Mystery Movie Series of 1930s Hollywood

This companion volume to Mystery Movie Series of 1940s Hollywood (McFarland, 2010) focuses on 22 series and 167 individual films, primarily released during the 1930s. It was a decade that featured some of the most famous cinema detectives of all time, among them Charlie Chan, Nick and Nora Charles, Philo Vance, Nancy Drew, and such lesser known but equally entertaining figures as Hildegarde Withers, Torchy Blane, Mr. Moto, Mr. Wong, and Brass Bancroft.
Each mystery movie series is placed within its historical context, with emphasis on its source material and the changes or developments within the series over time. Also included are reviews of all the series’ films, analyzing the quality and cohesiveness of the mystery plotlines. For titles based on literary sources, a comparison between the film and the written work is provided.

Ron Backer is an attorney who has previously written for law reviews and other legal publications. An avid fan of mystery and classic horror films, he lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Ron Backer
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 391
Bibliographic Info: 68 photos, appendix, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2012
pISBN: 978-0-7864-6975-8
eISBN: 978-0-7864-9018-9
Imprint: McFarland

Introduction      1

1. Philo Vance: The Upper Class Detective      5

2. Bulldog Drummond: The English Adventurer      40

3. Charlie Chan: The Chinese Detective      85

4. Arséne Lupin: The Gentleman Thief      160

5. Hildegarde Withers: The Teacher Detective      168

6. Thatcher Colt: The Police Commissioner      185

7. Inspector Trent: The Police Detective      195

8. Nick and Nora Charles: The Thin Man Series      200

9. Perry Mason: The Defense Attorney      215

10. Sophie Lang: The Lady Thief      235

11. Sarah Keate: The Nurse Detective      241

12. Torchy Blane: The Investigative Reporter      258

13. Alan O’Connor and Bobbie Reynolds: The Federal Agents      274

14. Mr. Moto: The Japanese Detective      282

15. Bill Crane: The Private Detective      300

16. Joel and Garda Sloane: The Husband and Wife Team      308

17. Nancy Drew: The Teenage Detective      317

18. Mr. Wong: The Other Chinese Detective      327

19. Barney Callahan: The Roving Reporter      339

20. Brass Bancroft: The Secret Service Agent      344

21. Tailspin Tommy: The Young Aviator      352

22. Persons in Hiding: The FBI Story      361

Appendix: 1930s Mystery Series Listed      371

Bibliography      373

Index      375

“Fascinating…full of useful information that is entertainingly presented. Valuable…an enjoyable, often amusing read…highly recommended”—ARBA.