Robinson Crusoe of Clipper Island

Hal Roach Studios

Herbert J. Yates had barely finished his consolidation of a group of poverty row studios under his new Republic Pictures banner when the new entity began production on the ground-breaking Robinson Crusoe of Clipper Island, only the fourth of the legendary sixty-six chapterplays which would be created over an historic twenty year period, and forever stand as Republic's enduring monument.

Produced under the supervision of Nat Levine, who had previously churned out imaginative serials in behalf of his now-defunct Mascot Pictures (including such revelations as Gene Autry's Phantom Empire), Robinson Crusoe holds the distinction of being the only Republic Serial to span the rather odd term of Fourteen Chapters. (Most serials stretched over twelve episodes, with the annual production scheme.) Why did it happen? The reason for which most things occur in Hollywood - money. So ambitious was Robinson Crusoe of Clipper Island, with exotic island locations and intricate models and effects, that it ran way over budget. So, Republic invented the "re-cap" chapter consisting of existing footage, added one additional "cliffhanger", and thus increased their revenue by 2/14ths!

Mala, a government agent sent to far-away Pacific climes to investigate a disastrous dirigible crash, encounters hostile natives, an evil local priest, erupting volcanoes, murderous white men - and the beautiful Princess Melani - before he, his two allies, and the famed animal stars Buck and rex, unmask the traitorous dirigible company official secretly orchestrating the mystery of Clipper Island!