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{{Short description|American film director (1893–1987)}}
He was born on 5th January 1893 in Brooklyn, New York.
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2013}}
{{More citations needed|date=April 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Spencer Gordon Bennet
| image = Spencer Gordon Bennet - Dec 1925 EH.jpg
| imagesize =
| caption = From a 1925 magazine
| birthname =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1893|1|5|mf=y}}
| birth_place = [[Brooklyn]], [[New York (state)|New York]], United States
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1987|10|8|1893|1|5|mf=y}}
| death_place = [[Santa Monica, California]], United States
| othername =
| occupation = Film director, film producer
| years_active = 1921–1974
| spouse =
| domesticpartner =
| website =
}}


'''Spencer Gordon Bennet''' (January 5, 1893 – October 8, 1987) was an American film producer and director. Known as the "King of Serial Directors", he directed more [[film serial]]s than any other director.
Known as the "King of Serial Directers" he directed more film serials than anybody else. He first entered show business as a stunt man, when he answered a newspaper ad to jump from the Palisades of the Hudson River while wearing a suit for the serial film ''Hurricane Hutch''. The gig at that time paid $1 per foot he had to fall.


==Biography==
He made his directorial debut in 1921's ''Behold The Man'' but made his serial directorial debut in 1925 with ''Sunken Silver''. He would keep making serials, as well as [[B westerns]] features, until the very end of the genre, directing the very last two made in the United States in 1956, ''Blazing the Overland Trail'' and ''Perils of the Wilderness''. After the serials ended he directed a handful of features, his final directorial credit with 1965's ''The Bounty Killer'' which was also the final film to feature noted cowboy star Gilbert "Broncho Billy" Anderson. When he died in 1987, his tombstone was engraved "The Final Chapter".
Born in [[Brooklyn]], New York, Bennet first entered show business as a stunt man, when he answered a newspaper ad to jump from the Palisades of the Hudson River while wearing a suit for the serial film ''[[Hurricane Hutch]]'' (1921). The gig at that time paid $1 per foot he had to fall.


He made his directorial debut in 1921's ''Behold the Man'' but made his serial directorial debut in 1925 with ''[[Sunken Silver]]''. He would keep making serials, as well as [[B-Western]] features, until the very end of the genre, directing the last two serials made in the United States, ''[[Blazing the Overland Trail]]'' (1956) and ''[[Perils of the Wilderness]]'' (1956). After the serials ended he directed a handful of features, his final directorial credit being 1965's ''[[The Bounty Killer (film)|The Bounty Killer]]'', which was also the final film to feature pioneering cowboy star [[Broncho Billy Anderson]]. When he died in 1987,he was buried at the [[Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills)|Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills Cemetery]] in Los Angeles, his tombstone was engraved "His Final Chapter".
Over his long career Bennet directed over a hundred serials including both ''[[Superman (serial)|Superman]]'' serials, The ''[[Adventures of Sir Galahad]]'', ''[[Batman and Robin (serial)|Batman and Robin]]'', ''[[The Tiger Woman]]'', ''[[Captain Video: Master of the Stratosphere|Captain Video]]'', and numerous western serials. Among his western b-features were his long running ''[[Red Ryder]]'' series, featuring Red Barry.


Over his long career Bennet directed over 100 serials, including the Superman serials ''[[Superman (serial)|Superman]]'' and ''[[Atom Man vs. Superman]]'' both starring [[Kirk Alyn]]; ''[[The Masked Marvel]]''; ''[[G-Men vs. the Black Dragon]]'' and ''[[Secret Service in Darkest Africa]]'' both starring [[Rod Cameron (actor)|Rod Cameron]] as agent Rex Bennett; the second Batman serial ''[[Batman and Robin (serial)|Batman and Robin]]''; ''[[The Purple Monster Strikes]]''; the ''[[Adventures of Sir Galahad]]''; ''[[The Tiger Woman (1944 film)|The Tiger Woman]]''; ''[[Captain Video: Master of the Stratosphere]]''; ''[[Zorro's Black Whip]]'', and numerous western serials.
== External links ==
* {{imdb name|name=Spencer Gordon Bennet|id=0071560}}
*[http://www.criterion.com/asp/release.asp?id=366&eid=515&section=essay Bruce Eder's essay on Bennet's ''The Atomic Submarine''] for the [http://www.criterion.com Criterion Collection] DVD


