Zorro Rides Again
Encyclopedia
Zorro Rides Again is a 12-chapter Republic
film serial. It was the eighth of the sixty-six Republic serials, the third with a western
theme (a third of Republic's serials were westerns) and the last produced in 1937. The serial was directed by William Witney
& John English and starred John Carroll
as a modern descendant of the original Zorro
. The plot is a fairly standard western storyline about a villain attempting to illicitly take valuable land (in this case a new railroad). The setting is a hybrid of modern (1930s) and western elements that was used occasionally in B-Westerns (such as the western feature films also produced by Republic).
, villain
J. A. Marsden aims to take over the California
-Yucatan
Railroad with the aid of his henchman
El Lobo. The rightful owners, Joyce and Phillip Andrews, naturally object. Their parter, Don Manuel Vega summons his nephew, James Vega, to help them as he is the great grandson of the original Zorro
, Don Diego de la Vega. He is disappointed, however, to find that his nephew is a useless fop
(presumably Don Manuel had not paid too much attention to his family history).
Nevertheless, James Vega installs himself in the original Zorro's
hideout and adopts the Zorro
identity to defeat Marsden and El Lobo. This Zorro
uses twin pistols and (like the original Zorro) a whip
as his main weapons of choice, rather than a more traditional sword
.
was $110,753 (a $12,643, or 12.9%, overspend). It was filmed between 8 September and 5 October 1937. The serial's production number was 423. Zorro Rides Again was influenced by the Singing Cowboy trend of the time. Carroll's "best moments" in costume were singing (Lyrics include "Zorro rides again into the night...")
It was shot in Bronson Canyon
, Red Rock Canyon State Park
, Angeles National Forest
, and Chatsworth, Los Angeles.
plays Zorro as he gallops up to the cab of a moving truck and swings from the saddle to its running board. Even a small mistake during this sequence would have been lethal for Canutt.
of Mysterious Don Miguel before returning to the original name Zorro Rides Again. This was one of fourteen feature films Republic made from their serials.
Source:
Zorro Rides Again (1937
) is a 12-chapter Republic
film serial. It was the eighth of the sixty-six Republic serials, the third with a western
theme (a third of Republic's serials were westerns) and the last produced in 1937. The serial was directed by William Witney
& John English and starred John Carroll
as a modern descendant of the original Zorro
. The plot is a fairly standard western storyline about a villain attempting to illicitly take valuable land (in this case a new railroad). The setting is a hybrid of modern (1930s) and western elements that was used occasionally in B-Westerns (such as the western feature films also produced by Republic).
, villain
J. A. Marsden aims to take over the California
-Yucatan
Railroad with the aid of his henchman
El Lobo. The rightful owners, Joyce and Phillip Andrews, naturally object. Their parter, Don Manuel Vega summons his nephew, James Vega, to help them as he is the great grandson of the original Zorro
, Don Diego de la Vega. He is disappointed, however, to find that his nephew is a useless fop
(presumably Don Manuel had not paid too much attention to his family history).
Nevertheless, James Vega installs himself in the original Zorro's
hideout and adopts the Zorro
identity to defeat Marsden and El Lobo. This Zorro
uses twin pistols and (like the original Zorro) a whip
as his main weapons of choice, rather than a more traditional sword
.
was $110,753 (a $12,643, or 12.9%, overspend). It was filmed between 8 September and 5 October 1937. The serial's production number was 423. Zorro Rides Again was influenced by the Singing Cowboy trend of the time. Carroll's "best moments" in costume were singing (Lyrics include "Zorro rides again into the night...")
It was shot in Bronson Canyon
, Red Rock Canyon State Park
, Angeles National Forest
, and Chatsworth, Los Angeles.
plays Zorro as he gallops up to the cab of a moving truck and swings from the saddle to its running board. Even a small mistake during this sequence would have been lethal for Canutt.
of Mysterious Don Miguel before returning to the original name Zorro Rides Again. This was one of fourteen feature films Republic made from their serials.
