ROAR OF THE IRON HORSE - Rail-Blazer of the Apache Trail

Jock Mahoney and Rick Vallin

ROAR OF THE IRON HORSE - Rail-Blazer of the Apache Trail (15-chapter Columbia serial/1951). Directors: Spencer Gordon Bennet; Thomas Carr. Colorized.

In 1867 there are forces who are opposing the building of a transcontinental railroad. On one side is railroad agent (and secret Deputy  Marshall) Jim Grant (Jock Mahoney) and his allies -- including crusty old Rocky (William Fawcett) and brother and sister Carol and Tom Lane (Virginia Herrick and Harold Landon) -- and on the other side is a man called the Baron (George Eldredge), and his allies, including Homer Lathrop (Jack Ingram), who runs the railroad but is working against it, and the nasty Scully (Rusty Westcoatt). The baron also has many Indians on his side, with the exception of White Eagle (Rick Vallin). 

Mahoney visits with a U.S. Marshall (uncredited)

Throughout the serial's fifteen chapters Jim and his allies are nearly burned at the stake, trapped in a box canyon with explosives being lobbed at them; caught in a variety of gun battles; and Carol nearly goes over a cliff in a runaway wagon. Mahoney -- billed as Jock O'Mahoney -- handles all of this with aplomb, and the rest of the cast, including Fawcett and Myron Healey as Ace, provide good support. A rousing musical score by John Leipold helps a lot. 

Verdict: If you like western cliffhanger serials, this one is a good bet. ***. 

BATMAN AND ROBIN

The dynamic duo!

BATMAN AND ROBIN (15 chapter Columbia serial/1949). Director: Spencer Gordon Bennet. Colorized. 

Commissioner Gordon (Lyle Talbot) calls in Batman and Robin to help him with a sinister foe called the Wizard who uses a remote control device and can even turn himself invisible at times. Also investigating is reporter Vicki Vale (Jane Adams), who hangs out at the estate of always-tired Bruce Wayne (Robert Lowery) and his ward Dick (Johnny Duncan), and whose brother Jimmy (George Offerman Jr.) is a member of the Wizard's gang. Suspects as to the true identity of the Wizard include dyspeptic Professor Hammil (William Fawcett); radio announcer Barry Brown (Rick Vallin); private eye Dunne (Michael Whalen); and Hammil's valet, Carter (Leonard Penn). 

WHO is The Wizard? 

Batman and Robin is one of the best of Columbia's chapterplays, building up real suspense in the final chapters, and featuring exciting fight scenes, chases, and cliffhangers. Lowery and Duncan make a good pair of stalwart heroes, Adams is plucky and pretty, and even Lyle Talbot scores as the commissioner, with Offerman also effective as the ill-fated Jimmy. The Wizard is voiced quite well by Gerald Mohr (of Angry Red Planet). 

Verdict: Despite its obvious absurdities, this chapterplay really plays. ***1/4. 

THE D.A.'S MAN

John Compton

THE D.A.'S MAN (1959). One season and 26 half-hour episodes.

Shannon (John Compton) is a former private eye who is now working with the district attorney's office in Manhattan as an undercover investigator. He reports to assistant D.A. Al Bonacorsi (Ralph Manza), and often works with another ADA named Ed Carney (Alfred Shelly). Although Compton was almost illegally good-looking, the stories rarely make references to his appearance, -- "a face like a Greek God," a woman says in "The Duke" --  although there are indications that he's a bit of a ladies man. 

"Iron Mike Benedict:" Wm Fawcett; Compton

Among the more memorable episodes: "The Actress" features an excellent Whitney Blake as a junkie waiting for her fix to arrive as an undercover Shannon waits with her and tries to help her. "Manhattan Gigolo" has Shannon "dating" an old woman as part of an investigation into a murderous Park Avenue safecracker (Paul Burke). William Fawcett gives a fine performance as "Iron Mike Benedict," one of the alcoholic victims of Stafford Repp, a bar owner who poisons customers for their insurance money. In the touching conclusion, Mike comes to see Shannon, in disguise as a bowery bum, as the son he never had. 

Alfred Shelly with Compton

Robert Ellenstein grooms young ladies for prostitution in "Mr. Santa Claus." Shannon goes undercover as a boxer to trap men who murder fighters who refuse to take a dive in "Club Fighter." In "Shakedown," in which phony cops and a pretty gal scam lonely out-of-town businessmen, Compton puts on a very convincing hayseed impersonation. In "The Duke" John Hudson heads a gang of fur thieves at a bar-hangout which Shannon infiltrates. Shannon investigates a murder in a small town in "Girls Best Friend."

The D.A.'s Man was an interesting series that was too short-lived to make much of an impression or help Compton's career. Compton's performances were a little uneven, as well, sometimes quite perfunctory, and other times -- especially when he was in character as part of his cover -- much more impressive. All but a couple of the episodes are available on youtube. 

Verdict: Some good stories and a handsome lead actor never hurt. **3/4. 

BATMAN AND ROBIN (1943)

Talbot, Lowery and Duncan

BATMAN AND ROBIN (15 chapter Columbia serial/1943). Director: Spencer Bennet. 

An unknown enemy called the Wizard (voice of Gerald Mohr, I believe)  employs a device that can take over control of any moving vehicle from afar. Later he develops the ability to turn invisible and can really get up to mischief! The Batman (Robert Lowery) and Robin (Johnny Duncan) find there are a number of suspects who could be the nefarious Wizard: Professor Hammil (William Fawcett), who may not be stuck in a wheelchair as he pretends; his houseman Carter (Leonard Penn); the inventor Morton (Marshall Bradford); radio announcer Barry Brown (Rick Vallin), who seems to know a lot more about the Wizard's activities than he should; and others.

The Wizard plots

Suspenseful, exciting, and quite well-done in all departments, Batman and Robin is one of the best-ever Columbia serials, and one of the best cliffhangers ever made period. Lowery and Duncan impersonate the Dark Knight and his ward to near-perfection; Jane Adams and George Offerman Jr. are notable as reporter Vicki Vale and her ill-fated brother, Jimmy; and even Lyle Talbot as Commissioner Gordon is better than usual. There is no batmobile in this serial, but we do have the batcave and its entrance through a grandfather clock. Cliffhanger sequences include Batman being forced to shoot Robin; a room that rapidly fills with a deadly gas, trapping our heroes; and Batman falling off of a cliff after being electrofried. The serial also has terrific theme music, although the composer is uncredited. 

Verdict: Far superior to and a lot more fun than the sixties TV show and many of the movies that followed. ***1/2.