Product Details

• Actors: Earl Douglas, Frank Mayo, Frances Robinson, Al Shean, Frankie Thomas
• Directors: Ford I. Beebe
• Format: Black & White, Color, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Vci Video
• DVD Release Date: February 28, 2006
• Run Time: 251 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000E97HWG
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #40,723 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Actors: Frankie Thomas, Frances Robinson, Norman Willis, Al Bridge: This was Universal's 37th sound-era serial in 12 thrilling chapters, and was based on the long-running King Features comic strip by Lyman Young. The story starts with Tim Tyler (Frankie Thomas) coming to Africa in search of his father, a noted scientist who has gone to the gorilla country and turned up missing. Tim stows away on a river steamer and meets Lora Lacey (Frances Robinson) who is searching for "Spider" Webb (Norman Willis), an ivory-safari robber and thief of a diamond. Lora and Tim pursue Webb, which leads them to Tim’s captive father. DVD Bonus & Features: 2005 Video Interview with Frankie Thomas, Bios, Original Theatrical Trailer, Bonus Classic Cliffhanger Trailers, Chapter Selection, DVD-9 / DVD-5, Dolby Digital 2.0, 251 min, B&W, 1.33:1, NR, 1937.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "The King of B-Westerns & Serials...VCI Entertainment ~ Tim Tyler's Luck (1937)", February 28, 2006

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

VCI Entertainment and Universal Pictures present based on the comic strip by Lyman Young by King Feature Syndicate..."Tim Tyler's Luck" (1937) (Dolby digitally remastered), a 12 Chapter cliffhanger from an action packed Universal serial era featuring an outstanding cast with Ford Beebe and Wyndham Gittens at the helm....story line and plot has Tim Tyler (Frankie Thomas) searching for his father Prof. James Tyler (Al Shean) a famous scientist, Tim embarks into gorilla country in Africa with danger at every turn...our cast seems to be having a blast with each cliffhanger episode keeping you on the edge of your seat...what part does Lora Lacey (Francis Robinson), Spider Webb (Norman Willis) and Tim play in this exciting jungle serial of Universal's best since "Flash Gordon" and "Buck Rogers"...will Tim's father survive the treacherous jungle of the Dark Continent and those who inhabit it's surroundings...can Lora Lacey with Tim's help bring in Spider Webb to stand trail for the crime Lora's brother is serving time for...is there any justice within the 12 chapters Universal's cast and crew is facing...don't leave the theater until the final chapter is over and done with "The Kimberley Diamonds"....just remember double thrills, chills, mystery and suspense...hitting the bull's eye with excitement...don't miss a single spine thrilling episode..return next week to this local theater for another episode of action and adventure that will keep you thrilled until the next chapter.

Under director's Ford Beebe and Wyndham Gittens, associate producer Henry MacRae and Elmer Tambert, original story & screenplay by Wyndham Gittens, Norman S. Hall and Ray Trampe, musical score by Franz Waxman, Charles Previn, William Schiller and Clifford Vaughan, stunts by Eddie Parker and Tom Steele...the cast includes Frankie Thomas (Tim Tyler), Frances Robinson (Lora Lacey), Jack Mulhall (Sgt. Gates), Al Shean (Prof. James Tyler), Norman Willis (Spider Webb), Anthony Warde (Garry Drake), Earl Douglas (Jules Lazarre), William "Billy" Benedict (Spud), Frank Mayo (Jim Conway), Alan Gregg (Brent-henchman), Pat J. O'Brien (Patrolman Barry), Stanley Blystone (Capt. Clark), Everett Brown (Native Henchman Mogu), Al Bridge (Capt. Trowbridge), Lane Chandler (Patrolman Kelly), William Desmond (Dock Official), Tom Steele (Ivory Patrolman), Eddie Parker (henchman), Kenneth Harlan (Spencer, Trader).....special footnote, some veteran actors of the '30s, '40s and '50s grace this feature with Al Bridge, William Desmond, Lane Chandler, Forbes Murray, all made their mark in the B-Westerns and Serial Department....meanwhile back to our Universal Serial which is always good till the last drop and this serial is no exception...there is a great deal of entertainment here for the cliffhanger fans out there...all courtesy of VCI Entertainment, who in my humble opinion is the best there is in restoring early serials and features.

CHAPTER TITLES:
1. Jungle Pirates
2. Dead Man's Pass
3. Into the Lion's Den
4. The Ivory Trail
5. Trapped in the Quicksands
6. Jaws of the Jungle
7. King of the Gorillas
8. The Spider Caught
9. The Gates of Doom
10.A Race for Fortune
11.No Man's Lands
12.The Kimberley Diamonds

BONUS FEATURES:
1. Video Interview with star Frankie Thomas in 2005.
2. Original theatrical trailer.
3. Classic Cliffhanger Trailers
4. Chapter Selections

BIOS:
1. Frankie Thomas (Frank M. Thomas)
Birth Date: 4/09/1921 - New York, New York
Died: Still Living
2. Frances Robinson
Birth Date: 4/26/1916 - Fort Wandsworth, New York
Died: 8/16/1971 - Los Angeles, CA
3. Norman Willis
Birth Date: 5/27/1903 - Chicago, Illinois
Died: 1/27/1988 - Los Angeles, CA
4. Ford I. Beebe (Director)
Birth Date: 11/26/1888 - Grand Rapids, Michigan
Died: 11/26/1978 - Lake Elisnore, CA
5. Wyndham Gittens (Director)
Birth Date: 2/07/1885 - Barbados, West Indies
Died: 6/18/1967 - Dunedin, Florida

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)

Great job by VCI Entertainment for releasing "Tim Tyler's Luck" (1937), the digital transfere with a clean, clear and crisp print...looking forward to more high quality releases from the vintage serial era of the '30s, '40s & '50s...order your copy now from Amazon or VCI Entertainment where there are plenty of copies available on VHS, stay tuned once again for top notch action mixed with deadly adventure from the "King of Serials" VCI...just the way we like 'em

Total Time: 251 mins on 2 DVD ~ VCI Entertainment 8438 ~ (2/28/2006)

3.0 out of 5 stars Serials:30s&40s Matinee Fun!, August 21, 2009

By	John J. Ryan - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

You have to remember the audience serials were produced for,these chapter plays of the 30s and 40s were intended to provide customer value,real or perceived between double features which were very common in those days.They were very popular with kids during the matinees but were also shown in the evening where adults liked them or used them as break time along with a cartoon,News of the day,short(think 3 Stooges)and next weeks coming attractions.All for .15cents or up to .75 cents depending on what years and/or location. This Tim Tyler serial is in my opinion about average for the genre.Do not be looking for Academy Award material here and sometimes not even good B movie production values,many fans of the genre ignore some of the gaffs&goofs that were not unusual in these pictures and the number of fans may surprise you.These serials still command from $5.95 up to $29.95 for the most popular today.Fun and/or nostalgia drive the continued interest in these "cliffhangers",again this serial is about average.