Source:
Zorro Rides Again (1937
) is a 12-chapter Republic
film serial. It was the eighth of the sixty-six Republic serials, the third with a western
theme (a third of Republic's serials were westerns) and the last produced in 1937. The serial was directed by William Witney
& John English and starred John Carroll
as a modern descendant of the original Zorro
. The plot is a fairly standard western storyline about a villain attempting to illicitly take valuable land (in this case a new railroad). The setting is a hybrid of modern (1930s) and western elements that was used occasionally in B-Westerns (such as the western feature films also produced by Republic).
, villain
J. A. Marsden aims to take over the California
-Yucatan
Railroad with the aid of his henchman
El Lobo. The rightful owners, Joyce and Phillip Andrews, naturally object. Their parter, Don Manuel Vega summons his nephew, James Vega, to help them as he is the great grandson of the original Zorro
, Don Diego de la Vega. He is disappointed, however, to find that his nephew is a useless fop
(presumably Don Manuel had not paid too much attention to his family history).
Nevertheless, James Vega installs himself in the original Zorro's
hideout and adopts the Zorro
identity to defeat Marsden and El Lobo. This Zorro
uses twin pistols and (like the original Zorro) a whip
as his main weapons of choice, rather than a more traditional sword
.
was $110,753 (a $12,643, or 12.9%, overspend). It was filmed between 8 September and 5 October 1937. The serial's production number was 423. Zorro Rides Again was influenced by the Singing Cowboy trend of the time. Carroll's "best moments" in costume were singing (Lyrics include "Zorro rides again into the night...")
It was shot in Bronson Canyon
, Red Rock Canyon State Park
, Angeles National Forest
, and Chatsworth, Los Angeles.
plays Zorro as he gallops up to the cab of a moving truck and swings from the saddle to its running board. Even a small mistake during this sequence would have been lethal for Canutt.
of Mysterious Don Miguel before returning to the original name Zorro Rides Again. This was one of fourteen feature films Republic made from their serials.
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 eighth of the sixty-six Republic serials, the third with a western
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
theme (a third of Republic's serials were westerns) and the last produced in 1937. The serial was directed by 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,...
& John English and starred John Carroll
John Carroll (actor)
John Carroll was an American actor and singer. He was born Julian Lafaye in New Orleans, Louisiana....
as a modern descendant of the original 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....
. The plot is a fairly standard western storyline about a villain attempting to illicitly take valuable land (in this case a new railroad). The setting is a hybrid of modern (1930s) and western elements that was used occasionally in B-Westerns (such as the western feature films also produced by Republic).
Plot
In contemporary (for the 1937 production) CaliforniaCalifornia
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...
, villain
Villain
A 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...
J. A. Marsden aims to take over the 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...
-Yucatan
Yucatán
Yucatán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Yucatán is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 106 municipalities and its capital city is Mérida....
Railroad with the aid of his henchman
Henchman
Henchman 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...
El Lobo. The rightful owners, Joyce and Phillip Andrews, naturally object. Their parter, Don Manuel Vega summons his nephew, James Vega, to help them as he is the great grandson of the original 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....
, Don Diego de la Vega. He is disappointed, however, to find that his nephew is a useless fop
Fop
Fop became a pejorative term for a foolish man over-concerned with his appearance and clothes in 17th century England. Some of the very many similar alternative terms are: "coxcomb", fribble, "popinjay" , fashion-monger, and "ninny"...
(presumably Don Manuel had not paid too much attention to his family history).
Nevertheless, James Vega installs himself in the original Zorro's
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....
hideout and adopts the 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....
identity to defeat Marsden and El Lobo. This 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....
uses twin pistols and (like the original Zorro) a whip
Whip
A whip is a tool traditionally used by humans to exert control over animals or other people, through pain compliance or fear of pain, although in some activities whips can be used without use of pain, such as an additional pressure aid in dressage...
as his main weapons of choice, rather than a more traditional sword
Sword
A sword is a bladed weapon used primarily for cutting or thrusting. The precise definition of the term varies with the historical epoch or the geographical region under consideration...
.
Cast
- John CarrollJohn Carroll (actor)John Carroll was an American actor and singer. He was born Julian Lafaye in New Orleans, Louisiana....
as James Vega and his masked alter ego ZorroZorroZorro 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....
