Congo Bill (serial)

Congo Bill
Original poster for Congo Bill
Directed by	Spencer Gordon Bennet Thomas Carr
Written by	George H. Plympton Arthur Hoerl Lewis Clay
Based on	Congorilla by Whitney Ellsworth George Papp
Starring	Don McGuire Cleo Moore Jack Ingram I. Stanford Jolley Leonard Penn Nelson Leigh
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release date	October 28, 1948 (1948-10-28)
Running time	15 chapters
Country	United States
Language	English

Congo Bill (1948) is a Columbia movie serial based on the DC Comics character Congo Bill, later named Congorilla.

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Plot

A girl is about to inherit a fortune, but she is missing in Africa. Her family engages Congo Bill, an adventurer, to find her, and bring her back to civilization. He follows a legend about a mysterious White Queen, but his path is full of difficulties, by an inhospitable jungle, and the man who will lose the fortune if the girl is found alive...

Cast

Don McGuire as Congo Bill, famed hunter and animal trainer
Cleo Moore as Queen Lureen / Ruth Culver, white ruler of a forbidden valley in Africa and the missing heiress to the Culver fortune
Jack Ingram as Cameron, mysterious trader
I. Stanford Jolley as Bernie McGraw, villainous trustee of the Culver fortune
Leonard Penn as Andre Bocar, owner of the seedy African bar The Green Parrot Inn, in Bernie McGraw's pay and working for his own ends
Nelson Leigh as Dr Greenway
Charles King as Kleeg, employee of Andre Bocar in The Green Parrot Inn
Armida Vendrell as Zalea
Hugh Prosser as Morelli
Neyle Morrow as Kahla
Fred Graham as Villabo
Rusty Wescoatt as Ivan
Anthony Warde as Rogan
Stephen Carr as Tom McGraw, murdered brother of Bernie McGraw and trustee of the Culver fortune
William Fawcett as Blinky
Knox Manning as Narrator
Frank O'Connor as Frank, cafe clerk
Eddie Parker as torturer
Stanley Price as Nagu's friend

Crew

Directors: Thomas Carr, Spencer Gordon Bennet
Producer: Sam Katzman
Cinematographer: Ira Morgan
Art Director: Paul Palmentola
Editors: Earl Turner, Dwight Caldwell
Sound mixer: Josh Westmoreland

Chapter titles

The Untamed Beast
Jungle Gold
A Hot Reception
Congo Bill Springs a Trap
White Shadows in the Jungle
The White Queen
Black Panther
Sinister Schemes
The Witch Doctor Strikes
Trail of Treachery
A Desperate Chance
The Lair of the Beast
Menace of the Jungle
Treasure Trap
The Missing Letter

_Source:^[1]

References

^ Cline, William C. (1984). "Filmography". In the Nick of Time. McFarland & Company, Inc. pp. 248. ISBN 0-7864-0471-X.

External links

Congo Bill at IMDb
Congo Bill at AllMovie

Preceded by Superman (1948)	Columbia Serial 'Congo Bill (1948)	Succeeded by Bruce Gentry (1949)

v t e Columbia serials
Pre-war serials (1937–1941)	Jungle Menace The Mysterious Pilot The Secret of Treasure Island The Great Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok The Spider's Web Flying G-Men Mandrake the Magician Overland with Kit Carson The Shadow Terry and the Pirates Deadwood Dick The Green Archer White Eagle The Spider Returns The Iron Claw Holt of the Secret Service
War-time serials (1942–1945)	Captain Midnight Perils of the Royal Mounted The Secret Code The Valley of Vanishing Men Batman The Phantom The Desert Hawk Black Arrow Brenda Starr, Reporter The Monster and the Ape
Post-war serials (1945–1956)	Jungle Raiders Who's Guilty? Hop Harrigan Chick Carter, Detective Son of the Guardsman Jack Armstrong The Vigilante The Sea Hound Brick Bradford Tex Granger Superman Congo Bill Bruce Gentry Batman and Robin Adventures of Sir Galahad Cody of the Pony Express Atom Man vs. Superman Pirates of the High Seas Roar of the Iron Horse Mysterious Island Captain Video King of the Congo Blackhawk Son of Geronimo The Lost Planet The Great Adventures of Captain Kidd Gunfighters of the Northwest Riding with Buffalo Bill Adventures of Captain Africa Mighty Jungle Avenger! Perils of the Wilderness Blazing the Overland Trail

Live-action films based on DC Comics

Serials

Adventures of Captain Marvel (1941)
Spy Smasher (1942)
Batman (1943)
Hop Harrigan (1946)
The Vigilante (1947)
Superman (1948)
Congo Bill (1948)
Batman and Robin (1949)
Atom Man vs. Superman (1950)
Blackhawk (1952)

Single films

Supergirl (1984)
Steel (1997)
Catwoman (2004)
Constantine (2005)
Watchmen (2009)
Jonah Hex (2010)
Green Lantern (2011)
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
Justice League (2017)
- production
- Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021)
Birds of Prey (2020)
Batgirl (produced 2021–2022; unreleased)
Black Adam (2022)
The Flash (2023)
Blue Beetle (2023)

