Born August 6, 1908 Greenwich, Connecticut Died April 10 1944 (aged 35) Hollywood, California Nationality American
Dick Purcell (August 6, 1908 - April 10, 1944) was an American actor best known for playing Marvel Comics' Captain America in the 1943 film serial, co-starring with Lorna Gray and Lionel Atwill.[1] Purcell also appeared in films such as Tough Kid (1938), Heroes In Blue (1939), Irish Luck (1939) and King Of The Zombies (1941).
Purcell was born in Greenwich, Connecticut, an only child, full name Richard Gerald Purcell, Jr., a Roman Catholic, he attended Catholic grade school and high school, before enrolling as a student at Fordham University in The Bronx in New York City.
Theatre and Early Film Work While in New York City, Dick Purcell began his acting career in theatre, appearing in at least three plays: Men in White, Sailor, Beware! and Paths of Glory. During his time acting in Paths of Glory, a talent scout spooted Purcell and this led to a small role in the film Ceiling Zero (1936). His next film was Man Hunt in which Purcell had a larger role as a newspaper reporter. Amazingly, Purcell appeared in eleven films in 1936 alone.
[edit] Captain America Captain America (1944) is a Republic serial film based (loosely) on the comic book character Captain America. It was the last Republic serial made about a superhero. It also has the distinction of being the most expensive serial that Republic ever made.
The serial sees Captain America, really District Attorney Grant Gardner, trying to thwart the plans of The Scarab, really museum curator Dr. Cyrus Maldor - especially regarding his attempts to acquire the "Dynamic Vibrator" and "Electronic Firebolt", devices that could be used as super-weapons.
Dick Purcell won the role as District Attorney Grant Gardner and Captain America. Purcell was cast as the hero despite supposedly appearing a bit overweight and average.]].[2]
Tragically, the role that made Dick Purcell famous turned out to be his last, and in fact he died before the film serial was released, to enormous success: Captain America. The strain of filming Captain America had been too much for his heart and he collapsed in the locker room at a Los Angeles country club on the 10th of April 1944, shortly after playing a round of golf, Purcell died a few weeks after filming was completed.
The Captain America serial is said to have been "...the hugely popular 15 chapter Saturday matinee serial", and better made than other superhero films of that time period.
The old movie serials of the 1930s and 1940s have been likened to television limited series of modern times, in that weekly chapters would appear, thus elevating the actors in these films to a highly iconic level among audiences, although they were overshadowed by so- called A-List performers. There were a total of 15 episodes in the Captain America serial, which meant that the film and story stretched across the entire summer:
On Jun 16, 11:12 am, Madara0806 <madara0...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Jun 16, 8:40 am, Ray Faiola <rpfai...@aol.com> wrote:
> > And, of course, he was Mackley Q. Green, a man very much beset by > > trouble in THE BANK DICK. On location in Lompoc filming a one-reel > > bupke!
> He shares my birthday. He was upstaged by Mantan Moreland (everybody > was!) in KING OF THE ZOMBIES (1941).
Sounds like some memorable performances, I haven't seen either of these films.
Thanks for the bio, Will. It's a shame Purcell didn't live long enough to even enjoy the relatively meager successes of the Captain America serial. I've always kind of wished for a comics story which somehow introduced Grant Gardner into MU continuity as an alternate Cap (oddly, as you mention, he was a D.A. in his civilian identity) but there's probably enough alt-Caps running around at the moment.
On Wed, 15 Jun 2011 18:40:57 -0700 (PDT), Will Dockery
>Born August 6, 1908 >Greenwich, Connecticut >Died April 10 1944 (aged 35) >Hollywood, California >Nationality American
>Dick Purcell (August 6, 1908 - April 10, 1944) was an American actor >best known for playing Marvel Comics' Captain America in the 1943 film >serial, co-starring with Lorna Gray and Lionel Atwill.[1] Purcell also >appeared in films such as Tough Kid (1938), Heroes In Blue (1939), >Irish Luck (1939) and King Of The Zombies (1941).
>Purcell was born in Greenwich, Connecticut, an only child, full name >Richard Gerald Purcell, Jr., a Roman Catholic, he attended Catholic >grade school and high school, before enrolling as a student at Fordham >University in The Bronx in New York City.
>Theatre and Early Film Work >While in New York City, Dick Purcell began his acting career in >theatre, appearing in at least three plays: Men in White, Sailor, >Beware! and Paths of Glory. During his time acting in Paths of Glory, >a talent scout spooted Purcell and this led to a small role in the >film Ceiling Zero (1936). His next film was Man Hunt in which Purcell >had a larger role as a newspaper reporter. Amazingly, Purcell appeared >in eleven films in 1936 alone.
>[edit] Captain America >Captain America (1944) is a Republic serial film based (loosely) on >the comic book character Captain America. It was the last Republic >serial made about a superhero. It also has the distinction of being >the most expensive serial that Republic ever made.
