The Lightning Raider
(1919) American
B&W : Serial / 15 episodes / 30 reels
Directed by George B. Seitz

Cast: Pearl White [‘The Lightning Raider’], Henry G. Sell [Thomas Babbington North], Warner Oland [Wu Fang], Ruby Hoffman [Lottie], William Burt (William P. Burt) [‘The Wasp’], Frank Redman [Hop Sing], Nellie Burt, Sam Kim, Henrietta Simpson, Boris Karloff, William A. Sullivan (Billy Sullivan), Anita Brown

Astra Film Corporation production; distributed by Pathé Exchange, Incorporated. / Scenario by [?] George B. Seitz?, from the adaptation by Charles W. Goddard and John B. Clymer of stories by May Yohe. / 15 episodes (two reels each): [1] “The Ebony Block,” released [?] 5 or 15? January 1919; [2] “The Counterplot”; [3] “Underworld Terrors”; [4] “Through Doors of Steel”; [5] “The Brass Key”; [6] “The Mystic Box”; [7] “Meshes of Evil”; [8] “Cave of Dread”; [9] “Falsely Accused”; [10] “The Baited Trap”; [11] “The Bars of Death”; [12] “Hurled Into Space”; [13] “The White Roses”; [14] “Cleared of Guilt”; [15] “Wu Fang Atones”. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.37:1 format. / Reputedly Boris Karloff’s film debut.

Drama.

Survival Status: Incomplete print exists [abridged 8mm reduction positive].

Keywords: Asians - Chinese - Museums - Police chiefs - Policemen - Serials

Listing updated: 30 September 2009.

References: Lahue-Bound pp. 40-41, 74, 75, 80; Lahue-Continued pp. 30a-30c, 194-195, 286; Nollen-Karloff p. 349; Stedman-Serials pp. 17, 39, 45 : Website-IMDb; Website-SerSq.

Home video: DVD.