The Phantom (serial)
A 1943 serial based on Lee Falk's comic strip.
The Phantom is a 1943 superhero serial consisting of 15 chapters, produced by Rudolph C. Flothow and directed by B. Reeves Eason. Tom Tyler plays the title role. The story is adapted from Lee Falk’s comic strip, which King Features Syndicate began distributing to newspapers in 1936. Jeanne Bates appears as Diana Palmer, the Phantom’s girlfriend, and Ace the Wonder Dog plays Devil, the Phantom’s German shepherd (the comic strip originally depicted Devil as a wolf).
In the plot, Professor Davidson plans an expedition to find the Lost City of Zoloz, whose location is split across seven ivory pieces; he already holds three. Doctor Bremmer wants the city for himself, intending to use it as a secret airbase for an unnamed country. To remove the Phantom as an obstacle, Bremmer shoots him and presumes him dead, but the Phantom survives and continues in his role. Three more ivory pieces belong to Singapore Smith, who initially steals Davidson’s fragments. The seventh and most important piece is missing at first but later turns up in the possession of Tartar; the Phantom acquires it by wrestling Tartar’s pet gorilla.
The cast includes Tom Tyler as the Phantom, Jeanne Bates as Diana Palmer, Ernie Adams as Rusty Fenton, John Bagni as Moku, Frank Shannon as Prof. Davidson, Kenneth MacDonald as Dr. Max Bremmer, Joe Devlin as Singapore Smith, and Al Ferguson as an uncredited thug.
Like most serials, this one had a low budget. Most filming took place in the Hollywood hills, which stood in for the African jungle. In the serial, the Phantom’s real name is Geoffrey Prescott; the comic strip had not yet introduced his real name at that time (it later became Kit Walker). When the Phantom covers his costume with a hat, dark glasses, and an overcoat to enter civilization unobtrusively, he tells Singapore Smith to call him “Walker.”
The serial was released on a double-disc DVD by VCI Video in 2001, using the cover art from their earlier VHS release. Special features include a commentary track by writer Max Allan Collins for Chapter One only, plus actor bios, a photo gallery, and a comic book art gallery. A different DVD edition came out exclusively in Australia in 2005, featuring an hour-long conversation between Frew Publications editor-in-chief Jim Shepherd and film historian James Sherlock about the Phantom comic and
- Release year
- 1943
- Production company
- Columbia Pictures
- Director
- B. Reeves Eason
- Producer
- Rudolph C. Flothow
- Starring
- Tom Tyler
- Based on
- Lee Falk's comic strip The Phantom
- Number of chapters
- 15
Lore & Background
The serial's plot involves Professor Davidson planning an expedition to find the Lost City of Zoloz, whose location is on seven ivory pieces. Doctor Bremmer shoots the original Phantom, presuming him dead, to use the city as a secret airbase, but the Phantom survives and does not pass the mantle to his son. Three ivory pieces are owned by Singapore Smith, and the seventh is acquired by the Phantom after wrestling a pet gorilla belonging to Tartar.
Reader's Guide
The Phantom serial is notable as one of Columbia's better serials, according to Jim Harmon and Donald F. Glut, who praised its casting, settings, and mood compared to other studio efforts. However, Martin Pasko criticized its implausible script, wooden acting, and low budget. Tom Tyler's portrayal was described as having an uncanny resemblance to the comic strip character, though some critics found him wooden. Creator Lee Falk disliked the serial, saying it looked like it was shot in a phone booth. A sequel was attempted in 1955 but abandoned due to rights issues, with footage repurposed for The Adventures of Captain Africa.
Did You Know?
- The serial was released as a double-disc DVD by VCI Video in 2001 with a commentary track by writer Max Allan Collins for Chapter One only.
- Much of the dialogue of Chapter 11 had to be re-dubbed by new actors because the original soundtrack-on-film negative was damaged.
- In the serial, the Phantom's real name is Geoffrey Prescott; the comic strip later introduced the name Kit Walker.
- A 1955 sequel was started with John Hart but halted when Columbia's rights expired; stock footage of Tom Tyler was used in The Adventures of Captain Africa.
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