Radio Patrol DVD

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"Radio Patrol" is a 12 chapter serial released by Universal in 1937, directed by Ford Beebe and Cliff Smith, with story and screenplay by Wyndham Gittens, Norman S. Hall and Ray Trampe, based on the syndicated newspaper feature created by Charles Schmidt and Eddie Sullivan. A down-on-his-luck inventor, John P. Adams (Harry Davenport) has developed a flexible, bullet-proof steel, which he hopes to sell to provide for his son Pinky (Mickey Rentschler). But he is mysteriously killed while left alone to write down the formula at a steel mill after a demonstration for the mill owner, Mr. Wellington (C. Montague Shaw) and a representative of the Iranian government, Tahata (Frank Lackteen). The formula has vanished, but Radio Patrolman Pat O'Hara (Grant Withers) and his partner Sam (Adrian Morris) capture a man named Selkirk (Max Hoffman, Jr.), whose sister Molly (Catherine Hughes) later visits him in jail, and is followed by the police to the steel mill since it appears she has been told where the formula is hidden. But Tahata and a rival steel mill owner, Harrison (Gordon Hart) have sent their agents on a similar mission, so the search becomes quite a party, and it remains quite a party for the remaining eleven chapters before the real murderer is identified. Sometimes Universal's complicated plots get in the way of the action, but it works very well here. Grant Withers makes a believable, intelligent policeman, Adrian Morris is there mostly for "comic" relief but isn't too annoying. We know some dirty work is afoot with Tahata, since Frank Lackteen is cast in the role, and Harrison's chief metallurgist, Stevens, is played by shifty-eyed Wheeler Oakman. Catherine Hughes as Molly is actively involved in the plot, and Mickey Rentschler as Pinky is believably helpful, as is his dog, Irish (Silver Wolf). The dialogue is fine, and many of the locations, such as the "Egyptian Quarter" keep up the interest. While the special effects have the usual problem found in Universal serials -- even in 1937 the wrecked vehicle is about a decade older than the one shown about to go over the cliff -- and the "action" theme in the background music is mighty repetitive, the defects do not detract much from the overall quality. VCI's DVD edition, # 8563, is on one disc. The print is from a reissue, headed by "Sherman S. Krellberg and Joseph Harris Present" and these redone opening titles are pretty awful, gray and washed-out, with even some dimensional instability. The chapters are better, with fairly good contrast and sharpness, for a 16mm print, though some of the defects look like they happened when the reduction was made, such as an amazing piece of "stuff" stuck to the bottom of the frame in Chapter Three for about half a minute, also present on an old VHS edition I have (not VCI's) that seems to be from a different film copy. But while VCI's image quality is an improvement over that VHS edition, the sound is no better, having quite a bit of distortion in some chapters, mostly affecting the music but occasionally making the dialogue somewhat indistinct. Once past the opening title, the credits look better, with motion in the background -- I especially like the guy riding a horse in city traffic who has to get out of the way of the fire truck from which the footage was shot. The titles all have the same MPPDA number, 3407, but there are a number of minor editing errors, not the same in all chapters, for those who really want to find them. What matters is that the chapters seem to be as complete as the Krellberg edition ever was, including the "next week" titles from the original release. The only "extra" feature of the DVD is the original theatrical trailer. It would be nice if a really clean copy of this serial turned up; it is one of Universal's best. But until that miracle happens, VCI's DVD is a reasonable way to view it, and as usual with serials, one chapter at a time is best. Read more

When I was a little boy, I saw bits and pieces of this serial. It so impressed me that I wanted to see the whole group of adventures. This product allowed me to do that, and the picture quality was better than the original I viewed on TV in the late 1940s. It was just as interesting now as it was then. Thank you. Read more

As a child, I used to love to watch the weekly movie serial chapters at the local movie theater. Now I can watch all the Serials I missed as a child! Read more

Actually, it is OK with no complaints. Read more

Corny but wholesome Read more

"Granted" ( Withers ? ), this serial was made B 4 my time, however, if you like fist fights and shootouts then this is YOUR 'cup of tea.' I know it is mine. 4 hours and 2 minutes of action packed "action." The good guys are likeable and the bad guys are despicable. Car chases even Steve McQueen would be jealous of. $4.49 ? Nothing left to think of here. Just buy it. Read more

