Directing

Franklin Adreon

Born — Died

1902-11-18 — 1979-09-10

Place of birth

Gambrills, Maryland, United States

Known for

Directing

Credits

40 titles

Franklin Adreon was an American film and television director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his work on serials and Westerns during the mid-20th century. He directed and wrote numerous films and television episodes, including Panther Girl of the Kongo (1955) and The Invisible Monster (1950). Adreon's contributions to the Western genre and serials have left a lasting impact on American entertainment.

Known for

Hell's Crossroads poster
5.6

An imprisoned gunfighter must scatter to elude the authorities. Outlaws Bob Ford and Vic Rodell are nabbed, but the governor offers them amnesty in exchange for their help in bringing Jesse and his brother Frank to justice.

Hell's Crossroads

1957

Mysterious Doctor Satan poster
6.0

A mad scientist named Dr. Satan plots to steal key pieces of technology to enable him to build an army of robots based on his prototype to conquer America. The only one standing in his way is Bob Wayne, who fights Satan as the enigmatic Copperhead. Mysterious Doctor Satan is a 1940 film serial named after its chief villain. Doctor Satan's main opponent is the masked mystery man, "The Copperhead", whose secret identity is Bob Wayne, a man searching for justice and revenge on Satan for the death of his step-father. The serial charts the conflict between the two as Bob Wayne pursues Doctor Satan, while the latter completes his plans for world domination.

Mysterious Doctor Satan

1940

Dick Tracy's G-Men poster
5.2

A mad doctor named Zanoff uses a drug to bring himself back from the dead after his execution in prison. Dick Tracy sets out to capture Zanoff before he can put his criminal gang back together again.

Dick Tracy's G-Men

1939

The Lone Ranger Rides Again poster
7.3

Homesteaders are moving into the valley settled many years ago by rancher Craig Dolan. He wants to keep them out by legal means but his nephew Bart brings in outlaws to drive them out. The Lone Ranger is on hand to help the homesteaders battle Bart's men as he overcomes traps, ambushes, burning buildings and other obstacles in his attempt to bring peace to the valley.

The Lone Ranger Rides Again

1939

No Man's Woman poster
5.0

A greedy, scheming woman is found murdered in her studio, and the police find that there is no shortage of suspects who wanted to see her dead--among them a rich husband she wouldn't divorce unless he paid her a huge settlement, a lover she caused to be fired from his job and an assistant whose fiancé she tried to seduce.

No Man's Woman

1955

The Leathernecks Have Landed poster
7.0

Dishonorably discharged from the U.S. Marines after starting a barroom brawl that gets his leatherneck buddy "Tubby" Waters killed, hothead "Woody" Davis infiltrates a gang of Shanghai gunrunners to bring the culprit to justice.

The Leathernecks Have Landed

1936

Film credits

Behind the camera

Hell's Crossroads poster
5.6

An imprisoned gunfighter must scatter to elude the authorities. Outlaws Bob Ford and Vic Rodell are nabbed, but the governor offers them amnesty in exchange for their help in bringing Jesse and his brother Frank to justice.

Hell's Crossroads

1957

Mysterious Doctor Satan poster
6.0

A mad scientist named Dr. Satan plots to steal key pieces of technology to enable him to build an army of robots based on his prototype to conquer America. The only one standing in his way is Bob Wayne, who fights Satan as the enigmatic Copperhead. Mysterious Doctor Satan is a 1940 film serial named after its chief villain. Doctor Satan's main opponent is the masked mystery man, "The Copperhead", whose secret identity is Bob Wayne, a man searching for justice and revenge on Satan for the death of his step-father. The serial charts the conflict between the two as Bob Wayne pursues Doctor Satan, while the latter completes his plans for world domination.

Mysterious Doctor Satan

1940

Dick Tracy's G-Men poster
5.2

A mad doctor named Zanoff uses a drug to bring himself back from the dead after his execution in prison. Dick Tracy sets out to capture Zanoff before he can put his criminal gang back together again.

Dick Tracy's G-Men

1939

The Lone Ranger Rides Again poster
7.3

Homesteaders are moving into the valley settled many years ago by rancher Craig Dolan. He wants to keep them out by legal means but his nephew Bart brings in outlaws to drive them out. The Lone Ranger is on hand to help the homesteaders battle Bart's men as he overcomes traps, ambushes, burning buildings and other obstacles in his attempt to bring peace to the valley.

The Lone Ranger Rides Again

1939

No Man's Woman poster
5.0

A greedy, scheming woman is found murdered in her studio, and the police find that there is no shortage of suspects who wanted to see her dead--among them a rich husband she wouldn't divorce unless he paid her a huge settlement, a lover she caused to be fired from his job and an assistant whose fiancé she tried to seduce.

No Man's Woman

1955

Daredevils of the Red Circle poster
4.8

Escaped Prisoner 39013 impersonates the rich and influential Horace Granville, allowing him to create a variety of disasters. Fortunately, he is thwarted repeatedly by three daring circus daredevils.

