In 1946 Republic Pictures would unknowingly create one of the most iconic punk rock images with The Crimson Ghost serial.

Serials were popular shorts in the early 1900's through the mid-1940's; new chapters were usually presented once a week at local movie theaters preceding the headlining movie until the stories conclusion.

The Crimson Ghost was written by Albert DeMond, Basil Dickey, Jesse Duffy and Sol Shor and directed by both Fred C. Brannon
and William Witney.  It was the most expensive serial of 1946 with a proposed budget of $137,912 but went to $164,174 upon completion.  The serial was originally comprised of 12 Chapters.

The chapters are:
01. Atomic Peril
02. Thunderbolt
03. The Fatal Sacrifice
04. The Laughing Skull
05. Flaming Death
06. Mystery of the Mountain
07. Electrocution
08. The Slave Collar*
09. Blazing Fury
10. The Trap that Failed
11. Double Murder
12. The Invisible Trail

*Chapter 8 was mostly just a re-cap of the previous 7 chapters.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In short the plot is; a nefarious masked villain aims to steal a device called the Cyclotrode that can "detect and repel any atomic bomb attack".  The Crimson Ghost plans to use the Cyclotrode as a weapon that will "instantly stop any electriclly controlled mechanism, destroy lighting and power systems.  Paralyze the activities of the police.  The resulting panic and terror will leave the city open to unlimited blackmail and extortion".  As the Crimson Ghost's henchmen attempt to steal the Cyclotrode, the device's creator, Professor Chambers (Kenne Duncan) instead smashes it.  The henchmen being no dummies kidnap Professor Chambers instead figuring that he built one Cyclotrode, he can build another.  Professor Duncan Richards (Charles Quigley) leads the charge as the serials hero, with help from Diana Farnsworth (Linda Stirling), in the efforts to foil The Crimson Ghost's plan.  As luck would have it, The Crimson Ghost learns that there is a duplicate machine kept in a secret warehouse and uses a mind altering drug and mind controlling collar on Dr. Chambers to procure it. [That concludes Chapter 1]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is deemed that the Cyclotrode isn't sufficient enough to cause damage on a large scale so Dr. Chambers is persuaded to build a larger model in order to boost the machines power; the persuasion comes in the form of a drug that when injected would leave Dr. Chambers "a hopeless idiot for the rest of his life".  At this point in the serial, the second chapter, one wonders with The Crimson Ghost's obvious skills in chemical and mechanical engineering...Why doesn't he just build the damn thing himself?  Maybe he just stole all that stuff too?  Anyway....It seems that the Crimson Ghost has all the parts needed for this new device except an X-7 transformer tube, which of course leads the henchmen to another heist; although the X7 tube isn't quite what it appeared to be. [That concludes Chapter 2]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In answering the earlier posed question, "Why doesn't he just build the damn thing himself?", well, that's just what the Crimson Ghost is forced to do but it will take time and more importantly money.  Luckily for the Crimson Ghost he has the baby Cyclotrode to aid him in an armored car robbery which goes off without a hitch but unluckily the Cyclotrode needs heavy water in order to keep working. [That concludes Chapter 3]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prof. Duncan realizes that there is a mole at the university and plants information in order to sniff them out; it was actually revealed to Dr. Chambers way back in chapter one that the Crimson Ghost is actually one of his colleagues but his identity is not revealed and Dr. Chambers doesn't get a chance to pass on the information.  The first plan fails so further efforts are made to uncover the mole which only leads to a red herring, death, a mishap and a trap. [That concludes Chapter 4]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Crimson Ghost resumes his plan to steal the heavy water needed for the Cyclotrode which is safe and sound and the heavily secure Cornwall Chemical plant. [That concludes Chapter 5]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spoiler Alert, the heavy water wasn't so safe and secure after all.  You remember how the Crimson Ghost needed money to build his larger Cyclotrode?  Well, I can see why, the guy apparently has a lot of money invested in property; this chapter finds him at his remote mountain hideout.  What is that the third hideout he's gone to?  Maybe he's just doing a lot of squatting?  Anywho, stuff happens and the Crimson Ghost is forced to make his own heavy water.  You guessed it, another heist has to go down as he doesn't have the proper elements to do so. [That concludes Chapter 6]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An unwilling spy is used in order to gain information from Prof. Duncan resulting in the Crimson Ghost's attempt to stop a countermeasure to the Cyclotrode's powers. [That concludes Chapter 7]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prof. Duncan relays his story to his colleagues during a re-cap of the previous chapters; at this point it had been 2 months since patrons were first introduced to the Crimson Ghost so refreshing everyone's memory couldn't have hurt.  It also didn't hurt filling this installment with previously shot material, saving a buck while still providing another chapter. [That concludes Chapter 8]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Crimson Ghost continues his quest for heavy water and makes a rescue of his number one henchman. [That concludes Chapter 9]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prof. Duncan has a plan that may reveal the identity of the Crimson Ghost once and for all. [That concludes Chapter 10]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More plans are laid to suss out the Crimson Ghost's identity. [That concludes Chapter 11]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Crimson Ghost is finally unmasked. [That concludes Chapter 12 and the Crimson Ghost serial]


One of the Crimson Ghost's henchmen (Ashe) is played by Clayton Moore.  His early career consisted of modeling, being a stuntman and various bit parts in serials and film.  In 1949 he would become synonymous with The Lone Ranger when he landed the role of the masked vigilante in the TV series of the same name; the show lasted 8 years (with Clayton playing the Lone Ranger for 4 seasons).  He also starred in two movies based on the character; The Legend of the Lone Ranger (1952) and The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold (1958).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While Charles Quigley is the onscreen hero of the Crimson Ghost, the true hero of this series is make up artist that created the Crimson Ghost mask; the makeup supervisor was Bob Mark.
 

 

 

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The Crimson Ghost was broadcast on tv in the 50's and was edited into a 1 hour and 40 minute tv movie in 1966 and retitled Cyclotrode "X".  In essence it was nothing special and followed the typical serial format of hero vs. villain, fist fights, gun play, car chases, damsels in distress and cliffhangers at the close of every chapter.  The serial would also see a colorized release in the 1990's.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Although largely forgotten after its debut (as most serials are) the Crimson Ghost would make a small comeback in the 60's on the pages of various monster magazines and on trading cards.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

Horror Monster Series by Nu Cards 1961

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Currently the Crimson Ghost can be viewed in all of its various forms either on VHS or DVD; it is also available on Youtube.

The original 12 chapter edition
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=347pjR9A-pw&t=1215s

Shortened Cyclotrode "X" edition
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpI5015hvsU

Colorized edition
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YowUbMIp-hA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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