>The serial sees Captain America, really District Attorney Grant >Gardner, trying to thwart the plans of The Scarab, really museum >curator Dr. Cyrus Maldor - especially regarding his attempts to >acquire the "Dynamic Vibrator" and "Electronic Firebolt", devices that >could be used as super-weapons.
>Dick Purcell won the role as District Attorney Grant Gardner and >Captain America. Purcell was cast as the hero despite supposedly >appearing a bit overweight and average.]].[2]
>Tragically, the role that made Dick Purcell famous turned out to be >his last, and in fact he died before the film serial was released, to >enormous success: Captain America. The strain of filming Captain >America had been too much for his heart and he collapsed in the locker >room at a Los Angeles country club on the 10th of April 1944, shortly >after playing a round of golf, Purcell died a few weeks after filming >was completed.
>The Captain America serial is said to have been "...the hugely popular >15 chapter Saturday matinee serial", and better made than other >superhero films of that time period.
>The old movie serials of the 1930s and 1940s have been likened to >television limited series of modern times, in that weekly chapters >would appear, thus elevating the actors in these films to a highly >iconic level among audiences, although they were overshadowed by so- >called A-List performers. There were a total of 15 episodes in the >Captain America serial, which meant that the film and story stretched >across the entire summer:
> Thanks for the bio, Will. It's a shame Purcell didn't live long > enough to even enjoy the relatively meager successes of the Captain > America serial. I've always kind of wished for a comics story which > somehow introduced Grant Gardner into MU continuity as an alternate > Cap (oddly, as you mention, he was a D.A. in his civilian identity) > but there's probably enough alt-Caps running around at the moment.
> On Wed, 15 Jun 2011 18:40:57 -0700 (PDT), Will Dockery
> <will.dock...@gmail.com> wrote: > >Dick Purcell: the first Captain America of the movies
> >Born August 6, 1908 > >Greenwich, Connecticut > >Died April 10 1944 (aged 35) > >Hollywood, California > >Nationality American
> >Dick Purcell (August 6, 1908 - April 10, 1944) was an American actor > >best known for playing Marvel Comics' Captain America in the 1943 film > >serial, co-starring with Lorna Gray and Lionel Atwill.[1] Purcell also > >appeared in films such as Tough Kid (1938), Heroes In Blue (1939), > >Irish Luck (1939) and King Of The Zombies (1941).
> >Purcell was born in Greenwich, Connecticut, an only child, full name > >Richard Gerald Purcell, Jr., a Roman Catholic, he attended Catholic > >grade school and high school, before enrolling as a student at Fordham > >University in The Bronx in New York City.
> >Theatre and Early Film Work > >While in New York City, Dick Purcell began his acting career in > >theatre, appearing in at least three plays: Men in White, Sailor, > >Beware! and Paths of Glory. During his time acting in Paths of Glory, > >a talent scout spooted Purcell and this led to a small role in the > >film Ceiling Zero (1936). His next film was Man Hunt in which Purcell > >had a larger role as a newspaper reporter. Amazingly, Purcell appeared > >in eleven films in 1936 alone.
> >[edit] Captain America > >Captain America (1944) is a Republic serial film based (loosely) on > >the comic book character Captain America. It was the last Republic > >serial made about a superhero. It also has the distinction of being > >the most expensive serial that Republic ever made.
> >The serial sees Captain America, really District Attorney Grant > >Gardner, trying to thwart the plans of The Scarab, really museum > >curator Dr. Cyrus Maldor - especially regarding his attempts to > >acquire the "Dynamic Vibrator" and "Electronic Firebolt", devices that > >could be used as super-weapons.
> >Dick Purcell won the role as District Attorney Grant Gardner and > >Captain America. Purcell was cast as the hero despite supposedly > >appearing a bit overweight and average.]].[2]
> >Tragically, the role that made Dick Purcell famous turned out to be > >his last, and in fact he died before the film serial was released, to > >enormous success: Captain America. The strain of filming Captain > >America had been too much for his heart and he collapsed in the locker > >room at a Los Angeles country club on the 10th of April 1944, shortly > >after playing a round of golf, Purcell died a few weeks after filming > >was completed.
> >The Captain America serial is said to have been "...the hugely popular > >15 chapter Saturday matinee serial", and better made than other > >superhero films of that time period.
> >The old movie serials of the 1930s and 1940s have been likened to > >television limited series of modern times, in that weekly chapters > >would appear, thus elevating the actors in these films to a highly > >iconic level among audiences, although they were overshadowed by so- > >called A-List performers. There were a total of 15 episodes in the > >Captain America serial, which meant that the film and story stretched > >across the entire summer:- Hide quoted text -
> - Show quoted text -
Wasn't that Dick Purcell singing in an Irish brogue in She Wore a Yellow Ribbon?