Daredevils of the Red Circle

1939

Dimension 5 poster
5.3

An American intelligence agent, aided by a Chinese-American female agent, uses a time-travel belt to thwart Chinese operatives who are attempting to import to Los Angeles the materials to make an atomic bomb.

Dimension 5

1966

Drums of Fu Manchu poster
6.2

The nefarious Dr. Fu Manchu searches for the keys to the tomb of Genghis Khan, in order to fulfill a prophecy that will enable him to conquer the world. His nemesi, Dr. Nayland Smith and his associates fight to keep the evil doctor from getting his hands on the keys. In 1943 the serial was edited together into a feature movie also called Drums of Fu Manchu.

Drums of Fu Manchu

1940

Panther Girl of the Kongo poster
6.4

Jean Evans of an international wildlife foundation, who is known to Africa as 'the Panther Girl' because of her bravery in jungle living, stumbles on a plot by a mad scientist to frighten the natives out of a diamond-laden district by chemically growing crayfish to giant size, and enlists the aid of a game hunter friend to prevent a monster rampage and bring the culprits to justice.

Panther Girl of the Kongo

1955

Panther Girl of the Kongo poster
6.4

Jean Evans of an international wildlife foundation, who is known to Africa as 'the Panther Girl' because of her bravery in jungle living, stumbles on a plot by a mad scientist to frighten the natives out of a diamond-laden district by chemically growing crayfish to giant size, and enlists the aid of a game hunter friend to prevent a monster rampage and bring the culprits to justice.

Panther Girl of the Kongo

1955

SOS Coast Guard poster
5.1

An internationally-notorious criminal scientist returns to the US to sell his latest invention, a disintegrating gas, to a foreign power. When he arrives, however, he is spotted by a young Coast Guard man, whom he kills - and thus earns the enmity of the entire US Coast Guard, but especially the murdered Guardsman's older brother who, together with his reporter-girlfriend and her comical photographer, vigorously sets to tracking him down and interfering with his plans to develop the city-melting gas in quantity. A Republic Serial in 12 Chapters.

SOS Coast Guard

1937

Zorro's Fighting Legion poster
5.4

The mysterious Don Del Oro ("Lord of Gold"), an idol of the Yaqui Indians, plans to take over the gold and become Emperor. Francisco was put in charge of a legion to combat the Yaqui tribe and protect the land, but when attacked Zorro came to his rescue. Francisco's partner recognized Zorro as the hidalgo Don Diego Vega, then ask him to take over the fighting legion as his alter-ego Zorro.

Zorro's Fighting Legion

1939

Man with the Steel Whip poster
7.5

Saloon owner Barnet wants the Indian reservation land on which he knows there is gold, and organizes a gang, aided by some renegade Indians, to raid and terrorize close-by settlers,hoping to arouse them to drive off the Indians. Rancher Jerry Randall, accompanied by school teacher Nancy Cooper, sets out to defeat the plot. In order to win the loyalty of the innocent tribe members, Randall masquerades as a legendary friend of the Indians, El Latigo.

Man with the Steel Whip

1954

Man with the Steel Whip poster
7.5

Saloon owner Barnet wants the Indian reservation land on which he knows there is gold, and organizes a gang, aided by some renegade Indians, to raid and terrorize close-by settlers,hoping to arouse them to drive off the Indians. Rancher Jerry Randall, accompanied by school teacher Nancy Cooper, sets out to defeat the plot. In order to win the loyalty of the innocent tribe members, Randall masquerades as a legendary friend of the Indians, El Latigo.

Man with the Steel Whip

1954

Cyborg 2087 poster
5.8

In the future world of the year 2087, freedom of thought is illegal and the thoughts of the world's populations are controlled by the government. A small band of "free thinkers" send a cyborg back in time to the year 1966 to prevent a scientist from making the breakthrough that will eventually lead to the mass thought control of the future. Our time traveler soon discovers he is not alone when government agents from the future try to prevent him from carrying out his mission.

Cyborg 2087

1966

The Man Is Armed poster
5.2

Crime drama in which a man unknowingly helps a gang pull off a big heist. The gang discovers that the man is more trouble than he is worth and as a result, things don't go as smoothly as planned.

The Man Is Armed

1956

Trader Tom of the China Seas poster
10.0

In this 12 Chapter serial the UN enlists trader Tom Rogers and Vivian Wells, to lead the effort to prevent the natives from starting a revolution in Burmatra and its neighbors.

Trader Tom of the China Seas

1954

Son of Zorro poster
7.5

A man returning home after having fought in the Civil War discovers that corrupt politicians have taken over the county and are terrorizing and shaking down the citizens. He dons the costume of his ancestor, the famous Zorro, and sets out to bring them to justice.

Son of Zorro

1947

Jesse James Rides Again poster
10.0

Jesse James wants to start a new life in a new location, but quickly finds himself wrapped-up in protecting townsfolk from the machinations of evil oilmen.

Jesse James Rides Again

1947

The Nun and the Sergeant poster
4.7

A weary sergeant in Korea commands military prisoners on a dangerous mission and is joined by a nun and a group of schoolgirls in enemy territory.

