Matinee Classics - Classic Movies - The Phantom Empire (1935)

The Phantom Empire starring Gene Autry, Frankie Darro, Betsy King Ross, Dorothy Christie, Wheeler Oakman, Charles K. French, Warner Richmond, Smiley Burnette, Peter Potter and Jack Carlyle

The Phantom Empire (1935)

(1935)

Science Fiction / Serial / Western

Directed by: Otto Brower and Breezy Eason

Gene Autry plays a singing cowboy of the same name, who runs Radio Ranch, a dude ranch from which he makes a daily live radio broadcast at 2pm. Gene has two kid sidekicks, Frankie Darro and Betsy King Ross. Betsy, Frankie and Gene are kidnapped by the Thunder Riders, from the super-scientific underground empire of Murania, The inhabitants of Murania are the lost tribe of Mu and went below the surface in the Ice Age, 100,000 years ago and now live in a fantastically advanced city 20 or 25,000 feet underground complete with towering skyscrapers, robots, ray-guns, elevators tubes that extend miles from the surface, and an icy, evil blonde Queen Tika. On the surface, a group of crooks under Prof Beetson plan to invade Murania and seize its radium wealth, while in Murania, a group of revolutionaries plot to overthrow Queen Tika.

Cast:

Gene Autry as Himself, singing cowboy at the Radio Ranch
Frankie Darro as Frankie Baxter, one of Gene's sidekicks
Betsy King Ross as Betsy Baxter, one of Gene's sidekicks. Ross was an experienced rodeo performer and was billed as the "World's Champion Trick Rider".
Dorothy Christy as Queen Tika, evil queen of Murania
Wheeler Oakman as Lord Argo, the Muranian High Chancellor and leader of the rebels
Charles K. French as Mal
Warner Richmond as Rab
J. Frank Glendon as Professor Beetson, villainous scientist after the land's Radium deposits
Smiley Burnette as Oscar, comic relief. Burnette went on to be Gene Autry's partner in many more films.
Peter Potter as Pete, comic relief
Edward Peil Sr. as Cooper
Jack Carlyle as Saunders