King of the Royal Mounted (serial)

Infobox Film
name = King of the Royal Mounted


director =William Witney
John English
producer =Hiram S. Brown Jr
writer =Franklin Adreon
Norman S. Hall
Joeseph F. Poland
Barney A. Sarecky
Sol Shor
starring =Allan Lane
Robert Strange
Robert Kellard
Lita Conway
Herbert Rawlinson
Harry Cording
Bryant Washburn
Budd Buster
cinematography = William Nobles
distributor = Republic Pictures
released = Flagicon|USA 20 September 1940 "(serial)"cite book
last = Mathis
first = Jack
title = Valley of the Cliffhangers Supplement
origyear = 1995
publisher = Jack Mathis Advertising
isbn = 0-9632878-1-8
pages = pp. 3, 10, 48-49
chapter = ]
Flagicon|USA 30 April 1942 "(feature)"
runtime = 12 chapters (211 minutes) "(serial)"
68 minutes "(feature)"
language = English
country = USA
budget = $136,686 (negative cost: $137,874)
followed_by = "King of the Mounties" (1942)
amg_id = 1:152364
imdb_id = 0032669

"King of the Royal Mounted" (1940) is a Republic northern serial based on the King of the Royal Mounted Comic strip directed by William Witney and John English.

Set and filmed during World War II, the story is about the Royal Canadian Mounted Police against Nazi spies after a new Canadian discovery, "Compound X".

A feature version, called "The Yukon Patrol" was released in 1942.

Plot

In World War II, the Nazis require a special mineral, Compound X, discovered in Canada. Although intended to cure paralysis, the Nazis have discovered that it can be used in magnetic mines to destroy the British fleet and blockade America to prevent it assisting the Allies. The Mounties discover this plot and work to defeat and capture the Nazi spies sent to obtain the ore. Sgt King's father is killed in the line of duty, saving his son from death on a circular saw, and leaving him to carry on the fight against the enemy.

The plot was described as "pure and simple propaganda" by William Witney.Witney, William (1996). "In a Door, Into a Fight, Out a Door, Into a Chase: Moviemaking Remembered by the Guy at the Door". (McFarland & Company) ISBN 0786422580]

Cast

*Allan Lane as Sergeant Dave King
*Robert Strange as John Kettler. Strange's performance is described by Cline as "a flawless characterisation." [cite book
last = Cline
first = William C.
title = In the Nick of Time
origyear = 1984
publisher = McFarland & Company, Inc.
isbn = 078640471X
pages = pp. 142
chapter = 9. They Who Also Serve (The Citizens) ]
*Robert Kellard as Corporal Tom Merritt Jr
*Lita Conway as Linda Merritt
*Herbert Rawlinson as Inspector King
*Harry Cording as Wade Garson
*Bryant Washburn as Matt Crandall
*Budd Buster as Vinegar Smith

Production

"King of the Royal Mounted" was budgeted at $136,686 although the final negative cost was $137,874 (a $1,188, or 0.9%, overspend). It was the cheapest Republic serial of 1940 which was the first year in which Republic's overall spending on serial production was less than in the previous year..

It was filmed between 18 June and 12 July 1940. The serial's production number was 998.

Republic found success with this naming scheme following this adaptation and subsequently liked calling their heroes "King" in order to use the title "King of..." It even led the studio to name Roy Rogers "King of the Cowboys.". [cite book
last = Harmon
first = Jim
coauthors= Donald F. Glut
authorlink = Jim Harmon
title = The Great Movie Serials: Their Sound and Fury
origyear = 1973
publisher = Routledge
isbn = 9780713000979
pages = pp. 283
chapter = 11. New Masks for New Heroes "Get That Masked Trouble Maker" ] [cite book
last = Cline
first = William C.
title = In the Nick of Time
origyear = 1984
publisher = McFarland & Company, Inc.
isbn = 078640471X
pages = pp. 23-24
chapter = 2. In Search of Ammunition ]

Director William Witney records that production of the serial was not pleasant. Although the interview for the leading man went well, neither Witney nor his partner John English subsequently had a high opinion of Allan Lane as a person or as an actor. The serial is only afforded three pages in the autobiography of his serial-years, in a chapter entitled "Two Duds and a Hot Water Tank".

Filming took place on location, following a good weather forecast from a Doctor Krich at Cal Tech, at Big Bear Lake. The area had a log cabin settlement and a disguised dam (logs covering concrete) built by Paramount Pictures for "The Trail of the Lonesome Pine" (1936). The area also had the pine trees necessary for the Canadian setting.

Release

Theatrical

"King of the Royal Mounted"'s official release date is 20 September 1940, 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 30 April 1940 under the title "The Yukon Patrol". It was one of fourteen feature films Republic made from their serials.

Chapter titles

# Manhunt "(26 min 48s)"
# Winged Death "(17 min 6s)"
# Boomerang "(16 min 45s)"
# Devil Doctor "(16 min 45s)"
# Sabotage "(16 min 51s)"
# False Ransom "(16 min 42s)"
# Death Tunes In "(16 min 43s)"
# Satan's Cauldron "(16 min 40s)"
# Espionage "(16 min 43s)"
# Blazing Guns "(16 min 41s)"
# Master Spy "(16 min 50s)"
# Code of the Mounted "(16 min 40s)"_Source: [cite book
last = Cline
first = William C.
title = In the Nick of Time
origyear = 1984
publisher = McFarland & Company, Inc.
isbn = 078640471X
pages = pp. 228
chapter = Filmography ]

ee also

* List of film serials by year
* List of film serials by studio
* "King of the Mounties" (1942) - sequel

References

External links

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###@@@KEY@@@###succession box
title=Republic Serial
before=Adventures of Red Ryder (1940)
years=King of the Royal Mounted (1940)
after=Mysterious Doctor Satan (1940)succession box
title=Witney-English Serial
before=Adventures of Red Ryder (1940)
years=King of the Royal Mounted (1940)
after=Mysterious Doctor Satan (1940)