Am I the only remaining codger who remembers Ralph Byrd? He portrayed Dick Tracy in dozens of Saturday afternoon movie serials. Yet "Nostalgia" archives show nothing for him. Am I just imagining that both the actor and the serials ever existed?

You are not alone, Taroleaf. Those of us at the Nostalgia League remember Ralph Byrd well, and with affection. His name comes up often in the chat room. By coincidence, we are working on something that involves this fine action hero right now. Keep your eyes open for it.

Taroleaf, huh? When you say "codger," it makes me wonder just how old we're talking here. If you're dealing in taro leaf cocktails, could your real name be Kharis?

Ralph Byrd is well remembered amongst fandom for his Dick Tracy portrayal. Fans accepted him as the definitive Tracy, even tho Morgan Conway who appeared in a couple Tracy movies was thought to look more like the original Tracy, but they had to bring Byrd back in future films due to fan reaction. Byrd died prematurely playing the very character that had given life to his career. The serials from Republic are always sought-after and we would hope that somebody would release quality copies on DVD of them. So far VCI has released the first serial in a less than stunning transfer. Another independent company, Marengo, has released it on DVD as well, but their copy is not much better.

I'm new to these boards. I've always been a big serial fan,having seen my first in 1940.Ralph Byrd was on tour promoting one of his TRACY serials in the early 40's. I saw him on stage at a theater.He was there only about 10 minutes. He sang one song,"South of the Border",welcomed the fans,took out a small pistol,and after firing a blank,exited the theater.This was many years but still is a grand memory. I have the Tracy DVD and also S.O.S Coastguard from the Roan Group.

With the singing and guitar-work by Byrd, it sounds like he was promoting his Vigilante serial he made based on the DC Comics action hero.

Isn't it amazing, Kenwal, how even ten minutes in the company of a Ralph Byrd can remain in the mind! Do you remember in what theater (and town) you saw him?

THE VIGILANTE serial was released in 1947.

Ralph Byrds appearence was at the PRINCESS theater in Princeton,Kentucky around 1942. I was 8 years old. He was promoting a TRACY serial.

The last 3 of the 4 Tracy serials have always been among my favorites. I know the first one was a big hit for Republic, but IMHO, that serial cannot even come up to the standards of the last 3. I guess the fact the last 3 were directed by the Republic serial hit-makers John English and William Witney had a lot to do with those serials being in a superior class so far outside of the first one.
But in this discussion of Ralph Byrd's singing, I seem to recall reading many years ago that Byrd was also one of those two-fisted heroes who came directly off the stage as a song-and-dance man. Surely some of you well-versed "experts" must know more about this. But, if you've also seen BLAKE OF SCOTLAND YARD, then you'll see Byrd do some heavy footwork in a dance sequence in that one as well. And he does sing (not a dupe) in Columbia's THE VIGILANTE, released in 1947. But again, my memory is vague on a lot of these things these days, and I have a very hard time finding "original" prints from the 60's regarding many of our old time heroes. But some of you out there probably are not so vague remembering this stuff. I'd like to hear and know more, for those of you in the know.
BTW, my "vague" memories are the result of my brain going into hyperdrive trying to conquer the universe, which I have failed at so miserably. But I am a patient villain also! heh...heh. Universe, beware.

I remember seeing parts of "The Vigilante". As I recall,I wasn't too keen on it. This is just an observation. Having seen a re-release of "Dick Tracy vs Crime INC" in 1952 and "Return of Captain Marvel" on the big screen,they drew some giggles from the audience, but the action scenes were applauded! Especially the opening titles of the Tracy serial with the police car speeding down the city streets. The first Tracy serial was more on character development than action, therefore more slow moving. Enjoyable to me just the same.

Ralph Byrd was a singer, Dr. Tobor? I find this very intriguing--I knew he sang in THE VIGILANTE, but I assumed he was dubbed. I wonder he never tried to make it as a singing cowboy ala Autry or Rogers. Opens up an interesting area for discussion.

Jerry,
I said above that I seem to recall reading somewhere many years ago that Byrd was a song and dance man; but I have also for several years been trying to find further "evidence" and "confirmation" of this to see if it's true or if it's something I imagined I read. But it seems now, with another person remembering hearing Byrd sing on stage, and with Byrd singing in THE VIGILANTE, this just might be true. Remember the frenetic dance sequence in one of the chapters of BLAKE OF SCOTLAND YARD? Now, for some of the more physically demanding "dips" in that sequence, Byrd could have used a stand-in. But it you look at the dance sequences on the floor, the male lead is Byrd, and he does some wicked steps.
As far as becoming a "singing cowboy" like Gene Autry or Roy, it seems to me while Byrd made a fine Dick Tracy, he just would never have made it as another singing cowboy; the matinee screens at this time were proliferating with singing cowboys who seemed to dominate the theatres. The aforementioned Autry and Rogers were perhaps the most famous, but there was also another singing cowboy, and a very underrated one at that, Tex Ritter; then there was a bit later on still others in the 40's as well; Eddie Dean, Jimmy Wakely, and the "last" of the singing cowboys up through the 50's, Rex Allen. There were others as well, but my brain is too tired now from trying to think of them all.

Again, very interesting, Doctor. Come to think of it, I do recall the dance in BLAKE now. You're right--there was a glut of singing cowboys in the thirties, so I guess it makes sense that Byrd wouldn't have tried to enter an overcrowded market. His real "calling" was as Tracy, anyway.

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