King of the Forest Rangers

Okay, neither the hero nor the chief villain can act worth a nickle, and the heroine could be knocked out with a hard look, but if you're looking for a prime example of Republic serial fare, this is it. Tons of action, escapes that are imaginative, and a sterling performance from Anthony Warde as the main henchman make this a prime example of what a serial should be, courtesy the Republic Thrill Factory.

King of the Forest Rangers came in 1946, as America was getting back into peace time. Republic was still issuing four serials a year to distributors, but with WW 11 ending, they had lost the Nazi-Japanese enemy angle and had to rely on more standardized plot lines. King of the Forest Rangers starred Larry Thompson, a standard leading man, with no reputation among young serial fans as with Clayton Moore. Helen Talbot, who had been Don Barry's leading lady in westerns, may not have been Linda Stirling's equal, but did a passable job. My favorite chapter shows her strapped to a paper shredder about ready to go toward a whirling blade as the chapter ends. Come on guys, admit it. If you were 8 or 9 years old at that time, and a little less sophisticated than today's kids, you would have loved it.

Of all Republic's serials, I consider this one to be one of the most underrated. The outdoor scenery, the choreographic fist-fights, sharp cinematography, the presence of the beautiful Helen Talbot, and some of the more thrilling chapter-endings in a while help make this opus a highly recommended entry. It was originally meant to be a Mountie serial but for some reason it became a Ranger cliffhanger. The plot concerns the search for a specific Indian rug upon which is the map to hidden treasure. The storyline runs smoothly and inventively, much more effectively than others in a similar genre. Republic were and are always the Lords of the Serials, and this Larry Thompson cliffhanger, directed nobly by the prolific Spencer G. Bennet and Fred Brannon, is a very pleasing effort. Try it!

This one's a real kick! 12-episode series, always ending in a climax and somewhat fun! There's a fight each episode, and see if you can guess how many times their hats come flying off! The good guys are always straight-shooters, and the bad guys are the worst shots in the world. Watch also for 8 and 10 shot guns!

Also, who ever the bad guy is that in each episode partners up with Spear ain't going to make it! Prof. Carver sure is a sly one as well! This series is a classic of a time period when life was simple!