King of the Rocket Men
Prof. Millard pretends to be dead and helps Jeff King ferret out Vulcan, the evil traitor at the science academy. Donning his Rocket Man costume King goes from one hair raising rescue to the next in order to keep the newly invented Decimator out of the clutches of Vulcan and his minions.
King of the Rocket Men is a 1949 12-chapter black-and-white Republic movie serial, produced by Franklin Adreon, directed Fred C. Brannon, that stars Tristram Coffin, Mae Clarke, Don Haggerty, House Peters, Jr., James Craven, and I. Stanford Jolley.
This serial is notable for featuring the only character actually called “Rocket Man”, a misnomer applied by fans to the other rocket-powered-suited heroes that followed in Republic’s later serials: Radar Men from the Moon (1952), Zombies of the Stratosphere (1952), and Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe (1953).
Plot
An evil genius of unknown identity, calling himself “Dr. Vulcan” (heard only as a voice and seen as a mysterious shadow on a brightly lit wall), plots to conquer the world. He needs to first eliminate, one by one, the members of the Science Associates, an organization of America’s greatest scientists.
After narrowly escaping an attempt on his life by Vulcan, one member of Science Associates, Dr. Millard (James Craven) goes into hiding. He soon outfits another member, Jeff King (Tristram Coffin) with an advanced, atomic-powered rocket backpack, attached to leather jacket with a bullet-shaped, aerodynamic flight helmet, and a raygun that they had been developing together.
Using the flying jacket and helmet and other inventions provided by Dr. Millard, and aided by magazine reporter and photographer Glenda Thomas (Mae Clarke), Jeff King, as Rocket Man, battles Vulcan and his henchmen through a dozen action-packed Republic serial chapters. Eventually, Vulcan steals Millard’s most dangerous invention, a Sonic Decimator, and uses it to flood, then destroy New York City. The mysterious Dr. Vulcan is eventually unmasked and brought to justice by Jeff King while in his Rocket Man persona.
Cast
Tristram Coffin as Jeff King aka Rocket Man
Mae Clarke as Glenda Thomas
Don Haggerty as Tony Dirken
House Peters, Jr. as Burt Winslow
James Craven as Dr. Millard
I. Stanford Jolley as Professor Bryant/Dr. Vulcan
Stanley Price as Gunther Von Strum
Ted Adams as Martin Conway
Marshall Bradford as Dr. Graffner
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