The Lost Special (serial)

Infobox Film
name = The Lost Special


image_size =
caption =
director = Henry MacRae
producer = Henry MacRae
writer = Ella O'Neill
George Morgan
George H. Plympton
Basil Dickey
Arthur Conan Doyle "(original story)"
narrator =
starring = Frank Albertson
Ernie Nevers
Cecilia Parker
Caryl Lincoln
music =
cinematography = John Hickson
editing = Alvin Todd
Edward Todd
distributor = Universal Pictures
released = Flagicon|USA 5 December 1932
runtime = 12 chapters (240 min)
country = USA
language = English
budget =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website =
amg_id = 1:127134
imdb_id = 0023150

"The Lost Special" (1932) is a Universal movie serial based on the story "The Lost Special" by Arthur Conan Doyle. This adaptation does not include Conan Doyle's character Sherlock Holmes, and moves events to the American West.

This was the 84th serial (and the 16th serial with sound) to be released by Universal.

Plot overview

A special train carrying gold bullion from the Golconda Mine, that is stopped by henchmen, working secretly for Sam Slater (J. Frank Glendon), partner of Potter Hood (Francis Ford), in the mine ownership. Laying down portable tracks, the bandits take the train off the main line, hide it in an abandoned mine shaft, steal the gold, and pick up their make-shift tracks, leaving a mystery in their wake. Potter's son Tom Hood (Frank Albertson), just home from college, determines to solve the mystery with the aid of his pal Bob Collins (Ernie Nevers.) They board the gold-shipment special train on its next run. Newspaper reporter Betty Moore (Cecilia Parker)and her friend Kate Bland (Caryl Lincoln)are in a car driving along a road that parallels the train tracks, when Bob is attacked by henchman Dirk (Tom London) and, while fighting, Dirk's revolver goes off, shatters the windshield of Betty's Car, blinding her and sending her car toward the on-rushing train.

Cast

*Frank Albertson as Tom Hood, son of Potter Hood
*Ernie Nevers as Bob Collins, Tom's friend.
*Cecilia Parker as Betty Moore, Reporter and niece of Horace Moore
*Francis Ford as Potter Hood, part owner of the Golconda gold mine
*J. Frank Glendon as Sam Slater, part owner of the Golconda gold mine
*Frank Beal as Horace Moore, owner of the railroad
*Caryl Lincoln as Kate Bland, friend of Betty Moore
*Tom London as Dirk/Detective Dane
*Al Ferguson as Gavin
*Jack Clifford as Doran
*Edmund Cobb as Spike
*Joe Bonomo as Joe
*George Magrill as Lefty
*Harold Nelson as Professor Wilson

Production

The advertising for the serial stated: quote|"Another BIG-AUTHOR serial from the same studios that gave you Peter B. Kyne's "Heroes of the West" and Talbot Mundy's "Jungle Mystery"...Terrifically fast, tremendously thrilling, and packed right with the sort of mystery that only the touch of a master writer can give!"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. 115
chapter = 5. Real Life Heroes "Just Strangle the Lion in Your Usual Way" ]

American Football star Ernie Nevers was cast as the lead. Another sports star, Reb Russell, was cast in the role of "One of Bob's College Pals."

tunts

*George DeNormand
*George Magrill

Chapter titles

# The Lost Special
# Racing Death
# The Red Lantern
# Devouring Flames
# The Lighting Strikes
# The House of Mystery
# The Tank Room Terror
# The Fatal Race
# Into the Depths
# The Jaws of Death
# The Flaming Forest
# Retribution_Source: [cite book
last = Cline
first = William C.
title = In the Nick of Time
origyear = 1984
publisher = McFarland & Company, Inc.
isbn = 078640471X
pages = pp. 207
chapter = Filmography ]

ee also

*List of film serials by year
*List of film serials by studio

References

External links

*imdb title|id=0023150|title=The Lost Special
*amg title|id=1:127134|title=The Lost Special

###@@@KEY@@@###succession box
title=Universal Serial
before=The Jungle Mystery (1932)
years=The Lost Special (1932)
after=Clancy of the Mounted (1933)