Trader Tom of the China Seas

1954 film by Franklin Adreon

January 6, 1954 (1954-01-06) (U.S. serial)^[1]
1966 (1966) (U.S. TV)^[1]

Running time

12 chapters (167 minutes (serial)^[1]
100 minutes (TV)^[1]LanguageEnglishBudget$172,789 (negative cost: $169,248)^[1]

Trader Tom of the China Seas is a 1954 Republic film serial directed by Franklin Adreon and starring Harry Lauter, Aline Towne, Lyle Talbot, Robert Shayne, Fred Graham, and Richard Reeves. In 1966 the serial was edited into Century 66 100-minute television film with the new title Target: Sea of China.

Plot

The United Nations has island trader Tom Rogers and Vivian Wells, daughter of a schooner captain, spearheading the effort to keep subversive native groups from starting revolutions in Burmatra and neighboring Asian countries.

Cast

Harry Lauter as Tom Rogers
Aline Towne as Vivian Wells
Lyle Talbot as Barent
Robert Shayne as Major Conroy
Fred Graham as Kurt Daley
Richard Reeves as Rebel Chief
John Crawford as Bill Gaines
George Selk as Ole

Production

Trader Tom of the China Seas was budgeted at $172,789 although the final negative cost was $169,248 (a $3,541, or 2%, under spend). It was the cheapest Republic serial of 1954.^[1] It was filmed between 8 September and 28 September 1953.^[1] The serial's production number was 1937.^[1]

Stunts

Dale Van Sickel as Tom Rogers/Rebel Assassin in Jeep (doubling Harry Lauter)
Tom Steele as Gursan
Fred Graham
Bert LeBaron as Railroad Fireman
Ken Terrell as Crewman

Special Effects

Special effects were created by the Lydecker brothers.

Release

Theatrical

Trader Tom of the China Seas's official release date is 11 January 1954, although this is actually the date the sixth chapter was made available to film exchanges.^[1] This was followed by a re-release of Secret Service in Darkest Africa, re-titled as Manhunt in the African Jungles, instead of a new serial. The next new serial, Man with the Steel Whip, followed in the summer.^[1]

Television

Trader Tom of the China Seas was one of twenty-six Republic serials re-released as a Century 66 film on television in 1966. The title of the film was changed to Target: Sea of China. This version was cut down to 100-minutes in length.^[1]

Critical reception

Cline describes this serial as just a "quickie."^[2]

Chapter titles

Sea Saboteurs (20min)
Death Takes the Deck (13min 20s)
Five Fathoms Down (13min 20s)
On Target (13min 20s)
The Fire Ship (13min 20s)
Collision (13min 20s)
War in the Hills (13min 20s)
Native Execution (13min 20s)
Mass Attack (13min 20s)
Machine Murder (13min 20s) - a re-cap chapter
Underwater Ambush (13min 20s)
Twisted Vengeance (13min 20s)

_Source:^[1]^[3]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l Mathis, Jack (1995). Valley of the Cliffhangers Supplement. Jack Mathis Advertising. pp. 3, 10, 136–137. ISBN 0-9632878-1-8.
^ Cline, William C. (1984). "5. A Cheer for the Champions (The Heroes and Heroines)". In the Nick of Time. McFarland & Company, Inc. pp. 91. ISBN 0-7864-0471-X.
^ Cline, William C. (1984). "Filmography". In the Nick of Time. McFarland & Company, Inc. pp. 255–256. ISBN 0-7864-0471-X.