> On Jun 16, 1:03 pm, Tim Turnip <timtur...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > Thanks for the bio, Will. It's a shame Purcell didn't live long > > enough to even enjoy the relatively meager successes of the Captain > > America serial. I've always kind of wished for a comics story which > > somehow introduced Grant Gardner into MU continuity as an alternate > > Cap (oddly, as you mention, he was a D.A. in his civilian identity) > > but there's probably enough alt-Caps running around at the moment.
> > On Wed, 15 Jun 2011 18:40:57 -0700 (PDT), Will Dockery
> > <will.dock...@gmail.com> wrote: > > >Dick Purcell: the first Captain America of the movies
> > >Born August 6, 1908 > > >Greenwich, Connecticut > > >Died April 10 1944 (aged 35) > > >Hollywood, California > > >Nationality American
> > >Dick Purcell (August 6, 1908 - April 10, 1944) was an American actor > > >best known for playing Marvel Comics' Captain America in the 1943 film > > >serial, co-starring with Lorna Gray and Lionel Atwill.[1] Purcell also > > >appeared in films such as Tough Kid (1938), Heroes In Blue (1939), > > >Irish Luck (1939) and King Of The Zombies (1941).
> > >Purcell was born in Greenwich, Connecticut, an only child, full name > > >Richard Gerald Purcell, Jr., a Roman Catholic, he attended Catholic > > >grade school and high school, before enrolling as a student at Fordham > > >University in The Bronx in New York City.
> > >Theatre and Early Film Work > > >While in New York City, Dick Purcell began his acting career in > > >theatre, appearing in at least three plays: Men in White, Sailor, > > >Beware! and Paths of Glory. During his time acting in Paths of Glory, > > >a talent scout spooted Purcell and this led to a small role in the > > >film Ceiling Zero (1936). His next film was Man Hunt in which Purcell > > >had a larger role as a newspaper reporter. Amazingly, Purcell appeared > > >in eleven films in 1936 alone.
> > >[edit] Captain America > > >Captain America (1944) is a Republic serial film based (loosely) on > > >the comic book character Captain America. It was the last Republic > > >serial made about a superhero. It also has the distinction of being > > >the most expensive serial that Republic ever made.
> > >The serial sees Captain America, really District Attorney Grant > > >Gardner, trying to thwart the plans of The Scarab, really museum > > >curator Dr. Cyrus Maldor - especially regarding his attempts to > > >acquire the "Dynamic Vibrator" and "Electronic Firebolt", devices that > > >could be used as super-weapons.
> > >Dick Purcell won the role as District Attorney Grant Gardner and > > >Captain America. Purcell was cast as the hero despite supposedly > > >appearing a bit overweight and average.]].[2]
> > >Tragically, the role that made Dick Purcell famous turned out to be > > >his last, and in fact he died before the film serial was released, to > > >enormous success: Captain America. The strain of filming Captain > > >America had been too much for his heart and he collapsed in the locker > > >room at a Los Angeles country club on the 10th of April 1944, shortly > > >after playing a round of golf, Purcell died a few weeks after filming > > >was completed.
> > >The Captain America serial is said to have been "...the hugely popular > > >15 chapter Saturday matinee serial", and better made than other > > >superhero films of that time period.
> > >The old movie serials of the 1930s and 1940s have been likened to > > >television limited series of modern times, in that weekly chapters > > >would appear, thus elevating the actors in these films to a highly > > >iconic level among audiences, although they were overshadowed by so- > > >called A-List performers. There were a total of 15 episodes in the > > >Captain America serial, which meant that the film and story stretched > > >across the entire summer:- Hide quoted text -
> > - Show quoted text -
> Wasn't that Dick Purcell singing in an Irish brogue in She Wore a > Yellow Ribbon?
> Pjk
No, he was dead by then. Dick Foran sang an Irish song in FORT APACHE.
There's also the story that the script was originally created for Mr. Scarlet (District Attorney Brian Butler) and was re-purposed for Captain America.
Perhaps we'll see Grant Gardner again, since Simon & Kirby seem to be regaining the rights to Steve Rogers? Thanks, Darci
On Jun 16, 1:03 pm, Tim Turnip <timtur...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Thanks for the bio, Will. It's a shame Purcell didn't live long > enough to even enjoy the relatively meager successes of the Captain > America serial.
Yes, it really is, since some items I've read on Captain America seem to suggest the serial as really very popular that summer, which no doubt would have gave Purcell some measure of fame, although not on the level of maybe Adam West or George Reeves... just as it had to have spike the sales of the comics.
I'm still looking around for details of that type, but the fact that Purcell was already dead had to limit just how far things might have gone, as the kids caught on to him as an actor...
I've always kind of wished for a comics story which
> somehow introduced Grant Gardner into MU continuity as an alternate > Cap (oddly, as you mention, he was a D.A. in his civilian identity) > but there's probably enough alt-Caps running around at the moment.
That would be interesting, although I've read Marvel has dealt with the serial as an actual serial in the MU, it would be interesting to see Grant Gardner's CA involved on another level.