. Despite being the same character and actor, the secret identitySecret identityA secret identity is an element of fiction wherein a character develops a separate persona , while keeping their true identity hidden. The character also may wear a disguise...
of the title character is extended to the opening credits wherein "Zorro" and "James Vega" are credited as separate characters. - Helen Christian as Joyce Andrews
- Reed HowesReed HowesReed Howes was a model who later became an actor in silent and sound films.He was born as Hermon Reed Howes in Washington, D.C. in 1900. He served in the US Navy in the closing stages of World War I. After the war Howes attended the University of Utah where he graduated...
as Phillip Andrews - Duncan RenaldoDuncan RenaldoRenault Renaldo Duncan , better known as Duncan Renaldo, was an American actor who portrayed The Cisco Kid in films and on the 1950-1956 American TV series, The Cisco Kid.-Early years:...
as Renaldo - Noah Beery, Sr.Noah Beery, Sr.Noah Nicholas Beery was an American actor, who appeared in films from 1913 to 1945.-Early life:His parents originally came from Switzerland. Beery was born in Kansas City, Missouri. He and his brothers William C. Beery and Wallace Beery became Hollywood actors...
as J. A. Marsden - Richard AlexanderRichard Alexander (actor)Richard Alexander was an American character actor. Born in Dallas, Texas, Alexander appeared in numerous film serials such as Flash Gordon and Zorro Rides Again, as well as a leading role in All Quiet on the Western Front. He is buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park.-References:...
as Brad "El Lobo" Dace - Nigel De BrulierNigel De BrulierNigel De Brulier was an English film actor, who launched his career in the theatre stage in his native country and transferred to movies after moving to USA. His first film role was a poet in The Pursuit of the Phantom in 1914...
as Don Manuel Vega - Robert Kortman as Trelliger
- 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 Carter - Roger Williams as Manning
- Edmund CobbEdmund CobbEdmund Fessenden Cobb was an American actor. He appeared in 623 films between 1912 and 1966.He was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico and died in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles from a heart attack...
as Larkin - Mona RicoMona RicoMona Rico was a Mexican-born American actress. Her films include Eternal Love , Shanghai Lady , A Devil With Women , and Zorro Rides Again .-Career:...
as Carmelita - Tom LondonTom LondonTom London was an American actor who, according to "The Guinness Book of Movie Records," is credited with appearing in the most movies in the history of Hollywood...
as O'Shea - Harry Strang as O'Brien
- Jerry Frank as Duncan
Production
Zorro Rides Again was budgeted at $98,110 although the final negative costNegative 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 $110,753 (a $12,643, or 12.9%, overspend). It was filmed between 8 September and 5 October 1937. The serial's production number was 423. Zorro Rides Again was influenced by the Singing Cowboy trend of the time. Carroll's "best moments" in costume were singing (Lyrics include "Zorro rides again into the night...")
It was shot in Bronson Canyon
Bronson Canyon
Bronson Canyon, or Bronson Caves, is a section of Griffith Park in Los Angeles, California that has become famous as a filming location for a very large number of movies and TV shows, especially westerns and science fiction, from the early days of motion pictures to the present...
, Red Rock Canyon State Park
Red Rock Canyon State Park (California)
Red Rock Canyon State Park features scenic desert cliffs, buttes and spectacular rock formations. The park is located where the southernmost tip of the Sierra Nevada converges with the El Paso Mountains....
, Angeles National Forest
Angeles National Forest
The Angeles National Forest of the U.S. National Forest Service is located in the San Gabriel Mountains of Los Angeles County, southern California. It was established on July 1, 1908, incorporating the first San Bernardino National Forest and parts of the former Santa Barbara and San Gabriel...
, and Chatsworth, Los Angeles.
Stunts
In the opinion of Cline, one of the most memorable stunt scenes in the history of film serials is shown in Zorro Rides Again. Stuntman Yakima CanuttYakima Canutt
Yakima Canutt , also known as Yak Canutt, was an American rodeo rider, actor, stuntman and action director.-Biography:...
plays Zorro as he gallops up to the cab of a moving truck and swings from the saddle to its running board. Even a small mistake during this sequence would have been lethal for Canutt.
Theatrical
Zorro Rides Agains official release date is 20 November 1937, although this is actually the date the sixth chapter was made available to film exchanges. A 68-minute feature film version, created by editing the serial footage together, was released on 22 September 1938 and re-released on 16 January 1959. The feature film had a working titleWorking 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 Mysterious Don Miguel before returning to the original name Zorro Rides Again. This was one of fourteen feature films Republic made from their serials.