VCI Entertainment and Universal Pictures based on the newspaper feature by Eddie Sullivan and Charlie Schmidt with King features Syndicate present..."Radio Patrol" (1937) (Dolby digitally remastered), a 12 Chapter cliffhanger from a thrilling adventure of breath taking exploits and suspenseful Universal serial featuring a good cast...story line has a row of questions being asked, beginning with an international criminal gang is trying to get their hands on the formula for a new bulletproof steel, will no one be able to stop them...can our fists flying hard hitting radio policeman Pat O'Hara (Grant Withers) make a dent in the crooks he's about to encounter...what part does our canine smarter than some of the cast "Irish" (Silver Wolf the dog) play in this plot to steal the secret formula...will Grant Withers and Molly Selkirk (Katherine Hughes) be able to foil the plans to kidnap Pinky Adams (Mickey Rentschler) the son of inventor John P. Adams (Harry Davenport)...our hero Pat O'Hara eats, breaths and lives for pure excitement as he smashes the villains and their evil plans in every episode....will he before it's all over win the girl of his dreams and drive off into the sunset...don't leave the theater until the final chapter is over and done with "They Get Their Man"....just remember double thrills, chills, mystery and suspense...hitting the bull's eye with excitement...don't miss a single spine thrilling episode..return next week to this local theater for another episode of action and adventure that will keep you thrilled until the next chapter. Under director's Ford Beebe and Cliff Smith, associate producers Ben Koenig and Barney A. Sarecky, original story & screenplay by Wyndham Gittens, Norman S. Hall and Ray Trampe, supervising editor Saul A. Goodkind, musical score by Charles Previn and Franz Waxman, stunts by Eddie Parker (stunt double for Grant Withers), George Magrill and Tom Steele...the cast includes Grant Withers (Officer Pat O'Hara), Kay Hughes (Molly Selkirk), Mickey Rentschler (Pinky Adams), Adrian Morris (Officer Sam Maloney), Gordon Hart (W.H. Harrison), Frank Lankteen (Mr. Tanata/alias Warner the Great), Harry Davenport (John P. Adams, inventor), Wheeler Oakman (Stevens/gang chemist), Jack Mullhall (Desk Sergeant), Max Hoffman Jr (Harry Selkirk), Earl Dwire (Jeremiah Crockett), Silver Wolf (Irish/the dog), Tom London (Eddie Lewis-henchman), Monte Montague (James Pollard), Eddie Parker (Police Dispatcher/Steel Mill worker), Tom Steele (Police Car 27 Driver), Frank Sully (Flynn/henchman), Ray Teal (Perkins/henchman), Charles B. Murphy (Hobo/henchman), Richard Cramer (Charlie/the police dispatcher)........special footnote, actor Grant Withers began his long career with the film "Fighting Hearts" (1926) along with such films as "Tailspin Tommy" (1934), "Jungle Jim" (1936), "Mr. Wong Detective" (1938), "Billy the Kid" (1941), "In Old Oklahoma" (1943), "My Darling Clementine: (1946), "Fort Apache" (1948), "Rio Grande" (1950), made various appearances on the TV show "Have Gun Will Travel" (1957) with Richard Boone, starred in major motion pictures and later to supporting parts, usually as a villain in B-Westerns and a hero in Serials........meanwhile back to our Universal Serial which is always good till the last drop and this serial is no exception...there is a great deal of entertainment here for the cliffhanger fans out there...all courtesy of VCI Entertainment, who in my humble opinion is the best there is in restoring early serials and features. BIOS: 1. Grant Withers (aka Granville G. Withers) Birth Date: 1/17/1904 - Pueblo, Colorado Died: 3/27/1959 - North Hollywood, California, CHAPTER TITLES: 1. A Million Dollar Murder 2. The Hypnotic Eye 3. Flaming Death 4. The Human Clue 5. The Flash of Doom 6. The House of Terror 7. Claws of Steel 8. The Perfect Crime 9. Plaything of Disaster 10.A Bargain with Death 11.The Hidden Menace 12.They Get Their Man If you're into vintage serials as I am, why not pick up a copy of the following titles from VCI Home Video: VCI CLIFFHANGER TRAILERS: 1. Adventures of Red Ryder (Don "Red" Barry) 2. Adventures of the Flying Cadets (Bobby Jordan) 3. Buck Rogers (Buster Crabbe) 4. Captain Midnight (Dave O'Brien) 5. Captain Video: Master of the Stratosphere (Judd Holdren & I. Stanford Jolley) 6. Dick Tracy's G-Men (Ralph Byrd) 7. Don Winslow of the Navy (Don Terry) 8. Don Winslow of the Coast Guard (Don Terry) 9. Drums of Fu Manchu (Henry Brandon) 10.Fighting Kit Carson (Johnny Mack Brown) 11.Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (Buster Crabbe) 12.The Green Archer (Victory Jory) 13.Jungle Girl (Frances Gifford) 14.Jungle Jim (Grant Withers & Raymond Hatton) 15.Lost City of the Jungle (Russell Hayden & Keye Luke) 16.Mandrake the Magician (Warren Hull & Dick Curtis) 17.Miracle Rider (Tom Mix & Tony Jr) 18.The Painted Stallion (Ray "Crash" Corrigan) 19.The Phantom (Tom Tyler) 20.The Return of Chandu (Bela Lugosi) 21.Riders of Death Valley (Dick Foran, Leo Carrillo & Buck Jones) 22.Secret Agent X-9 (1937) (Scott Kolk & Henry Brandon) 23.Secret Agent X-9 (1945) (Lloyd Bridges & Keye Luke) 24.Sky Raiders (Donald Woods & Billy Halop) 25.Undersea Kingdom (Ray "Crash" Corrigan) 26.Winners of the West (Dick Foran, Harry Woods, Roy Barcroft & Charles Stevens) 27.Zane Greys "King of the Royal Mounted" (Allan "Rocky" Lane) 28.Zorro's Cliffhanger Collection (Reed Hadley, John Carroll & Linda Stirling) Great job by VCI Entertainment for releasing "Radio Patrol" (1937), the digital transfere with a clean, clear and crisp print...looking forward to more high quality releases from the vintage serial era of the '30s, '40s & '50s...order your copy now from Amazon or VCI Entertainment where there are plenty of copies available on VHS, stay tuned once again for top notch action mixed with deadly adventure from the "King of Serials" VCI...just the way we like 'em Total Time: 220 mins on 2 VHS ~ VCI Entertainment 1759 ~ (11/01/2000) Read more