Just started to watch the Captain Marvel serial for the 1st time and I was struck by how good the special effects are. Several years later the Superman serials obviuosly couldn't cope with flying and used animation, whilst the early B&W eps of The Adventures of Superman TV series, ten years later also revealed limitations in this area. Captain Marvel's effects were certainly ahead of their time !!

The effects attest to the abilities of the famed Lydecker Bros. The shots of that dummy sliding down that wire were used effectively and used over again in the Rocket Man serials. Of course the master special effect in this film would have to be the awesome ability of David Sharpe doing the stunts for Tom Tyler.

Beautiful effects. Absolutely beautiful. Years ago, when I was in college, I watched the serial, one chapter each week, in my cinema arts class, along with a room full of noisy students. However when THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN MARVEL appeared on the screen the room became quiet except for the occasional ohs and ahs. Everyone was mesmerized by the serial.
To this day I delight in watching the flying scenes.

I believe the first time the Lydeckers used the dummy on a wire effect was in the Gene Autry Serial, "Phantom Empire."

I haven't seen "The Phantom Empire" since it played on tv many moons ago. And my memory cells have definitely lost it's luster since then. Did "Phantom Empire" have people flying around in this serial?
Whatever. It was the flying Batmen in "Darkest Africa" where I chose Diduseeimfly as my alter ego. The flying Batmen were a good precursor, if not origin, of things to come. And, Captain Marvel was a great culmination of the Lydecker's genius.

I, too, first saw the flying Batmen of Africa as being the Lydecker's first attempt at using the dummies on the wire trick. Those effects, and the ones they crafted for CM and the Rocketmen serials, were the standards for years.
I'm also having trouble recalling anyone flying in PHANTOM EMPIRE? I haven't seen this one in quite sometime, so I guess I'll have to break it out soon and look at it again. Just don't recall it.

Now you have made me think on this....I will have to review both serials now to refresh my memory. Darned if you guys aren't right, the Flying batmen were in Darkest Africa with good ole Clyde and the fat little jungle boy. Was that Crash Corrigan in his famous make-a-buck-on-the-side gorilla suit?

I do believe that is Ray "Crash" Corrigan in one of those scenes. Time to break out all these old serials and watch them again. I still can't remember anyone flying in PHANTOM EMPIRE. I didn't think my memory was totally gone---yet!

"Crash" was credited in DARKEST AFRICA as Ray Benard. He played the gorilla "Bonga" in his ape suit and also played the head Batman. I'd have to go look up the exact numbers in Mathis but he made a lot more money as the gorilla than he did as the Batman. He was paid by the day.
PHANTOM EMPIRE saw the first use of the Lydecker's flying torpedoes. They reappeared in UNDERSEA KINGDOM courtesy of stock footage.
Bruce

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