The Last Frontier (serial)

The Last Frontier is an American Pre-Code 12-chapter serial, distributed by RKO Radio Pictures in 1932. The story was based on the novel of the same name by Courtney Ryley Cooper.

The serial starred Lon Chaney Jr. as the Zorro-esque hero The Black Ghost. Dorothy Gulliver was the leading female star. The total running time of the serial is 213 minutes.

This serial was also released theatrically in 1932 as a 70-minute feature version called The Black Ghost.

Plot
The outlaw "Tiger" Morris attempts to drive settlers off their land in order to acquire the local gold deposits. A crusading newspaper editor, Tom Kirby, becomes the masked vigilante The Black Ghost to stop him.

Cast

 * Lon Chaney Jr. as Tom Kirby, the editor of the local newspaper and the masked vigilante The Black Ghost
 * Dorothy Gulliver as Betty Halliday
 * Ralph Bushman as Jeff Maitland
 * William Desmond as General George Custer
 * Joe Bonomo as Joe, one of Morris' henchman. Listed as "Kit Gordon" in the credits.
 * Pete Morrison as Hank, one of Morris' henchman
 * LeRoy Mason as Buck, Morris' spearpoint heavy (chief henchman)
 * Yakima Canutt as Wild Bill Hickok
 * Mary Jo Desmond as Aggie Kirby
 * Slim Cole as Uncle Happy
 * Richard Neill as Leige "Tiger" Morris, outlaw
 * Judith Barrie as Rose Maitland
 * Claude Payton as Colonel Halliday
 * Ben Corbett as Bad Ben, one of Morris' henchman
 * Frank Lackteen as Chief Pawnee Blood
 * Fritzi Fern as Mariah

Production
The Last Frontier was RKO's only serial.

Chapter titles
Source:
 * 1) The Black Ghost Rides
 * 2) The Thundering Herd
 * 3) The Black Ghost Strikes
 * 4) The Fatal Shot
 * 5) Clutching Sands
 * 6) The Terror Trail
 * 7) Doomed
 * 8) Facing Death
 * 9) Thundering Doom
 * 10) The Life Line
 * 11) Driving Danger
 * 12) The Black Ghost's Last Ride