''The Last Frontier'' is an American

Pre-Code Pre-Code Hollywood was the brief era in the 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 censorship guidelines, popularly known ...

12-chapter serial, distributed by

RKO Radio Pictures RKO Radio Pictures Inc., commonly known as RKO Pictures or simply RKO, was an American film production and distribution company, one of the "Big Five" film studios of Hollywood's Golden Age. The business was formed after the Keith-Albee-Orph ...

in 1932. The story was based on the novel of the same name by Courtney Ryley Cooper. The serial starred

Lon Chaney, Jr. Creighton Tull Chaney (February10, 1906 – July12, 1973), known by his stage name Lon Chaney Jr., was an American actor known for playing Larry Talbot in the film '' The Wolf Man'' (1941) and its various crossovers, Count Alucard (Dra ...

as the

Zorro Zorro ( Spanish for 'fox') is a fictional character created in 1919 by American pulp writer Johnston McCulley, appearing in works set in the Pueblo of Los Angeles in Alta California. He is typically portrayed as a dashing masked vigilante w ...

-esque hero The Black Ghost.

Dorothy Gulliver Dorothy Kathleen Gulliver (September 6, 1908 – May 23, 1997) was an American silent film actress, and one of the few to make a successful transition when films began using sound. Biography The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Gulliver, she wa ...

was the leading female star. The total running time of the serial is 213 minutes.

Plot

The outlaw "Tiger" Morris attempts to drive settlers off their land in order to acquire the local gold deposits. A crusading newspaper editor, Tom Kirby, becomes the masked vigilante, The Black Ghost, to stop him.

Cast

as Tom Kirby, the editor of the local newspaper and the masked vigilante The Black Ghost *

as Betty Halliday *

Ralph Bushman Ralph Everly Bushman (1903 – 1978), was an American actor. He appeared in 55 films between 1920 and 1943. In his early film career, he often was credited as Francis X. Bushman Jr. The son of notable silent film star Francis X. Bushman and ...

as Jeff Maitland * William Desmond as General George Custer *

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 Joe, one of Morris' henchman. Listed as "Kit Gordon" in the credits. *

Pete Morrison George D. "Pete" Morrison (August 8, 1890 – February 5, 1973) was an American silent western film actor born in Westminster, Colorado. During his childhood he lived in Morrison, Colorado (named for his grandfather George Morrison) and Idaho S ...

as Hank, one of Morris' henchman *

LeRoy Mason LeRoy Franklin Mason (July 2, 1903 – October 13, 1947) was an American film actor who worked primarily in Westerns in both the silent and sound film eras. Mason was born in Larimore, North Dakota on July 2, 1903. Career 1920s Mason's fi ...

as Buck, Morris' spearpoint heavy (chief henchman) *

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 ...

Wild Bill Hickok James Butler Hickok (May 27, 1837August 2, 1876), better known as "Wild Bill" Hickok, was a folk hero of the American Old West known for his life on the frontier as a soldier, scout, lawman, gambler, showman, and actor, and for his involvement ...

Mary Jo Desmond Mary may refer to: People * Mary (name), a feminine given name (includes a list of people with the name) Religious contexts * New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below * Mary, mother of Jesus, also calle ...

as Aggie Kirby *

Slim Cole Slim Cole (born Nathan Cole Hebert, and sometimes credited as King Cole) was an American actor and stuntman who appeared in a string of B-movie westerns during Hollywood's silent era. Biography Early years Slim was born in St. Louis, Miss ...

as Uncle Happy *

Richard Neill Richard Renchaw Neill Jr. (November 12, 1875 – April 8, 1970) was an American actor and screenwriter who worked in both the silent and sound eras. He performed in more than 200 films between 1910 and 1959, and during the early part of his ...

as Leige "Tiger" Morris, outlaw *

Judith Barrie Judith Barrie (born Catherine Brown; March 1907January 9, 1991) was an American actress and model who appeared in four films from 1930 to 1932, retiring after her brief marriage to producer Edward Halperin. Biography Born Catherine Brown and rai ...

as Rose Maitland *

Claude Payton Claude Duval Payton (March 30, 1882 in Centerville, Iowa – March 1, 1955 in Los Angeles, California) was an American actor in many silent films and other films. On stage, Claude Payton toured with the Spooner Stock Company, which was head ...

as Colonel Halliday *

Ben Corbett Ben Corbett (February 6, 1892 – May 19, 1961) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 280 films between 1915 and 1956. He was born in Hudson, Illinois and died in Hollywood, California. Corbett was a trophy-winning rodeo par ...

as Bad Ben, one of Morris' henchman * Frank Lackteen as Chief Pawnee Blood *

Fritzi Fern Fritzi Fern (born Fritzi Fern Blower, September 19, 1901September 20, 1932) was a motion picture actress from Akron, Ohio. She was the daughter of Hattie R. Blower. Movie actress Fern was raised and educated in Los Angeles, California. She was a ...

as Mariah

Production

''The Last Frontier'' was RKO's only serial.

Chapter titles

# ''The Black Ghost Rides'' # ''The Thundering Herd'' # ''The Black Ghost Strikes'' # ''The Fatal Shot'' # ''Clutching Sands'' # ''The Terror Trail'' # ''Doomed'' # ''Facing Death'' # ''Thundering Doom'' # ''The Life Line'' # ''Driving Danger'' # ''The Black Ghost's Last Ride'' _Source:

References

External links