Television
In the early 1950s, Zorro Rides Again was one of fourteen Republic serials edited into a television series. It was broadcast in six 26½-minute episodes.Chapter titles
- Death from the Sky (29 min 41s)
- The Fatal Minute (18 min 1s)
- Juggernaut (16 min 18s)
- Unmasked (16 min 19s)
- Sky Pirates (16 min 54s)
- The Fatal Shot (16 min 32s)
- Burning Embers (15 min 30s)
- Plunge of Peril (17 min 10s)
- Tunnel of Terror (17 min 07s)
- Trapped (17 min 23s)
- Right of Way (15 min 47s)
- Retribution (15 min 47s)
Source:
Clffhangers
- Death from the Sky: Zorro, Joyce and Philip, aboard a train, are bombed from the air by El Lobo.
- The Fatal Minute: Knocked unconscious in a warehouse, Zorro is caught in the detonation of a hidden bomb.
- Juggernaut: Zorro's foot is caught in the tracks of a railroad, helpless before an oncoming Express Train.
- Unmasked: Under cover of his heavies' guns, El Lobo reaches to remove Zorro's mask.
- Sky Pirates: Zorro's plane comes under fire as it taxies for takeoff.
- The Fatal Shot: Fighting Trelliger, Zorro falls to the courtyard. El Lobo pulls a gun on the prone vigilante.
- Burning Embers: Zorro is caught in a burning building when the floor gives way beneath him.
- Plunge of Peril: Attempting to escape on a funicualr railwayFunicularA funicular, also known as an inclined plane or cliff railway, is a cable railway in which a cable attached to a pair of tram-like vehicles on rails moves them up and down a steep slope; the ascending and descending vehicles counterbalance each other.-Operation:The basic principle of funicular...
, Zorro plummets down a cliff. - Tunnel of Terror: Zorro is trapped atop the carriage of a train as it enters a tunnel - which explodes.
- Trapped: In a rooftop chase, Zorro loses his balance and falls from the skyscraperSkyscraperA skyscraper is a tall, continuously habitable building of many stories, often designed for office and commercial use. There is no official definition or height above which a building may be classified as a skyscraper...
. - Right of Way: Zorro, in a truck, is set for a collision with El Lobo, in a train.
External links
Zorro Rides Again (1937
1937 in film
The year 1937 in film involved some significant events, including the Walt Disney production of the first full-length animated film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.- Events :*April 16 - Way Out West premieres in the US....
) is a 12-chapter 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....
film serial. It was the eighth of the sixty-six Republic serials, the third with a western
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
theme (a third of Republic's serials were westerns) and the last produced in 1937. The serial was directed by 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,...
& John English and starred John Carroll
John Carroll (actor)
John Carroll was an American actor and singer. He was born Julian Lafaye in New Orleans, Louisiana....
as a modern descendant of the original 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....
. The plot is a fairly standard western storyline about a villain attempting to illicitly take valuable land (in this case a new railroad). The setting is a hybrid of modern (1930s) and western elements that was used occasionally in B-Westerns (such as the western feature films also produced by Republic).
Plot
In contemporary (for the 1937 production) CaliforniaCalifornia
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...
, villain
Villain
A 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...
J. A. Marsden aims to take over the 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...
-Yucatan
Yucatán
Yucatán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Yucatán is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 106 municipalities and its capital city is Mérida....
Railroad with the aid of his henchman
Henchman
Henchman 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...
El Lobo. The rightful owners, Joyce and Phillip Andrews, naturally object. Their parter, Don Manuel Vega summons his nephew, James Vega, to help them as he is the great grandson of the original 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....
, Don Diego de la Vega. He is disappointed, however, to find that his nephew is a useless fop
Fop
Fop became a pejorative term for a foolish man over-concerned with his appearance and clothes in 17th century England. Some of the very many similar alternative terms are: "coxcomb", fribble, "popinjay" , fashion-monger, and "ninny"...
(presumably Don Manuel had not paid too much attention to his family history).