Franchises

Aquaman	Aquaman (2018) The Lost Kingdom (2023)
Batman	Batman (1966) Batman (1989) Batman Returns (1992) Batman Forever (1995) Batman & Robin (1997) Batman Begins (2005) The Dark Knight (2008) The Dark Knight Rises (2012) The Batman (2022)
Joker	Joker (2019) Folie à Deux (2024)
Shazam	Shazam! (2019) Fury of the Gods (2023)
Suicide Squad	Suicide Squad (2016) The Suicide Squad (2021)
Superman	Superman and the Mole Men (1951) Stamp Day for Superman (1954) Superman (1978) Superman II (1980) The Richard Donner Cut (2006) Superman III (1983) The Quest for Peace (1987) Superman Returns (2006) Man of Steel (2013) Superman (2025)
Swamp Thing	Swamp Thing (1982) The Return of Swamp Thing (1989)
Wonder Woman	Wonder Woman (2017) Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)

DC Imprints

Single films	Road to Perdition (2002) The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003) A History of Violence (2005) V for Vendetta (2006) Stardust (2007) The Spirit (2008) The Losers (2010) The Kitchen (2019)
Red	Red (2010) Red 2 (2013)

See also

Films produced by Sam Katzman

Showmen's/
Screencraft

His Private Secretary (1933)
Police Call (1933)
Ship of Wanted Men (1933)
Public Stenographer (1934)
The Moth (1934)
The Big Race (1934)
St. Louis Woman (1934)

Supreme

A Demon for Trouble (1934)
Western Justice (1934)
The Brand of Hate (1934)
Smokey Smith (1935)
Tombstone Terror (1935)
Trail of Terror (1935)
Alias John Law (1935)
Big Calibre (1935)
Sundown Saunders (1935)
Brand of the Outlaws (1936)
The Kid Ranger (1936)

Victory

Peter B. Kyne	Danger Ahead (1935) Hot Off the Press (1935) Bars of Hate (1935) The Fighting Coward (1935) Taming the Wild (1936) aka Madcap A Face in the Fog (1936) Rio Grande Romance (1936) Kelly of the Secret Service (1936)
Tom Tyler	Rip Roarin' Buckaroo (1936) The Phantom of the Range (1936) Orphan of the Pecos (1937) (also d) Brothers of the West (1937) (also d) Cheyenne Rides Again (1937) Lost Ranch (1937) (also d) Mystery Range (1937) Feud of the Trail (1937)
Serials	Shadow of Chinatown (1936) Blake of Scotland Yard (1937)
Herman Brix	Two Minutes to Play (1936) Silks and Saddles (1936) Amateur Crook (1937) (also d) Flying Fists (1937) Million Dollar Racket (1937) Sky Racket (1937) (also d)
Tim McCoy	Six-Gun Trail (1938) Lightning Carson Rides Again (1938) Texas Wildcats (1939) Code of the Cactus (1939) Outlaws' Paradise (1939) Trigger Fingers (1939) The Fighting Renegade (1939) Straight Shooter (1939)

Puritan

The Rogues' Tavern (1936)

Monogram

East Side Kids	East Side Kids (1940) Boys of the City (1940) That Gang of Mine (1940) Pride of the Bowery (1941) Flying Wild (1941) Bowery Blitzkrieg (1941) Spooks Run Wild (1941) Mr. Wise Guy (1942) Let's Get Tough! (1942) Smart Alecks (1942) 'Neath Brooklyn Bridge (1942) Kid Dynamite (1942) Clancy Street Boys (1942) Ghosts on the Loose (1943) Mr. Muggs Steps Out (1943) Million Dollar Kid (1943) Follow the Leader (1944) Block Busters (1944) Bowery Champs (1944) Docks of New York (1945) Mr. Muggs Rides Again (1945) Come Out Fighting (1945)
Bela Lugosi	Invisible Ghost (1941) Bowery at Midnight (1942) The Corpse Vanishes (1942) Black Dragons (1942) The Ape Man (1943) Voodoo Man (1944) Return of the Ape Man (1944)
Musicals	Zis Boom Bah (1942)
Billy Gilbert	Spotlight Scandals (1943) Crazy Knights (1944) Three of a Kind (1944) Trouble Chasers (1945)
The Teen-Agers	Junior Prom (1946) Freddie Steps Out (1946) High School Hero (1946) Vacation Days (1947)

