''The Lightning Raider'' is a 1919 American

action Action may refer to: * Action (narrative), a literary mode * Action fiction, a type of genre fiction * Action game, a genre of video game Film * Action film, a genre of film * ''Action'' (1921 film), a film by John Ford * ''Action'' (1980 fil ...

film serial A serial film, film serial (or just serial), movie serial, or chapter play, is a motion picture form popular during the first half of the 20th century, consisting of a series of short subjects exhibited in consecutive order at one theater, gene ...

directed by

George B. Seitz George Brackett Seitz (January 3, 1888 – July 8, 1944) was an American playwright, screenwriter, film actor and director. He was known for his screenplays for action serials, such as '' The Perils of Pauline'' (1914) and ''The Exploits o ...

. It was the on-screen debut of

Boris Karloff William Henry Pratt (23 November 1887 – 2 February 1969), better known by his stage name Boris Karloff (), was an English actor. His portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in the horror film ''Frankenstein'' (1931) (his 82nd film) established h ...

, albeit as an extra. The film serial survives in an incomplete state with some reels preserved at the

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library is ...

Public Archives of Canada/Dawson City collection and other film archives, but it is not available on home video. The serial was shown in France as ''Par Amour''.

Plot

A beautiful young woman is in reality a daring master thief. While fleeing the scene of her latest robbery, she meets a handsome young millionaire named Thomas Babbington North. The film belongs to the sensationalistic "Yellow Menace" genre of its time, with

Warner Oland Warner Oland (born Johan Verner Ölund; October 3, 1879 – August 6, 1938) was a Swedish-American actor. His career included time on Broadway and numerous film appearances. He is most remembered for playing several Chinese and Chinese-American ...

playing the insidious Oriental Wu Fang.

Cast

Pearl White Pearl Fay White (March 4, 1889 – August 4, 1938) was an American stage and film actress. She began her career on the stage at the age of six, and later moved on to silent films appearing in a number of popular serials. Dubbed the "Queen of ...

as The Lightning Raider *

as Wu Fang *

Henry G. Sell Henry G. Sell (1884–1968) was an American film actor of the silent era.Klepper p.174 He appeared in a number of serials produced by Pathé Exchange including several with Pearl White. Selected filmography * '' The Iron Claw'' (1916, serial) * ...

as Thomas Babbington North *

Ruby Hoffman Ruby Hoffman (July 28, 1886 – September 22, 1973) was an American silent film and stage actress. Background Ruby Hoffman was born on July 28, 1886, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. She was an actress, known for '' The Lightnin ...

as Lottie * William P. Burt as The Wasp (credited as William Burt) * Frank Redman as Hop Sing * Nellie Burt as Sunbeam * Sam Kim * Henrietta Simpson *

as an extra * Billy Sullivan (credited as William A. Sullivan) * Anita Brown

Episodes

# ''The Ebony Block'' # ''The Counterplot'' # ''Underworld Terrors'' # ''Through Doors of Steel'' # ''The Brass Key'' # ''The Mystic Box'' # ''Meshes of Evil'' # ''Cave of Dread'' # ''Falsely Accused'' # ''The Baited Trap'' # ''The Bars of Death'' # ''Hurled Into Space'' # ''The White Roses'' # ''Cleared of Guilt'' # ''Wu Fang Atones''

References

External links

* 1919 films 1910s action films American black-and-white films American action films American silent serial films Films directed by George B. Seitz Pathé Exchange film serials 1910s American films {{1910s-US-film-stub

Plot

Cast

Episodes

See also

References

External links