The Lost Planet
Encyclopedia
The Lost Planet is a 1953
Columbia Pictures
15-chapter serial which has the distinction of being the last interplanetary-themed sound serial ever made. It was directed by Spencer Gordon Bennet
with a screenplay by George H. Plympton and Arthur Hoerl (who also wrote for
Rocky Jones, Space Ranger
). It appears to have been planned as a sequel to the earlier chapterplay Captain Video: Master of the Stratosphere
and shares many plot-points, props and sets, as well as some of the same cast. However, the Video Rangers do not appear, and their uniforms are instead worn by "slaves" created electronically by Reckov, the dictator of the Lost Planet (Gene Roth) with the help of mad scientist Dr. Grood (Michael Fox) and enslaved "good" scientist Professor Dorn (Forrest Taylor).
The serial is interplanetary in name only, since while Dr. Grood has a "space projectile" identical to that seen in the Captain Video serial, the other characters fly to the Lost Planet in an ordinary light aircraft! As on the Rocky Jones, Space Ranger
TV series, with which it shares a writer, the dialogue is often as unintentionally hilarious as that of an Ed Wood film. Typical: "How are we going to find it, it's the Lost Planet."
Unlike the Captain Video serial, The Lost Planet has a female character, Professor Dorn's daughter Ella (Vivian Mason) who strides about the Lost Planet (Bronson Canyon
) in a fetching female version of the Video Ranger uniform. The hero is not Captain Video, but a newspaper reporter, Rex Barrow, played by Judd Holdren
(who had previously played Captain Video
and Commando Cody
). Books on the sound serials generally conclude that this is one of the worst serials ever made, but it still has points of interest. The bizarre performance of Michael Fox
(1921 - 1996) as the villainous Dr. Grood is particularly memorable. This is one of Fox's first screen roles. He went on to a long and distinguished career as a character actor in dozens of feature films and hundreds of TV series right up to his final illness and death.
This serial was, despite the characters' names, essentially a sequel to Captain Video
, from which stock footage
was taken for this serial.
Source:
1953 in film
The year 1953 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*September 16 — The Robe debuts as the first anamorphic, widescreen CinemaScope film.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :Academy Awards:A...
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
15-chapter serial which has the distinction of being the last interplanetary-themed sound serial ever made. It was directed by Spencer Gordon Bennet
Spencer Gordon Bennet
Spencer Gordon Bennet was an American film producer and director. Known as the "King of Serial Directors", he directed more film serials than any other director.-Biography:...
with a screenplay by George H. Plympton and Arthur Hoerl (who also wrote for
Rocky Jones, Space Ranger
Rocky Jones, Space Ranger
Rocky Jones, Space Ranger is a syndicated science fiction television serial originally broadcast in 1954. The show lasted for only two seasons and, though syndicated sporadically, dropped into obscurity. But because it was recorded on film rather than being broadcast live as were most other TV...
). It appears to have been planned as a sequel to the earlier chapterplay Captain Video: Master of the Stratosphere
Captain Video: Master of the Stratosphere
Captain Video: Master of the Stratosphere is a 15-chapter serial released by Columbia Pictures in 1951. It was directed by Spencer Gordon Bennet and Wallace A. Grissel with a screenplay by Royal G. Cole, Sherman I. Lowe and Joseph F. Poland, based on a treatment by George H. Plympton...
and shares many plot-points, props and sets, as well as some of the same cast. However, the Video Rangers do not appear, and their uniforms are instead worn by "slaves" created electronically by Reckov, the dictator of the Lost Planet (Gene Roth) with the help of mad scientist Dr. Grood (Michael Fox) and enslaved "good" scientist Professor Dorn (Forrest Taylor).
The serial is interplanetary in name only, since while Dr. Grood has a "space projectile" identical to that seen in the Captain Video serial, the other characters fly to the Lost Planet in an ordinary light aircraft! As on the Rocky Jones, Space Ranger
Rocky Jones, Space Ranger
Rocky Jones, Space Ranger is a syndicated science fiction television serial originally broadcast in 1954. The show lasted for only two seasons and, though syndicated sporadically, dropped into obscurity. But because it was recorded on film rather than being broadcast live as were most other TV...
TV series, with which it shares a writer, the dialogue is often as unintentionally hilarious as that of an Ed Wood film. Typical: "How are we going to find it, it's the Lost Planet."