Among his "B" features were four for the ''[[Jungle Jim]]'' series starring [[Johnny Weissmuller]] and two for the ''[[Red Ryder]]'' series, featuring [[Wild Bill Elliott]] and [[Allan Lane|Allan "Rocky" Lane]].
[[Category:American film directors]]
He also directed eight episodes of the ''[[Ramar of the Jungle]]'' TV series.
[[Category:1893 births|Bennet, Spencer Gordon]]

[[Category:1987 deaths|Bennet, Spencer Gordon]]
==Preservation==
The Academy Film Archive preserved two of Spencer Gordon Bennet's films, ''Hawk of the Hills'' and ''Snowed In''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Linwood Dunn Collection|url=http://www.oscars.org/film-archive/collections/linwood-dunn-collection-0|website=Academy Film Archive}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Preserved Projects|url=http://www.oscars.org/academy-film-archive/preserved-projects?title=&filmmaker=Spencer+Gordon+Bennet&category=All&collection=All|website=Academy Film Archive}}</ref>

==Partial filmography==
{{div col}}
* ''[[Sunken Silver]]'' (1925)
* ''[[The Green Archer (1925 serial)|The Green Archer]]'' (1925)
* ''[[The House Without a Key (serial)|The House Without a Key]]'' (1926)
* ''[[Marked Money]]'' (1928)
* ''[[Queen of the Northwoods]]'' (1929)
* ''[[Rogue of the Rio Grande]]'' (1930)
* ''[[The Last Frontier (serial)|The Last Frontier]]'' (1932)
* ''[[Badge of Honor (film)|Badge of Honor]]'' (1934)
* ''[[Rescue Squad (film)|Rescue Squad]]'' (1935)
* ''[[Western Courage (1935 film)|Western Courage]]'' (1935)
* ''[[Ranger Courage]]'' (1936)
* ''[[Rio Grande Ranger]]'' (1936)
* ''[[The Fugitive Sheriff]]'' (1936)
* ''[[The Unknown Ranger]]'' (1936)
* ''[[The Mysterious Pilot]]'' (1937)
* ''[[Oklahoma Terror]]'' (1939)
* ''[[The Secret Code (serial)|The Secret Code]]'' (1942)
* ''[[The Valley of Vanishing Men]]'' (1942)
* ''[[G-Men vs. the Black Dragon]]'' (1943)
* ''[[Secret Service in Darkest Africa]]'' (1943)
* ''[[The Masked Marvel]]'' (1943)
* ''[[Canyon City (1943 film)|Canyon City]]'' (1943)
* ''[[The Tiger Woman (1944 film)|The Tiger Woman]]'' (1944)
* ''[[Haunted Harbor]]'' (1944)
* ''[[Zorro's Black Whip]]'' (1944)
* ''[[Manhunt on Mystery Island]]'' (1945)
* ''[[Federal Operator 99]]'' (1945)
* ''[[The Purple Monster Strikes]]'' (1945)
* ''[[The Phantom Rider (Republic serial)|The Phantom Rider]]'' (1946)
* ''[[King of the Forest Rangers]]'' (1946)
* ''[[Daughter of Don Q]]'' (1946)
* ''[[Son of Zorro]]'' (1947)
* ''[[The Black Widow (serial)|The Black Widow]]'' (1947)
* ''[[Brick Bradford (serial)|Brick Bradford]]'' (1947)
* ''[[Superman (serial)|Superman]]'' (1948)
* ''[[Congo Bill (serial)|Congo Bill]]'' (1948)
* ''[[Bruce Gentry – Daredevil of the Skies]]'' (1948)
* ''[[Batman and Robin (serial)|Batman and Robin]]'' (1949)
* ''[[Adventures of Sir Galahad]]'' (1949)
* ''[[Cody of the Pony Express]]'' (1950)
* ''[[Atom Man vs. Superman]]'' (1950)
* ''[[Pirates of the High Seas]]'' (1950)
* ''[[Roar of the Iron Horse]]'' (1951)
* ''[[Mysterious Island (serial)|Mysterious Island]]'' (1951)
* ''[[King of the Congo]]'' (1952)
* ''[[Brave Warrior]]'' (1952)
* ''[[The Miraculous Blackhawk: Freedom's Champion]]'' (1952)
* ''[[Son of Geronimo]]'' (1952)
* ''[[Voodoo Tiger]]'' (1952)
* ''[[The Lost Planet (serial)|The Lost Planet]]'' (1953)
* ''[[Killer Ape (film)|Killer Ape]]'' (1953)
* ''[[Gunfighters of the Northwest]]'' (1954)
* ''[[Riding with Buffalo Bill]]'' (1954)
* ''[[Adventures of Captain Africa Mighty Jungle Avenger!]]'' (1955)
* ''[[Devil Goddess]]'' (1955)
* ''[[Perils of the Wilderness]]'' (1956)
* ''[[Blazing the Overland Trail]]'' (1956)
* ''[[The Atomic Submarine]]'' (1959)
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Portal|Biography}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Spencer Gordon Bennet}}
* {{IMDb name|0071560}}
* {{Find a Grave|5912060}}