> >Born August 6, 1908 > >Greenwich, Connecticut > >Died April 10 1944 (aged 35) > >Hollywood, California > >Nationality American
> >Dick Purcell (August 6, 1908 - April 10, 1944) was an American actor > >best known for playing Marvel Comics' Captain America in the 1943 film > >serial, co-starring with Lorna Gray and Lionel Atwill.[1] Purcell also > >appeared in films such as Tough Kid (1938), Heroes In Blue (1939), > >Irish Luck (1939) and King Of The Zombies (1941).
> >Purcell was born in Greenwich, Connecticut, an only child, full name > >Richard Gerald Purcell, Jr., a Roman Catholic, he attended Catholic > >grade school and high school, before enrolling as a student at Fordham > >University in The Bronx in New York City.
> >Theatre and Early Film Work > >While in New York City, Dick Purcell began his acting career in > >theatre, appearing in at least three plays: Men in White, Sailor, > >Beware! and Paths of Glory. During his time acting in Paths of Glory, > >a talent scout spooted Purcell and this led to a small role in the > >film Ceiling Zero (1936). His next film was Man Hunt in which Purcell > >had a larger role as a newspaper reporter. Amazingly, Purcell appeared > >in eleven films in 1936 alone.
> >[edit] Captain America > >Captain America (1944) is a Republic serial film based (loosely) on > >the comic book character Captain America. It was the last Republic > >serial made about a superhero. It also has the distinction of being > >the most expensive serial that Republic ever made.
> >The serial sees Captain America, really District Attorney Grant > >Gardner, trying to thwart the plans of The Scarab, really museum > >curator Dr. Cyrus Maldor - especially regarding his attempts to > >acquire the "Dynamic Vibrator" and "Electronic Firebolt", devices that > >could be used as super-weapons.
> >Dick Purcell won the role as District Attorney Grant Gardner and > >Captain America. Purcell was cast as the hero despite supposedly > >appearing a bit overweight and average.]].[2]
> >Tragically, the role that made Dick Purcell famous turned out to be > >his last, and in fact he died before the film serial was released, to > >enormous success: Captain America. The strain of filming Captain > >America had been too much for his heart and he collapsed in the locker > >room at a Los Angeles country club on the 10th of April 1944, shortly > >after playing a round of golf, Purcell died a few weeks after filming > >was completed.
> >The Captain America serial is said to have been "...the hugely popular > >15 chapter Saturday matinee serial", and better made than other > >superhero films of that time period.
> >The old movie serials of the 1930s and 1940s have been likened to > >television limited series of modern times, in that weekly chapters > >would appear, thus elevating the actors in these films to a highly > >iconic level among audiences, although they were overshadowed by so- > >called A-List performers. There were a total of 15 episodes in the > >Captain America serial, which meant that the film and story stretched > >across the entire summer:
On Jun 16, 1:03 pm, Tim Turnip <timtur...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Thanks for the bio, Will. It's a shame Purcell didn't live long > enough to even enjoy the relatively meager successes of the Captain > America serial.
Yes, it really is, since some items I've read on Captain America seem to suggest the serial as really very popular that summer, which no doubt would have gave Purcell some measure of fame, although not on the level of maybe Adam West or George Reeves... just as it had to have spike the sales of the comics.
I'm still looking around for details of that type, but the fact that Purcell was already dead had to limit just how far things might have gone, as the kids caught on to him as an actor...
I've always kind of wished for a comics story which
> somehow introduced Grant Gardner into MU continuity as an alternate > Cap (oddly, as you mention, he was a D.A. in his civilian identity) > but there's probably enough alt-Caps running around at the moment.
That would be interesting, although I've read Marvel has dealt with the serial as an actual serial in the MU, it would be interesting to see Grant Gardner's CA involved on another level.
> >Born August 6, 1908 > >Greenwich, Connecticut > >Died April 10 1944 (aged 35) > >Hollywood, California > >Nationality American
> >Dick Purcell (August 6, 1908 - April 10, 1944) was an American actor > >best known for playing Marvel Comics' Captain America in the 1943 film > >serial, co-starring with Lorna Gray and Lionel Atwill.[1] Purcell also > >appeared in films such as Tough Kid (1938), Heroes In Blue (1939), > >Irish Luck (1939) and King Of The Zombies (1941).
> >Purcell was born in Greenwich, Connecticut, an only child, full name > >Richard Gerald Purcell, Jr., a Roman Catholic, he attended Catholic > >grade school and high school, before enrolling as a student at Fordham > >University in The Bronx in New York City.
> >Theatre and Early Film Work > >While in New York City, Dick Purcell began his acting career in > >theatre, appearing in at least three plays: Men in White, Sailor, > >Beware! and Paths of Glory. During his time acting in Paths of Glory, > >a talent scout spooted Purcell and this led to a small role in the > >film Ceiling Zero (1936). His next film was Man Hunt in which Purcell > >had a larger role as a newspaper reporter. Amazingly, Purcell appeared > >in eleven films in 1936 alone.
