The King of the Kongo
Encyclopedia
The King of the Kongo is a 1929 Mascot film serial
. It was the first serial to have sound
, although only partial sound ("Part Talking") rather than the later (and obviously now standard) "All-Talking" productions with complete sound. The soundtrack is now considered to be lost, although recently 7 original sound discs, 5 of them cracked, have been located. They are: Chap 4 r2, Chap 5 r2, Chap 7 r2, Chap 8 r2,Chap 9 r1, Chap 10 r1, Chap 10 r2 In 2011, collector/historian Eric Grayson, owner of a 16mm silent print, restored the sound to several scenes of the film, using discs from Ron Hutchinson's Vitaphone project. These reels were Chap 5 r1, Chap 5 r2, and Chap 6 r2. The results of some of the talking scenes have been posted on YouTube.
agent Larry Trent are searching the jungle for missing relatives, her father and his brother. Tied up in this plot are ivory smugglers and a lost treasure hidden in the jungle.
element. Larger serial-producing studios (for example, Pathé
and Universal Studios
) were reluctant to change away from silent
production (although Universal released their own Part-Talking serial, Tarzan the Tiger
, later in the same year) while smaller studios could not afford to do so. Legend has it that producer and studio-owner Nat Levine
carried the sound discs in his lap from Los Angeles
to New York City
, by train and aeroplane, for them to be safely developed. For financial reasons, these discs could not have been repaired or replaced if anything had gone wrong. This was two years after the first Part-Talking film, The Jazz Singer
(1927
), had been released and a year after the first "All-Talking" film, Lights of New York
(1928
).
Two versions of this serial were released, a "Part Talking" version and a silent version
intended for theatres not yet equipped for sound.
King of the Kongo is sometimes misreported as an alternate title for the serial King of the Wild
, which also starred Boris Karloff.
Serial (film)
Serials, more specifically known as Movie serials, Film serials or Chapter plays, were short subjects originally shown in theaters in conjunction with a feature film. They were related to pulp magazine serialized fiction...
. It was the first serial to have sound
Sound film
A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, but decades would pass before sound motion pictures were made commercially...
, although only partial sound ("Part Talking") rather than the later (and obviously now standard) "All-Talking" productions with complete sound. The soundtrack is now considered to be lost, although recently 7 original sound discs, 5 of them cracked, have been located. They are: Chap 4 r2, Chap 5 r2, Chap 7 r2, Chap 8 r2,Chap 9 r1, Chap 10 r1, Chap 10 r2 In 2011, collector/historian Eric Grayson, owner of a 16mm silent print, restored the sound to several scenes of the film, using discs from Ron Hutchinson's Vitaphone project. These reels were Chap 5 r1, Chap 5 r2, and Chap 6 r2. The results of some of the talking scenes have been posted on YouTube.
Synopsis
Independently, the two protagonists, Diana Martin and Secret ServiceUnited States Secret Service
The United States Secret Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency that is part of the United States Department of Homeland Security. The sworn members are divided among the Special Agents and the Uniformed Division. Until March 1, 2003, the Service was part of the United States...
agent Larry Trent are searching the jungle for missing relatives, her father and his brother. Tied up in this plot are ivory smugglers and a lost treasure hidden in the jungle.
Cast
- Jacqueline LoganJacqueline LoganJacqueline Logan was a star of the silent motion picture screen who was on board William Randolph Hearst's yacht The Oneida in 1924 when film director Thomas Ince died. The young actress was under contract to Ince at the time. Logan was a WAMPAS Baby Star of 1922. She was born in Corsicana, Texas...
as Diana Martin - Walter MillerWalter Miller (actor)Walter Miller was an American actor of the silent era. He appeared in 248 films between 1911 and 1940.He was born in Dayton, Ohio, and died in Hollywood, California, from a heart attack, aged 48...
as Larry Trent, Secret Service AgentUnited States Secret ServiceThe United States Secret Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency that is part of the United States Department of Homeland Security. The sworn members are divided among the Special Agents and the Uniformed Division. Until March 1, 2003, the Service was part of the United States... - Richard TuckerRichard Tucker (actor)Richard Tucker was an American actor. He appeared in 266 films between 1911 and 1940.He was born in Brooklyn, New York. He was the first official member of the Screen Actors Guild and a founding member of SAG's Board of Directors...
as Chief of the Secret Service - Boris KarloffBoris KarloffWilliam Henry Pratt , better known by his stage name Boris Karloff, was an English actor.Karloff is best remembered for his roles in horror films and his portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in Frankenstein , Bride of Frankenstein , and Son of Frankenstein...
