GenreAction, Adventure, Mystery SequelBatman Duration CountryUnited States
WriterHarry Fraser, Lewis Clay, George Gray Release dateDecember 12, 1942 (1942-12-12) CastBill Elliott (Wild Bill Tolliver), Slim Summerville (Missouri Benson), Carmen Morales (Consuelo Ramirez), Kenneth MacDonald (Jonathan Kincaid), Jack Ingram (Butler), George Chesebro (Taggart) Similar moviesThe Green Archer, Hitman: Agent 47, Batman Begins, The Dark Knight Rises, Mysterious Doctor Satan, The Spider's Web TaglineBREATH-TAKING THRILLS THUNDERING TO SIDE-SPLITTING LAUGHTER
The Valley of Vanishing Men (1942) was the 20th film serial (of 57) released by Columbia Pictures.
In this serial, Wild Bill Tolliver and Missouri Benson are a pair of adventurers who ride into the vast territory of New Mexico in search of Bill's father, Henry Tolliver, who mysteriously disappeared while prospecting for gold. They soon discover that a ruthless outlaw leader, Jonathan Kincaid, owns an immense mine of gold in which he uses captured Mexican patriots, among others, to work as slaves in the mine. They also learn that Kincaid has joined forces with Colonel Carl Engler, a renegade eastern European soldier, to carry out his cruel intentions. Then Bill and Missouri meet with Consuelo Ramírez, a diligent Mexican agent, who informs them that Bill's father is among the prisoners in the mine. After that, the heroes find themselves in a conflict with the outlaws in the middle of incessant fights, chases and action.
Cast
Bill Elliott as Wild Bill Tolliver. Bill Elliott starred in three serials at Columbia Pictures, and The Valley of Vanishing Men was his last cliffhanger at that studio or anywhere else. Shortly after making this chapterplay, Elliott signed with Republic Pictures where his contract excluded him from doing any more serial work.
Slim Summerville as Missouri Benson
Carmen Morales as Consuelo Ramírez
Kenneth MacDonald as Jonathan Kincaid
Jack Ingram as Butler, a henchman
George Chesebro as Taggart, a henchman
John Shay as Mullins, a henchman
Tom London as Slater, a henchman
Arno Frey as Colonel Carl Engler
Lane Chandler as Major Stacy Roberts
Roy Barcroft as Deputy Jed "Luke" Lucas
Rick Anderson as Henry Tolliver
Ernie Adams as Stubby, bartender
Billy Bletcher as the voice of Jericho
Hank Bell as a wounded prospector
Production
Writing about the film's atmosphere, Cline says that this serial was a "grim tale...[with a] mood of ominous dread." Missouri was added to the cast because a normal comedy relief character would have not have worked.
