''The Vanishing Legion'' is a 1931 American

pre-Code Pre-Code Hollywood was the brief era in the Cinema of the United States, American film industry between the widespread adoption of sound in film in 1929LaSalle (2002), p. 1. and the enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code censorshi ...

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

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 ...

from

Mascot A mascot is any human, animal, or object thought to bring luck, or anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name. Mascots are also used as fi ...

, directed by

Ford Beebe Ford Beebe (November 26, 1888 – November 26, 1978) was a screenwriter and Film director, director. He entered the film business as a writer around 1916 and over the next 60 years wrote and/or directed almost 200 films. He specialized in B-movi ...

and

B. Reeves Eason William Reeves Eason (October 2, 1886 – June 9, 1956), known as B. Reeves Eason, was an American film director, actor and screenwriter. His directorial output was limited mainly to low-budget westerns and action pictures, but it was as a secon ...

. Stars

Harry Carey Harry Carey may refer to: *Harry Carey (actor) (1878–1947), American actor * Harry Carey Jr. (1921–2012), American actor * Harry Carey (footballer) (1916–1991), Australian rules footballer See also * Henry Carey (disambiguation) * Harry Car ...

and

Edwina Booth Edwina Booth (born Josephine Constance Woodruff; September 13, 1904 – May 18, 1991) was an American actress. She is best known for the 1931 film '' Trader Horn'', during the filming of which she contracted an illness which effectively ended ...

were originally intended to be in the studio's previous serial, ''

King of the Wild ''King of the Wild'' is a 1931 American Pre-Code Hollywood, pre-Code Mascot Pictures, Mascot Serial (film), movie serial. The complete serial is available on DVD from Alpha Video. A seven-reel feature version of the serial was later released i ...

'', but had to be re-cast when the MGM film ''

Trader Horn Alfred Aloysius "Trader" Horn (born Alfred Aloysius Smith; 1861–1931) was an ivory trader in central Africa. He wrote a book, ''Trader Horn'', detailing his journeys. The book also documents his efforts to free slaves; meet the founder of Rhodes ...

'' (1931) overran its schedule. Both also starred in the Mascot serial ''

The Last of the Mohicans ''The Last of the Mohicans: A Narrative of 1757'' is a historical romance written by James Fenimore Cooper in 1826. It is the second book of the '' Leatherstocking Tales'' pentalogy and the best known to contemporary audiences. '' The Pathfinde ...

'' and Carey was the lead in ''

The Devil Horse ''The Devil Horse'' is a 1932 American Pre-Code movie serial starring Harry Carey, Frankie Darro and Noah Beery, Sr. that was distributed by Mascot Pictures. This is regarded as the best of the three serials Harry Carey made in the early 1930s ...

''. An infection received while filming ''Trader Horn'' led to Booth's retirement from acting.

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 ...

supplied the voice of the serial's mystery villain, "The Voice".

Plot

Masked mystery villain A masked villain, also seen as masked mystery villain, is a stock character in genre fiction. It was developed and popularized in movie serials, beginning with The Hooded Terror in ''The House of Hate'', (1918) the first fully-costumed mystery v ...

The Voice is out to sabotage the Milesburg Oil Co. "Happy" Cardigan needs to successfully drill for oil before his contract with Milesburg expires or he goes broke. Jimmie Williams' father, Jed ( Edward Hearn), has been framed for murder. Secretary Caroline Hall appears to have an ulterior motive. The mysterious "Vanishing Legion" is also on the scene. Jimmie and Cardigan team up, along with Jimmie's horse Rex, to defeat The Voice and solve the mysteries surrounding Milesburg.

Cast

as "Happy" Cardigan, drilling for oil before his contract expires *

as Caroline Hall, Hornbeck's secretary *

Rex the Wonder Horse Rex, also known as Rex the Wonder Horse and King of the Wild Horses (born 1916 or 1917) was a Morgan stallion who starred in films and film serials in the 1920s and 1930s. His trainer was Jack "Swede" Lindell, who found him in a boys' school ...

as Rex, ''King of Wild Horses'', whom only Jimmie can ride * William Desmond as Milesburg Sheriff *

Frankie Darro Frankie Darro (born Frank Johnson, Jr.; December 22, 1917 – December 25, 1976) was an American actor and later in his career a stuntman. He began his career as a child actor in silent films, progressed to lead roles and co-starring roles ...

as Jimmie Williams, whose father is wanted for murder, teams up with Cardigan to unmask The Voice *

Philo McCullough Philo McCullough (June 16, 1893 – June 5, 1981) was an American actor. He appeared in more than 250 films between 1914 and 1969. He was born in San Bernardino, California, and died in Burbank, California. McCullough's film debut came in 1 ...

as Stevens *

Yakima Canutt Enos Edward "Yakima" Canutt (November 29, 1895 – May 24, 1986) was an American champion rodeo rider, actor, stuntman, and action director. He developed many stunts for films and the techniques and technology to protect stuntmen in performing t ...

as Yak *

Joe Bonomo Joe Bonomo is an American essayist and music writer. Life Bonomo was born and raised in Wheaton, Maryland. He graduated from University of Maryland (BA) and Ohio University (MA and PhD). His books include ''No Place I Would Rather Be: Roger Ang ...

as Stuffy * Tom Dugan as Warren, a Milesburg Oil Company director *

Lafe McKee Lafayette S. "Lafe" McKee (January 23, 1872 – August 10, 1959) was an American actor who appeared in more than 400 films from 1912 to 1948. Part of his career was spent with Art Mix Productions. McKee also worked as a stage actor from 19 ...

as Hornbeck, a lawyer for the Milesburg Oil Company *

Bob Kortman Robert F. Kortman (December 24, 1887 – March 13, 1967) was an American film actor mostly associated with westerns, though he also appeared in a number of Laurel and Hardy comedies. He appeared in more than 260 films between 1914 and 1952. ...

as Marno,

henchman A henchman (''vernacular:'' "hencher"), is a loyal employee, supporter, or aide to some powerful figure engaged in nefarious or criminal enterprises. Henchmen are typically relatively unimportant in the organization: minions whose value lies pri ...

of The Voice *

Paul Weigel Paul Weigel (18 February 1867 – 25 May 1951) was a German-American actor. He appeared in more than 110 films between 1916 and 1945. Selected filmography * '' Naked Hearts'' (1916) - Cecil's Father * '' Each Pearl a Tear'' (1916) - Roger ...

as Larribee, a Milesburg Oil Company director *

Olive Carey Olive Carey (born Olive Fuller Golden; January 31, 1896 – March 13, 1988) was an American film and television actress, and the mother of actor Harry Carey Jr. Life and career Carey was born Olive Fuller Golden in New York City, the daughter o ...

as Nurse Lewis *

as the voice of The Voice, the serial's

masked mystery villain A masked villain, also seen as masked mystery villain, is a stock character in genre fiction. It was developed and popularized in movie serials, beginning with The Hooded Terror in ''The House of Hate'', (1918) the first fully-costumed mystery v ...

Chapter titles

# Voice from the Void # Queen of the Night Riders # The Invisible Enemy # The Fatal Message # The Trackless Trail # The Radio Riddle # The Crimson Clue # Doorway of Disaster # When Time Stood Still # Riding the Whirlwind # Capsule of Oblivion # Hoofs of Horror ic_Source:

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Vanishing Legion, The 1931 films American black-and-white films 1930s English-language films Films directed by B. Reeves Eason Films directed by Ford Beebe Mascot Pictures film serials 1931 Western (genre) films American Western (genre) films Works about petroleum Films produced by Nat Levine 1930s American films