{{Spencer Gordon Bennet}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bennet, Spencer Gordon}}
[[Category:1893 births]]
[[Category:1987 deaths]]
[[Category:Film producers from New York (state)]]
[[Category:Film serial crew]]
[[Category:Film directors from Brooklyn]]
[[Category:Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills)]]

Latest revision as of 18:48, 23 June 2024

Spencer Gordon Bennet
From a 1925 magazine
Born(1893-01-05)January 5, 1893
Brooklyn, New York, United States
DiedOctober 8, 1987(1987-10-08) (aged 94)
Santa Monica, California, United States
Occupation(s)Film director, film producer
Years active1921–1974

Spencer Gordon Bennet (January 5, 1893 – October 8, 1987) was an American film producer and director. Known as the "King of Serial Directors", he directed more film serials than any other director.

Biography

[edit]

Born in Brooklyn, New York, Bennet first entered show business as a stunt man, when he answered a newspaper ad to jump from the Palisades of the Hudson River while wearing a suit for the serial film Hurricane Hutch (1921). The gig at that time paid $1 per foot he had to fall.

He made his directorial debut in 1921's Behold the Man but made his serial directorial debut in 1925 with Sunken Silver. He would keep making serials, as well as B-Western features, until the very end of the genre, directing the last two serials made in the United States, Blazing the Overland Trail (1956) and Perils of the Wilderness (1956). After the serials ended he directed a handful of features, his final directorial credit being 1965's The Bounty Killer, which was also the final film to feature pioneering cowboy star Broncho Billy Anderson. When he died in 1987,he was buried at the Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills Cemetery in Los Angeles, his tombstone was engraved "His Final Chapter".

Over his long career Bennet directed over 100 serials, including the Superman serials Superman and Atom Man vs. Superman both starring Kirk Alyn; The Masked Marvel; G-Men vs. the Black Dragon and Secret Service in Darkest Africa both starring Rod Cameron as agent Rex Bennett; the second Batman serial Batman and Robin; The Purple Monster Strikes; the Adventures of Sir Galahad; The Tiger Woman; Captain Video: Master of the Stratosphere; Zorro's Black Whip, and numerous western serials.

Among his "B" features were four for the Jungle Jim series starring Johnny Weissmuller and two for the Red Ryder series, featuring Wild Bill Elliott and Allan "Rocky" Lane. He also directed eight episodes of the Ramar of the Jungle TV series.

Preservation

[edit]

The Academy Film Archive preserved two of Spencer Gordon Bennet's films, Hawk of the Hills and Snowed In.[1][2]

Partial filmography

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Linwood Dunn Collection". Academy Film Archive.
  2. ^ "Preserved Projects". Academy Film Archive.
[edit]
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