''Trader Tom of the China Seas'' is a 1954

Republic A republic () is a "state in which power rests with the people or their representatives; specifically a state without a monarchy" and also a "government, or system of government, of such a state." Previously, especially in the 17th and 18th c ...

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

Franklin Adreon Franklin "Pete" Adreon (November 18, 1902 – September 10, 1979) was an American film and television director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. Early life and career Born in Gambrills, Maryland, Adreon was a Marine Reservist during the 30s ...

and starring

Harry Lauter Herman Arthur "Harry" Lauter (June 19, 1914 – October 30, 1990) was an American character actor. Early years Lauter was born in White Plains, New York. He worked as a model for a professional photographer and was a rodeo rider before m ...

Aline Towne Fern Aline Waller (née Eggen, 7 November 1919 – 2 February 1996), known as Aline Towne, was an American film and television actress, best remembered for her lead roles in 1950s Republic serials, such as ''Radar Men from the Moon''. Bio ...

Lyle Talbot Lyle Florenz Talbot (born Lisle Henderson, also credited Lysle Talbot; February 8, 1902 – March 2, 1996) was an American stage, screen and television actor. His career in films spanned three decades, from 1931 to 1960, and he performed on ...

Robert Shayne Robert Shayne (born Robert Shaen Dawe, October 4, 1900 – November 29, 1992) was an American actor whose career lasted for over 60 years. He was best known for portraying Inspector Bill Henderson in the American television series '' Adven ...

, Fred Graham, and Richard Reeves. In 1966 the serial was edited into ''Century 66'' 100-minute television film with the new title ''Target: Sea of China''.

Plot

The United Nations has island trader Tom Rogers and Vivian Wells, daughter of a schooner captain, spearheading the effort to keep subversive native groups from starting revolutions in Burmatra and neighboring Asian countries.

Cast

as Tom Rogers *

as Vivian Wells *

as Barent *

as Major Conroy * Fred Graham as Kurt Daley * Richard Reeves as Rebel Chief * John Crawford as Bill Gaines *

George Selk George Selk (May 15, 1893 – January 22, 1967) was an American film and television actor. He was known for playing the role of stableman Moss Grimmick in the American western television series ''Gunsmoke'' from 1955 to 1963. Selk portrayed Ge ...

as Ole

Production

''Trader Tom of the China Seas'' was budgeted at $172,789 although the final

negative cost Negative cost is the net expense to produce and shoot a film, excluding such expenditures as distribution and promotion. Low-budget movies, for example ''The Blair Witch Project ''The Blair Witch Project'' is a 1999 American supernatural h ...

was $169,248 (a $3,541, or 2%, under spend). It was the cheapest Republic serial of 1954. It was filmed between 8 September and 28 September 1953. The serial's production number was 1937.

Stunts

Dale Van Sickel Dale Harris Van Sickel (November 29, 1907 – January 25, 1977) was an American college football, basketball and baseball player during the 1920s, who later became a Hollywood motion picture actor and stunt performer for over forty years. Van ...

as Tom Rogers/Rebel Assassin in Jeep (doubling Harry Lauter) * Tom Steele as Gursan * Fred Graham *Bert LeBaron as Railroad Fireman *

Ken Terrell Kenneth Jones Terrell (April 29, 1904 – March 8, 1966) was an American western and action film actor and stuntman best known for playing Joe Marcelli in the 1956 film ''Indestructible Man'' and Jess in the 1958 film ''Attack of the 50 Foo ...

as Crewman

Special Effects

Special effects were created by the

Lydecker brothers Howard and Theodore Lydecker, always known—and billed—as such, were Howard "Babe" Lydecker (June 8, 1911 – September 26, 1969) and Theodore Lydecker (November 7, 1908 – May 25, 1990), a special effects team primarily working as contract s ...

Release

Theatrical

''Trader Tom of the China Seass official release date is 11 January 1954, although this is actually the date the sixth chapter was made available to film exchanges. This was followed by a re-release of ''

Secret Service in Darkest Africa ''Secret Service in Darkest Africa'' is a 1943 Republic serial. It was Republic's thirtieth serial, of the sixty-six produced by the studio. It was a sequel to ''G-Men vs. the Black Dragon'' released earlier in 1943, again starring Rod Camero ...

'', re-titled as ''Manhunt in the African Jungles'', instead of a new serial. The next new serial, ''

Man with the Steel Whip ''Man with the Steel Whip'' is a 1954 Republic Western serial film. It uses considerable stock footage from the previous Republic serials "Zorro's Black Whip", "The Painted Stallion" and "Daredevils of the West." Plot Saloon owner Barnett wants ...

'', followed in the summer.

Television

''Trader Tom of the China Seas'' was one of twenty-six Republic serials re-released as a ''Century 66'' film on television in 1966. The title of the film was changed to ''Target: Sea of China''. This version was cut down to 100-minutes in length.

Critical reception

Cline describes this serial as just a "quickie."

Chapter titles

# Sea Saboteurs (20min) # Death Takes the Deck (13min 20s) # Five Fathoms Down (13min 20s) # On Target (13min 20s) # The Fire Ship (13min 20s) # Collision (13min 20s) # War in the Hills (13min 20s) # Native Execution (13min 20s) # Mass Attack (13min 20s) # Machine Murder (13min 20s) - a re-cap chapter # Underwater Ambush (13min 20s) # Twisted Vengeance (13min 20s) _Source:

References

External links

* * {{Republic serials 1954 films 1954 adventure films American black-and-white films 1950s English-language films Republic Pictures film serials Seafaring films American adventure films Films directed by Franklin Adreon 1950s American films