Product Details

• Actors: Dick Simmons, Barbara Bestar, Dale Van Sickel, Mauritz Hugo, Lane Bradford
• Directors: Franklin Adreon
• Writers: Ronald Davidson
• Producers: Franklin Adreon
• Format: Black & White, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 2
• Studio: Republic Pictures
• VHS Release Date: July 18, 1995
• Run Time: 169 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6303494099
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #15,946 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars El Latigo, May 29, 2002

A Kid's Review

As it says on my list, this was the final Republic Zorro serial, even though the character Zorro is not even in the story. A gang of crooks led by a saloon owner (Mauritz Hugo) attempts to rob an Indian reservation of it's gold. A local settler (Richard Simmons) and a school teacher (Barbara Bestar) attempt to stop the gang. To win the trust of the local Indians, the settler takes on the guise of El Latigo, a legenary Indian friend. This film had stock footage from many films, including Zorro's Black Whip, featuring Linda Stirling.

4.0 out of 5 stars "Man with the Steel Whip (1954) ... Richard Simmons & Roy Barcroft ... A Republic 12 Chapter Serial", December 27, 2006

By	J. Lovins "Mr. Jim" (Missouri-USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Republic Pictures present "MAN WITH THE STEEL WHIP" (1954) (169 mins/B&W) (Dolby digitally remastered) --- is a 12-Chapter Republic Movie Serial starring Richard Simmons, Barbara Bestar, Dale Van Sickel and Roy Barcroft, relive those thrilling days week after week venue brought you to the theater, as you were mesmerized in your seat waiting for the final chapter ... exciting action within 12 episodes the Republic Serials department, with gold being discovered on Indian reservation land ... who is this El Latigo and what part does he play in helping defeat Mauritz Hugo and his band of cutthroats ... will El Latigo the masked crimefighter lead the tribe to victory and overthrown the baddies of this Republic Classic Serial.

Under Franklin Adreon (Director/Associate Producer), R. Dale Butts (Original Score), Bud thackery (Cinematographer), Cliff Bell Sr. (Editor), Joseph Harrison (Editor) ------ the cast includes Richard Simmons (Jerry Randall/El Latigo), Barbara Bestar (Nancy Cooper), Dale Van Sickel (Crane - Barnet Henchman), Mauritz Hugo (Barnett ), Lane Bradford (Tosco), Pat Hogan (The Indian Chief), Roy Barcroft (Sheriff), Stuart Randall (Harris), Edmund Cobb (Lee, Buckboard Driver), I. Stanford Jolley (Sloane - Assayer), Guy Teague (Price), Tom Steele (Tom - Henchman at Cascade Rocks), Hank Bell (Stage Driver - 'Daredevils of the West' footage), Ray Corrigan (Painted Stallion stock footage), Art Dillard (Barn Henchman), Charles Stevens (Blackjack Sam - Captured Renegade) ------ the plot line has the legendary friend to all Indians El Latigo (another Zorro), this time it's Richard Simmons in costume ... the heroine is pretty Barbara Bestar who seems bent on getting into trouble only to have Simmons rescue her ... by the way, Roy Barcroft of all things is the good Sheriff in this cliffhanger ... the head villain is Mauritz Hugo, who plays his badman to the hilt along with the great stuntman Dale Van Sickel as his henchman ... gold is the reason for this 12 Chapter Republic Classic, can El Latigo rescue and prevail once again, certainly a cliffhanger if ever I saw one ... the suspense is riveting inclusive fast paced fight scenes as everyone is having fun with this classic ... great stunt work by the Republic stunt personnel Tom Steele (stunt double: Richard Simmons) ... don't leave the theater until the final chapter "Redskin Raiders" ... another winner from the vaults of Republic Serials --- this is a must watch for the serial buffs in all of us.

CHAPTER TITLES:
1. The Spirit Rider
2. Savage Fury
3. Mask of El Latico
4. The Murder Cave
5. The Stone Guillotine
6. Flame and Battle
7. Double Ambush
8. The Blazing Barrier
9. The Silent Informer
10.Window of Death
11.The Fatal Masquerade
12.Redskin Raiders

BIOS:
1. Dick Simmons
Date of birth: 19 August 1913 - St. Paul, Minnesota
Date of death: 11 January 2003 - Oceanside, California

Special Footnote, Richard Simmons an American actor played a number of minor roles at varous film studios, he achieved fame in the mid-1950s when he starred in the half-hour syndicated TV series, "Sergeant Preston of the Yukon" (1955) ... with his horse Rex, and his husky King, Preston brought law-and-order into the 1890s Gold Rush as a member of the Northwest Mounted Police. Each episode ended with Preston hugging his dog and saying: "Well, King, it looks like this case is closed." --- the trio became a mainstay on children's television from 1955 to 1958.