> >[edit] Captain America > >Captain America (1944) is a Republic serial film based (loosely) on > >the comic book character Captain America. It was the last Republic > >serial made about a superhero. It also has the distinction of being > >the most expensive serial that Republic ever made.
> >The serial sees Captain America, really District Attorney Grant > >Gardner, trying to thwart the plans of The Scarab, really museum > >curator Dr. Cyrus Maldor - especially regarding his attempts to > >acquire the "Dynamic Vibrator" and "Electronic Firebolt", devices that > >could be used as super-weapons.
> >Dick Purcell won the role as District Attorney Grant Gardner and > >Captain America. Purcell was cast as the hero despite supposedly > >appearing a bit overweight and average.]].[2]
> >Tragically, the role that made Dick Purcell famous turned out to be > >his last, and in fact he died before the film serial was released, to > >enormous success: Captain America. The strain of filming Captain > >America had been too much for his heart and he collapsed in the locker > >room at a Los Angeles country club on the 10th of April 1944, shortly > >after playing a round of golf, Purcell died a few weeks after filming > >was completed.
> >The Captain America serial is said to have been "...the hugely popular > >15 chapter Saturday matinee serial", and better made than other > >superhero films of that time period.
> >The old movie serials of the 1930s and 1940s have been likened to > >television limited series of modern times, in that weekly chapters > >would appear, thus elevating the actors in these films to a highly > >iconic level among audiences, although they were overshadowed by so- > >called A-List performers. There were a total of 15 episodes in the > >Captain America serial, which meant that the film and story stretched > >across the entire summer:
On Jun 16, 2:29 pm, Darci <darci...@gmail.com> wrote:
> There's also the story that the script was originally created for Mr. > Scarlet (District Attorney Brian Butler) and was re-purposed for > Captain America.
> Perhaps we'll see Grant Gardner again, since Simon & Kirby seem to be > regaining the rights to Steve Rogers? > Thanks, > Darci
> > There's also the story that the script was originally created for Mr. > > Scarlet (District Attorney Brian Butler) and was re-purposed for > > Captain America.
That's weird. I wouldn't think Mr. Scarlet was an A-list character that a studio would want to pick up.
In article <ws21-544568.13410820062...@newsstand.cit.cornell.edu>, Bill Steele <w...@cornell.edu> wrote:
> > > There's also the story that the script was originally created for Mr. > > > Scarlet (District Attorney Brian Butler) and was re-purposed for > > > Captain America.
> That's weird. I wouldn't think Mr. Scarlet was an A-list character that > a studio would want to pick up.
Well, the Cap script was apparently based on something else since it didn't have squat to do with Captain America. He's not Steve Rogers, but he's not Brian Butler either. He *is* a DA but his name is Grant Gardner. You'd think if you had a Brian Butler script and changed the character name you'd change it to the right name, but then I've worked with plenty of screenwriters more lazy and less competent than that.
-- "Please, I can't die, I've never kissed an Asian woman!" Shego on "Shat My Dad Says"
Anim8rFSK <ANIM8R...@cox.net> wrote: > In article <ws21-544568.13410820062...@newsstand.cit.cornell.edu>, > Bill Steele <w...@cornell.edu> wrote:
> > > > There's also the story that the script was originally created for Mr. > > > > Scarlet (District Attorney Brian Butler) and was re-purposed for > > > > Captain America.
> > That's weird. I wouldn't think Mr. Scarlet was an A-list character that > > a studio would want to pick up.
> Well, the Cap script was apparently based on something else since it > didn't have squat to do with Captain America. He's not Steve Rogers, > but he's not Brian Butler either. He *is* a DA but his name is Grant > Gardner. You'd think if you had a Brian Butler script and changed the > character name you'd change it to the right name, but then I've worked > with plenty of screenwriters more lazy and less competent than that.
Perhaps The Whisperer. He was the police commissioner in disguise. (For the children here, The Whisperer was a pulp magazine character, sort of second-string to The Shadow.)
> Anim8rFSK <ANIM8R...@cox.net> wrote: > > Bill Steele <w...@cornell.edu> wrote:
> > > > > There's also the story that the script was originally created for Mr. > > > > > Scarlet (District Attorney Brian Butler) and was re-purposed for > > > > > Captain America.
> > > That's weird. I wouldn't think Mr. Scarlet was an A-list character that > > > a studio would want to pick up.
> > Well, the Cap script was apparently based on something else since it > > didn't have squat to do with Captain America. He's not Steve Rogers, > > but he's not Brian Butler either. He *is* a DA but his name is Grant > > Gardner. You'd think if you had a Brian Butler script and changed the > > character name you'd change it to the right name, but then I've worked > > with plenty of screenwriters more lazy and less competent than that.
> Perhaps The Whisperer. He was the police commissioner in disguise. (For > the children here, The Whisperer was a pulp magazine character, sort of > second-string to The Shadow.)
