Serials and Series

While many fans remember The Lone Ranger, Ace Drummond and others, fewer focus on the facts that serials had their roots in silent film and that many foreign studios also produced serials, though few made it to the United States.
The 471 serials and 100 series (continuing productions without the cliffhanger endings) from the United States and 136 serials and 37 series from other countries are included in this comprehensive reference work. Each entry includes title, country of origin, year, studio, number of episodes, running time or number of reels, episode titles, cast, production credits, and a plot synopsis.

The late Buck Rainey wrote scores of articles for Western and serial fanzines and several books. He lived in Tishomingo, Oklahoma.

Buck Rainey
Format: softcover (7 x 9.25)
Pages: 331
Bibliographic Info: 366 photos, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2010 [1999]
pISBN: 978-0-7864-4702-2
eISBN: 978-1-4766-0448-0
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments      vii
Introduction      1

THE FILMS      7

Bibliography      269
Index      285

“photos are glorious…the ultimate (noncommentary) reference book on serials out there”—Classic Images; “an entertaining look at a memorable part of film history and will be of interest to film studies collections”—ARBA; “the book’s visuals combined with its extensive data make it one of a kind…unique…useful and entertaining”—Reference & User Services Quarterly; “one of the best features of this volume is the enormous bibliography that includes articles as well as books”—AB Bookman’s Weekly; “thoroughly covers a lot of territory…. Invaluable reference work”—Serial Report; “both informative and fun to browse…libraries will definitely be interested”—Against the Grain; “the most authoritative filmography yet of this former programme staple, taking in serials and series from all around the world…a mammoth undertaking…fully illustrated throughout with some exceptionally rare stills…a treasure…. As a source of information on serials…it is outstanding in every way possible”—Film Review; “attractive black-and-white stills, cards, and poster reproductions grace almost every spread. Most of the information here is not found elsewhere, so this volume merits a place in any comprehensive film reference collection”—Booklist; “the photographs alone are a treasure, with Buck and McFarland unearthing some rare treats. I thoroughly recommend this publication…. Nobody interested in serials should be without it”—Nostalgia Westerns.