Columbia

Serials	Who's Guilty? (1945) Jungle Raiders (1945) Brenda Starr, Reporter (1945) Hop Harrigan (1946) Chick Carter, Detective (1946) Son of the Guardsman (1946) Jack Armstrong (1947) The Vigilante (1947) The Sea Hound (1947) Brick Bradford (1947) Congo Bill (1948) Tex Granger (1948) Superman (1948) Adventures of Sir Galahad (1949) Batman and Robin (1949) Bruce Gentry – Daredevil of the Skies (1949) Pirates of the High Seas (1950) Atom Man vs. Superman (1950) Cody of the Pony Express (1950) Captain Video: Master of the Stratosphere (1951) The Mysterious Island (1951) Roar of the Iron Horse (1951) Son of Geronimo (1952) Blackhawk (1952) The Great Adventures of Captain Kidd (1953) The Lost Planet (1953) Riding with Buffalo Bill (1954) Gunfighters of the Northwest (1954) Adventures of Captain Africa Mighty Jungle Avenger! (1955) Perils of the Wilderness (1956) Blazing the Overland Trail (1956)
Jean Porter	Betty Co-Ed (1946) Little Miss Broadway (1947) Sweet Genevieve (1947) Two Blondes and a Redhead (1947)
Jon Hall	Last of the Redskins (1947) The Prince of Thieves (1948) The Mutineers (1949) Hurricane Island (1951) When the Redskins Rode (1951) Brave Warrior (1952) Last Train from Bombay (1952)
Jungle Jim	Jungle Jim (1948) The Lost Tribe (1949) Mark of the Gorilla (1950) Captive Girl (1950) Pygmy Island (1950) Fury of the Congo (1951) Jungle Manhunt (1951) Jungle Jim in the Forbidden Land (1952) Voodoo Tiger (1952) Savage Mutiny (1953) Valley of the Head Hunters (1953) Killer Ape (1953) Jungle Man-Eaters (1954) Cannibal Attack (1954) Jungle Moon Men (1955) Devil Goddess (1956)
Gloria Henry	Racing Luck (1948) Triple Threat (1948)
Gloria Jean	I Surrender Dear (1948) Manhattan Angel (1949)
Musical	Mary Lou (1948) Glamour Girl (1948)
Crime	Chinatown at Midnight (1949) State Penitentiary (1950) Revenue Agent (1950) Chain Gang (1950) The Miami Story (1954) Chicago Syndicate (1955) The Crooked Web (1955) Inside Detroit (1955) Teen-Age Crime Wave (1955) Miami Exposé (1956) Rumble on the Docks (1956) Escape from San Quentin (1957) The Tijuana Story (1957) The World Was His Jury (1958)
William Castle	Serpent of the Nile (1953) Fort Ti (1953) Slaves of Babylon (1953) Conquest of Cochise (1953) The Law vs. Billy the Kid (1954) Jesse James vs. the Daltons (1954) Masterson of Kansas (1954) The Battle of Rogue River (1954) Charge of the Lancers (1954) Drums of Tahiti (1954) The Saracen Blade (1954) The Iron Glove (1954) Duel on the Mississippi (1955) The Gun That Won the West (1955) New Orleans Uncensored (1955) Uranium Boom (1956) The Houston Story (1956)
Action	Barbary Pirate (1949) The Mutineers (1949) Last of the Buccaneers (1950) Tyrant of the Sea (1950) The Magic Carpet (1951) The Golden Hawk (1952) Thief of Damascus (1952) Prisoners of the Casbah (1953) Flame of Calcutta (1953) Siren of Bagdad (1953) Prince of Pirates (1953) Target Hong Kong (1953) The 49th Man (1953) Pirates of Tripoli (1955) Crash Landing (1958)
War	Purple Heart Diary (1951) A Yank in Korea (1951) The Pathfinder (1952) A Yank in Indo-China (1952) Sky Commando (1953) Mission Over Korea (1953) The Last Blitzkrieg (1959) The Enemy General (1960)
Western	California Conquest (1952) Jack McCall, Desperado (1953) Seminole Uprising (1955) Blackjack Ketchum, Desperado (1956) Utah Blaine (1957) The Wild Westerners (1962)
Sci-fi	Creature with the Atom Brain (1955) It Came from Beneath the Sea (1955) Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956) The Werewolf (1956) The Man Who Turned to Stone (1957) The Giant Claw (1957) Zombies of Mora Tau (1957) The Night the World Exploded (1957) Lock Up Your Daughters (1959)
Rock Musical	Rock Around the Clock (1956) Cha-Cha-Cha Boom! (1956) Calypso Heat Wave (1957) Don't Knock the Rock (1957) Juke Box Rhythm (1959) Twist Around the Clock (1961) Don't Knock the Twist (1961)
Drama	Going Steady (1958) Life Begins at 17 (1958) The Flying Fontaines (1959) The Love-Ins (1967) For Singles Only (1968)

Fox

Pirates of Tortuga (1961)
The Wizard of Baghdad (1961)

Tallahassee 7000 (1961)

MGM

Musicals	Hootenanny Hoot (1963) Get Yourself a College Girl (1964) Kissin' Cousins (1964) Your Cheatin' Heart (1964) Harum Scarum (1965) When the Boys Meet the Girls (1965) Hold On! (1966) The Fastest Guitar Alive (1967) A Time to Sing (1968)
Non-musical	Hot Rods to Hell (1967) Riot on Sunset Strip (1967) (sold to AIP) The Young Runaways (1968)