Buck Rogers (1939)

Buck Rogers is a 1939 science fiction film serial, produced by Universal Pictures. It stars Buster Crabbe (who had previously played the title character in two Flash Gordon serials and would return for a third in 1940) as the eponymous hero, Constance Moore, Jackie Moran and Anthony Warde. It is based on the Buck Rogers character created by Philip Francis Nowlan, who had appeared in magazines and comic strips since 1928.

Directors – Ford Beebe, Saul A. Goodkind

Writers – Norman S. Hall (screenplay), Ray Trampe (screenplay), Dick Calkins (based on the comic strip by)

Cast –
Buster Crabbe as Buck Rogers
Constance Moore as Wilma Deering
Jackie Moran as George “Buddy” Wade
Anthony Warde as “Killer” Kane
C. Montague Shaw as Doctor Huer
Jack Mulhall as Captain Rankin
Guy Usher as Aldar
William Gould as Air Marshal Kragg
Philson Ahn as Prince Tallen
Henry Brandon as Captain Laska
David Sharpe as Kane pilot / Hidden City sentry / Saturnian lieutenant

Chapter Guide:

1 – Tomorrow’s World
2 – Tragedy on Saturn
3 – The Enemy’s Stronghold
4 – The Sky Patrol
5 – The Phantom Plane
6 – The Unknown Command
7 – Primitive Urge
8 – Revolt of the Zuggs
9 – Bodies Without Minds
10 – Broken Barriers
11 – A Prince in Bondage
12 – War of the Planets

Plot

In 1938, Lieutenant Buck Rogers (Buster Crabbe) and Buddy Wade (Jackie Moran) are part of the crew of a dirigible flying over the North Pole. They are caught in a savage storm and crash. They are ordered to release the experimental Nirvano Gas, which (unbeknownst to them) will put them in suspended animation until they are rescued. The Nirvano Gas works, but the dirigible is buried in an avalanche and is not found until 500 years have passed. When Buck and Buddy are found, they awaken in the year 2440 to a world ruled by the ruthless dictator, Killer Kane (Anthony Warde), and his army of “super-racketeers”. Only those who live in the “Hidden City”, run by the benevolent scientist Dr. Huer (C. Montague Shaw) and his military counterpart, Air Marshal Kragg (William Gould), resist the criminal rulers of Earth.

Buck and Buddy join the resistance. They volunteer to go to Saturn, where they hope that they can find help in their fight against Kane. Wilma Deering (Constance Moore) is assigned to accompany them. Saturn is run by Aldar (Guy Usher), the Council of the Wise and Prince Tallen. To the dismay of Buck and Buddy, they also discover that Kane has dispatched ambassadors of his own, headed by his loyal henchman, Captain Laska (Henry Brandon). The serial then becomes a back-and-forth struggle between Buck and Kane to secure the planet’s military support.