Terry

 

TERRY AND THE PIRATES-1940-Tough guy scientist adventurer Pat Ryan (Granville Owen aka Jeff York) and his wimpy over anxious buddy Terry Lee (William Tracy) are in Asia to deliver some important papers to Terry's dad Dr. Lee (J. Paul Jones). They find that Dr. Lee has already left on an exhibition into the jungle because he didn't get their telegram. The two, along with their (fake) Asian servant Connie (Allen Jung) get a surly greeting from everyone they encounter (including the alcoholic governor). The town is run by the malevolent Master Fang (Dick Curtis) who intercepted Ryan's telegram and sends a lackey with a gorilla Baboo to get the papers. Fang is also after the treasure from The Temple of Mara, overseen by it's queen The Dragon Lady (Shelia Darcy). Rich white guy Allen Drake (Forrest Taylor) and his daughter Normandie (Joyce Bryant) help Pat and Terry mount the search party despite threats from Fang who sends his white gang disguised as natives to break up Pop Lee's party. On the first night of Pat and Terry's exploring, his group with Connie and huge local magician Big Stoop (Victor DeCamp) are attacked by the fake natives and left to burn to death in a tent. 

Of course since this is a 15 part serial produced by Columbia Pictures every episode has a (mostly) cheat cliffhanger ending that the heroes escape from at the last minute in the following episode. It's based on a comic strip created Milton Caniff (who hated the serial) in 1934. Caniff also created "Steve Canyon".  

Director James Horne had directed KOLLEGE with Buster Keaton in the silent days and later several Laurel & Hardy movies as well as a few other serials but died suddenly in 1942. 12 years later “Terry” portrayer Tracy would have a co-starring role in a “Terry And The Pirates” TV series.

Thanks for reading!

Thanks for reading!