You may have already seen this, but the Wiki gives some reasons why Mr. Scarlet might have been the character the script was first written for:
The reason for the differences appears to be not that Republic arbitrarily "changed" the character, but that the script for the serial was originally prepared to feature an entirely different licensed lead character to begin with who it was later decided would be replaced by another. So it appears it was actually this original character, not Captain America, who was the one that was "changed" by Republic into someone else.
Film historians Jim Harmon and Don Glut speculated that the script was originally written as a sequel to 1940's Mysterious Doctor Satan, which featured the masked hero The Copperhead.[cn] This character was himself a substitution for DC's Superman, after Republic's bid for that character's film rights lost to Paramount, who had a series of cartoon shorts made by the Fleischer Studios. This idea, however, is highly questionable considering that Republic owned the Copperhead character and could have done as they pleased with him without any licensing issues.[5]
Based on the facts that Republic had adapted other Fawcett Comics characters (Captain Marvel and Spy Smasher), that the lead is a crime- fighting district attorney, aided by his female secretary who knows his identity, and that the serial includes a chapter entitled "The Scarlet Shroud" in which nothing scarlet appears, film restoration director Eric Stedman has stated that it seems more likely that the script was originally developed to feature Fawcett's comic book hero Mr. Scarlet, secretly D.A. Brian Butler, whose comic book appearances had proved unpopular and who had actually disappeared from comic book covers and been relegated to being a backup feature between the time the serial was planned and the final film produced.[cn]
Writer Raymond William Stedman believes that the differences between the comic-book and film versions of Captain America were "for the better" as, for example, the hero did not have to sneak out of an army base every time he needed to change identities.
> Born August 6, 1908 > Greenwich, Connecticut > Died April 10 1944 (aged 35) > Hollywood, California > Nationality American
> Dick Purcell (August 6, 1908 - April 10, 1944) was an American actor > best known for playing Marvel Comics' Captain America in the 1943 film > serial, co-starring with Lorna Gray and Lionel Atwill.[1] Purcell also > appeared in films such as Tough Kid (1938), Heroes In Blue (1939), > Irish Luck (1939) and King Of The Zombies (1941).
> Purcell was born in Greenwich, Connecticut, an only child, full name > Richard Gerald Purcell, Jr., a Roman Catholic, he attended Catholic > grade school and high school, before enrolling as a student at Fordham > University in The Bronx in New York City.
> Theatre and Early Film Work > While in New York City, Dick Purcell began his acting career in > theatre, appearing in at least three plays: Men in White, Sailor, > Beware! and Paths of Glory. During his time acting in Paths of Glory, > a talent scout spooted Purcell and this led to a small role in the > film Ceiling Zero (1936). His next film was Man Hunt in which Purcell > had a larger role as a newspaper reporter. Amazingly, Purcell appeared > in eleven films in 1936 alone.
> [edit] Captain America > Captain America (1944) is a Republic serial film based (loosely) on > the comic book character Captain America. It was the last Republic > serial made about a superhero. It also has the distinction of being > the most expensive serial that Republic ever made.
> The serial sees Captain America, really District Attorney Grant > Gardner, trying to thwart the plans of The Scarab, really museum > curator Dr. Cyrus Maldor - especially regarding his attempts to > acquire the "Dynamic Vibrator" and "Electronic Firebolt", devices that > could be used as super-weapons.
> Dick Purcell won the role as District Attorney Grant Gardner and > Captain America. Purcell was cast as the hero despite supposedly > appearing a bit overweight and average.]].[2]
> Tragically, the role that made Dick Purcell famous turned out to be > his last, and in fact he died before the film serial was released, to > enormous success: Captain America. The strain of filming Captain > America had been too much for his heart and he collapsed in the locker > room at a Los Angeles country club on the 10th of April 1944, shortly > after playing a round of golf, Purcell died a few weeks after filming > was completed.
> The Captain America serial is said to have been "...the hugely popular > 15 chapter Saturday matinee serial", and better made than other > superhero films of that time period.
> The old movie serials of the 1930s and 1940s have been likened to > television limited series of modern times, in that weekly chapters > would appear, thus elevating the actors in these films to a highly > iconic level among audiences, although they were overshadowed by so- > called A-List performers. There were a total of 15 episodes in the > Captain America serial, which meant that the film and story stretched > across the entire summer:
An interesting thing I noticed that the 1940s Captain America of the movies has with the new one of this summer, and I think, the 1970s one with the motorcycle helmet, is that the little wings on his temples are again missing... they seem painted on from the art I've seen in the toy section of Wal-Mart, but... weird, no wings again.
> On Jun 21, 2:37 pm, Bill Steele <w...@cornell.edu> wrote: > > Anim8rFSK <ANIM8R...@cox.net> wrote: > > > Bill Steele <w...@cornell.edu> wrote:
> > > > > > There's also the story that the script was originally created for > > > > > > Mr. > > > > > > Scarlet (District Attorney Brian Butler) and was re-purposed for > > > > > > Captain America.
