THE PHANTOM RIDER (1936) - colorized

THE PHANTOM RIDER is a 1936 American Western film serial directed by Ray Taylor for Universal and starring Buck Jones and Marla Shelton.

Plot
Buck Jones depcts an undercover lawman, Buck Rainey. who is aiding landowners, farmers and ranchers, in protecting their land from an outlaws gang t hat wants to seize them. The chief rancher is portrayed by Marla Shelton as Mary Wilson, a love interest. Raley adopts the identity of THE PHANTOM RIDER. ghostly figure with white garb and a cloak, to repel the evil-doers and to the thwart their plans.

CAST:
Buck Jones as Buck Grant
Marla Shelton as Mary Grayson
George Cooper as Spooky
Diana Gibson as Helen Moore
Harry Woods as Harvey Delaney
Frank LaRue as Judge Holmes
Eddie Gribbon as Sheriff Mark
Matt McHugh as Agent Shorty
Helen Shipman as Lizzie
Joey Ray as Steve Scott
Lafe McKee as Jeff Grayson
Jim Mason as Dirk, a henchman
Charles King as Keeler, a henchman
Clem Bevans as Mr Hudson
Wales as Lew, a henchman

RELEASE:
It was welcomed by audiences

STUNTS:
Cliff Lyons
George Plues
Wally West
Jay Wilsey

CHAPTERS:
Dynamite
The Maddened Herd
The Brink of Disaster
The Phantom Rides
Trapped by Outlaws
Shot Down
Stark Terror
The Night Attack
The Indians Attack
Human Targets
The Shaft of Doom
Flaming Gold
Crashing Timbers
The Last Chance
The Outlaw's Vengeance

THE PHANTOM RIDER was not the first masked avenger of there was Zorro and the Lone Ranger, who preceded the Buck Jones character in 1919 and 1933. Nevertheless THE PHANTOM RIDER, by his name and costume influenced numerous subsequent elements of popular culture, including a 1946 Republic Serial and comic books published from the 1950's on by numerous publishers, called the Ghost Rider, Night Rider, as well as the Phantom Rider. Often the characters have supernatural and horror elements. From the 1970's, some are modern figures who ride motorcycles rather than horses.