Nevertheless, James Vega installs himself in the original Zorro's
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....
hideout and adopts the 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....
identity to defeat Marsden and El Lobo. This 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....
uses twin pistols and (like the original Zorro) a whip
Whip
A whip is a tool traditionally used by humans to exert control over animals or other people, through pain compliance or fear of pain, although in some activities whips can be used without use of pain, such as an additional pressure aid in dressage...
as his main weapons of choice, rather than a more traditional sword
Sword
A sword is a bladed weapon used primarily for cutting or thrusting. The precise definition of the term varies with the historical epoch or the geographical region under consideration...
.
Cast
- John CarrollJohn Carroll (actor)John Carroll was an American actor and singer. He was born Julian Lafaye in New Orleans, Louisiana....
as James Vega and his masked alter ego ZorroZorroZorro 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....
. Despite being the same character and actor, the secret identitySecret identityA secret identity is an element of fiction wherein a character develops a separate persona , while keeping their true identity hidden. The character also may wear a disguise...
of the title character is extended to the opening credits wherein "Zorro" and "James Vega" are credited as separate characters. - Helen Christian as Joyce Andrews
- Reed HowesReed HowesReed Howes was a model who later became an actor in silent and sound films.He was born as Hermon Reed Howes in Washington, D.C. in 1900. He served in the US Navy in the closing stages of World War I. After the war Howes attended the University of Utah where he graduated...
as Phillip Andrews - Duncan RenaldoDuncan RenaldoRenault Renaldo Duncan , better known as Duncan Renaldo, was an American actor who portrayed The Cisco Kid in films and on the 1950-1956 American TV series, The Cisco Kid.-Early years:...
as Renaldo - Noah Beery, Sr.Noah Beery, Sr.Noah Nicholas Beery was an American actor, who appeared in films from 1913 to 1945.-Early life:His parents originally came from Switzerland. Beery was born in Kansas City, Missouri. He and his brothers William C. Beery and Wallace Beery became Hollywood actors...
as J. A. Marsden - Richard AlexanderRichard Alexander (actor)Richard Alexander was an American character actor. Born in Dallas, Texas, Alexander appeared in numerous film serials such as Flash Gordon and Zorro Rides Again, as well as a leading role in All Quiet on the Western Front. He is buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park.-References:...
as Brad "El Lobo" Dace - Nigel De BrulierNigel De BrulierNigel De Brulier was an English film actor, who launched his career in the theatre stage in his native country and transferred to movies after moving to USA. His first film role was a poet in The Pursuit of the Phantom in 1914...
as Don Manuel Vega - Robert Kortman as Trelliger
- 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 Carter - Roger Williams as Manning
- Edmund CobbEdmund CobbEdmund Fessenden Cobb was an American actor. He appeared in 623 films between 1912 and 1966.He was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico and died in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles from a heart attack...
as Larkin - Mona RicoMona RicoMona Rico was a Mexican-born American actress. Her films include Eternal Love , Shanghai Lady , A Devil With Women , and Zorro Rides Again .-Career:...
as Carmelita - Tom LondonTom LondonTom London was an American actor who, according to "The Guinness Book of Movie Records," is credited with appearing in the most movies in the history of Hollywood...
as O'Shea - Harry Strang as O'Brien
- Jerry Frank as Duncan
Production
Zorro Rides Again was budgeted at $98,110 although the final negative costNegative 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 $110,753 (a $12,643, or 12.9%, overspend). It was filmed between 8 September and 5 October 1937. The serial's production number was 423. Zorro Rides Again was influenced by the Singing Cowboy trend of the time. Carroll's "best moments" in costume were singing (Lyrics include "Zorro rides again into the night...")
It was shot in Bronson Canyon
Bronson Canyon
Bronson Canyon, or Bronson Caves, is a section of Griffith Park in Los Angeles, California that has become famous as a filming location for a very large number of movies and TV shows, especially westerns and science fiction, from the early days of motion pictures to the present...
, Red Rock Canyon State Park
Red Rock Canyon State Park (California)
Red Rock Canyon State Park features scenic desert cliffs, buttes and spectacular rock formations. The park is located where the southernmost tip of the Sierra Nevada converges with the El Paso Mountains....