> > > > That's weird. I wouldn't think Mr. Scarlet was an A-list character that > > > > a studio would want to pick up.
> > > Well, the Cap script was apparently based on something else since it > > > didn't have squat to do with Captain America. He's not Steve Rogers, > > > but he's not Brian Butler either. He *is* a DA but his name is Grant > > > Gardner. You'd think if you had a Brian Butler script and changed the > > > character name you'd change it to the right name, but then I've worked > > > with plenty of screenwriters more lazy and less competent than that.
> > Perhaps The Whisperer. He was the police commissioner in disguise. (For > > the children here, The Whisperer was a pulp magazine character, sort of > > second-string to The Shadow.)
> You may have already seen this, but the Wiki gives some reasons why > Mr. Scarlet might have been the character the script was first written > for:
> The reason for the differences appears to be not that Republic > arbitrarily "changed" the character, but that the script for the > serial was originally prepared to feature an entirely different > licensed lead character to begin with who it was later decided would > be replaced by another. So it appears it was actually this original > character, not Captain America, who was the one that was "changed" by > Republic into someone else.
> Film historians Jim Harmon and Don Glut speculated that the script was > originally written as a sequel to 1940's Mysterious Doctor Satan, > which featured the masked hero The Copperhead.[cn] This character was > himself a substitution for DC's Superman, after Republic's bid for > that character's film rights lost to Paramount, who had a series of > cartoon shorts made by the Fleischer Studios. This idea, however, is > highly questionable considering that Republic owned the Copperhead > character and could have done as they pleased with him without any > licensing issues.[5]
> Based on the facts that Republic had adapted other Fawcett Comics > characters (Captain Marvel and Spy Smasher), that the lead is a crime- > fighting district attorney, aided by his female secretary who knows > his identity, and that the serial includes a chapter entitled "The > Scarlet Shroud" in which nothing scarlet appears, film restoration > director Eric Stedman has stated that it seems more likely that the > script was originally developed to feature Fawcett's comic book hero > Mr. Scarlet, secretly D.A. Brian Butler, whose comic book appearances > had proved unpopular and who had actually disappeared from comic book > covers and been relegated to being a backup feature between the time > the serial was planned and the final film produced.[cn]
> Writer Raymond William Stedman believes that the differences between > the comic-book and film versions of Captain America were "for the > better" as, for example, the hero did not have to sneak out of an army > base every time he needed to change identities.
And for the worse in that he lost his supersoldier abilities and had no reason to call himself Captain America.
The above makes sense though, if Mr. Scarlet was a cover character at the time they started (He got bumped back by Mary Marvel). For that matter, I don't think Spy Smasher was ever a front cover guy.
I wish they'd stuck with the Copperhead. Some of his stunts were amazing. (Probably David Sharpe?)
> In article > <9f48f362-c74b-4641-82e3-c46490b41...@fr19g2000vbb.googlegroups.com>, > Will Dockery <will.dock...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > On Jun 21, 2:37 pm, Bill Steele <w...@cornell.edu> wrote: > > > Anim8rFSK <ANIM8R...@cox.net> wrote: > > > > Bill Steele <w...@cornell.edu> wrote:
> > > > > > > There's also the story that the script was originally created for > > > > > > > Mr. > > > > > > > Scarlet (District Attorney Brian Butler) and was re-purposed for > > > > > > > Captain America.
> > > > > That's weird. I wouldn't think Mr. Scarlet was an A-list character that > > > > > a studio would want to pick up.
> > > > Well, the Cap script was apparently based on something else since it > > > > didn't have squat to do with Captain America. He's not Steve Rogers, > > > > but he's not Brian Butler either. He *is* a DA but his name is Grant > > > > Gardner. You'd think if you had a Brian Butler script and changed the > > > > character name you'd change it to the right name, but then I've worked > > > > with plenty of screenwriters more lazy and less competent than that.
> > > Perhaps The Whisperer. He was the police commissioner in disguise. (For > > > the children here, The Whisperer was a pulp magazine character, sort of > > > second-string to The Shadow.)
> > You may have already seen this, but the Wiki gives some reasons why > > Mr. Scarlet might have been the character the script was first written > > for:
> > The reason for the differences appears to be not that Republic > > arbitrarily "changed" the character, but that the script for the > > serial was originally prepared to feature an entirely different > > licensed lead character to begin with who it was later decided would > > be replaced by another. So it appears it was actually this original > > character, not Captain America, who was the one that was "changed" by > > Republic into someone else.