BIOS:
2. Roy Barcroft (aka: Howard Harold Ravenscroft)
Date of birth: 7 September 1902 - Crab Orchard, Nebraska
Date of death: 28 November 1969 - Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California

Second Special Footnote, actor Roy Barcroft one of the most sought after badmen of the Saturday Matinee era --- His face appeared in more westerns than any cowboy villain who rode the range in the '40s and '50s --- an complete account of "Roy Barcroft:King of the Badmen", which is the title of Bobby J. Copeland's book on the life and times of "Republic Pictures Number One Villain". Barcroft appeared in B-Westerns and Serials - became one of the most recognized actors, when you heard that familiar voice --- you were in for it. Roy was one of the few bad guys that once you saw his name in the credits, you were going to get your money's worth. Barcroft was my first favorite and my second was Harry Woods, who in many ways reminded me of each other --- I remember watching Barcroft in a variety of Republic Serials --- "Manhunt of Mystery Island" (1945), as Captain Mephisto --- "The Purple Monster Strikes" (1945), as the invading Martian --- "G-Men Never Forget" (1948), a dual role as the honest police commissioner and the lead villain (good & bad look-alikes) --- "Don Daredevil Rides Again" (1951) --- "Radar Men from the Moon" (1952), as Retik --- My favorite B-Westerns were the casting of Wild "Bill" Elliott and Allan "Rocky" Lane vs the under handed dealings of Roy Barcroft, boss, leader of the gang or henchmen --- every frame was B-Westerns at their best --- With knock-down-drag-out fight scenes that gave you everything you ever wished for and more in an action film --- fellow actors, producers and directors all agree Roy Barcroft was as beloved as anybody else in the Motion Picture business.

If you're into vintage serials as I am, why not pick up a copy of the following titles from VCI Home Video:
VCI CLIFFHANGER TRAILERS:
1. Adventures of Red Ryder (Don "Red" Barry)
2. Adventures of the Flying Cadets (Bobby Jordan)
3. Buck Rogers (Buster Crabbe)
4. Captain Midnight (Dave O'Brien)
5. Captain Video: Master of the Stratosphere (Judd Holdren & I. Stanford Jolley)
6. Dick Tracy's G-Men (Ralph Byrd)
7. Don Winslow of the Navy (Don Terry)
8. Don Winslow of the Coast Guard (Don Terry)
9. Drums of Fu Manchu (Henry Brandon)
10.Fighting Kit Carson (Johnny Mack Brown)
11.Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (Buster Crabbe)
12.The Green Archer (Victory Jory)
13.Jungle Girl (Frances Gifford)
14.Jungle Jim (Grant Withers & Raymond Hatton)
15.Lost City of the Jungle (Russell Hayden & Keye Luke)
16.Mandrake the Magician (Warren Hull & Dick Curtis)
17.Miracle Rider (Tom Mix & Tony Jr)
18.The Painted Stallion (Ray "Crash" Corrigan)
19.The Phantom (Tom Tyler)
20.The Return of Chandu (Bela Lugosi)
21.Riders of Death Valley (Dick Foran, Leo Carrillo & Buck Jones)
22.Secret Agent X-9 (1937) (Scott Kolk & Henry Brandon)
23.Secret Agent X-9 (1945) (Lloyd Bridges & Keye Luke)
24.Sky Raiders (Donald Woods & Billy Halop)
25.Undersea Kingdom (Ray "Crash" Corrigan)
26.Winners of the West (Dick Foran, Harry Woods, Roy Barcroft & Charles Stevens)
27.Zane Greys "King of the Royal Mounted" (Allan "Rocky" Lane)
28.Zorro's Cliffhanger Collection (Reed Hadley, John Carroll & Linda Stirling)

Hats off and thanks to Les Adams (collector/guideslines for character identification), Chuck Anderson (Webmaster: The Old Corral/B-Westerns.Com), Boyd Magers (Western Clippings), Bobby J. Copeland (author of "Trail Talk"), Rhonda Lemons (Empire Publishing Inc) and Bob Nareau (author of "The Real Bob Steele") as they have rekindled my interest once again for B-Westerns and Serials --- looking forward to more high quality releases from the vintage serial era of the '20s, '30s & '40s and B-Westerns ... order your copy now from Amazon where there are plenty of copies available on VHS, stay tuned once again for top notch action mixed with deadly adventure --- if you enjoyed this title, why not check out VCI Entertainment where they are experts in releasing B-Westerns and Serials --- all my heroes have been cowboys!

Total Time: 169 min on VHS ~ Republic Video ~ (7/18/1995)