, Angeles National Forest
Angeles National Forest
The Angeles National Forest of the U.S. National Forest Service is located in the San Gabriel Mountains of Los Angeles County, southern California. It was established on July 1, 1908, incorporating the first San Bernardino National Forest and parts of the former Santa Barbara and San Gabriel...
, and Chatsworth, Los Angeles.
Stunts
In the opinion of Cline, one of the most memorable stunt scenes in the history of film serials is shown in Zorro Rides Again. Stuntman Yakima CanuttYakima Canutt
Yakima Canutt , also known as Yak Canutt, was an American rodeo rider, actor, stuntman and action director.-Biography:...
plays Zorro as he gallops up to the cab of a moving truck and swings from the saddle to its running board. Even a small mistake during this sequence would have been lethal for Canutt.
Theatrical
Zorro Rides Agains official release date is 20 November 1937, although this is actually the date the sixth chapter was made available to film exchanges. A 68-minute feature film version, created by editing the serial footage together, was released on 22 September 1938 and re-released on 16 January 1959. The feature film had a working titleWorking 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 Mysterious Don Miguel before returning to the original name Zorro Rides Again. This was one of fourteen feature films Republic made from their serials.
Television
In the early 1950s, Zorro Rides Again was one of fourteen Republic serials edited into a television series. It was broadcast in six 26½-minute episodes.Chapter titles
- Death from the Sky (29 min 41s)
- The Fatal Minute (18 min 1s)
- Juggernaut (16 min 18s)
- Unmasked (16 min 19s)
- Sky Pirates (16 min 54s)
- The Fatal Shot (16 min 32s)
- Burning Embers (15 min 30s)
- Plunge of Peril (17 min 10s)
- Tunnel of Terror (17 min 07s)
- Trapped (17 min 23s)
- Right of Way (15 min 47s)
- Retribution (15 min 47s)
Source:
Clffhangers
- Death from the Sky: Zorro, Joyce and Philip, aboard a train, are bombed from the air by El Lobo.
- The Fatal Minute: Knocked unconscious in a warehouse, Zorro is caught in the detonation of a hidden bomb.
- Juggernaut: Zorro's foot is caught in the tracks of a railroad, helpless before an oncoming Express Train.
- Unmasked: Under cover of his heavies' guns, El Lobo reaches to remove Zorro's mask.
- Sky Pirates: Zorro's plane comes under fire as it taxies for takeoff.
- The Fatal Shot: Fighting Trelliger, Zorro falls to the courtyard. El Lobo pulls a gun on the prone vigilante.
- Burning Embers: Zorro is caught in a burning building when the floor gives way beneath him.
- Plunge of Peril: Attempting to escape on a funicualr railwayFunicularA funicular, also known as an inclined plane or cliff railway, is a cable railway in which a cable attached to a pair of tram-like vehicles on rails moves them up and down a steep slope; the ascending and descending vehicles counterbalance each other.-Operation:The basic principle of funicular...
, Zorro plummets down a cliff. - Tunnel of Terror: Zorro is trapped atop the carriage of a train as it enters a tunnel - which explodes.
- Trapped: In a rooftop chase, Zorro loses his balance and falls from the skyscraperSkyscraperA skyscraper is a tall, continuously habitable building of many stories, often designed for office and commercial use. There is no official definition or height above which a building may be classified as a skyscraper...
. - Right of Way: Zorro, in a truck, is set for a collision with El Lobo, in a train.
External links
Zorro Rides Again (1937
1937 in film
The year 1937 in film involved some significant events, including the Walt Disney production of the first full-length animated film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.- Events :*April 16 - Way Out West premieres in the US....
) is a 12-chapter 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....
film serial. It was the eighth of the sixty-six Republic serials, the third with a western
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
theme (a third of Republic's serials were westerns) and the last produced in 1937. The serial was directed by 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,...
& John English and starred John Carroll
John Carroll (actor)
John Carroll was an American actor and singer. He was born Julian Lafaye in New Orleans, Louisiana....
as a modern descendant of the original 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....
. The plot is a fairly standard western storyline about a villain attempting to illicitly take valuable land (in this case a new railroad). The setting is a hybrid of modern (1930s) and western elements that was used occasionally in B-Westerns (such as the western feature films also produced by Republic).
Plot
In contemporary (for the 1937 production) CaliforniaCalifornia
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...