The Nun and the Sergeant

1962

Torpedo of Doom poster
10.0

This is a TV-movie feature edited from the 1938 Republic serial "Fighting Devil Dogs"

Torpedo of Doom

1966

G-Men Never Forget poster
7.7

An escaped criminal impersonates a Police Commissioner, causing no end of trouble to a determined Federal Agent.

G-Men Never Forget

1948

Adventures of Red Ryder poster
6.7

Calvin Drake employs a group of low-lifes to drive away land owners along the path of a new railroad; Red Ryder opposes this strategy.

Adventures of Red Ryder

1940

Adventures of Frank and Jesse James poster
6.5

Jesse James returns to Missouri, and he and brother Frank come to the aid of a young woman who owns a gold mine. Her father was murdered and she took over the mine, and now the villains who killed her father are trying to drive her out of the mine so they can take it over.

Adventures of Frank and Jesse James

1948

The Claw Monsters poster
7.0

An evil scientist in a remote jungle location cultivates giant crawfish (!) as a means of scaring trespassers away from his diamond mine. Condensed from one of the last Republic serials, "Panther Girl of the Congo". (1955).

The Claw Monsters

1966

Dangers of the Canadian Mounted poster
6.5

Crooks discover a Genghis Khan treasure ship on the Canada-Alaska border but the treasure is hidden somewhere on land. In their efforts to find the hidden treasure they resort to murder and sabotage to stop the construction of the Alcan highway which will bring homesteaders to the area. Sergeant Royal of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police battles through 12 episodes to find the crooks and to learn the identity of their mysterious leader known only as 'The Boss'.

Dangers of the Canadian Mounted

1948

King of the Royal Mounted poster
7.5

The Canadians have discovered a valuable substance called Compound X, which can cure infantile paralysis. When a country at war with Canada learns that Compound X also contains magnetic properties that could aid them in their warfare against the British, they send agents to infiltrate Canada and steal a large quantity of the substance. It's up to Sgt. King (Allan Lane) and his Mounties to track down the agents and put an end to their scheme.

King of the Royal Mounted

1940

Government Agents vs Phantom Legion poster
7.5

Two federal agents battle a gang that hijacks trucks carrying materials vital for the security of the country and sells them to foreign powers.

Government Agents vs Phantom Legion

1951

Canadian Mounties vs. Atomic Invaders poster
6.5

A villain named Marlof attempts to set up secret missile bases inside Canada so he can launch missiles at the U.S. The Canadian Mounted Police dispatch agents to try to stop him.

Canadian Mounties vs. Atomic Invaders

1953

Drums of Fu Manchu poster
5.2

Feature version of the 1940 Republic serial, about Fu Manchu's attempt to conquer Asia.

Drums of Fu Manchu

1943

The Lone Ranger poster
7.0

In 1865, Captain Mark Smith of the Confederate Army leads a band of deserters to conquer Texas and rule it as a dictator. In one of his first actions, he captures and assumes the identity of Texas' new Finance Commissioner, Colonel Marcus Jeffries, after having the real man murdered. When a contingent of Texas Rangers enters the territory, Snead, one of Smith's men, leads them into an ambush by Smith's "troopers". The Rangers are apparently wiped out, although one injured survivor is left. The survivor, nursed back to health by Tonto, swears to avenge the massacre and defeat "Colonel Jeffries" and his men.

The Lone Ranger

1938

Sons of Adventure poster
9.0

This western mystery offers a behind-the-scenes look at movie making. The trouble begins when a cowboy star is mysteriously killed on the set. A detective investigates and becomes determined to save the prime suspect. Despite the terrible danger he faces, the investigator does not stop until the real culprit has been apprehended and justice is served.

Sons of Adventure

1948

Terror at Midnight poster
5.2

A newly promoted police sergeant discovers his girlfriend my be involved with a gang of car thieves.

Terror at Midnight

1956

Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe poster
NR

Dangerous climate changes are ravaging Earth and the U.S. government requests an investigation by masked super-scientist Commando Cody. He discovers that the disasters are being caused by space-alien forces from unknown planetary origins.

Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe

1953

Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe poster
NR

Dangerous climate changes are ravaging Earth and the U.S. government requests an investigation by masked super-scientist Commando Cody. He discovers that the disasters are being caused by space-alien forces from unknown planetary origins.

Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe

1953

Hi-Yo Silver poster
7.0

Edited version of the 1938 Republic serial "The Lone Ranger."

Hi-Yo Silver

1940

Flying Disc Man from Mars poster
4.9

Mota is a Martian representative, who has come to impose interplanetary law on the Earth (which has become too dangerous); opposing his authority is Kent Fowler, who resists the alien plot, without understanding its details.

Flying Disc Man from Mars

1950

The Invisible Monster poster
4.7

Man-woman team of investigators uncover a gang whose mad scientist leader has developed an invisibility chemical and plans to build a mercenary army of invisible men.

The Invisible Monster

1950

King of the Carnival poster
9.0

Treasury agents go after a ring of counterfeiters operating out of a traveling carnival.

King of the Carnival

1955