as Scarface Macklin. The near fatal events occurring to the hero are preceded by shadowy shots of Karloff. However, he is revealed not to be the villain in the final chapter (he is actually the heroine's father). - Larry SteersLarry SteersLarry Steers was an American film actor. He appeared in 426 films between 1917 and 1951.He was born in Indiana, and died in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles.-Selected filmography:* Old Wives for New...
as Jack Drake - Harry ToddHarry ToddHarry Todd was an American actor. He appeared in 391 films between 1909 and 1935.He died in Glendale, California from a heart attack at the age of 71.-Selected filmography:...
as Commodore - Richard NeillRichard NeillRichard Neill was an American actor of the silent era. He appeared in 130 films between 1911 and 1951.He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and died in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles.-Selected filmography:...
as Prisoner - Lafe McKee as Trader John
- J.P. Leckray as Priest
- William P. Burt as Mooney
- J. Gordon Russell as Derelict
- Robert FrazerRobert FrazerrightRobert W. Frazer born Robert William Browne on 29 June 1891 in Worcester, Massachusetts, US, was an American actor who appeared in some 224 shorts and films from the 1910s until his death on 17 August 1944 in Los Angeles, California, US, due to leukemia...
as Native chief - Ruth Davis as Poppy
- Joe BonomoJoe Bonomo (strongman)Joe Bonomo born 25 December 1901 in Coney Island New York died 28 March 1978 in Los Angeles was a famous American weight lifter, strongman, film stunt performer and actor....
as Gorilla
Production
The King of the Kongo was the first film serial to have any soundSound film
A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, but decades would pass before sound motion pictures were made commercially...
element. Larger serial-producing studios (for example, Pathé
Pathé
Pathé or Pathé Frères is the name of various French businesses founded and originally run by the Pathé Brothers of France.-History:...
and Universal Studios
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
) were reluctant to change away from silent
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
production (although Universal released their own Part-Talking serial, Tarzan the Tiger
Tarzan the Tiger
Tarzan the Tiger is a Universal movie serial based on the novel Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar by Edgar Rice Burroughs. It stars Frank Merrill as Tarzan, Natalie Kingston as Jane, and Al Ferguson. It was written by Ian McClosky Heath and directed by Henry MacRae.It was considered lost at one time...
, later in the same year) while smaller studios could not afford to do so. Legend has it that producer and studio-owner Nat Levine
Nat Levine
Nat Levine , was an American film producer. He produced 105 films between 1921 and 1946. He was personal secretary to Marcus Loew, formed Mascot Pictures in 1927, and merged Mascot with Herbert Yates's Republic Pictures in 1935.He was born in New York, New York and died in Los Angeles,...
carried the sound discs in his lap from Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, by train and aeroplane, for them to be safely developed. For financial reasons, these discs could not have been repaired or replaced if anything had gone wrong. This was two years after the first Part-Talking film, The Jazz Singer
The Jazz Singer (1927 film)
The Jazz Singer is a 1927 American musical film. The first feature-length motion picture with synchronized dialogue sequences, its release heralded the commercial ascendance of the "talkies" and the decline of the silent film era. Produced by Warner Bros. with its Vitaphone sound-on-disc system,...
(1927
1927 in film
-Events:*January 10 - Fritz Lang's science-fiction fantasy Metropolis premieres in Germany.*April 7 - Abel Gance's Napoleon often considered his best known and greatest masterpiece, premiers at the Paris Opéra and would demonstrate techniques and equipment that would not be used for years to...
), had been released and a year after the first "All-Talking" film, Lights of New York
Lights of New York (1928 film)
Lights of New York was the first all-talking feature film, released by Warner Brothers and directed by Bryan Foy. The film, which cost only $23,000 to produce, grossed over $1,000,000. It was also the first film to define the crime genre...
(1928
1928 in film
-Events:Although some movies released in 1928 had sound, most were still silent.* July 28 - Lights of New York is released by Warner Brothers. It is the first "100% Talkie" feature film, in that dialog is spoken throughout the film...
).
Two versions of this serial were released, a "Part Talking" version and a silent version
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
intended for theatres not yet equipped for sound.
King of the Kongo is sometimes misreported as an alternate title for the serial King of the Wild
King of the Wild
King of the Wild is a Mascot movie serial.-Plot:Robert Grant, framed for a coup in the Indian country of Ranjapur, escapes from prison to Africa in search of the real villains...
, which also starred Boris Karloff.
Chapter titles
- Into the Unknown
- Terrors of the Jungle
- Temple of Beasts
- Gorilla Warfare
- Danger in the Dark
- The Fight at Lions Pitt
- The Fatal Moment
- Sentenced to Death
- Desperate Choices
- Jungle Justice