, villain
Villain
A 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...
J. A. Marsden aims to take over the 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...
-Yucatan
Yucatán
Yucatán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Yucatán is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 106 municipalities and its capital city is Mérida....
Railroad with the aid of his henchman
Henchman
Henchman 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...
El Lobo. The rightful owners, Joyce and Phillip Andrews, naturally object. Their parter, Don Manuel Vega summons his nephew, James Vega, to help them as he is the great grandson of the original 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....
, Don Diego de la Vega. He is disappointed, however, to find that his nephew is a useless fop
Fop
Fop became a pejorative term for a foolish man over-concerned with his appearance and clothes in 17th century England. Some of the very many similar alternative terms are: "coxcomb", fribble, "popinjay" , fashion-monger, and "ninny"...
(presumably Don Manuel had not paid too much attention to his family history).
Nevertheless, James Vega installs himself in the original Zorro's
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....
hideout and adopts the 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....
identity to defeat Marsden and El Lobo. This 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....
uses twin pistols and (like the original Zorro) a whip
Whip
A whip is a tool traditionally used by humans to exert control over animals or other people, through pain compliance or fear of pain, although in some activities whips can be used without use of pain, such as an additional pressure aid in dressage...
as his main weapons of choice, rather than a more traditional sword
Sword
A sword is a bladed weapon used primarily for cutting or thrusting. The precise definition of the term varies with the historical epoch or the geographical region under consideration...
.
Cast
- John CarrollJohn Carroll (actor)John Carroll was an American actor and singer. He was born Julian Lafaye in New Orleans, Louisiana....
as James Vega and his masked alter ego ZorroZorroZorro 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....
. Despite being the same character and actor, the secret identitySecret identityA secret identity is an element of fiction wherein a character develops a separate persona , while keeping their true identity hidden. The character also may wear a disguise...
of the title character is extended to the opening credits wherein "Zorro" and "James Vega" are credited as separate characters. - Helen Christian as Joyce Andrews
- Reed HowesReed HowesReed Howes was a model who later became an actor in silent and sound films.He was born as Hermon Reed Howes in Washington, D.C. in 1900. He served in the US Navy in the closing stages of World War I. After the war Howes attended the University of Utah where he graduated...
as Phillip Andrews - Duncan RenaldoDuncan RenaldoRenault Renaldo Duncan , better known as Duncan Renaldo, was an American actor who portrayed The Cisco Kid in films and on the 1950-1956 American TV series, The Cisco Kid.-Early years:...
as Renaldo - Noah Beery, Sr.Noah Beery, Sr.Noah Nicholas Beery was an American actor, who appeared in films from 1913 to 1945.-Early life:His parents originally came from Switzerland. Beery was born in Kansas City, Missouri. He and his brothers William C. Beery and Wallace Beery became Hollywood actors...
as J. A. Marsden - Richard AlexanderRichard Alexander (actor)Richard Alexander was an American character actor. Born in Dallas, Texas, Alexander appeared in numerous film serials such as Flash Gordon and Zorro Rides Again, as well as a leading role in All Quiet on the Western Front. He is buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park.-References:...
as Brad "El Lobo" Dace - Nigel De BrulierNigel De BrulierNigel De Brulier was an English film actor, who launched his career in the theatre stage in his native country and transferred to movies after moving to USA. His first film role was a poet in The Pursuit of the Phantom in 1914...
as Don Manuel Vega - Robert Kortman as Trelliger
- 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 Carter - Roger Williams as Manning
- Edmund CobbEdmund CobbEdmund Fessenden Cobb was an American actor. He appeared in 623 films between 1912 and 1966.He was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico and died in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles from a heart attack...
as Larkin - Mona RicoMona RicoMona Rico was a Mexican-born American actress. Her films include Eternal Love , Shanghai Lady , A Devil With Women , and Zorro Rides Again .-Career:...
as Carmelita - Tom LondonTom LondonTom London was an American actor who, according to "The Guinness Book of Movie Records," is credited with appearing in the most movies in the history of Hollywood...
as O'Shea - Harry Strang as O'Brien
- Jerry Frank as Duncan
Production
Zorro Rides Again was budgeted at $98,110 although the final negative costNegative 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 $110,753 (a $12,643, or 12.9%, overspend). It was filmed between 8 September and 5 October 1937. The serial's production number was 423. Zorro Rides Again was influenced by the Singing Cowboy trend of the time. Carroll's "best moments" in costume were singing (Lyrics include "Zorro rides again into the night...")
It was shot in Bronson Canyon
Bronson Canyon
Bronson Canyon, or Bronson Caves, is a section of Griffith Park in Los Angeles, California that has become famous as a filming location for a very large number of movies and TV shows, especially westerns and science fiction, from the early days of motion pictures to the present...
, Red Rock Canyon State Park
Red Rock Canyon State Park (California)
Red Rock Canyon State Park features scenic desert cliffs, buttes and spectacular rock formations. The park is located where the southernmost tip of the Sierra Nevada converges with the El Paso Mountains....
, Angeles National Forest
Angeles National Forest
The Angeles National Forest of the U.S. National Forest Service is located in the San Gabriel Mountains of Los Angeles County, southern California. It was established on July 1, 1908, incorporating the first San Bernardino National Forest and parts of the former Santa Barbara and San Gabriel...
, and Chatsworth, Los Angeles.
Stunts
In the opinion of Cline, one of the most memorable stunt scenes in the history of film serials is shown in Zorro Rides Again. Stuntman Yakima CanuttYakima Canutt
Yakima Canutt , also known as Yak Canutt, was an American rodeo rider, actor, stuntman and action director.-Biography:...
plays Zorro as he gallops up to the cab of a moving truck and swings from the saddle to its running board. Even a small mistake during this sequence would have been lethal for Canutt.
Theatrical
Zorro Rides Agains official release date is 20 November 1937, although this is actually the date the sixth chapter was made available to film exchanges. A 68-minute feature film version, created by editing the serial footage together, was released on 22 September 1938 and re-released on 16 January 1959. The feature film had a working titleWorking 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 Mysterious Don Miguel before returning to the original name Zorro Rides Again. This was one of fourteen feature films Republic made from their serials.
Television
In the early 1950s, Zorro Rides Again was one of fourteen Republic serials edited into a television series. It was broadcast in six 26½-minute episodes.Chapter titles
- Death from the Sky (29 min 41s)
- The Fatal Minute (18 min 1s)
- Juggernaut (16 min 18s)
- Unmasked (16 min 19s)
- Sky Pirates (16 min 54s)
- The Fatal Shot (16 min 32s)
- Burning Embers (15 min 30s)
- Plunge of Peril (17 min 10s)
- Tunnel of Terror (17 min 07s)
- Trapped (17 min 23s)
- Right of Way (15 min 47s)
- Retribution (15 min 47s)
Source:
Clffhangers
- Death from the Sky: Zorro, Joyce and Philip, aboard a train, are bombed from the air by El Lobo.
- The Fatal Minute: Knocked unconscious in a warehouse, Zorro is caught in the detonation of a hidden bomb.
- Juggernaut: Zorro's foot is caught in the tracks of a railroad, helpless before an oncoming Express Train.
- Unmasked: Under cover of his heavies' guns, El Lobo reaches to remove Zorro's mask.
- Sky Pirates: Zorro's plane comes under fire as it taxies for takeoff.
- The Fatal Shot: Fighting Trelliger, Zorro falls to the courtyard. El Lobo pulls a gun on the prone vigilante.
- Burning Embers: Zorro is caught in a burning building when the floor gives way beneath him.
- Plunge of Peril: Attempting to escape on a funicualr railwayFunicularA funicular, also known as an inclined plane or cliff railway, is a cable railway in which a cable attached to a pair of tram-like vehicles on rails moves them up and down a steep slope; the ascending and descending vehicles counterbalance each other.-Operation:The basic principle of funicular...
, Zorro plummets down a cliff. - Tunnel of Terror: Zorro is trapped atop the carriage of a train as it enters a tunnel - which explodes.
- Trapped: In a rooftop chase, Zorro loses his balance and falls from the skyscraperSkyscraperA skyscraper is a tall, continuously habitable building of many stories, often designed for office and commercial use. There is no official definition or height above which a building may be classified as a skyscraper...
. - Right of Way: Zorro, in a truck, is set for a collision with El Lobo, in a train.