Cast
- Judd HoldrenJudd HoldrenJudd Holdren was an American film actor best known for his starring roles in the serials Captain Video: Master of the Stratosphere, Zombies of the Stratosphere, The Lost Planet and the semi-serial Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe during 1951 - 1953.- Early life :He was born near...
as Rex Barrow - Vivian MasonVivian MasonVivian Mason was an American actress who appeared in over 30 television shows and films between 1937 and 1955.-Career:...
as Ella Dorn - Michael FoxMichael Fox (American actor)Michael Fox was an American character actor who was in numerous movies and television roles. Some of his most famous recurring roles were as various autopsy physicians in Perry Mason, as Coroner George McLeod in Burke's Law, as Amos Fedders in Falcon Crest and as Saul Feinberg in The Bold and the...
as Dr. Ernst Grood - Forrest Taylor as Prof. Edmund Dorn
- Gene RothGene RothGene Roth was an American film actor. Born in Redfield, South Dakota, Roth was born Eugene Oliver Edgar Stutenroth...
as Reckov - Ted Thorpe as Tim Johnson
- Karl 'Killer' Davis as Karlo, aka Robot R-4
- Jack GeorgeJack GeorgeJohn Edwin George, Jr. was an American professional basketball player. He was born in the Pittsburgh suburb of Swissvale, Pennsylvania....
as Jarva - Frederic Berest as Alden
- John L. Cason as Hopper
- Lee RobertsLee RobertsLee Roberts was a film actor during the Hollywood Golden Age. Sometimes he is credited as Robert Allen or Lee J. Roberts.-Career:Little is known about this man who appeared in over 100 films between 1943 and 1959, according to the Internet Movie Data Base...
as Wesley Brenn, aka Robot R-9 - Nick Stuart as Darl
- Leonard PennLeonard PennLeonard Penn was an American film, television and theatre actor.-Early life and education:He was born in Springfield, Massachusetts.-Career:...
as Ken Wopler - Joseph Mell as Lah
Unlike the Captain Video serial, The Lost Planet has a female character, Professor Dorn's daughter Ella (Vivian Mason) who strides about the Lost Planet (Bronson Canyon
Bronson Canyon
Bronson Canyon, or Bronson Caves, is a section of Griffith Park in Los Angeles, California that has become famous as a filming location for a very large number of movies and TV shows, especially westerns and science fiction, from the early days of motion pictures to the present...
) in a fetching female version of the Video Ranger uniform. The hero is not Captain Video, but a newspaper reporter, Rex Barrow, played by Judd Holdren
Judd Holdren
Judd Holdren was an American film actor best known for his starring roles in the serials Captain Video: Master of the Stratosphere, Zombies of the Stratosphere, The Lost Planet and the semi-serial Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe during 1951 - 1953.- Early life :He was born near...
(who had previously played Captain Video
Captain Video: Master of the Stratosphere
Captain Video: Master of the Stratosphere is a 15-chapter serial released by Columbia Pictures in 1951. It was directed by Spencer Gordon Bennet and Wallace A. Grissel with a screenplay by Royal G. Cole, Sherman I. Lowe and Joseph F. Poland, based on a treatment by George H. Plympton...
and Commando Cody
Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe
Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe is a science fiction television series or serial. It consists of twelve 25-minute episodes. The series was filmed and intended to be broadcast as a television limited series but, due to contract restrictions, it was originally released in theaters as a...
). Books on the sound serials generally conclude that this is one of the worst serials ever made, but it still has points of interest. The bizarre performance of Michael Fox
Michael Fox (American actor)
Michael Fox was an American character actor who was in numerous movies and television roles. Some of his most famous recurring roles were as various autopsy physicians in Perry Mason, as Coroner George McLeod in Burke's Law, as Amos Fedders in Falcon Crest and as Saul Feinberg in The Bold and the...
(1921 - 1996) as the villainous Dr. Grood is particularly memorable. This is one of Fox's first screen roles. He went on to a long and distinguished career as a character actor in dozens of feature films and hundreds of TV series right up to his final illness and death.
Production
The Lost Planet was the last of only three science fiction serials released by Columbia.This serial was, despite the characters' names, essentially a sequel to Captain Video
Captain Video: Master of the Stratosphere
Captain Video: Master of the Stratosphere is a 15-chapter serial released by Columbia Pictures in 1951. It was directed by Spencer Gordon Bennet and Wallace A. Grissel with a screenplay by Royal G. Cole, Sherman I. Lowe and Joseph F. Poland, based on a treatment by George H. Plympton...
, from which stock footage
Stock footage
Stock footage, and similarly, archive footage, library pictures and file footage are film or video footage that may or may not be custom shot for use in a specific film or television program. Stock footage is of beneficial use to filmmakers as it is sometimes less expensive than shooting new...
was taken for this serial.
Critical reception
In the opinions of Harmon and Glut, The Lost Planet is a "rather shoddy, low budget space cliffhanger."Chapter titles
- Mystery of the Guided Missile
- Trapped by the Axial Propeller
- Blasted by the Thermic Disintegrator
- The Mind Control Machine
- The Atomic Plane
- Disaster in the Stratosphere
- Snared by the Prysmic Catapult
- Astray in Space
- The Hypnotic Ray Machine
- To Free the Planet People
- Dr. Grood Defies Gravity
- Trapped in a Cosmo Jet
- The Invisible Enemy
- In the Grip of the De-Thermo Ray
- Sentenced to Space
Source: