Encyclopedia of American Film Serials

From their heyday in the 1910s to their lingering demise in the 1950s, American film serials delivered excitement in weekly installments for millions of moviegoers, despite minuscule budgets, nearly impossible shooting schedules and the disdain of critics. Early heroines like Pearl White, Helen Holmes and Ruth Roland broke gender barriers and ruled the screen. Through both world wars, such serials as Spy Smasher and Batman were vehicles for propaganda. Smash hits like Flash Gordon and The Lone Ranger demonstrated the enduring mass appeal of the genre. Providing insight into early 20th century American culture, this book analyzes four decades of productions from Pathé, Universal, Mascot and Columbia, and all 66 Republic serials.

Geoff Mayer was, until 2015, head of the School of Social Sciences at La Trobe University (Australia) and prior to that he was head of the School of Communication, Arts and Critical Enquiry. His teaching areas include film history and film genre. He lives in Whittlesea, Victoria, Australia.

Geoff Mayer
Format: softcover (8.5 x 11)
Pages: 316
Bibliographic Info: 121 photos, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2017
pISBN: 978-0-7864-7762-3
eISBN: 978-1-4766-2719-9
Imprint: McFarland

Table of Contents


Acknowledgments vi

Preface 1

Introduction: The Melodramatic Imagination and the Serial 5

The Encyclopedia 25

Bibliography 303

Index 305

• “Simply stated, no personal, professional, community, or academic library American Film Industry History collection or supplemental studies reading lists would be considered comprehensive or complete without including a copy of Encyclopedia of American Film Serials”—Midwest Book Review

• “Entries are written with voluminous knowledge”—Flick Attack

• “Treasure trove of information and trivia about film serials and their performers, directors, and producers…highly recommended”—ARBA