Tickets $5 – See first 2 hours of the series.
he Shadow movie theater serial, released in 1940 by Columbia Pictures, was a 15-chapter cinematic adaptation of the popular pulp fiction and radio character created by Walter B. Gibson under the pseudonym Maxwell Grant. Starring Victor Jory as Lamont Cranston, the serial follows the mysterious crime-fighter, who uses his hypnotic powers to become “The Shadow” and thwart the villainous Black Tiger’s schemes to sabotage critical infrastructure. Directed by James W. Horne, the serial capitalized on the character’s established fame, delivering fast-paced action, clever disguises, and cliffhangers that kept audiences returning weekly. While the serial took liberties with the source material—omitting key radio elements like Cranston’s invisibility and his alter ego Kent Allard—it retained the character’s noir aesthetic and psychological intrigue, cementing its place as a notable entry in 1940s serial cinema.
The Shadow’s radio history began in 1930 as a narrator for Detective Story Hour, but the character’s popularity exploded with the 1937 The Shadow radio drama on the Mutual Broadcasting System, featuring Orson Welles as Cranston in its early years. Airing until 1954, the show captivated millions with its signature opening, “Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!” and its blend of mystery, supernatural elements, and psychological drama. Critics praised its innovative storytelling; Radio Mirror in 1938 called it “a masterclass in suspense,” lauding Welles’ “haunting voice” that “chills and thrills in equal measure.” Writer and historian Jim Harmon, in The Great Radio Heroes, described the series as “a cultural phenomenon,” noting that “The Shadow’s hypnotic mystique made listeners feel they were part of his secret world.” The radio show’s success fueled the 1940 serial’s production and inspired later adaptations, including the 1994 film starring Alec Baldwin.