ground movement, such as rockfalls, deep failure of slopes and shallow debris flows, which can occur in offshore, coastal and onshore environments...
.