> > Film historians Jim Harmon and Don Glut speculated that the script was > > originally written as a sequel to 1940's Mysterious Doctor Satan, > > which featured the masked hero The Copperhead.[cn] This character was > > himself a substitution for DC's Superman, after Republic's bid for > > that character's film rights lost to Paramount, who had a series of > > cartoon shorts made by the Fleischer Studios. This idea, however, is > > highly questionable considering that Republic owned the Copperhead > > character and could have done as they pleased with him without any > > licensing issues.[5]
> > Based on the facts that Republic had adapted other Fawcett Comics > > characters (Captain Marvel and Spy Smasher), that the lead is a crime- > > fighting district attorney, aided by his female secretary who knows > > his identity, and that the serial includes a chapter entitled "The > > Scarlet Shroud" in which nothing scarlet appears, film restoration > > director Eric Stedman has stated that it seems more likely that the > > script was originally developed to feature Fawcett's comic book hero > > Mr. Scarlet, secretly D.A. Brian Butler, whose comic book appearances > > had proved unpopular and who had actually disappeared from comic book > > covers and been relegated to being a backup feature between the time > > the serial was planned and the final film produced.[cn]
> > Writer Raymond William Stedman believes that the differences between > > the comic-book and film versions of Captain America were "for the > > better" as, for example, the hero did not have to sneak out of an army > > base every time he needed to change identities.
> And for the worse in that he lost his supersoldier abilities and had no > reason to call himself Captain America.
> The above makes sense though, if Mr. Scarlet was a cover character at > the time they started (He got bumped back by Mary Marvel). For that > matter, I don't think Spy Smasher was ever a front cover guy.
> I wish they'd stuck with the Copperhead. Some of his stunts were > amazing. (Probably David Sharpe?)
And the fact that the studio seemed to favor Fawcett characters.
"...Taking the Super-Serum out of the Captain and dropping him into a District Attorney’s finely pressed suit turns out to be a fantastic decision. Sure, it’s occasionally a little bit odd when a dude in striped spandex suddenly shows up in a classic crime serial style heist, yet somehow that makes it even more compelling. Grant Gardner gets his strength from being a determined, strong guy who knows how to punch and use a gun [...] It’s also pleasantly escapist, which closer reproduction of the comic books might not have been able to achieve. A year before the bombing of Pearl Harbor “Captain America” sold like mad with a cover image of the hero punching Adolf Hitler right in the jaw. In 1944, with real Americans off in Europe fighting real Nazis and the country three years into its wartime ordeal, sending the Captain after the SS might not have served as light entertainment. Wily mad scientists building a “dynamic vibrator” or an “electronic firebolt” are more fun for the home front audience, and this serial delivered..."
Dick Purcell: the first Captain America of the movies
> Born August 6, 1908 > Greenwich, Connecticut > Died April 10 1944 (aged 35) > Hollywood, California > Nationality American
> Dick Purcell (August 6, 1908 - April 10, 1944) was an American actor > best known for playing Marvel Comics' Captain America in the 1943 film > serial, co-starring with Lorna Gray and Lionel Atwill.[1] Purcell also > appeared in films such as Tough Kid (1938), Heroes In Blue (1939), > Irish Luck (1939) and King Of The Zombies (1941).
> Purcell was born in Greenwich, Connecticut, an only child, full name > Richard Gerald Purcell, Jr., a Roman Catholic, he attended Catholic > grade school and high school, before enrolling as a student at Fordham > University in The Bronx in New York City.
> Theatre and Early Film Work > While in New York City, Dick Purcell began his acting career in > theatre, appearing in at least three plays: Men in White, Sailor, > Beware! and Paths of Glory. During his time acting in Paths of Glory, > a talent scout spooted Purcell and this led to a small role in the > film Ceiling Zero (1936). His next film was Man Hunt in which Purcell > had a larger role as a newspaper reporter. Amazingly, Purcell appeared > in eleven films in 1936 alone.
> [edit] Captain America > Captain America (1944) is a Republic serial film based (loosely) on > the comic book character Captain America. It was the last Republic > serial made about a superhero. It also has the distinction of being > the most expensive serial that Republic ever made.
> The serial sees Captain America, really District Attorney Grant > Gardner, trying to thwart the plans of The Scarab, really museum > curator Dr. Cyrus Maldor - especially regarding his attempts to > acquire the "Dynamic Vibrator" and "Electronic Firebolt", devices that > could be used as super-weapons.
> Dick Purcell won the role as District Attorney Grant Gardner and > Captain America. Purcell was cast as the hero despite supposedly > appearing a bit overweight and average.]].[2]
> Tragically, the role that made Dick Purcell famous turned out to be > his last, and in fact he died before the film serial was released, to > enormous success: Captain America. The strain of filming Captain > America had been too much for his heart and he collapsed in the locker > room at a Los Angeles country club on the 10th of April 1944, shortly > after playing a round of golf, Purcell died a few weeks after filming > was completed.
> The Captain America serial is said to have been "...the hugely popular > 15 chapter Saturday matinee serial", and better made than other > superhero films of that time period.
> The old movie serials of the 1930s and 1940s have been likened to > television limited series of modern times, in that weekly chapters > would appear, thus elevating the actors in these films to a highly > iconic level among audiences, although they were overshadowed by so- > called A-List performers. There were a total of 15 episodes in the > Captain America serial, which meant that the film and story stretched > across the entire summer:
